The Lovers
Chapter Six
The two lovers continued their walk down the hall with shrill screams and haunting whispers with every step. For Xander, every whisper that begged for help seemed to come from himself. He could see it now even more vividly than before. Once again Xander envisioned every badly written horror movie that would have his best friend possessed by some evil demon, propped up and ready to kill them all. He hoped that, like all horror movies in their day, the slaughter would start with the person who foolishly went wandering off on their own. Xander was certain that the vampire in question would let out screams in protest. Those screams would give them ample time to escape. Leaving the danger where it belonged, in the house with the very vampire that brought them there. Only, no screams came. Slowly Anya and Xander continued, making their way down the narrow hallway to the flickering light located in the master bedroom.
Xander held tight to Anya, "Nothing says impending doom like going down a darkened hallway into a room with ominous, flickering lights. Honey, for the love of all things good and right in this world, wake up. Anya, hear me. "With those words falling on deaf ears together they entered the room with Anya still unresponsive and Xander completely unprepared for what he saw.
The sight of the little old man in an oversize bed with his mouth hung open in mid-gasp, was horrifying enough. However his stagnate, blue eyes that somehow managed to plead for air, had Xander stumbling backwards. The old man's oxygen mask hung off his face, useless without its tubing which was purposely removed and the oxygen tank shut off. "This is murder," Xander declared. He nearly ran out, but Anya just stood there in her hypnotic state, getting closer and closer to the blinding light emerging from the stained glass window, which featured a larger version of the Snake statue Anya was holding firmly. A thick book lay on the floor, obviously dropped from the little old man's hand. Xander picked it up to take a better look. Flipping through the pages, he discovered it was a yearbook of some sort. The ex-demon hadn't even notice Xander's sputtered exclamation, "I know this guy." Soon he hovered over the man, studying the wrinkled feature of the body in the bed and the picture of the man he used to know. "Yeah, different than the last time I saw him, but I know this guy. It's Mr. Bowman. Willow, Buffy, and I had him for 7th period science. It was one of the few classes we all had together sophomore year. Yeah, I remember because he retired after that year.
"Anya come on babe, we got to get out of here." He reached for the statue. However, Anya was stronger than Xander and after a moment or two of tugging he could see it wouldn't work. Still not as worried as he should be, Xander began shrugging his shoulders in defeat and continued his conversation with Anya by pointing to the picture, "That would explain why he had a Sunnydale High yearbook. You know what else, I know this girl." Xander pointed to the picture of a black and white photo featuring an apparent blonde-haired girl circled with a red sharpie. Xander continued to look at the photo, "I don't know exactly, but I think, maybe… Beth Masterson. Yep that's it. Beth Masterson. She vanished before prom." Curiosity was getting the better of him as he continued to flip through the Yearbook from 1996. Beth was not the only girl that been circled. Twenty-six girls in total, all blonde, all slim and all with the same sweet, All-American Girl smile. Then Xander realized something; twenty-five of the twenty-six girls had one thing in common. They had all vanished mysteriously, save but one. The twenty-sixth girl was Buffy. 'If Spike's confession was true, then Buffy…' Xander's throat went dry as he considered the worst-case scenario. The malevolent spirit that possessed Willow could really be Buffy. 'Buffy came here?' He looked once more at the frail old man. He was so tiny, nestled amongst the fluffy pillows and blankets. 'No way', Xander thought to himself.
Long before Xander noticed, Anya began to shake uncontrollably. As she did, the statue began to glow. Only then did Xander take full note of the stained glass snake shooting a beam of light into the statue. Xander desperately started to pull the statue away from Anya. He pulled and pulled as hard as he could, watching Anya as the light grew brighter and brighter. Finally, with all the adrenaline of a soldier in arms fighting for his life, he grabbed the statue from Anya's grip, releasing her from the trance. Anya looked at the statue and realized what was about to occur. She took the statue from Xander's hand.
"What the hell?" completely confused and certain Anya would return to the zombie-state he just released her from, Xander reached again for the statue.
