Travers had given them more information than he'd meant to, but in the end
had gotten the promise of their cooperation. He was concerned that the
vampire, Spike, seemed to have more of a hold on the Slayer than he'd first
thought, but until such time as the vampire became a problem, Travers could
tolerate him.
He'd returned to his hotel after the meeting, looking forward to getting some sleep. Two men, his guards, waited for him when he returned, and passed along messages they had taken from the Council while he was out.
As he mulled over the new discoveries made by their researchers, he reclined in bed, wondering if the decisions he had already made were correct. With the Slayer came an element of chance that he didn't care for, but he saw no other way.
As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was still filled with thoughts of the vampire. For some reason he believed Spike to be the solution the Council was looking for.
---
Dawn had come home late to find Spike sitting on the couch, waiting for her.
"I expected you home before this."
"Where's Buffy?" Dawn asked, hanging up her coat. "I was expecting a little double-team action."
"She went to bed. She wanted to wait for you, but I thought it better that I speak to you first."
Dawn plopped down on the couch. "Let me guess, this is where I hear the whole "He's not good enough for my nibblet" speech, right?"
"What? No, I wasn't even thinking of, what's his name, Mark?"
"Matt. And if this isn't about him, what's going on?"
Spike looked at her, wishing now that had he had let Buffy wait with him. "We had a visitor today. Man named Travers. I understand that you know him."
"Quentin Travers? The Watcher?"
"Yes."
Dawn sat down on the couch. She had never met Travers, but from the stories Buffy had told her, she didn't think she'd like him very much. "What did he want?" she asked.
Spike sighed. "What do they always want?"
Spike filled her in on the meeting, and what Willow and Tara had discovered together.
"I'm sorry, nibblet."
Dawn sat, thinking about what she'd just been told. "This isn't fair."
"It hardly ever is. I know you didn't ask for this..."
"No, I didn't," Dawn cut him off. Spike saw the tears forming in her eyes, and tried to put his arm around her, but she roughly pushed his hand away.
"Nibblet, this is the work your sister and I do, you know that. I'm just sorry we had to involve you in it."
Dawn looked at him. The truth was she had asked for it, and she knew it. She'd asked for it the night she'd fought with Buffy. She'd chosen the responsibility, without thinking of the consequences. "What will I need to do?"
---
Grey eyes closed as senses honed by centuries of sightlessness spread out, checking on the work. Anteus was pleased to see that the combined efforts of the various beings he had contacted had slowed the decay greatly, but at the same time was saddened to see that more than a few were no longer in the aether, most likely having been pulled into a collapse. He mourned them, but moved on quickly, seeking out the two that he had come to think of as the balance. He found them easily, and was glad to see they were still strong. As his senses moved over them, he felt another, something that shied away from his consciousness, and he focused his sight on it. It had also been watching the balance, but had retreated as soon as it sensed him. He recognised the feel of it, and let power flow out along with his sense, finding the thing, trapping it. The thing fought, struggling against the lines of force that caged it, but Anteus tightened his grip, forcing the thing to stop.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Nothing! No one! I was simply curious, and I..."
"Be quiet." Anteus easily pulled the thing to him, across a distance that would have been impossible for most beings. He sensed that his power was beginning to damage the thing, and he modified the cage to protect it.
"You tried to look in on me recently. I felt it, but didn't think too much of it at the time. I had weightier issues on my mind. Now, however," he said, allowing part of his power flow into the cage, "I am not going to believe that this encounter is simply coincidence."
"Let me go!" the thing screamed.
"Perhaps I will, if you tell me what I want to know."
The thing was silent. It could not fight, and it knew that unless Anteus allowed it, it wouldn't be able to leave the cage. "I won't tell you anything. You won't destroy me. You can't."
Anteus sighed. "You're very wrong about that."
Without a word, he reached out with his mind and tore the thing apart. It died, whimpering, but Anteus was able to see its mind before it completely disappeared. He dissected its memory, ripping it apart and digesting the information contained within as easily as he had torn the creature itself apart. What he saw disturbed him, but did not overly surprise him.
As he finished cataloguing the contents of its mind, he sent a call out to his allies.
---
The thing that had once been James Trenton sat, and worried. His spy had been gone longer than was necessary, and that meant it had been discovered.
