Chapter 13: ‘Calls For Help’




“Buffy!” Spike roared again as he stalked up and down in front of the Watcher’s house. He had smoked almost a full pack of cigarettes, as he paced back and forth, waiting for the wolfboy to come out with some news.

How many times had he howled his stolen mate’s name? Spike could not remember. It didn’t matter anyway, she was still gone from him and he felt like he was dying inside.

It was not much better for his Buffy, that Spike knew for certain. He could feel his mate’s life blood call out to him, but to no avail. The ‘protection’ barrier around the Watcher’s house was just too fucking strong and powerful. If Spike could not get into the house, then it was for sure that Buffy could not get out. Especially since the idiots inside had ‘tethered’ his wife with ropes and chains of magic.

“Can’t we call a cop or something?” Xander whined at Giles, as he glanced over to the window. “That howling of Spike’s is getting on my freaking nerves!” Buffy shot her ex-best male friend another murderous glare.

“Go ahead,” Buffy purred in a low, lulling tone, “call a cop and report the ‘man’ outside. The one who’s pining away for his wife. I think that even the Sunnydale Police Department might find this whole scenario a little bit disturbing. Don’t you?”

Buffy chuckled, her sarcastic tone was grating on everyone present and she was relishing this moment.

“I mean, heck, a guy like Spike, running around outside a reserved, private pillar of the community’s house? Giles,” Buffy grinned at her Watcher, “how do you think the cops are going to view you after this? Spike howls and growls all night, cops come and oh, gosh, there’s a young, nubile woman tied up in your guest room bed? I think the Police Chief is going to be pretty ‘unhappy’ with you and the rest of you pathetic asses.” Buffy grinned at the crew of misfits that kept her from her mate.

“She’s right,” Willow opined, nervously, “either we just let Spike howl and grrr arrgh all night, or we call a cop. Then, we’ll all have a lot to explain if the fuzz come here.” The red head glanced about the room at the faces there. She looked as if she was going to be ill.

“The fuzz?” Oz smirked as he took his girl’s slim hand in his calloused one. “Talk about a 70’s flashback.”

“I just meant,” Willow blushed, “that Buffy is right. About this anyway. All of us are going to have a lot of explaining to do about this situation. If the police are involved I mean.” She leaned into Oz’s embrace and sighed heavily.

“Listen to Oz, Wills,” Buffy murmered from the bed, “he knows what’s right. He knows, don’t you Oz, that these demon claims, even with humans are permenant?”

Oz nodded and whispered something in Willow’s ear. Whatever he had told her, the witch reared back and glanced at Buffy, anxiously.

“I never thought I’d say this,” Xander was mumbling something under his breath. Anya, his girlfriend had arrived earlier and was handing out some sandwiches she’d thrown together in Giles’ kitchen.

“Say what?” Anya asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“I think we should call Angel, in LA,” Xander choked out, reluctantly. “If anyone would know how to break this claim, it’s him.”

Five faces glared at Xander Harris, in unison, “What!” they all screamed at once.

“We should call Angel and see if he can offer any advice about this claim. If anyone would want Buffy tied to Spike less then me? It’s Dead Boy Sr.” Xander looked away from Buffy, who was now squirming on the bed, looking pissed beyond words.

“You are a fucking coward, Xand,” Buffy hissed from her place on the bed. “Leave it to you, you little worm, to involve Angel in this. Especially knowing how much he and my mate hate each other.”

Giles seemed to think this over, for a minute or two, then nodded silently.

“I do think Xander is right on this one,” Giles said evenly. “Angel might be able to give some insight onto how to break this claim. He detests Spike and visa versa. I’ll go call him, right now.”

“That’s right, Giles,” Buffy growled loudly at her Watcher’s retreating back, “you go call brood boy and have him stick his nose into this. I guarantee this much, this little move will backfire on all of you.”

Buffy glared about the room, her expression was menacing and deadly. “Be careful, friends,” she hissed at the remaining room occupants, “if Angel gets involved in this. There will be hell to pay. From all factions.”

Spike continued to pace about outside on the Watcher’s lawn, pausing from time to time to gaze at the upstairs window, longingly, where his mate was being held captive. He tried not to cry, really, but the human aspects of his personality that remained from before his turning cried out to him.

“Buffy,” he whispered in his mind, hoping that she could still ‘feel’ his words and respond.

‘Spike,’ Buffy answered with her own loving thoughts. ‘They are contacting Angel, your Grandsire, darling. I’m afraid, my William. He is so strong and so vengeful. I’m afraid he will try and destroy us.’

Now, normally, Spike would have been enraged to even have Buffy think of Angel, in any capacity. That and to have his Buffy’s so called friends call the great pouf and have him offer advice? However, Spike was also well aware of the bond between his Grandsire and himself, the one that no human law, or any amount of hatred between them could break.

Truth was? If anything, Angel, Spike was sure, would back him and Buffy in this. Angel understood the vampire claiming ritual more then anyone involved in this, maybe even more then Oz.

Even if his Grandsire might hate him, Spike, or disapprove of this match between him and Buffy? He, as a Master Vampire, would respect and abide by the mutual claim. Angel had to. He was a vampire after all. Spike smiled, smugly and whispered back to his beloved mate.

“It’s all right, baby,” he cooed in comfort, “Angel won’t hurt us, he’ll help us. Promise.”

Giles slowly came back into the bedroom and looked nervously at the faces in there. He carried his cordless phone and if one didn’t know better, they would think that someone had called ‘him’ with bad news.

“Angel is demanding to speak with Buffy,” Giles explained in a hushed voice. The Watcher brought the phone over to Buffy and held it to her ear. She would have taken the damn thing herself, but the morons had her hands magically tied, so that was out.

“Yes Angel,” Buffy greeted her ex throught gritted teeth.

“Buffy, honey,” came Angel’s deep voice, “are you okay?”

“That would be a big NO!” Buffy yelled loudly into the phone, causing Giles to flinch. She was rewarded with a shocked, very anxious look from her ex-Watcher.

“Listen, honey,” Angel continued, seemingly blowing off her outburst, “I need to ask you something, and I need an honest answer. Did Spike ‘make’ you take the claim? Or did you return it, willingly?”

Buffy did not hesitate, she answered, “I love Spike, desperately. I took the claim willingly.” Her tone of conviction drew exasperated sighs from everyone in the room, except Oz that is.

“I figured as much,” Angel responded softly. His voice did betray his disappointment and sorrow, just a little, anyway.

“Tell Giles to take the phone back, honey,” Angel continued, “I want to finish our little conversation together. And Buffy,” he added, “take heart, be strong and know that I will help you and my Grandchilde.”

Giles placed his phone back up to his ear, reluctantly, and listened to the rest of Angel’s conversation. By the look on the old man’s face, and the fact that Buffy could hear Angel’s ranting, even from where she was at? The ‘advice’ that Giles was getting from Angel was not what he had hoped for.

Buffy could not help it, when Giles clicked off the cordless phone and sighed heavily, she chuckled loudly.

“ Old Grandaddy a litte pissed at you Rupert?” Buffy grinned widely and laughed again, wickedly.

Rupert Giles did not even glance at Buffy, but he did look at the group of young people in the guest room of his house. Especially at the frowning Xander and Riley Finn.

“Angel is not going to help us,” Giles announced the already obvious. In fact,” Giles continued anxiously, “he stated to me that if we do not let Buffy go, immediately and allow Spike to take her? He, Angel will be in Sunnydale by tomorrow night and help,” the Watcher paused and scowled here.

“I want to quote Angelus, word for word on this,” Giles said out loud, almost to himself. “Oh yes, that was it,” he stammered.

“Angelus says that if we do not do this, allow Buffy to go to her mate? He reminded me that he does not have a chip in his brain and can rip us a new one. He said, and I quote, “He will be here by tomorrow night and help his Grandchilde kick our asses all the way out of Sunnydale. That was it, word for word.” Giles hung his head, sheepishly and sighed in frustration.

“Who gives a fuck!” Riley hissed, finally, ignoring the dirty look Xander gave him. “We’ve got the barrier and they can only come out at night, right? I’m not afraid of Angel or Spike, fuck em’ both!”

Buffy shot her ex a murderous look then spoke up, “do you really want to face off with two Master Vampires, Riley? I mean, even if you would shockingly make it a fair fight?”

She noticed that old Riley’s skin color had paled, greatly, when she asked him this. This brought a saucy little smile to her face.

“You’re not particularly strong, anyway, Rile,” Buffy continued with a wicked little laugh. “You think Angel and Spike are going to what? Go easy on you? Let you stake them and ride off with William the Bloody’s mate. Into the sunset? Hardly,” she snorted and shook her head.

“Angel and Spike, together on the same side? Oh, Sunnydale’s in for a real treat now,” Buffy actually giggled at this. The vision of that seemed to make her happy for some reason.

“She’s right,” Willow stuttered, finally putting her two cents in, “None of you, even combined will ever beat those two vampires together. It’s useless. Let her go, Giles, Xander, Riley.” Willow looked from one incredulous male face to another. “We have to let her go,” she said quietly and took Oz’s hand in hers.

‘Princess,’ came Spike’s strong loving voice into Buffy’s weary head. She had barely slept and was beginning to feel the affects of that.

‘Spike,’ she responded, lovingly, ‘Angel, he’s coming to help us, baby.’ She hoped that her mate could completely hear her thoughts as she could his.

‘I know,’ Spike answered her. By the sound of his thoughts, Buffy felt her mate was almost relieved. This made her feel much better and much more hopeful.

‘I love you, my darling wife,’ Spike assured her. ‘I will get you out of there, no matter what. Then, we can leave this place and go away, just you and me.’

‘Please, do, darling,’ Buffy responded with longing. ‘I love you, my husband.’

 

Chapter 14: ‘Dying Without Buffy’


Buffy watched her captors with wary, green eyes. She was entirely way to exhausted to stay awake, much longer anyway and realized that the ‘gang’ must be even more tired. After all, she, Buffy, was the Slayer and much stronger in all ways then other mere mortals.