Anya stopped Xander, before quickly throwing the statue into the stained glass, shattering it into pieces. The statue exploded and released a cryptic mist that spread eerily throughout the room. Xander, still accepting the psycho killer plot in his head, decided to drop any and all desire to solve the mystery before him and grabbed Anya's hand. Pulling Anya out of the darkened room, Xander rushed through the hallway and down the stairs. Anya cried, "What about Spike?"
Xander looked over; catching a glimpse of Spike dodging a large six-foot-three inch tall farm-boy, carrying what appeared to be an electric saw, but it was all too much for Xander to take in at the moment. The comparison of Jason from the movie Friday the 13th raced across his mind. Furthermore he was reminded of the horrific Jason carrying a similar axe rushing after his victims. Returning to Anya's question Xander said, "What about him?"
"Honey, Spike is a big boy; he can handle any psychopath in the house." He had no intention of escaping the clutches of death seconds ago only to grab its hand now. Xander bolted from house, dragging Anya out as fast as possible. "Besides he's 120 year old vampire, Anya, he'll be fine."
Xander desperately pulled Anya of the house, through the rickety door, and down the porch steps, almost tripping as he went. Breathing hard, Anya looked at him, "I don't know, I think we should got back help him."
Breathless as they were, now running down a dirt path—one that Xander did not even remember seeing when they came—he replied, "No. He'll be fine. I can't lose you. I love you too much."
She stopped suddenly, "You love me?"
Xander, his face red from exhaustion, stared past Anya, back to the house, "Honey, we have to leave. I don't know much time we have. Spike will just have to—"
Anya attacked his mouth mid-sentence, stealing his breath away and forcing him to stop for a bone-melting kiss. "I love you, too." She whispered as headlights from Giles' car bathed the lovers in soft, yellowy glow.
Willow poked her head out the window. "Xander, Anya, are you okay?"
The group heard Spike's screams from far away as they saw Angel disappear inside the Slasher House from Hell. Evasively, Spike weaved around the toppled oil drums while easily dodging Riley's sloppy attacks with the military grade bone saw. Somehow the vampire managed to get upstairs, always just a hair away from the jagged, hungry teeth of the saw. If Spike could fight back as he could before the chip, this would be a different battle indeed. Spike would slaughter the soldier. Even as he ducked, twirled, twisted, and side stepped Riley's attacks, Spike could envision his revenge. Spike would start by breaking off the soldier's legs. Then he would show the boy exactly how he got the name Spike. All while collecting the answers to the questions buzzing in his head, 'Is Buffy alive? Where is she? What have you done to her?' Each question would be paired with a violent smash of Spike's boot against Riley's ribs while a twisted rail road-spike rest in his abdomen.
Only there was no time for Spike to relish in his revenge fantasy. He had to put his energy into his next move. Sadly, his own psychotic break had given Riley an extra burst of strength and speed. It didn't put Riley on the same level as Spike or any other vampire, but it still made the soldier more dangerous than Spike anticipated. One wrong move and Spike would be dust on the floor. He could see that now.
Clumsily Spike fell backward into the dining room table; with a loud boom the table shattered underneath his weight. Spike was at the bottom of a bad decision. Riley loomed over Spike with the shrieking saw, ready to remove the vampire's head from his neck. 'There was only one way out this and it involved a splitting head ache and a dusty end.' He braced himself for the inevitable blast of searing pain that would come from wrenching away the saw in Riley's grasp. 'Maybe I could break his arm in the process. That would disable him just an enough for me to recover and get the hell out of here. Right?'
Before Spike could do anything Angel hoisted the soldier off the ground and without a second thought and tossed him away as if he were nothing more than a ragdoll. In a moment of lucidity Riley scrambled to his feet and scampered out the door, saw in hand. Trading places with the soldier Angel now loomed over Spike menacingly. "What have you done now, Spike?"
Mouth agape, Spike stared at his grandsire like he was the biggest moron in the world. Gracefully, the younger vampire got to his feet, "Yeah, mate, 'cause I'm the one with the bloody saw."
Angel glared dangerously at Spike, "And yet, I have this feeling in my gut you had it coming. Now what in the hell is this place and why are you here?" Quicker than Spike was expecting, Angel tossed him into the plaster wall directly behind him.