He was not concerned for the creature's life. After all, it had technically died the morning its body had been torn apart by the collapse of its home dimension, surviving only through force of will, and the minor magics that had been a part of its living nature. No, he was more concerned that it had told his enemies of his plans, and that they would be moving against him sooner than he had expected. Also, without his spy, he would need to find another capable of watching his enemies without being seen, and that presented a number of problems.
He stood, and walked to the door of his sanctuary. The tattooed man saw him, and rushed to him, knowing without being told that he was needed. Trenton carefuly considered what he was about to do, and decided that it was necessary. He also found the thought did give him some small amount of pleasure.
"How much longer?"
His priest bowed, smiling widely as he came upright. "We are almost ready. Before this day ends we will have all that you have asked."
Trenton sighed. He had expected to feel pleasure, or at lest some sense of satisfaction, but found he felt nothing at all. "Good," he said coldly. "My spy has been discovered. I need you to assemble a group of our finest warriors."
"It will be done."
"Also, I want you to accompany them. Make sure they don't fail in their task. If they fail, you fail. If you fail, do not return."
"I understand. What is the task you require of us?"
"Kill the vampire. Bring me his ashes."
---
Spike sat on the porch as he did most mornings, waiting for the sun to rise. He hadn't told Buffy yet, but his resistance to the sun was becoming a virtual immunity to it. Every morning, he found he could stay in it longer and longer without feeling pain, and even when the pain did come, it wasn't sharp enough to cause him to seek the shadows. He was enjoying the warmth on his skin when he noticed the man watching him from a car parked up the street.
"Probably one of those Council wankers," he thought to himself. He chuckled, knowing that they still feared him enough to keep a close eye on him.
Ignoring the man, he stood and walked out into the yard. He ran his fingers through his hair, turning his head toward the sun and closing his eyes.
---
Buffy sat at the window, watching her lover stand in the light of the sun. She could feel his joy, and shared in it. She smiled, wondering if some day she might have a tan vampire to deal with.
Buffy considered joining him, but was content to sit and watch.
---
The guard watched the vampire with growing concern. Not only was he standing in full sunlight, the guard was shocked to see he was enjoying it. The information he had been given hadn't covered this, and he didn't like incomplete briefings.
The guard was so intent on watching the vampire, he didn't see the figure approach the car from behind. He barely had time to react as the driver's side window shattered, and a clawed hand reached in, tearing deep gouges in the flesh of his throat.
---
Spike's eyes snapped open. He heard the shattering glass, and shortly after the wind brought the scent of fresh blood to him. He saw the group approaching, five by his count covered from head to foot in dark robes, and backed toward the house. He quickly check the car he'd noticed earlier, and saw blood on the inside of the windshield, obscuring his view of the guard. He ran to the house, shouting "Buffy!".
---
Buffy saw them coming. She heard Spike's shout, and was up in a heartbeat, throwing open her closet door and dragging a heavy trunk out. She flipped it open, grabbing a sword and an axe, before running downstairs.
---
Spike stood on the porch, his back to the door. The five were approaching quickly, and he readied himself.
---
Buffy saw the robed man standing at the bottom of the stairs, but didn't slow her run down the stairs, instead throwing herself against the bannister, shattering it. She hit the floor in the living room hard, but came up fast, swinging the sword in her right hand toward the robed figure, slicing through the fabric and flesh underneath. The thing's head rolled free, dark blood spattering the floor and wall. She leapt forward, narrowly avoiding the claws of a second creature that had entered from the kitchen. She saw two more standing behind the new creature. "SPIKE!" she screamed, swinging wildly with the axe, as it came toward her.
---
Spike nearly tore the screen door off its hinges. He slammed the front door shut behind him, locking it as he turned to see Buffy engaged by one of the robed creatures. The thing was fast, and Buffy was barely holding her own. "Weapon," he said, leaping forward to pull the thing off her. He tossed it into the other two, buying a few seconds. The front door shook, the jam splintering, but held. Buffy tossed Spike the axe, and he swung at one of the creatures as it rose, embedding the axe in its chest. He wrenched the axe free , swinging at a second, but it jumped backwards, the axe whistling through the air, missing cleanly. Buffy attacked the other, but it slapped the blade aside, losing three fingers in the process. The wound didn't slow it, and Buffy stumbled backwards, falling over the coffe table. The thing came at her, and she stabbed up, managing to catch the thing in the calf. It howled, taking a step back, pulling the sword from Buffy's hand.