Riley and Giles had left the bedroom that Buffy was being kept in. They disappeared earlier to presumably go downstairs and plot against Buffy’s mate, Spike and maybe even Angel.

‘Better make that Angelus,’ Buffy smirked to herself. She had no doubt that Spike’s Grandsire would make good on his threat and show up in the Hellmouth. Angel(us) may have disapproved of the Buffy/Spike mating, but he was a Master Vampire, after all. Master Vampires had a sense of family and duty. Blood was always thicker then water, especially to vampires.

Oz left Willow’s side and slowly walked over to the bed that Buffy was ‘tied’ to by magic. He sat on the edge and looked at the Slayer with a somber expression.

“I’m trying, Buffy,” Oz sighed sadly. “I’ve been trying since this started to make Willow see the uselessness of this bullshit. I thought I had her convinced, at least, but…” He shrugged in frustration.

“I know,” Buffy murmered softly at her best friend’s lover. “Oz,” she mumbled lowly, “do they have any idea what Spike and Angel, together, will do to them? To this town?”

Even Buffy was a little leary of turning Spike and Angel loose on the town of Sunnydale, California. Especially on this little ‘Scoobie’ corner of the the Hellmouth world.

“Uh, apparently not,” Oz hissed sadly. “Maybe Willow’s getting an idea, but the others?” He shook his spikey haired head in sorrow.

“Buffy?” Oz began with hesitation. “I understand some of the vampire way, but, this ‘family’ thing of theirs? Is it as strong a bond as the wolf pack way?”

“Stronger,” Buffy responded with conviction.

“Oh shit,” Oz groaned anxiously, “then we’re all in for the ass kicking of our lives.”

“I have to go, honey,” Oz jumped up and looked at the little clock on the nightstand nearby. “It’s nearly sunrise. I’ve got to get your guy into a safe place for the day. I’ll be back, later to try and convince Willow and the others to let you go back to your mate.”

“Oz!” Buffy yelped as the wolfboy hurried to the bedroom door. “Thank you,” she said evenly.

“No worries,” Oz grinned back at the Slayer.

Spike was still pacing up and down in front of the Watcher’s house. He knew full well that sunrise was near, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave his mate, Buffy. Not even to go to safety from the morning sun’s rays.

Oz, the wolfboy, suddenly appeared from inside Giles’ house. The short, red head hurried up to the vampire. He wore the look of a concerned friend.

“You’ve got to get into shelter, dude,” Oz warned Spike nervously. “It’s almost daybreak. You’ll be dust in less then an hour if you don’t get inside.”

“I can’t leave Buffy,” Spike growled lowly. “I’ve got to stay. If I can’t be near her, close enough to ‘speak’ to her? I’ll go fucking insane for sure.”

“I’ll take you to my crib,” Oz stated with authority, “you’ll be safe there. When sun sets you can come back here and we’ll try to convince these morons that the best thing for Buffy is to let her come back to you. Besides,” Oz scowled for a moment then continued, “won’t Angel be here by tonight? I mean if the others don’t set Buffy free?”

“Yes,” Spike mumbled, a little embarrassed by his relief at his Grandsire’s name. “Angelus will be here, by tonight, if not earlier. If they don’t let my Buffy go.”

“All right, then,” Oz nodded, “let’s go. At least ‘I’ have a phone at my place. You can call Angel in LA and let him know that these idiots are not playing by the rules, still. I hate to unleash the wrath of Angel and you on my friends. Hell, I hate to expose my baby, Willow, to all of this. But, I’ve tried to explain it to them, all of them. So has Xander’s girl, Anya. They just won’t listen, period.”

Oz took Spike by the arm and led him off to his apartment. The two ‘demons’ could hear the first twills of the local ‘larks’ as they began their good morning songs.

Buffy lay in the big bed, still tied up and miserable. She kept staring out of the bedroom window and tried to ‘talk’ to her mate. Apparently Oz had convinced Spike to get inside, away from the morning sun’s rays and into safety.

‘Thank God for Oz,’ Buffy mused. ‘If it weren’t for him, Spike would have stayed out there and fried himself into a crisp.’

A part of the Slayer felt very ‘loved and worshipped’ by her mate. For her Spike to brave the threat of dusting by sunlight for his Buffy. But another part of Buffy was worried sick that her loveable, British bad boy would get himself ‘killed off’ again, over her.

‘We will be together again, baby,’ Buffy felt Spike’s words filter into her mind and soul. She realized that he was speaking to her, calling to her from where ever he was at.

“You are an asshole, Riley,” Buffy hissed at her ex-boyfriend when he re-entered the bedroom. “In fact,” she continued with a mimic of Spike’s smirk, “you’re an incredible asshole. Do you really think you can take on Spike and Angel? And win?”

Riley shot Buffy a distasteful look and flopped down on a chair by the bed she lay in. He looked her up and down, with a grimmace.

“Christ, Buffy,” he grumbled, “just look at yourself. The all mighty Slayer. Reduced to being the whore bride of an evil piece of demon shit like Spike.”

If Buffy could have risen from the bed, she would have leapt at Riley and ripped his fucking throat out for speaking about her love, Spike like that. It really was too much. Here she was, the Slayer of Demons and she couldn’t even release herself from this mojo that held her tied and chained to this unwelcome bed.

“Must be real ego building,” Buffy hissed at Riley, “to be able to bad mouth my ‘incredible mate, Spike’ while he’s not here to beat your worthless head in. Much less to insult my amazing husband and lover to end all lovers, William the Bloody, while I’m trussed up like a Holiday turkey.”

The soldier boy hung his head in momentary shame, then glared at Buffy. He stood up and strode over to the bed and now flopped down on it.

Reaching out his huge hand, Riley ran it down Buffy’s bare arm and grinned wickedly. Buffy cringed in disgust and tried to pull away from him.

“You better remember who’s in control here, little girl,” Riley growled lowly as he now touched Buffy’s neck with his meaty fingers. He seemed to pause at Spike’s claiming marks and frowned.

“My wonderful, hot, sexy husband has a matching set you know?” Buffy purred silkily. “My marks, I mean. We have a matching set, kind of like wedding bands and…..”

Riley reared back from Buffy then raised his right hand as if to slap her. Suddenly, Xander appeared in the room and hurried up to the bed. The dark-haired man shot Riley a nasty look, then scowled at Buffy.

“What’s going on here?” Xander asked nervously.

“Nothing,” Riley grumbled as he stood up from the bed.

“Oh, Riley’s just trying to make a clumsy move on me, Xand,” Buffy chuckled wickedly. “Seems it doesn’t matter how much of a demon slut I’ve turned into. My ex here appears to be as hot for me as ever. Too bad he’s a real dud in the bed department and all. Nothing like a real ‘man’ like my William is.”

Xander gasped and stared at Buffy, wide-eyed, his mouth open like a hooked fish. He then glared at Riley, apparently angry that the Initiative soldier had tried to take advantage of a tied up Buffy.

“Maybe you’d better go and get some rest? Huh, Riley?” Xander glared at the big man in front of him. “I think we’ll all need some sleep and to refurbish our strength.”

Riley snorted loudly and left the room. Xander and Buffy could hear the man cursing all the way down the stairs.

“Giles and Willow, even Anya, they’re sleeping downstairs,” Xander offered an explaination to Buffy.

“Who gives a fuck!” Buffy retorted viciously.

“Buff,” Xander began cautiously, “we’re just trying to help you break free from that evil, undead freak you’ve tied yourself to.”

“He’s not a freak, Xander,” Buffy hissed, vehemently. “Spike is my mate, my soulmate for life. His and my life, that is. You’ve no right to make this decision for me, or him. None of you.”

Xander groaned in exasperation and bolted from the bed and the room. Buffy moaned in frustration and lay back down on the bed that had become her prison.

Spike now paced in Oz’s apartment’s living room. If he kept this up, he’d wear a path into the black carpet of the ‘crib’ as Oz had called it.

The wolfboy, Oz, had crashed in his bedroom, hours before. But not before he’d given Spike his phone and had him dial Angel’s number in LA. Spike had not reached Angel, himself, but he’d gotten Wesley, the surrogate Watcher in his Grandsire’s office.

Spike had listened while the demon girl, Cordelia was it, relayed Angelus’s message to his Grandchilde, through this Wesley bloke. The message was quite clear to everyone involved.

Angelus had decided not to wait for the humans to come to their senses. He had headed to Sunnydale around 3:00 AM, PDT, and had probably, already made it here into town.

‘Hope Peaches blacked out the windows of his Mustang,’ Spike had chuckled despite his inner torment. ‘Or he’ll never make it here to Sunnyhell.’

Problem was, that Angelus probably didn’t exactly know where Oz lived. So that begged the question: ‘how would the ‘Scourge of Europe’ find the place to meet up with his lovesick Grandchilde, William the Bloody?’

Turning on the telly to the Soap Channel, Spike lit up a cigarette and continued to pace about the living room. He was anxious as a cornered cat and knew he could not sleep. At least not until Buffy was back in his arms.

‘Hope something valid is on,’ he muttered, considering the option to change the channel to some ‘court TV’ at least. ‘Don’t suppose Passions repeats are on?’

An abrupt knock on Oz’s front door broke Spike’s nervous pacing. He glanced about to the bedroom door and realized that the owner was probably out for the count, indefinitely.

Spike stumbled to the door and called out, “who’s there?”

“It’s me Spike,” came Angelus’s deep, commanding voice. “I’ve come to help you and your mate.”

Spike gasped and threw the front door open, stunned, but exhilerated to see his Grandsire standing at the entrance.

“Invite me in, boy,” Angel growled almost good-naturedly.

“Come in, Grandsire,” Spike uttered with the utmost respect.

When Angel entered Oz’s residence, the first thing he did was double up his meaty fist and punch Spike right in his perfect, Roman shaped nose.

“What the bloody fuck was that for!” Spike yelped in shock.