Spike's blue eyes shifted into smoky amber. He braced himself against the wall. His long legs kicked into Angel's stomach sending him flying backwards into the kitchen. Spike slid down the wall. He swaggered toward Angel. Lowly he hissed through his fangs, "You know, just maybe you should have asked Norman Bates that question."
Angel had gotten to his feet by the time Spike got to the kitchen. He barreled toward Spike, his human features gone. Spike collided with Angel's towering form. Angel jabbed his fist into Spike's gut followed by a right hook to his nose. "What in the hell are you talking about Spike?" Angel spat as Spike staggered backwards.
A growl vibrated from Spike's chest as he recovered from Angel's attack. "I'm talkin' about the fact you let the Slayer's killer run off scot-free." Spike slammed an upper cut into Angel's jaw paired with another kick to his stomach.
Angel retreated with a swirl on the balls of his feet, "Buffy's killer?" Angel was taken aback by this announcement, thus letting his guard drop so Spike could get him off his feet. Angel's vampiric mask melted away, returning his human features as he fell backwards.
Spike's demon face departed, too, along with his bravado, "Yeah, Buffy's killer. Chopped her up into kibbles and bits, looks like." The pained expression of Angel's now human face slowed Spike's attack.
Angel shared a look of defeat on his face. It was as if he was just told his life was a lie and no longer is there anyone who cared about his soul. "You found her?" A hoarse whisper crawled from his throat.
Spike's shoulders slumped. "Bollocks," he muttered as he reached down to help his grandsire up. "Just about, but I over played my hand with Bates Boy back there before I could suss out of him to where she is." Angel didn't need to hear any more. He was out the door with Spike on his heels.
In the distance the vampires made out Riley, racing down the dirt path toward beat-up old car, the same one that belonged to Rupert Giles. Giles had found himself on the dirt road to Dr. Bowman's house after Willow had confessed to him that Beth Masterson had killed Dr. Bowman in her body. Worried that his young charge would go to prison for a crime she did not technically commit, Giles had taken the young witch back to the house to clean up any evidence that would link her to the crime. However, inches before they got to the old farmhouse they had nearly ran over Xander and Anya making-out in the middle of the road. Giles slammed on the breaks, almost knocking Willow into the windshield.
At last, the group of Scooby-do-gooders was reunited. Willow poked her head out the window. "Xander, Anya, are you okay?"
Anya smiled, "Hey, you're not a snake anymore."
Giles looked through the mist toward the old house. "Get in." He ordered. Giles was so tired from the night's series of events.
Xander pulled Anya into the safety of the car. He caught his breath, "You guys have the best timing ever. Me and Anya were just coming to find you, G-man. Weird things are happening here. Anya got possessed by a crazy knick-knack. Spike might be dust. And Wills, you remember Mr. Bowman? Well guess what? Someone killed him."
Willow got quiet and couldn't help but stare out the window listlessly. Giles shot concerned glances toward Willow while he regarded Xander patiently, "We're quite aware Xander. In fact that's why we're here."
Xander's forehead wrinkled in confusion. The sudden tension in the air was not lost on him and though a little voice in his head told him to not ask, he couldn't help it. The words tumbled from his lips, "What do you mean, you know?"
Giles didn't answer instead he focused on the road. Once again Willow entered the conversation. She merely whisper, "I... er... killed him... kinda."
The image of the little man slack jawed and dead stayed in Xander's mind. "You did that?" The question came out more judgmental than he met and soon he started to back pedal, "I mean... not that I care. Okay, well uh, I do care but, hmm, you did that, huh?"
Willow groaned now, frustrated with herself and Xander, "It was me, but it wasn't me, but it was me at the same time." Certain she was not making any sense she took a deep breath. "In my body the snake did it. Actually it wasn't really even a snake, it was Beth Masterson. You know?"
Xander looked at Giles and Anya, begging for an explanation, "Still confused here."
Gently Giles answered Xander's question as the old car scooted up the dirt path. "It appears that Mr. Bowman was a serial killer, Xander, who preyed on young women. When Willow performed a séance earlier in the evening, she became possessed by a Beth Masterson, one of his victims."