Spike swung at the figure again, hitting a glancing blow. The front door shook again, splinters of wood flying, but again, it held. Spike backed off, waiting for the thing to come at him, looking for way through its defenses.
Buffy rose as the thing grabbed the blade, and tore it free. It tossed the sword to the floor, and rushed her, swinging a massive, clawed hand at her. She avoided the blow, and kicked the thing in its injured leg, sending it to its knees. She rolled over its back, and grabbed her sword, stabbing it from behind as it turned. The blade pierced its chest, and the the thing fell, motionless. The front door exploded inward, and a scream came from the top of the stairs. Buffy had time to see Dawn standing, frozen, as two more robed demons moved into the house.
Spike heard the scream, but was too busy with his opponent to look for the source. The thing clawed him, tearing bloody gouges in his face and chest. Spike ignored the pain, and swung again, feeling the axe connect. He pulled the axe free, and swung again, severing one of the thing's arms. It fell, struggling weakly, then was still.
Buffy stood between Spike and the two at the door, waiting for the creatures to move. Buffy heard a noise behind her, but couldn't chance turning to see what it was. She hoped Spike could handle whatever it was. As the two at the door came for her, she was startled to see them thrown backwards, bowling over the others behind them. She heard Willow's voice behind her, chanting, and was silently thankful.
Willow felt power rising outside, and focused her will, falling silent. "Protect us," she whispered, and a barrier of blue energy sparked to life in the doorway. A bolt of black fire slammed against it, shattering the barrier, but the fire dispersed, leaving the doorframe scorched. She grabbed Dawn, and pulled her back, saying "Go to your room. Stay there." She touched Dawn's arm, saying "tutis" before pushing Dawn toward her room.
The things outside were starting to rise, but Buffy took a moment to check on Spike. His wounds had already stopped bleeding, and he roughly wiped the blood out of his eyes. Buffy looked at Willow. "Dawn?" she asked.
"Safe. Don't worry about her."
"Can you take care of the black fire one?" Buffy asked, turning again to face the door.
Willow closed her eyes. She could feel the power emanating from outside the house, from not one source, but two. One was already drawing power again, and Willow focused on him, forming another barrier around him. There was an explosion as he released the power, followed by a scream.
Buffy and Spike ran out into the yard, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the death of the spellcaster. Two more of the creatures fell quickly, but the remaining three were on Spike in a heartbeat. The second spellcaster was chanting, and Buffy ran at him, but was stopped in her tracks before she could reach him. She was thrown back as the power he had been gathering exploded outward. She landed hard, and when she tried to rise, pain shot through her left leg.
Spike was in trouble, he had barely been able to handle one of the things, and now three of them were attacking him from all directions. He was bleeding from a dozen different wounds, but he managed to kill one with a lucky swing. He leapt over the falling body, swinging at the creature on his right, the axe connecting solidly. The creature backhanded him, but it stayed standing, the axe imbedded at an angle in its shoulder. The creature to his left suddenly burst into flame, and in a moment not even ashes were left from it. Spike didn't stop to think, he grabbed the axe and pushed, knocking the creature form its feet. As it fell, he pulled the axe free.
The spellcaster stood over Buffy, temporarily distracted by the young witch who had already killed two of his group. Buffy tried to rise again, but the pain in her leg forced her back to the ground. Something seemed to be going on between Willow and the man, though, as both were chanting, their eyes locked. The man's voice rose in volume, and with a triumphant note the air around him cracked to life. Bolts of electricity shot out, connecting with an invisible barrier Willow had erected around herself. Seconds passed, as the barrier began to glow, then crack. Willow continued to chant, sweat forming on her forehead from the effort of maintaining the barrier against such an assault. Finally, the barrier shattered, and Willow crumpled to the ground. The man looked down at Buffy, and she could see the vague outline of his features beneath the hood of his robe. He smiled as he pulled a curved dagger from his belt.
Before Spike could finish the thing off, Buffy screamed "Spike!". He turned, and saw Buffy suspended in the air, struggling against invisible bonds. Willow still lay on the porch, the area around her blackened and smoking. And Spike saw the spellcaster, holding his dagger above his head. Spike charged him from behind, but as he drew closer his movements slowed, caught in the same power that held Buffy in place. He desperately hurled the axe, but it traveled only a few feet before falling to the ground. Spike screamed as the man's hand fell, plunging the dagger into Buffy's chest.