“For taking ‘my’ girl and making her yours, you little fuck,” Angel growled at his youngest family member. His golden/brown eyes were full of jealousy.

“Buffy ‘is’ mine, Angelus,” Spike roared back at the patriach of the Aurileous clan. Spike’s indigo blue eyes were full of confidence.

“Yes,” Angel hissed, “Buffy ‘is’ yours now, William. But I just wanted to remind you that you ‘took’ something of mine. I’ll forgive you, boy, but only because Buffy loves you so much. I’ll never forget this, Willie. But, I have to accept it. I’m your Grandsire, by family and blood. My obligation is to you and your wife, first. My own envy comes second.”

Spike suddenly felt the need to throw his arms about his Grandsire. Which he did, even though he was more then ashamed at his outburst of relief that his family member was here with him.

“Thank you Grandfather. For coming to help I mean,” he mumbled softly, burying his head into Angel’s strong shoulder.

“Help I will, my Grandchile,” Angel whispered, trying to comfort his ailing grandson.

“I’m dying, without Buffy. By inches, I’m dying inside and out,” Spike hissed in emotional and physical pain.

“I know, boy,” Angel, cooed almost tenderly as he patted his grandchilde’s back with his right hand. “We will free your mate and return her to you. I promise this. We are of the Clan ‘Aurileous’ William. We stick together, no matter what.”


 

Chapter 15: ‘All The Dudes’


Angel was watching his Grandchilder, carefully. Spike sensed his Grandsire wanted to say something, tell him something, but was holding back.

“Angelus?” Spike finally asked as he lit a cigarette and handed it to the dark, broody vampire.

“This bond, between you and Buffy,” Angel began, cautiously, a frown on his handsome mouth, “it is unbreakable. You ‘both’ know that, right?”

“Of course,” Spike sighed and flopped on Oz’s tattered couch. “It’s those fucking morons that are Buffy’s supposed friends who haven’t got a clue,” he groaned and clasped his head in his hands.

“They will get a clue,” Angel growled lowly as he began to pace about the Oz’s small apartment.

The dark, Master Vampire halted his stride and pulled a high tech cell phone out of his jacket pocket. Angel speed dialed a number and began to talk to someone on the other end of the line.

‘I have got to get one of those things,’ Spike told himself for the umpteenth time in a week.

“When will you be here?” Spike heard Angel ask the faceless voice on the other end. Angel then clicked off the cell phone and tossed it on the couch next to Spike.

“My guys, Wesley, Charles Gunn and a dude named Lindsey, they’ll be here, at this apartment, soon.”

“Dude?” Spike asked his Grandsire, with a raised left brow and a smirk. “You actually use the word ‘dude’ in a conversation, Angelus?”

“Yes, Spike,” Angel hissed with exasperation, “I actually use the word ‘dude’ in conversation. I’ve ‘lived’ in Los Angeles for way too long now.”

The two vampires sat, for long, silent moments, contemplating the sunset that was to come in a few hours.

“So,” Spike finally broke the silence, “who’s this Gunn guy and this Lindsey ‘dude’ Angel? I recognize the Brit, Wesley, from the Gem of Amara fiasco, but…”

“If you say the word ‘dude’ one more time, William,” Angel hissed, his black brows scrunched together, tensely. “I”ll kick the shit out of you, boy.”

“My chip,” Spike piped up, suddenly, “it doesn’t work against demons, Angel Baby. Just thought you should know that, Peaches.” The blond vampire grinned, happily at the brunette vampire.

Angel sighed in frustration, “Gunn,” he began, “he’s my muscle. Lindsey? He’s a rogue lawyer.”

“Aren’t all lawyers rogues, Peaches?” Spike asked, sincerely.

“Willie, you’re on my shit list as it is, don’t push this,” Angel warned.

“Don’t call me Willie!” Spike hissed angrily.

“Don’t call me Peaches!” Angel countered, just as angry.

“Shit, dudes! Don’t argue!” Oz mumbled sleepily from his bedroom door.

“Oz, Angel. Angel, Oz,” Spike made the quick introductions.

“Seen him, met him and yada yada,” Oz yawned at the two vampires. “Anyone want a latte?” the red-headed wolfboy asked suddenly. “I’ve got this great expresso machine, it…”

“NO!” both vampires cried simotaneously.

Oz shrugged and scratched his boxer covered crotch. “Well, I do,” he smiled good-naturedly and stumbled off to his small kitchen.

“The witches boy,” Spike offered to his Grandsire. “He’s on our side, knows that the claim is written in stone.”

Angel grunted and grabbed another cigarette from Spike, lit it and took a deep, satisfying drag off of it. “I only smoke this shit when you’re around, Spike,” Angel admitted reluctantly. “You bring out the worst in me, boy.”

There was a quick, heavy knock at Oz’s front door.

“I’ll get it!” Angel cried as he bolted up to open the door. He apparently knew exactly who, or whom it was.

Spike watched as Angel motioned three men into the apartment. He recognized the ex-watcher, Wesley Pryce something or rather, but had not idea who the other two men were.

“You know Spike,” Angel pointed at the blond vampire, but only Wesley nodded. Spike noticed the fellow Brit had a disdainful expression on his face.

“Gunn, Lindsey,” Angel continued matter-of-factly, “this is my Grandchilder, Spike. Or William the Bloody, whichever you prefer.” Angel actually smirked at Spike, causing the younger vampire to flinch, just a tad.

“So,” Spike glanced at the three men, respectively, “why the fuck are these losers here?”

“Back up,” Angel grunted out, motioning the men to sit down.

“Back up?” Spike asked, a little confused. What the fuck could three humans do, against magic mojo, that two Master Vampires could not?

“Wesley,” Angel looked over at the owlish looking young man, “I need you to get into Rupert Giles’ house. Have a chat with your ex Watcher in arms. Make him understand that this bond, this claim between Spike/William and Buffy the Slayer…it’s permenant. Nothing can break it, nor should any of them try to.”

“Angel,” Wesley stammered, “I can’t help but feel that…”

“Do it, Wes,” Angel growled at the man, “as soon as possible. You know damn well that ‘this’ is not the first time that a vampire has claimed a human, much less a slayer for a mate. Make Giles understand.”

“Of course,” Wesley repsonded meekly.

“Not the first time?” Spike asked in disbelief.

“No,” Angel responded, glaring at Wesley. “There was a time or two before, over a century ago. A Master Vampire, Lethos, he claimed a Slayer in Germany.” Angel looked away from Spike, his dark eyes clouded and distant.

“What happened,” Spike whispered, afraid to hear the answer.

“Lethos,” Wesley took up the tale, “he was forced to turn the girl, her name was Ingrid. She was taken down by a pack of vampires and her mate, Lethos, he turned her to save her.”

Spike felt like he was going to be sick. No way did he want to ever ‘have’ to turn Buffy. If she ever wanted to be? That was different, but to have to? To save her?

“Where, where are they now?” Spike asked anxiously.

“As far as anyone knows? Still in the German countryside,” Wesley answered. “Mated, for eternity.”

Somehow, this made Spike feel a little better, but he quickly changed the subject.

“What do you two do?” he asked the tall African -American man, Gunn, and this Lindsey bloke.

“We do what Angel says,” Gunn answered evenly. “Anything he says.”

“Well,” Angel began speaking again, “I say this,” he stood up and just towered over the other beings in the room, especially Oz, who was no giant in stature. The guitar playing sometime wolfboy had finally joined them in the living room.

“Spike and me,” Angel started with authority, “we’ll go over to Giles’ house, tonight. After sunset. Try and intimidate the fucks inside into letting Buffy go. Wesley,” Angel pointed to the Brit, “you gain access to the house. Try and talk to Giles. If nothing else, Spike and me? We’ll strut around outside the barrier, make our presence known and all.”

“That’s a great plan, Peach…, I mean Angel,” Spike chuckled, “think we’ll scare the Scoobies into letting my mate free?” He was beginning to get a bit pissed off here. His Grandsire, who was bound by vampire tradition to help, was playing games, nothing more.

“I’m hoping, Willie,” Angel hissed under his unneeded breath at Spike, “that our presence, together, will cause the fools in the house to re-think their positions.”

“And us?” the up-to-now silent Lindsey asked. “What’s our job it this?”

“Tomorrow,” Angel said evenly, “during the day. You and Gunn go stake out Giles’ house. Those bastards have to go somewhere, sometime, right? They won’t do it at night, if they know what’s good for them. So,” the dark man grinned, “they’ll have to leave in the daytime. Then,” Angel continued gleefully, “you, Lindsey and Gunn? You grab the first male that exits the house. Bring them here?” Angel looked over at Oz who nodded, a serious expression on his face.

“Why not just grab any of them?” Lindsey asked, a little puzzled by this plan.

“Because,” Angel sighed impatiently, “those morons know we won’t ‘hurt’ the females, or Oz here. They’re safe, even that fucking soldier boy knows that.”

Spike grinned at Angel, ‘Peaches hates Finn as much as me,’ he reasoned happily.

“Hopefully,” Angel continued as he paced and smoked another one of Spike’s cigarettes, “Riley Finn will come out in the sunlight and that’s when ‘we’ make our move. Grab him, or Buffy’s little ex-white knight, Xander Harris. Bring them here. We’ll,” Angel nodded at Spike now, “we’ll take it from there.”

“Angel,” Wesley began, tentively, “do you think this is the best course of action?”

“Let me ask you something, Wes,” Angel smiled benevolently at his friend and employee. “Would you rather have the unsuspecting Scoobies, the town of Sunnydale, have to deal with a pissed off, chipped Spike and his Grandsire, Angel? Or would you prefer the wrath of Angelus loosed onto this fucking city?”

Wesley cowered quickly and said no more.