The realization dawned in Xander's mind, "Oh! That's explains the circled girls in the yearbook by his bed. He was a serial killer. That makes sense now."
Anya stared at the back of Giles' head, "No… he wasn't a serial killer. He was a Soul Eater."
Giles stopped the car. He whipped his head around to get a better look at Anya, suddenly in a panic, "A Soul Eater?"
Xander looked between Giles and Anya, "Okay... gotta ask, what exactly is a Soul Eater?"
Giles answered in typical Giles fashion. It was almost as if he had been a giant breathing reference book of the weird and scary monsters under your bed: "Soul Eaters were members of an ancient Egyptian cult called Osiris, popular during the fall of Egypt. Members of this cult got their names by devouring human soul's in order to prolong their lives. However there hasn't been a reporting of such magic since 1838." Frantically he cleaned his glasses.
The long drawn out explanation did nothing to un-cloud Xander's mind. He proposed another question, "These Soul Eater guys sound pretty scary, powerful and… Mr. Bowman seemed, well… pretty much not any of those things. Actually he was verging on terribly close to feeble. So, how's Mr. Bowman a Soul Eater?"
Anya's musical and amused laughter bounced in the old car. However when she saw Xander's brow contoured in confusion she calmed down and explained, "Soul Eaters aren't powerful, they're morons. The magic they use is barely a step above those horrible men who pull those disturbing rabbits from ugly top hats." The three other occupants of the car stared after Anya blankly. She groaned, "Soul Eaters can only harness energy from souls to sustain his or her life. Any idiot that knows how to enchant an object can do it." The car still looked dumbfounded and Anya heaved out an exasperated breath. Slowly, like her words were about to fall on a particularly stupid batch of children's ears, she went on, "Soul Eaters do not have the power to take souls and regenerate their own bodies." She looks at them with a hopeful sense of understanding. There was none. "Because Soul Eaters are human, their bodies' are breakable: they decay, and they die. And if they can't die, they just keep decaying until they're like living mummies. Ergo, Soul Eaters are idiots. This is why the cult isn't around today." Anya looked toward Willow comfortingly. "The only way to truly kill a Soul Eater is to destroy the totem they used to siphon the souls."
Willow brightened at that, "So I didn't kill Mr. Bowman. He's still alive?"
Anya yawns, "No, to both those things. You did not kill Mr. Bowman, but I did. I destroyed the creepy snake knick-knack which he was using to channel souls into his body."
Willow laughed, "But I didn't kill him."
Anya now annoyed, "Yes and No. He looked lifeless, you helped but technically you are free from the deed of killing him. I did that. Well not on purpose, but still, he is dead now. Do I get a reward or prize? It seems like I should get a prize or something."
Xander looked at his Anaya and smiled. "I will give you a prize when we get home." He and Anya smile in agreement.
Giles frowned, "Be that as it may, Willow your fingerprints are all over the house. If Mr. Bowman is discovered by police you could very well be charged with his murder. And I doubt saying he was a part of an ancient cult that siphoned souls from people is an acceptable line of defense."
Just before Giles started the car Xander saw a figure in the mist. "Hey, there's someone coming down the road."
Willow looked out the window with a knot her in stomach. "It's Riley." Her voice started to squeak as something tugged at the back of her brain. It was a whisper of something from Beth Masterson that Willow couldn't quite figure out.
Giles narrowed his eyes at the form coming closer to the car. Confused by the boy's appearance out in the middle of nowhere he asked, "Riley? Wasn't that the name of Buffy's latest suitor? Why on earth would he be out here?"
Xander's stomach sank. "Buffy and Riley were dating." Pieces of Buffy's death were falling into focus. 'And he was out here... coming from the house. That had a psycho killer inside.' He swallowed hard as he opened the car door. The weeks of endless searching for Buffy's killer fueled Xander's emotions. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He called back to Giles, Anya, and Willow.
Anya watched as her boyfriend left the safety of the car. "Where are you going?" her voice held an edge of confusion.