---
Notes: Sorry it took me so long to get this up. Hard times at work, and in life. I've decided to extend the naming contest 2 more chapters, as I'll need more suggestions before I'll feel comfortable choosing one.
He'd returned to his hotel after the meeting, looking forward to getting some sleep. Two men, his guards, waited for him when he returned, and passed along messages they had taken from the Council while he was out.
As he mulled over the new discoveries made by their researchers, he reclined in bed, wondering if the decisions he had already made were correct. With the Slayer came an element of chance that he didn't care for, but he saw no other way.
As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was still filled with thoughts of the vampire. For some reason he believed Spike to be the solution the Council was looking for.
---
Dawn had come home late to find Spike sitting on the couch, waiting for her.
"I expected you home before this."
"Where's Buffy?" Dawn asked, hanging up her coat. "I was expecting a little double-team action."
"She went to bed. She wanted to wait for you, but I thought it better that I speak to you first."
Dawn plopped down on the couch. "Let me guess, this is where I hear the whole "He's not good enough for my nibblet" speech, right?"
"What? No, I wasn't even thinking of, what's his name, Mark?"
"Matt. And if this isn't about him, what's going on?"
Spike looked at her, wishing now that had he had let Buffy wait with him. "We had a visitor today. Man named Travers. I understand that you know him."
"Quentin Travers? The Watcher?"
"Yes."
Dawn sat down on the couch. She had never met Travers, but from the stories Buffy had told her, she didn't think she'd like him very much. "What did he want?" she asked.
Spike sighed. "What do they always want?"
Spike filled her in on the meeting, and what Willow and Tara had discovered together.
"I'm sorry, nibblet."
Dawn sat, thinking about what she'd just been told. "This isn't fair."
"It hardly ever is. I know you didn't ask for this..."
"No, I didn't," Dawn cut him off. Spike saw the tears forming in her eyes, and tried to put his arm around her, but she roughly pushed his hand away.
"Nibblet, this is the work your sister and I do, you know that. I'm just sorry we had to involve you in it."
Dawn looked at him. The truth was she had asked for it, and she knew it. She'd asked for it the night she'd fought with Buffy. She'd chosen the responsibility, without thinking of the consequences. "What will I need to do?"
---
Grey eyes closed as senses honed by centuries of sightlessness spread out, checking on the work. Anteus was pleased to see that the combined efforts of the various beings he had contacted had slowed the decay greatly, but at the same time was saddened to see that more than a few were no longer in the aether, most likely having been pulled into a collapse. He mourned them, but moved on quickly, seeking out the two that he had come to think of as the balance. He found them easily, and was glad to see they were still strong. As his senses moved over them, he felt another, something that shied away from his consciousness, and he focused his sight on it. It had also been watching the balance, but had retreated as soon as it sensed him. He recognised the feel of it, and let power flow out along with his sense, finding the thing, trapping it. The thing fought, struggling against the lines of force that caged it, but Anteus tightened his grip, forcing the thing to stop.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Nothing! No one! I was simply curious, and I..."
"Be quiet." Anteus easily pulled the thing to him, across a distance that would have been impossible for most beings. He sensed that his power was beginning to damage the thing, and he modified the cage to protect it.
"You tried to look in on me recently. I felt it, but didn't think too much of it at the time. I had weightier issues on my mind. Now, however," he said, allowing part of his power flow into the cage, "I am not going to believe that this encounter is simply coincidence."
"Let me go!" the thing screamed.
"Perhaps I will, if you tell me what I want to know."
The thing was silent. It could not fight, and it knew that unless Anteus allowed it, it wouldn't be able to leave the cage. "I won't tell you anything. You won't destroy me. You can't."
Anteus sighed. "You're very wrong about that."
Without a word, he reached out with his mind and tore the thing apart. It died, whimpering, but Anteus was able to see its mind before it completely disappeared. He dissected its memory, ripping it apart and digesting the information contained within as easily as he had torn the creature itself apart. What he saw disturbed him, but did not overly surprise him.
As he finished cataloguing the contents of its mind, he sent a call out to his allies.
---
The thing that had once been James Trenton sat, and worried. His spy had been gone longer than was necessary, and that meant it had been discovered.
He was not concerned for the creature's life. After all, it had technically died the morning its body had been torn apart by the collapse of its home dimension, surviving only through force of will, and the minor magics that had been a part of its living nature. No, he was more concerned that it had told his enemies of his plans, and that they would be moving against him sooner than he had expected. Also, without his spy, he would need to find another capable of watching his enemies without being seen, and that presented a number of problems.