“I thought so,” Angel responded smugly. “I ‘am’ Angel,” the dark vampire crowed, “the doer of good. The vampire with a soul. But,” he cautioned the group before him, “when it comes to my family?” He looked, affectionately at his William, his Grandchilder, “if I need to return to my Angelus personna? Become the ‘scourge of Europe, or Sunnydale, once again? I will do so. My family comes first and foremost with me. They always will. If these bastards do not release my Grandchilder’s mate? Then Spike and I will rip the fools that hold Buffy apart and lay waste to this fucking city.”

Spike stood up and joined his Grandsire, by his side. He clasped Angel’s huge hand in his.

“Thank you, Grandsire,” Spike bowed his blond head in respect to Angel.

“I am always your family, boy,” Angel replied softly. “Family first, always.”
 

Chapter 16: ‘Reflections of Their Golden Eyes’


A/N: This chapter is going to be a ‘little weird’ in structure. It will start as a series of reflections by our two main characters; Spike and Buffy. Where it goes from there? Well, please just read it and find out…thanks.


Spike sat in Oz’s apartment, still. It was nearly sundown and he felt the driving urge to escape this daylight prison and head straight for the Watcher’s house. His mate, his Buffy was there. Until the sunset, however, Spike was stuck in this bizarre place, along with Peaches and his band of merry men.

Until the sunset, Spike was left to reflect on his past in Sunnydale and with his Slayer. It, the Spuffy history, had not started all too smoothly.

‘He had come to Sunnydale to kill his third Slayer. Defile and defeat the Chosen One and return his own sire, Drusilla, to her full power. That had been the plan, all right. But, along the way? The plan had taken a quick turn to the left and everything went haywire. This was nothing new to Spike, exactly, as most of his plans seemed to veer off from the right direction.’

“The Slayer,” some non-descript demon with a hard on for revenge had began, “she’s young, blond, hot and oh, yeah, very hot.” The demon had described the Slayer to Spike, from the moment he’d entered Sunnyhell and sought her out. Spike didn’t even know the bint’s real name, just a generic description of her, nothing more.

He headed towards the Bronze, the in place for every teen in this podunk town. When he arrived, Spike sought out the blond, hot and young girl he’d been told to look for. Problem was, there was a lot of young, hot blond girls in the Bronze that night.

But…there ‘was’ one, Spike remembered, one that stood out. She was definitely hot, no question, young and blond to boot. It was the ‘power’ though, that radiated from this beauty that told Spike that this was indeed the Slayer of Slayers. Not like anyone of the Chosen Ones that he had encountered before.

The ‘Beauty’ as Spike immediately named her, was dancing with a dorky, rather clumsy young brunette boy and a red haired girl. There was a lot of dancers in the Bronze that night, but this girl stood out, ‘the’ blond one that is. His Slayer had emerald green eyes, yes, but the flecks in their center? They were golden.

“There’s someone being bitten, out in the alley,” Spike had shouted out as he grabbed a cell phone from another patron. Presumeably to call 911. “Some big ugly guy, he’s biting some little bloke and…”

Spike was rewarded, wickedly, when the blond beauty fled the dance floor and headed out back. To the alley way.

Of course, Spike had followed, watched this Buffy the Slayer kick his set up minion’s arse and dust him in less then thirty seconds. For some reason, even then? Spike felt a sense of pride at the little Slayer as she dusted her hands of the idiot vampire’s remains.

He, Spike, stepped out of the shadows and began to clap his hands together in applause.

“Who are you?” Buffy had asked, innocently, her green eyes stirring something deep inside of Spike, even then.

“You’ll find out on Saturday,” he’d smugly replied.

“What happens Saturday?” Buffy asked quickly.

“I kill you,” Spike had snarkily answered, then fled into the night. Back to his Dark Princess, Drusilla. Once back, in the safety of the factory? Spike was cursed with horrid dreams of making love to the blond, beauty of a girl he’d watched kill off a loyal minion. Even then? He knew, Spike knew he was going to be damned to ‘something’ by Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Even then, that first night after seeing Buffy? Spike had been enraptured of her. Smitten on first gaze with this blond, tiny dynamo of a demon killer. A killer of his own kind.


“Spike?” Angel broke into the blond vampire’s memories, “it’s time.”

Spike bolted up and looked outside of the apartment. Indeed, the sun had sunk into the horizon of the Pacific Ocean and it was time to head over to Gile’s place.

“I want her back,” Spike whispered, almost reverently. “I want my mate back,” he repeated, his voice a growl now.

“You’ll have her back,” Angel assured his grandchilder. “We’ll all see to it.”

Wesley, who had been fairly quiet until then, stood up and stretched his arms above his head. “I have got to call ‘my’ mate,” he announced. “Cordelia is my wife,” the ex-watcher explained to Spike evenly, “we’re having a child. In three months. I promised I would check in with her.” (You know who I threw that in there for! Hope you’re still reading!*)

The dark haired human went off to another room to call his wife on the cell phone while Gunn and Lindsey stood up to stretch their own bodies. They, the two men looked at Angel for some kind of orders.

“I want you guys to wait until tomorrow,” Angel nodded at the two men. “You two and Wesley. Old Wes can go to Giles’ house, in the morning, first thing and try to talk some sense into him. Spike and I, we’ll go tonight and flash fangs and fists around. Oh, and our golden demon eyes, make the little Scoobies shake in their boots.”

Angel grinned at Spike, warmly, and the blond vampire had to smirk back at his grandsire.

“Like the old days, eh Will?” Angel chuckled giddily.

“Somewhat,” Spike responded quietly. “Just a different dance card?” he added with another smirk.

“A better dance card,” Angel replied with another nod of his dark head.

“Let’s rock and roll,” Spike hissed as he headed out of Oz’s front door, Angel in tow.

“So we stay here?” Gunn called behind the two vampires. “Just hang out until morning? Until one of the losers comes out to play?”

“That would be the plan Charles,” Angel called back as he followed his sauntering grandchilder out into the night.


Buffy lay, still trussed up like a Christmas goose, in the the guest bed of Rupert Giles. She felt like a fool, really, by now. She had slept, yes, briefly, after the last ‘vulcan mind meld’ with her mate, Spike. That had been just before sunrise that morning, and her sleep had truly been brief and now she was in full on Slayer mode. Problem was? She was still hog tied through the magic mojo that her supposedly best friend, Willow, had placed on her.

‘When I get out of here,’ Buffy began the mantra in her head, again, ‘I am so going to kick everyone’s asses!’

The Slayer glanced about the guest room and saw that Willow was now in the vicinity of her. Her best female friend was sound asleep, for whatever reason, and snoring loudly.

‘I should cry like a banshee,’ Buffy surmised, ‘scream my head off and wake the whole lot of them up!’ They deserved it, they truly did. To keep their so called friend, bestest friend actually and the Slayer to boot, tied up and held hostage. From her own mate? Ridiculous!

Buffy began to think back, as she lay there, waiting for the ultimate return of her mate, Spike. She thought of many things, but especially of the first time she had laid eyes on William the Bloody, aka Spike.

‘Buffy was dancing at the Bronze, with Willow and Xander. She was disturbed, greatly, by her French grade and the fact that Angel, her supposed boyfriend, hadn’t been around in a while.

While she shimmied about the place, to a song she rarely heard, and probably wouldn’t hear again in a decade, Buffy caught sight of a gorgeous blond, Billy Idol wannabe, standing in the shadows of the dance floor. Her heart began to race, like a thoroughbred, at the realization that this ‘man’ was watching her, intently. This ‘man’ had the bluest of blue eyes, but their center flecks? They were golden.

‘Angel who?’ Buffy had thought, briefly, as she began to dance more erotically then before. She ran her hands through her golden tresses and let them fall down her shoulders and back.

‘Fuck French,’ Buffy giggled to herself, ‘from now on? It’s the old California motto for me; I drink Californian and kiss French!’

That was when everything came tumbling down about Buffy. Right then. There was a ‘cry for help’ from this blond, about some guy in the alley and a biter?

Buffy had rushed out, to do her duty, found the vampire and victim, then saved the day. As usual.

That’s when she, Buffy had realized the harsh truth. This blond haired Adonis was in fact a vampire himself. He would prove to be her most formidable one, to date.

‘Spike’s Reflections’


He, Spike, had come to Sunnydale, a few years before to bag his third Slayer. Instead? He had fallen in love with her, Buffy, the greatest Slayer of them all. Her green eyes were beacons to him as was her golden, sunlit light. Buffy wasn’t just a Slayer, a trophy for Spike, she was his salvation. Everyone, including him, had realized it.


‘Buffy’s Reflections’

He, Spike or aka William the Bloody, had come to Sunnydale to bag his third Slayer. Instead? The Master Vampire had fallen in love with her…her, Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer.

The moment she met Spike’s blue-eyed gaze, Buffy was doomed. Heavenly doomed that is to be with this Master Vampire, this undead angel.

‘Angel, Angel was Buffy’s soulmate, wasn’t he?’

It was that moment, when Buffy and Spike’s eyes met, in that alley, no matter what was said at the time. In that brief nano minute of time, the two warriors realized that they were destined for each other. There would be no staking of Spike by Buffy. No draining, killing or turning of Buffy by Spike.

It came down to this…the Chosen One, the ‘light’ of this World belonged to Spike. Spike belonged to Buffy, the Slayer of his kind. There was no turning back, there never could be. It was written in stone, somewhere, no doubt, that the two blond super beings belonged together and always would.



‘Present Day/Night’


Spike stalked up to the barrier that surrounded Rupert Giles’ house. He dropped to his knees in front of the porch and roared like a lion: “BUFFY!” His tone was desperate. The vampire would surely die, soon, without his beloved mate by his side.


Inside of Giles’ guest room, Buffy bolted up, as much as she could, from the bed and cried out: “SPIKE!” Her tone was just as desperate as her mates. The Slayer would surely die, soon, without her beloved mate.

Willow leapt up from her chair and began to wring her hands together in worry. Buffy smiled, benevolently at her red haired friend.

“Worried Wills?” Buffy asked quietly, a small smile on her face.

“Yes,” Willow answered honestly as she glanced out the bedroom window, down at the front lawn.