Giles tried to stop him, "Xander, perhaps…" Only Xander was out the door and racing to meet Riley face to face. Giles through gritted teeth muttered, "...you should bring a bloody weapon." He reached over into the glove box. The compartment fell open and Giles pulled out a .45.
Willow's eyes widened at the hand gun in Giles' possession. "Giles what are you doing with a gun?" Then she looked out the window in Xander's direction. Xander had been about to run toward Riley before he noticed the round blade of a saw spinning wildly in Riley's hand.
Just outside the fray Angel and Spike watched on top of the hill near the front porch of the farmhouse. Both amused and flabbergasted, Spike observed the scene below with an air of disbelieve. "Okay, how in the bloody hell did he survive on the Hellmouth for nineteen years?"
Angel eyed the scene below and shrugged, "Don't know. Luck, maybe."
"You think?" asked Spike.
"Well, I guess it could be the cologne." Angel said with a vague expression of curiosity to the events unfolding before him.
Smugly, Spike gave a chuckle as the soldier and the boy ran in circles chasing each other. Speculatively, he glanced toward Angel with the expectation he would zoom to the boy's rescue. "Maybe you should…. You know…" he gestured to the scene below.
Angel watched Riley's pursuit of Xander for a second longer, assessing the situation before half focusing on Spike. "How did you end up here, exactly?"
The two vampires heard Xander's nasally voice in the darkness, "Riley it's me Xander, Buffy's friend!" A hush followed the mantic buzz of a saw. "RILEY!" Panicked now, Xander ran as fast as his long legs could carry him up the hill. 'That's a saw of some kind. Why is he carrying a saw? More importantly, why is he running with a saw in the air? Even more importantly why is he running with a saw in the air pointing at me?' Desperately his feet flew up the dirt path. He told himself even if died he that at least Anya and Willow were tucked safely away with Giles.
Back at the car Anya rushed toward Xander's aid, "What is Riley carrying?" She looked to Willow who was hot on her heels, with Giles taking up the rear.
Willow's mouth went dry as the spinning blade slashing in the air brought back Beth's memories to her. Fearfully she answered, "It is a saw. He is carrying a saw of some kind." Her voice was a whine as the final dots clicked in to place. "Why is he carrying it?"
"Ah, bloody hell." Giles grumbled, "If only he waited a minute." He took the safety off the gun trying to catch up to the soldier and his young charge.
Anya's eyes were wide as her worse fears came out, "Riley is going to kill Xander."
However, the Scoobies were not the only ones in pursuit of Riley and Xander. On top of the hill Angel and Spike continued to watch Xander get to the top of hill. The throaty, girlish shriek of Xander's screams that grew louder with every sprint he took to make it up the hill.
Spike lit a cigarette, coolly. "Didn't know the boy could run that fast."
Off handed, Angel wondered how long he should wait to come to the boy's rescue. "Yeah, he's gotten faster since the last time I was here."
"Last time?" Spike asked with a passing interest. Both were still watching in earnest.
"Yeah, remember that time when he—" Angel said with his eye still on Xander.
"Oh yeah, I remember now. Yeah he almost bit it that time. At least he's not a completely useless piece of…." Spike flicked some ash from the tip of his cigarette before taking another drag. "Shouldn't you be doin' the hero bit 'bout now? I think Bates is gettin' dangerously close to Harris's fleshy bits."
"Hey, he told me to stay out of his way. I'm sure he's got it covered." Angel gave an evil smirk as Xander zigged and zagged up the hill. "At least he's not running in circles anymore." Angel pointed in Xander's direction. "Look. Serpentine." They both laughed.
Spike nodded, agreeing with Angel but the nagging sense that something should be done to help Xander tugged at his heart strings. "Yep, but I'm pretty sure Harris' flesh and blood will be covering that saw if you don't do something in the near future." Spike blew out a long lung full of smoke.
For a second Angel thought about it but as Xander came barreling toward them he shook his head. "Nah, he should be here in a second. Let him have a victory, it will be good for the boy."
Xander could see the faint yellow light and two figures standing around the porch. Instantly he recognized the two men as Angel and Spike. Red faced with ragged, painful breaths pouring in and out of his lungs, Xander questioned, 'What the hell are they doing? Can't they see me being chased by the guy carrying a saw?'