He stood, and walked to the door of his sanctuary. The tattooed man saw him, and rushed to him, knowing without being told that he was needed. Trenton carefuly considered what he was about to do, and decided that it was necessary. He also found the thought did give him some small amount of pleasure.
"How much longer?"
His priest bowed, smiling widely as he came upright. "We are almost ready. Before this day ends we will have all that you have asked."
Trenton sighed. He had expected to feel pleasure, or at lest some sense of satisfaction, but found he felt nothing at all. "Good," he said coldly. "My spy has been discovered. I need you to assemble a group of our finest warriors."
"It will be done."
"Also, I want you to accompany them. Make sure they don't fail in their task. If they fail, you fail. If you fail, do not return."
"I understand. What is the task you require of us?"
"Kill the vampire. Bring me his ashes."
---
Spike sat on the porch as he did most mornings, waiting for the sun to rise. He hadn't told Buffy yet, but his resistance to the sun was becoming a virtual immunity to it. Every morning, he found he could stay in it longer and longer without feeling pain, and even when the pain did come, it wasn't sharp enough to cause him to seek the shadows. He was enjoying the warmth on his skin when he noticed the man watching him from a car parked up the street.
"Probably one of those Council wankers," he thought to himself. He chuckled, knowing that they still feared him enough to keep a close eye on him.
Ignoring the man, he stood and walked out into the yard. He ran his fingers through his hair, turning his head toward the sun and closing his eyes.
---
Buffy sat at the window, watching her lover stand in the light of the sun. She could feel his joy, and shared in it. She smiled, wondering if some day she might have a tan vampire to deal with.
Buffy considered joining him, but was content to sit and watch.
---
The guard watched the vampire with growing concern. Not only was he standing in full sunlight, the guard was shocked to see he was enjoying it. The information he had been given hadn't covered this, and he didn't like incomplete briefings.
The guard was so intent on watching the vampire, he didn't see the figure approach the car from behind. He barely had time to react as the driver's side window shattered, and a clawed hand reached in, tearing deep gouges in the flesh of his throat.
---
Spike's eyes snapped open. He heard the shattering glass, and shortly after the wind brought the scent of fresh blood to him. He saw the group approaching, five by his count covered from head to foot in dark robes, and backed toward the house. He quickly check the car he'd noticed earlier, and saw blood on the inside of the windshield, obscuring his view of the guard. He ran to the house, shouting "Buffy!".
---
Buffy saw them coming. She heard Spike's shout, and was up in a heartbeat, throwing open her closet door and dragging a heavy trunk out. She flipped it open, grabbing a sword and an axe, before running downstairs.
---
Spike stood on the porch, his back to the door. The five were approaching quickly, and he readied himself.
---
Buffy saw the robed man standing at the bottom of the stairs, but didn't slow her run down the stairs, instead throwing herself against the bannister, shattering it. She hit the floor in the living room hard, but came up fast, swinging the sword in her right hand toward the robed figure, slicing through the fabric and flesh underneath. The thing's head rolled free, dark blood spattering the floor and wall. She leapt forward, narrowly avoiding the claws of a second creature that had entered from the kitchen. She saw two more standing behind the new creature. "SPIKE!" she screamed, swinging wildly with the axe, as it came toward her.
---
Spike nearly tore the screen door off its hinges. He slammed the front door shut behind him, locking it as he turned to see Buffy engaged by one of the robed creatures. The thing was fast, and Buffy was barely holding her own. "Weapon," he said, leaping forward to pull the thing off her. He tossed it into the other two, buying a few seconds. The front door shook, the jam splintering, but held. Buffy tossed Spike the axe, and he swung at one of the creatures as it rose, embedding the axe in its chest. He wrenched the axe free , swinging at a second, but it jumped backwards, the axe whistling through the air, missing cleanly. Buffy attacked the other, but it slapped the blade aside, losing three fingers in the process. The wound didn't slow it, and Buffy stumbled backwards, falling over the coffe table. The thing came at her, and she stabbed up, managing to catch the thing in the calf. It howled, taking a step back, pulling the sword from Buffy's hand.
Spike swung at the figure again, hitting a glancing blow. The front door shook again, splinters of wood flying, but again, it held. Spike backed off, waiting for the thing to come at him, looking for way through its defenses.