“Oh gosh!” Willow gasped in terror. “It’s Angel, Buff,” the witch turned and stared at her Slayer friend. “He’s out there, with Spike.”


“No shit,” Buffy chuckled, relaxing back down onto the bed. “Guess the this is one of those ‘family reunion’ Kodak moments huh Wills?”

Xander Harris came stumbling into the guest room, his face pale and his brown eyes wide with fear. “It’s Angel/Angelus,” Xander mumbled nervously. “He’s here. With Spike!”

 

Chapter 17: ‘I Will Get To You…’


A/N: It’s been like forever and a day since I updated this, so I’m going to give it a go. Hope this latest chapter does not disappoint anyone. I’m going to introduce another BTVS character to the plot line. You might all be surprised at ‘who’ it is. Hint…he’s a British, handsome little devil!


“Odd, huh,” Buffy continued to interrogate both Willow and Xander, mercilessly. “Odd how Riley took off, in daylight today, leaving you two knuckleheads and an old ex-Watcher alone here, innit it?” Her green eyes glittered wickedly as she watched her two ex-best friends react to her sardonic tone.

“Riley had things to do, Buff,” Xander defended his ‘friend’ in a weak, unsure voice. “He wasn’t sure that Daddy Dead Guy was going to really make an appearance. Right Wills?”

Willow nodded, silently, but her grey eyes looked confused and doubtful. The red-headed computer genius said nothing as she sat down at the foot of Buffy’s bed and stared at the floor.

“Xander,” Willow finally spoke, so softly that her words were barely audible to even Buffy. “I think we should let Buffy go, completely. I can remove the binding spell, you go and tell Giles that…”

“No!” Xander screamed, desperately. “We can’t, we won’t! Just because Buffy’s ex squeeze shows up and backs his baby boy vampire, why should we give in? They can’t get to us, right?” Xander glanced at the window, anxiously, then back at Willow. He then glared at Buffy, his expression was acussing and full of disgust.

“Is there some reason you can’t stick with a nice, normal guy, like Riley?” Xander growled at Buffy, his dark eyes filled with frustrated anger. “You have to fuck a dead guy to get off, Buff? It’s pretty disgusting, you know? Why can’t a decent, good guy like Riley be enough for…”

“Put a lid on it, Harris,” Buffy growled at the dark haired man. “You’d better listen to Wills,” she hissed him, while she glared at Willow. “She’s beginning to make sense at least, so, I’d give her a listen and take heed, whelp!” Buffy grinned, evilly at her two companions, obviously unaware of her sudden British demeanor or threatening tone.

“Buffy?” Willow stared at her friend, in shock. “Listen to yourself? You’re beginning to sound like Spike, even your accent is becoming somewhat like his. Oh, golly,” Willow gasped suddenly, “you are mated and bonded with him. Completely! You’re becoming one with him and he with you, huh?”

“Damn, Wills,” Buffy smirked and began to chuckle softly, “you are bright, aren’t you? Finally realizing some of the power that Spike’s and my mutual claim has over us. News flash, kiddies,” Buffy continued with a wicked, husky laugh, “my ‘man’ and I can read each others’ thoughts too. If we’re in a close enough proximity to each other. And if I’m not mistaken? When this is over with, if I were you two, along with Giles, I’d head for the rolling green California hills. Spike is gonna’ rip this house apart, once he can get inside.”

“Buffy, this just proves this is a spell,” Xander groaned loudly, “it has to be. You’d never hurt Giles, or me, or Wills. You’d never hurt any human if that evil undead bastard hadn’t of put his mojo on you in some way. He’s the master of evil, the scourge of Sunnydale, the destructor of…”

“Will you just shut the fuck up and listen, for once, asshole!” Buffy screamed at Xander, her eyes burning with hatred and anger. “One last time,” she continued at the top of her lungs, “I love Spike. I want and need Spike. I ‘am’ married, totally, to Spike! Get over it, move on with your pathetic lives and leave my man and me alone!”

‘You tell them, baby,’ Buffy ‘heard and felt’ Spike’s encouragement in her head. ‘I love you, sweetheart,’ her vampire assured her. ‘I’m dying inside without you, luv,’ he added, weakly. ‘I will get to you, I swear it, just hold on. So will I.’

‘I know,’ Buffy answered Spike. ‘I’m dying too, inside, baby,’ she echoed to him. ‘I want to be with you, now. But, I will be soon, I swear it.’


“Are you and Deadboy Jr. doing some kind of vampire mind meld, right now, Buffy?” Xander mumbled his question, a look of awe in his brown eyes.

“None of your damn business,” Buffy hissed in reply. “Just rest assured, guys,” she continued with an odd, sly smile on her mouth. “I am bonded to Spike, period. Nothing can break his claim on me, nothing,” she hissed with conviciton.

“Don’t bet on that, dear Buffy,” came a British, somewhat familiar voice from the bedroom door.

The three occupants of the room, Buffy, Xander and Willow looked up to see a strangely familiar looking man there. Giles stood behind the good looking stranger, a rather sad, defeated look on the Watcher’s face.

“It’s been a long, long time, Slayer,” Ethan Rayne purred to Buffy as he walked slowly over to the bed and stood over her.

“Not long enough, asshole,” Buffy hissed at the evil being who stood in the doorway.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Buffy growled at Giles, who had followed behind his old ‘friend/nemesis’ Ethan Rayne.

“He’s here to help us, Buffy,” Giles sighed heavily. “You left me no choice, so I had a source track down Rayne and I called him. Last evening. He’s here, to assist us.” Giles looked around the room at everyone and everything, except Buffy.

“Assist us how?” Willow asked, quietly, her voice tinged in fear.

“I can break this claim,” Ethan stately simply. “It’s a piece of cake, with the help of old Ripper here, of course,” the wicked man grinned at Giles.

“I’m not Ripper anymore,” Giles murmered, half-heartedly. “Not since back then. Not since it all went bad and…”

“Yet here I am, Rupert,” Ethan chuckled as he spoke to Giles, but gazed at Buffy. “You need me. Isn’t that what you said on the phone? ‘Rayne, I need your help. Let’s forget the past and forge into the future?’ Come now, Rupert, it was only last night, was it not? I came to the States as soon as I could. For our old freindship’s sake?”

“Ethan,” Giles mumbled, “yes, we do need you. My Slayer is lost, under some dark spell of a Master Vampire, William the Bloody. We are desperate for your expertise in these matters. You are our last resort and we’ve no choice but to utilize you. But I’m warning you, Rayne,” Giles frowned at the shorter, younger man. “If you betray us, or Buffy here? Ripper will make an appearance, I assure you and anything Spike and Angel may have planned for us will pale in comparison to what I’ll do to you. Do you understand?”

“Perfectly, Rupert,” Ethan responded with a benevolent smile. “Of course, remember this. I’ve always been rather fond of Ripper. More so then Rupert.” The other Brit turned and walked out of the bedroom, calling behind him. “I’ve books to go over, ones that I have brought with me. It is going to take time and certain ‘instruments’ herbs and such to perform the ‘claim breaking’ spells. Let me get started.”

Buffy lay in the bed, her whole body shaking from the last five minutes of pure hell. It had been like a scene out of a horror movie. Ethan Rayne, an ally of Giles now? Xander and Willow, seemingly going along with this idiocy.

“You know what,” Buffy broke the uncomfortable, tense silence in the room. “You’ve all become nothing more to me then a bunch of fucking side-show freaks. This little alliance you have all just formed, against me and Spike? This is the freak show, not our marriage. Can you all just get the fuck away from me now? At least for a while? I want to ‘talk’ to my husband, in private.”

“Buffy,” Willow began, her soft, soothing voice was broken, somewhat. “I’m sorry, it’s too late now. Please,” the red head began to cry, softly, “please forgive us and…”

“I’ll never forgive any of you,” Buffy hissed at Willow, then turned her wrath on Xander and Giles. “You two, least of all. At least Willow really thinks she knows what’s best for me, but you two? The only reason that you’re doing this is spite and jealousy. Oh, don’t deny it, either of you. Xander’s been trying to get into my pants for years and I’m surprised that Anya hasn’t kicked him to the curb before this. At least she’s got the sense to stay out of this crap and throw herself into her work.”

Giles began to speak, but Buffy cut him off. “Don’t even start, old man,” she hissed, viciously at her Watcher. “You’ve tried to own me since my first Watcher, Merrick died. You could never stand the fact that I was my own person, didn’t need you as much as you would have liked. So just get the fuck out of my so called room and stay away from me, permenantly!”

Xander shook his head, but left the room first, with Willow right behind him. Giles stood, watching Buffy for a brief moment, his blue eyes full of sorrow. Then the older man reluctantly followed the teens out of the room.

‘Spike!’ Buffy called out to her husband, ‘hear me, please,’ she pleaded desperate.

‘I hear you, luv,’ Spike responded, tenderly. ‘Are you all right, sweetheart, are you okay?’

‘I am, for now,’ Buffy replied nervously. ‘You need to tell Angel something, tell him that Ethan Rayne is here. Inside this house.’

“Ethan Rayne?” Spike asked out loud, turning to his grandsire. “Who the bloody hell is Ethan Rayne?”

“Shit,” Angel hissed and glared at Giles’ house once again. “He’s a real asshole, that’s who he is, Spike.” The tall, dark haired vampire scowled, his demon visage skittered across his human face.

“Do you remember that first Halloween you were here? When all humans in Sunnydale turned into their costumes?”

Spike nodded and grinned, slightly. “My Buffy was a ‘lady’ from the old days. She was like putty in my hands, at first that is,” Spike’s grin turned into a smirk.

“Yeah, you had her under your power, that’s right,” Angel growled, but rolled his brown eyes, dramatically. “Until Giles’ made ‘Rayne’ break the spell and Buffy wiped Sunnydale up with your sorry ass.”

“That was him?” Spike asked in shock, ignoring his grandsire’s sarcastic remarks.