Buffy rose as the thing grabbed the blade, and tore it free. It tossed the sword to the floor, and rushed her, swinging a massive, clawed hand at her. She avoided the blow, and kicked the thing in its injured leg, sending it to its knees. She rolled over its back, and grabbed her sword, stabbing it from behind as it turned. The blade pierced its chest, and the the thing fell, motionless. The front door exploded inward, and a scream came from the top of the stairs. Buffy had time to see Dawn standing, frozen, as two more robed demons moved into the house.
Spike heard the scream, but was too busy with his opponent to look for the source. The thing clawed him, tearing bloody gouges in his face and chest. Spike ignored the pain, and swung again, feeling the axe connect. He pulled the axe free, and swung again, severing one of the thing's arms. It fell, struggling weakly, then was still.
Buffy stood between Spike and the two at the door, waiting for the creatures to move. Buffy heard a noise behind her, but couldn't chance turning to see what it was. She hoped Spike could handle whatever it was. As the two at the door came for her, she was startled to see them thrown backwards, bowling over the others behind them. She heard Willow's voice behind her, chanting, and was silently thankful.
Willow felt power rising outside, and focused her will, falling silent. "Protect us," she whispered, and a barrier of blue energy sparked to life in the doorway. A bolt of black fire slammed against it, shattering the barrier, but the fire dispersed, leaving the doorframe scorched. She grabbed Dawn, and pulled her back, saying "Go to your room. Stay there." She touched Dawn's arm, saying "tutis" before pushing Dawn toward her room.
The things outside were starting to rise, but Buffy took a moment to check on Spike. His wounds had already stopped bleeding, and he roughly wiped the blood out of his eyes. Buffy looked at Willow. "Dawn?" she asked.
"Safe. Don't worry about her."
"Can you take care of the black fire one?" Buffy asked, turning again to face the door.
Willow closed her eyes. She could feel the power emanating from outside the house, from not one source, but two. One was already drawing power again, and Willow focused on him, forming another barrier around him. There was an explosion as he released the power, followed by a scream.
Buffy and Spike ran out into the yard, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the death of the spellcaster. Two more of the creatures fell quickly, but the remaining three were on Spike in a heartbeat. The second spellcaster was chanting, and Buffy ran at him, but was stopped in her tracks before she could reach him. She was thrown back as the power he had been gathering exploded outward. She landed hard, and when she tried to rise, pain shot through her left leg.
Spike was in trouble, he had barely been able to handle one of the things, and now three of them were attacking him from all directions. He was bleeding from a dozen different wounds, but he managed to kill one with a lucky swing. He leapt over the falling body, swinging at the creature on his right, the axe connecting solidly. The creature backhanded him, but it stayed standing, the axe imbedded at an angle in its shoulder. The creature to his left suddenly burst into flame, and in a moment not even ashes were left from it. Spike didn't stop to think, he grabbed the axe and pushed, knocking the creature form its feet. As it fell, he pulled the axe free.
The spellcaster stood over Buffy, temporarily distracted by the young witch who had already killed two of his group. Buffy tried to rise again, but the pain in her leg forced her back to the ground. Something seemed to be going on between Willow and the man, though, as both were chanting, their eyes locked. The man's voice rose in volume, and with a triumphant note the air around him cracked to life. Bolts of electricity shot out, connecting with an invisible barrier Willow had erected around herself. Seconds passed, as the barrier began to glow, then crack. Willow continued to chant, sweat forming on her forehead from the effort of maintaining the barrier against such an assault. Finally, the barrier shattered, and Willow crumpled to the ground. The man looked down at Buffy, and she could see the vague outline of his features beneath the hood of his robe. He smiled as he pulled a curved dagger from his belt.
Before Spike could finish the thing off, Buffy screamed "Spike!". He turned, and saw Buffy suspended in the air, struggling against invisible bonds. Willow still lay on the porch, the area around her blackened and smoking. And Spike saw the spellcaster, holding his dagger above his head. Spike charged him from behind, but as he drew closer his movements slowed, caught in the same power that held Buffy in place. He desperately hurled the axe, but it traveled only a few feet before falling to the ground. Spike screamed as the man's hand fell, plunging the dagger into Buffy's chest.
---
Notes: Sorry it took me so long to get this up. Hard times at work, and in life. I've decided to extend the naming contest 2 more chapters, as I'll need more suggestions before I'll feel comfortable choosing one.