“Yup,” Angel nodded quickly. “Ethan Rayne was and is a master in the dark arts of magic. He’s a warlock, pure and simple and not a ‘kind’ one either. Rayne is here for one purpose, Spike,” Angel watched his grandchilde while he told him the truth.

“The guy is here to us dark magic to break your claim on Buffy,” Angel actually stepped back from his childer. He half expected Spike’s famous temper to flare up and for him to attack him.

“He can’t!” Spike cried desperately. “Buffy’s my mate, for eternity! Rayne can’t break the claim, he won’t,” Spike nearly whimpered and turned to storm into the house, barrier or not.

“Of course he can’t,” Angel growled as he grabbed his errant grandchilde, “vampires know that. But arrogant humans? They believe that they're Gods, you know that, boy. The only way the claim could be broken is if Buffy allows it to be. And I assure you,William,” Angel continued as he held Spike’s arm, holding him back from the house. “Buffy will never allow that,” Angel whispered, somewhat sadly. “She’ll die before she leaves you, willingly, William. Just as you will die, again, if you two are parted, ever.”

“What I don’t undertand,” Angel thought outloud, “is ‘why’ Giles would bring Ethan Rayne into this? He must be desperate, Giles that is. Unless…” Angel left the sentence to hang, a scowl on his handsome mouth.

“Unless what?” Spike asked anxiously.

“Unless Ripper is about to make an appearance,” Angel stammered, glaring at the house again.

“Ripper?” Spike asked, confused.

“Ripper is Giles’ alter ego. His bad boy personna, just like Spike’s is your William’s. Like mine in Angelus,” Angel looked at the ground, a guilty expression in his eyes.

“What does this Ripper do,” Spike asked, warily of his grandsire.

“He’s nearly as powerful, in the dark arts, as Rayne. Back in the 70’s, I met up with Ripper and Rayne, in London. Apart? They’re powerful, yes. But together? Rupert Giles, ex-librarian is formidable, for various reasons. Ripper? He’s savage and brutal. Don’t be fooled, William, Ripper is as formidable as another strong vampire.”

“Only Ripper would enlist the help of Ethan Rayne. It’s Giles’ last stand, his last desperate shot at taking Buffy away from you, Spike.”

Angel gave his childer a sympathetic smile, then patted the younger vampire’s arm, almost affectionately.

“Again,” Angel began in a strong, clear voice, “Buffy is ‘yours’ and she loves you William. Just as you love her. No one can tear you two apart, I believe that.”

“Thank you Peaches,” Spike whispered, staring at the hated house where his love was held captive. “But something worries me,” the blond vampire stammered. “What will this Rayne and this Ripper, if he shows up. What will they do to my Buffy?” Spike felt sick with concern, but he tried to push it back down, inside of him. It would do no good to show Angel any more of his weakness.

“I don’t know,” Angel answered honestly. “Whatever ‘spell’ those two morons are working up? It won’t be pleasant, that you can be sure of.”

“I’m growing weaker,” Spike mumbled, pulling his arm away from Angel. “By the minute, I’m weakening,” he added matter-of-factly. “Buffy’s strong, like a demon, but she won’t last much longer then me. Will she Peaches?” William’s frustration flittered across his own alter ego, Spike’s, visage.

“No,” Angel replied, firmly, hating himself for being so fucking honest. “Damn soul,” Angel hissed, under his breath.

“But she’ll stand by you,” Angel assured Spike again. “Til undeath do you part, your mate will stick by you.”

“I know,” Spike murmered in awe of his wife. “She’s mine and I’m hers, until eternity.”

A loud, desperate ‘hiss’ interrupted Spike’s musings.

“Angel, Spike,” came a harsh, manly whisper from behind the cherub tree on Giles front lawn. “Over here,” Charles Gunn rasped loudly.

Spike and Angel headed over to the tree and joined Gunn, who stayed hidden behind it.

“Lindsey and me,” Gunn began, seriously, “we’ve got a line on Riley Finn. He’s at some frat house, on the Sunnydale University campus. Took off from Giles place this AM, I’m guessing. Headed home, or to classes, I suppose. Anyway, as soon as the fuckhead shows his ugly mug tomorrow? Lindsey and me, we’re gonna’ grab him. Question is…” the tall good looking man grinned at his employer and Angel’s grandchilde. “Where do we take GI Joe to. Once we’ve got him?”

“To Oz’s?” Angel answered, glancing at Spike, questioningly.

“Yeah,” Spike growled, but smirked. “Bring that fucking boy scout to Oz’s place. Wolfboy has okayed anything necessary to get my girl back to me.”

Spike turned and sauntered closer to Giles front door, just outside of the ‘magical barrier’ that kept him from his wife.

‘We’re going to win, Princess,’ he called to Buffy. ‘We’ll be together, soon.’

‘I know,’ Buffy called back, ‘hurry Spike please,’ she whimpered. ‘I’m getting all wiggy, dizzy or something. It feels like I’m so hungry, like I haven’t eaten in days. Is this normal?’

‘No,’ Spike growled, his anger flaring again. “How dare they do this my girl,” he hissed, enraged.

‘It’s not normal, but be strong, baby,’ Spike continued, trying to reassure his wife. ‘You are mine, Buffy,’ he assured her. ‘Always mine. And I’m always yours.’

Buffy lay in the bed, listening to her husband’s wonderful words. She barely registered the man who watched her from the doorway of the bedroom.

“What do you want?” Buffy hissed, glaring at Ethan Rayne, who now sauntered up to her bed, again. “Get the hell away from me, asshole,” she hissed, threateningly.

“But I want to talk to you Miss Summers,” Ethan purred seductively. “About so many things.”

“Why?” Buffy asked harshly, “why the hell are you here, now? Why would a slithering snake like you, Rayne, help Rupert Giles? What do ‘you’ get out of this?”

“For starters,” Ethan smiled, amicably as he sat on the bed, next to Buffy. “I get something I’ve wanted since setting foot in this hell hole, over a year ago.”

“And that is?” Buffy asked, sarcastically.

“You,” Rayne grinned, running his fine, manicured fingers down Buffy’s bare arm.



 

Chapter 18: ‘A Little Gift’




Buffy stared at the ‘old’ reprobate, Ethan Rayne, in shock. She barely was able to choke out her next sentence:

“What the hell do you mean by ‘you’ Rayne!” she hissed at the smirking devil.

She tried to pull her arm away from the master magician, but he held tight.

“Oh, don’t get prissy, Miss Summers,” Ethan chuckled wickedly. “I’m not after you for your nubile little body, rest assured. It’s the killer in you that I want. If I need physical release, I’ll hire it and…”

“Oh geez,” Buffy groaned, “too much info, Rayne.” The blond slayer felt like she was going to be sick.

“Be that as it may, Slayer,” Ethan whispered as he leaned into Buffy’s face and grinned maliciously, “I want, no, I need the killer in you. I’ve always wanted my own personal killing machine Miss Summers. You fit the bill, nicely. I just wish I could figure out a way to bring your ‘mate’ on board. What a coup. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her loving mate, William the Bloody. On a double bill and under my control.”

Buffy grimmaced at the closeness of this monster’s face to hers. With another groan, she muttered, evilly, “two words, Rayne. Breath mint.”

Ethan Rayne began to laugh, a low, gutteral sound in his throat. He grinned at the lovely little slayer and replied, “always with the quips, eh, Summers? It’s nice to know that even in defeat, you’re a virtual one woman show.”


“I’m hardly defeated, asshole!” Buffy hissed back at the sick, twisted man who held her arm.

Rayne let loose of the captive slayer and stood up from the bed, quickly. He sauntered to the bedroom door, turning only to give Buffy one parting shot.

“Always the brave little toaster, eh Summers?” Ethan asked with a quirked brow. His sarcastic tone, the twisted smirk on his face? It made Buffy want to hurl.

“Do not be fooled, little one,” he said evenly, “I will win this one. When this is over? You’ll be under my control, completely. I would think about this, girl,” he added smugly, “if you want to find your demon lover undusted in the end. If you give me your loyalty? I’ll spare your vampire’s unlife. And yours,” he finished with an evil grin. Then, he was gone from the room.

“Asshole!” Buffy hissed from her position on the bed. She pulled at the invisible chains that her so called best friend, Willow, had instilled on her.

‘Spike,’ Buffy called out into the darkness beyond her window.

‘I’m here,’ her mate replied, his voice weak with want of his Buffy.

‘Rayne, he’s offering haven for us. In his own fucked up way that is,’ she added, resentfully.

‘Angel says not to trust Rayne,’ Spike answered. ‘The bloke would stab you in the back just as soon as he could.’

‘And Angel’s such a good judge of character?’ Buffy silently asked her mate. ‘I mean, Darla, for the love of Pete?’

‘True,’ Spike had to chuckle despite himself. ‘But I’m believing Peaches on this one, Princess. He’s got a good eye for the bad guy, most of the time anyway. It’s the women that turn his head,the ponce.’

‘Too right,’ Buffy joined in her mate’s silent laughter.

“Spike! Dammit!” Angel hissed from the outer edge of Giles’ lawn. “Quit dissing me and let’s make some plans here!”

Angel was getting just a tad weary of his Grandchilde and his smart mouth. Frankly, it still rankled the elder vampire that the shit upstart had stolen his girl, Buffy, right out from under his nose.

“I have got to get me a steady girlfriend,” Angel sighed heavily. “Maybe a demon girl, like Cordy? But not Cordy, of course, she’s married to Wesley. Besides, I couldn’t afford the snit’s charge card bills.” Angel smiled to himself, but then scowled at his errant Grandchilde.

‘Broody’s callin’ sweetheart,’ Spike explained to his Buffy. ‘I’ll be back in a moment. Love you.’

“Sunrise,” Angel mumbled as he looked to the eastern horizon. “It’ll be here, in two hours or so. We need to get back to the wolf boy’s place. Talk some plans with the others. Come now, boy,” Angel ordered Spike, matter-of-factly.

Spike slumped in sorrow and looked longingly up at his Buffy’s prison. He was getting weaker by the minute, Spike was and he knew it. Buffy was feeling it too, the blond vampire had no doubt of that.

“Angel,” Spike began in a firm, but quiet tone. “If Buffy and I don’t get together, soon? We’ll die, for good I mean, right?”

“Yes,” Angel replied simply, trying to cover the pain that this very thought illicited in his soul. “Neither Buffy, nor you, can survive for much longer without the other. It’s the way of the ‘claim’ boy. You two might have thought about that before you brashly threw caution to the wind and claimed each other.”

Angel frowned at his shorter, blond relative, in exasperation. Spike raised up to his full 5’10” heighth and stood his ground with his Grandsire.

“I’d rather truly die for want of Buffy then unlive without her,” Spike growled up at his imposing elder. “Just because you never had the balls to take her, totally, for yourself,” he continued coolly, “don’t think that I’m that much of a coward, Angelus.”

Spike turned from his maker’s maker and walked slowly, closer to the Watcher’s house. He looked up at the window of the bedroom where he ‘sensed’ his mate was being held.

‘I’m lost without you,’ he cried out to his wife, his silent words echoed between them.

‘Me too,’ Buffy replied, desperately.

“Let’s go, Spike,” Angel ordered in an unusually subdued tone, for once. “None of us are going anywhere. Not until your mate is back in your arms,” Angel promised, yet again.

Spike followed his Grandsire, reluctantly, out from Giles’ lawn. He stopped, every few feet and sadly looked up at the light in the second floor window, where his mate was being held against her will.

Back at Oz’s place, Angel and Spike walked into a totally dark, empty apartment. The wolf boy was not home, but then neither were Wesley, Lindsey or Gunn.

Angel glared at Spike and headed into the kitchen, where the fridge had been stocked with plenty of blood for the two vampires. The broody vampire returned with two bags of the blood, one for Spike and one for himself.

“Eat,” Angel grunted at his Grandchile, “you’ll do no good to Buffy if you starve to death. By the look of you, you haven’t had a meal in days and…”

“So now you’re going to play Granddaddy, eh Angelus?” Spike mumbled as he took the bag of blood from the older vampire. “All worried about my bloody health? This is a change, oh Soul Boy, for you to worry about your ‘family’ like this.”

Spike tore the bag open with his teeth and drank the nourishing liquid, hungrily. He watched the remorseful expressions on his grandsire’s face as he drank.

‘Old man’s right,’ Spike thought to himself as he drained the last drop. ‘I can’t help my Buffy if I’m weak from lack of food.’

Tossing the bag into the kitchen trash, Spike reached back into the fridge and pulled out two beers for him and Angel. He handed his elder his bottle and flopped down on the chair across from him.

“She’ll die first,” Angel muttered, resentfully after he pulled the beer bottle cap off, with his teeth.

Spike bolted from the chair, his fear and pain was written all over his face.

“She can’t!” he cried harshly. “If anyone goes first? It’s me. I can’t live without her, Angel, I can’t…”

“I know that boy,” Angel sighed heavily, “and neither of you will die, I swear it. We just need to get this finished. I’m hoping that Gunn and Lindsey are finding some ‘alternatives’ to our problem. Wesley is off studying and doing research, that I know. If anyone can convince Giles and the others, diplomatically, that is? It’s Wesley.”

Buffy watched Giles, warily, as he entered the room she occupied. By the look of her Watcher’s gait, it would seem that he was an old man of eighty or so. Giles seemed to have aged twenty or thirty years, in a few days.

“He’s going to screw you over, you know that, right?” Buffy stated evenly as Giles sat in the chair next to her bed. “Rayne I mean, he’s out for ‘something’ Giles. And it’s not to be best buddies with you again.”

“We need him,” Giles muttered, without any sign of conviction, whatsoever. His blue eyes looked so sad and Buffy almost felt sorry for her surrogate father.

“Rayne wants me and Spike, Giles,” Buffy continued, matter-of-factly. “He wants his own personal mercenaries, which means my mate and I. I wonder why Giles? Do you know?” Buffy almost smirked at the older man, but held it back. She could tell that her Watcher was suffering, emotionally, that is.

“When I was Ripper,” Giles began, cautiously, “back in College? Ethan and I, we were best mates. He grew darker and darker by the day and…” Giles’ voice trailed off and he hung his head sadly.

“You’re not Ripper anymore, Giles,” Buffy said softly. “You are Rupert Giles, ex-librarian, Watcher extraordinaire. Ethan Rayne may still be walking with the dark forces, but you are not. Why are you doing this Rupert? Can’t you just let me happy now?”

Buffy tilted her blond head and looked into Giles clear blue eyes, sadly. She knew this man, her protector for years, loved her like a daughter. And yet? He would not even let her make her own decision as to who to love.

“I love Spike,” Buffy murmered, honestly.

“It’s a spell,” Giles muttered, stubbornly. “That ‘thing’ has you in his thrall and…”

“Get out,” Buffy hissed harsly. “I thought I told you to get the hell away from me, at least for a while. Right now, Giles? I hate the sight of you. All of you.”

Giles stood up and shuffled out of the room, never looking back at his captive Slayer.

Spike woke up first, still lying, half prone on the huge old chair in Oz’s living room. He glanced around and spied Angel, still asleep on the couch.

Apparently, Oz had come home, during the early morning hours and made his way into his own bedroom. The wolf boy’s door was closed and it had been opened when Spike and Angel returned just before sunrise.

Looking at the clock on Oz’s wall, Spike saw that it was close to 9:30 AM. The curtains in Oz’s apartment had been carefully close, tight, to block the offensive rays of the sun.

A heavy knock on the door jolted Angel from his sleep and caused Spike to jump up from the chair. Angel stretched and headed over to the door to investigate.

“It’s us,” Gunn’s voice came from the other side of the door. “We’ve got a little ‘gift’ for you Angel,” the man chucked deeply.

Angel looked at Spike who nodded and watched as the older vampire opened the door. A very pleasant sight met the two vampires’ eyes.

Riley Finn, bound and gagged, and blindfolded, was pushed into the middle of Oz’s living room. The Initiative officer stumbled into the room and fell onto the floor, on his knees.

“Looky who we ‘caught’ just before his first class at Sunnydale U.” Lindsey pointed at Riley who was still on the floor. “Someone’s going to be tardy to English Lit.” The handsome employee of Angel began to chuckle, wickedly.

Angel leaned down and grasped Riley by the collar of his shirt, dragging him up. With his right hand, Angel ripped the blindfold, then the gag from Riley and glared into the human’s fearful brown eyes.

“Remember me?” Angel snarled at the hated mortal.

“Unfortunately,” Riley hissed back, then glared over at Spike, viciously.

“She’s going to reject the claim, demon,” Riley snarled at the blond vampire, smugly. “Rayne, Giles’ friend will…”

“Ethan Rayne is no one’s friend, asshole,” Angel growled and flung Riley onto the couch. “He’s got one friend in the world, himself,” the dark vampire added with a menacing voice.

“You weren’t here for the Halloween party a couple of years back, Captain,” Spike interjected in a deep, gutteral tone. “Rayne has no loyalty to anyone, or anything. He only wants Buffy for himself and if he touches one bottle blond hair of my woman’s head? I’ll rip his guts out and shove them up his arse!”

“But first,” Spike added, snarkily, “I think I’ll rip your guts out and shove them up your arse, Soldier boy.”

“You can’t do a fucking thing to me, demon,” Riley hissed at Spike, reminding him of the chip. “You’ll nearly stroke out if you even think about harming me in any way.” Riley grinned, in evil glee, at his rival.

“I think I’ll take that chance,” Spike mumbled as he closed the gap between him and his enemy. “It’ll be worth a migraine to beat the shit out of a worthless asshole like you.”

“Besides,” Angel began, evenly, as he grabbed his Grandchilde’s arm, rather gently for a vampire. “Spike won’t even have to break a black painted fingernail on you.”

Angel stepped in front of his blond ‘childe’ and leaned over Riley, menacingly. Riley slumped back into the couch, his brown eyes bright with terror.

“I’ll rip you apart, limb from limb, GI Joe,” Angel growled, his mouth in a sadistic smirk. “I’ve got no chip in my head, boy,” he continued, “just a soul. And when dealing with a sadistic, fucking moron like you? What’s a soul gonna’ stop me from doing?”


A/N: I just had to write a chapter of this story, tonight to keep it going. It’s getting closer to the end, hopefully. Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. Luv, Spuf

 

Chapter 19: ‘It’s Starting…’


A/N: Buffy asks some questions and gets ‘some’ answers. Both Spike and Buffy start to ‘feel’ the pain of their seperation from each other.


“So, what’s in this, for you, Xand?” Buffy mumbled, weakly, at her ex-best male friend. Xander had slipped into Giles’ guest bedroom, just a few moments before, when Buffy was somewhat asleep.

“In it? For me?” Xander asked, all wide-eyed and innocent. “I only want what’s best for you, Buffster,” he muttered, defensively. “Just want you to be happy. In a ‘normal’ relationship and with…”

“Happy?” Buffy chuckled in a sarcastic tone. “If you truly want me happy Zeppo boy? Then get Willow to un-mojo these invisible chains and get me the fuck out of here!”

Xander began to back away from the Slayer, slowly, making his way to the door.

“That’s it, run, Xander,” Buffy hissed, “you’re so damn good at that, right?” She was beginning to feel pretty weak, all over and Buffy instinctively knew this had something to do with the claim between her and Spike.

“Everybody has a personal agenda, in this fucked up mess, Xander,” Buffy growled again, lowly. “Especially you, and Riley, and Ethan Rayne, maybe even Giles? Come on, Xand, you can tell me. What’s in it for you?”

“I told you,” Xander muttered, defensively, “I’m trying to ‘save’ you. Be your ‘white knight’ and all.” The dark haired teen’s explainantion might have flown, if he hadn’t whined as he was saying it.

“I have a ‘white knight’ Xander,” Buffy hissed. “My white knight, Spike. I love him and he loves me. I don’t need saving, Xander! Why don’t you just go home, Xander,” she sighed, exhausted again, “just go home to your girl and leave ‘us’ alone?”

“More like a dark Prince, Buff and remember,” the dark haired man sniffed. “I loved you first,” Xander whimpered before he escaped from the bedroom.

“And I never loved you at all,” Buffy countered at his retreating back. “At least not in that way,” she cried.

“Oh, just peachy!” Buffy hissed loudly, “unrequited love by Xander Harris. What next? Giles makes a fatherly arranged marriage for me? With Riley Finn?”

“Buffy,” Willow’s soft voice echoed through the room.

“Go away Wills,” Buffy whispered, suddenly more tired then she had ever been in her young life.

“I can’t, Buffy,” Willow sniffed as she sat on the bed, next to her Slayer friend. “I’m scared, for you, for me, for all of us, even Spike,”

Buffy looked at her friend in surprise, but closed her green eyes, virtually shutting out the sight of her best friend.

“You should have thought of that, Willow, before you conjured up some stupid spell to keep me here.”

“Are you okay?” Willow whimpered, trying to take Buffy’s tiny hand in hers.

Buffy pulled her hand away, abruptly and hissed, “don’t touch me. You don’t give a rat’s ass about me, Willow. All’s you care about is what Xander and Giles think is best for me!”

The Slayer’s green eyes shot lazers of fire at her so called best friend. “You want to know if I’m okay?” Buffy muttered in a tone mixed with sarcasm and pain.

“Well, I’m not okay. I feel like I am dying inside, something I know my mate, Spike is feeling. But do you care? Any of you? No,” Buffy growled, her brows scrunched in pain.

“It’s starting, already?” Willow asked, meekly. “The claim, it’s taking over, your disconnection is becoming physical? Oh, God, Buff, I’m so…”

“Don’t even say it, you traitorous bitch!” Buffy hissed at her once good friend. “I stood by you, with Oz. I backed your feelings for him. Xander didn’t, neither did Giles, but I did. So what do you do? The minute I choose an outsider as my mate? You turn your back on me and throw in with them.”

Buffy used her chin to point to the bedroom door. “Make no mistake Wills,” she mumbled, angrily, “Ethan Rayne will ‘overpower’ you and Giles. He’ll make things go his way and then? You, Xander, even Giles will be history, if Rayne has his way. You think you’re such a mighty witch, don’t you?” Buffy smirked at Willow.

“I’m okay,” Willow replied, her voice barely audible, even to Buffy.

“You are no match for Ethan Rayne, Willow Rosenberg. If he wanted, my so-called friend, he could break these chains from me, like now. Hell, he even offered to. All’s I have to do is accept Rayne’s terms and drag Spike along with me. He’ll spare us both, on one condition. Care to know what that is?”

“N…no,” Willow stuttered, suddenly standing up from the bed and scurrying to the bedroom door.

“Oh, by the way, Willow,” Buffy chuckled, “where’s Oz been lately? Haven’t seen him around. Odd, you two are usually living out of each other’s pockets, right?”

Willow shot Buffy a look of pain and rushed out of the bedroom door.


Angel paced back and forth, in Oz’s apartment, in front of the still tied up Riley Finn.

“You know,” Finn began with a smug voice, “if I don’t show up, for muster, that is? My brothers’ in arms will come looking for me.” Riley seemed quite pleased at this revelation and he grinned, snarkily at both Angel and Spike.

“Seriously doubt if you’ll be missed, mate,” Spike chuckled, lighting another cigarette. “I think you give yourself a little too much credit, Captain,” the blond vampire continued, as he blew smoke into Finn’s face.


“Those things will kill you, you know?” Riley hissed.

“I’m already dead, asshole,” Spike hissed back in a harsh tone.

“That’s the point, isn’t it?” Finn with a weak smirk. “You have no business with a fine, perfect girl like Buffy. But me? Why I can…”

“You couldn’t find your own dick in the daylight, fuckbrain!” Spike growled at Riley as he stormed over the couch. Staring his mortal enemy down, face to face, Spike glared into Finn’s stupid brown eyes.

“You think you deserve a ‘woman’ like my Buffy?” Spike hissed, his white teeth bared like a wolfs. “You’re not good enough to lick the ground my mate walks on. She has nothing but contempt for you, Finn,” Spike continued, smugly.

“Now? She hates your guts and believe me. If Rayne, or the Watcher or even Red figures out a way to break the claim? Which I doubt, by the way,” the vampire grinned, again smugly. “My Buffy will never, ever go back to you, Soldier Boy. Never. She can’t bear the thought of you touching her!”

Spike suddenly halted his tirade and grabbed his chest, a shocked look on his face. “Holy fuck!” he roared as he stumbled back and fell into one of Oz’s secondhand chairs.

Wesley, who had arrived moments before, hurried forward to check the blond vampire.

“It’s starting, Angel,” the ex-watcher muttered softly. “The disconnection from his mate is killing him. Or re-killing him that is, by inches. I can only imagine what poor Miss Summers is going through.”


“Buffy,” Spike hissed in horror, his chest wracked with pain.

“Why would it bother Buffy?” Riley asked, clueless, as usual. “If Spike dies, again, wouldn’t that help Buffy? Free her from all of this…”

“You just don’t get it, do you, asshole?” Angel growled, going to his grandchilde and taking him by the shoulders. Everyone in the room watched, in awe, as the older vampire, Angelus hugged his childer to him, almost lovingly.

“If my grandchilde dies,” Angel hissed, in a low, dangerous tone, “from being seperated from his mate? They love each other, human. Can’t be seperated from each other, for very long. It’s already been too long and both Buffy and Spike, here, are going to only get worse, physically that is.”

Angel held Spike to him, like a doting father might and faced Riley Finn with a murderous expression in his fine dark eyes.

“If my grandchilde dies from this seperation? Or his mate, Buffy dies? If either one of them suffers any pain repercussions from this fucking mess? I’ll tear you all apart, piece by nasty piece, Finn. Do you understand me?”

Riley Finn began to tremble, unfortunately, giving off the odor of fear that permeated the entire room. All of the beings present, vampire or not, felt the horror of Riley Finn.

“I’m okay, Angelus,” Spike mumbled, embarrassed by his momentary physical weakness.

“I believe it’s time for me to confront Rupert,” Wesley interjected with a firm nod of his handsome head. “I’ll take the BMW, drive over to Giles’ home and have a heart to heart with him. Should I reveal our ‘captive’ here, to Rupert and his cohorts?”


Wesley eyed Riley, with contempt, as he awaited his employer’s orders.

“You’re right, it’s time, Wes,” Angel motioned to the front door. “Take Gunn and Lindsey with you. They’ll up the odds and make sure that Giles and that idiot, Harris, understand that Spike and me will tear Finn here apart. Unless,” the older, dark haired vampire smiled, with an angel’s countenance. “Unless they release Buffy, immediately? Spike and me will rip Finn’s head off and use it as a basketball. Is that understood?”

“Quite,” Wesley replied in a subdued voice. “Shall we go, then, gentlemen?” He asked of the intimidating men in front of him.

“Let’s roll,” Gunn chuckled, always up for a good confrontation.

“Could you check in, with Cordy, Angel?” Wesley asked, quietly. “I know I shouldn’t be gone from her, at this time but…”

“I’ll call her for you, Wes,” Angel smiled warmly.

After Wesley, Lindsey and Gunn left, Oz offered to cook up some human type food for everyone. Heck, even Riley Finn, the hostage.

As Oz went about preparing some kind of breakfast, or lunch that is, Angel and Spike discussed their next set of plans. Riley watched, apprehensively, as these two still powerful vampires plotted their next moves to free Buffy.

“You’re getting weaker, by the minute, boy,” Angel stated, matter-of-factly. “Buffy must be a mess by now,” the older vampire added, sorrowfully.

“She better be all right, Angelus,” Spike hissed, again grabbing the area over where his human heart would have dwelled. “If they hurt her, or cause her to be hurt, I’ll…” the blond vampire growled in Riley’s direction, menacingly.

“You really think Buffy’s going through this too?” Riley asked in a subdued ‘concerned’ tone.

“I know she is,” Angel hissed at the human, angrily. “Spike’s a vampire and even though Buffy is powerful and strong? She won’t last as long as him. But, my grandchilde will follow his mate, quickly, into true death. That is unless they are allowed to reunite. You’d have done well to remember that, human!” Angel mumbled harshly at this human rival.

“But you loved her, once, too,” Riley whined, “can you stand there and tell me that you want Spike to end up with our Buffy?”

“First off,” Spike rasped, standing and closing the gap once again between him and Captain Cardboard, “Buffy is ‘mine’ only. Not yours, Peaches or anyones elses’. Get that through your fucking melon, Soldier Boy.”

“I still love Buffy,” Angel interjected, shutting his grandchilde up, momentarily. “But Buffy has made her choice. She chose William, or Spike as you know him,” the dark vampire frowned and glared at Riley. “I have no choice, myself, but to honor their sacred claim together and help them both,” Angel finished with a shrug.

“You’re turnin’ into quite the patriach, Grandpops!” Spike chuckled through another spasm of physical pain in his chest.

“Shut the fuck up, Willie,” Angel growled and stomped off into the kitchen.

“Grand Dad doesn’t like to be reminded that he’s now the true and only real Head of the Aurilius Clan. Gives him a sharp kick of broody pain in the gut. The guilt and all?” Spike eyed Riley, expectantly.

When the human feigned ignorance, Spike laughed out loud. “It’s the soul thing, asshole,” the vampire smirked in sadistic glee. “Peaches and his ‘cursed soul’ don’t mix with ‘damned vampire’ descriptives, you know? Kind of contradicts each other? Oh, shit, forget it,” Spike spat in disgust.

“Geesh! Vampires!” Riley sighed in frustration. The man appeared to finally close his brown eyes to get some rest. Apparently? It was gonna’ be a long, long day and night.


 

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