Chest sore and legs aching, Xander clumsily got to the porch. A wry, amused grin curled on Spike's lips, infuriating Xander all the more. Through tired lungs he sputtered, "What… the hell… was that…. about? Couldn't you…. see…. me… being chased by that psychopath carrying a chain saw?"
"Bone Saw," Corrected Spike. "And you ran like a champ. Personally I didn't think you had it in you. But Peaches here bet that you could make it all the way to the top without being chopped to bits."
"But you didn't help… neither of you?" Xander glared at Angel who zoomed down the hill.
Spike smirked before the tip of his cigarette glowed red. "It's no more than what you did for me, mate. And, hello! Chip. What could I have done? Even if I wanted to, which I didn't." To emphasize his point Spike blew smoke rings into the boy's face. Changing the subject Spike added, "Besides, Bates seemed to have stopped a little less than half way here and I am pretty sure the electric saw's lost power by now."
Xander whipped back around to the dirt path. He couldn't see anything past the gloom of the now impenetrable fog. "Where did he go?"
Spike's vampiric eyes peered into the darkness in time to see the scuffle between Riley, Giles, Willow, and Anya. Mockingly, Spike teased, "Wanna make a wager whether Rupes, Red, and Demon Girl can take down a psycho with a saw?"
The boy gasped, "Anya!" Before Xander could do anything to help his lover, a pop from a gun pierced the night.
Anya and Willow ran ahead of Giles, armed with an axe and a crossbow to Riley before he could chop Xander into little pieces but Riley had stopped his attack on the boy when he notice the armed women chasing him. Headlong, Riley ran toward the girls unaware there was one more person lurking in the dark. Giles had snuck behind him while no one was looking. Quickly He fired the gun just once to disable the soldier and it had worked. The bullet landed in Riley's leg forcing him to fall to the ground. Angel barreled down the hill and saw the soldier bleeding. He looked at Giles, who walked over to the boy like he shot someone every day. Angel couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"
Giles shrugged crouching over the soldier, "He attacked us. What are you doing here?"
Certain the soldier would not bleed to death Angel picked him up and answered, "I was tracking Spike here. I needed to ask him questions about these Commando guys that nabbed him a while back. They might have been involved in Buffy's death." Angel could feel the soldier stiffen in his arms. He made a note to question the soldier further once they got back to the house. Giles and Angel traded information back and forth as they made their way up the hill.
All the while Xander and Spike re-explored the house. Together they moved slowly down the basement steps, with morose fluorescent light to guide their path. In the basement, Xander felt the hot rush of bile burn the back of his throat as a mess of liquefied remains dripped from twenty-five oil drums that had been tipped on there sides.
Spike noticed the boy go pale at sight, so he tried distracting him by bringing him back into focus. "Okay Harris, you said there are twenty-five girls circled in this Mr. Bowman's yearbook, right? One of them was Buffy?"
Xander swallowed hard, "Yep… All the girls went missing. You think Buffy's in here somewhere?"
Spike looked down at the human remains. "This is where he stores the bodies and does whatever sick pervs' do to girls. So yeah, she's got to be somewhere down here." He paused for a moment and quietly added, "If she's dead."
Xander glared at him, "Why do you keep doing that?"
Spike was confused, "What?" He looked between the barrels and Xander uncertain of anything he might have said to upset the boy.
Frustrated panic leapt through Xander, "Pretending to care. Saying she's alive. It's not funny for those who actually were her friends and do care and would love to see her alive. In fact it's insulting."
For a long time Spike stared at Xander completely mute while he fought to keep William the bloody awful Poet from confessing his grieve. Buffy's death had made the old sweet gentleman that was there to serve God and Queen come to the fore front of Spike's mind. No, he would not be that sweet, fresh-faced boy again. Finally Spike questioned, outraged, "You think I don't care?" His blue eyes narrowed in a look that would have had the boy screaming if not for the chip. "'Course I bloody care. She might be just your friend, but she was hell of lot more to me."
A bitter heart breaking chuckle rattled off the cement walls from Xander. "Is this the part where you tell me that you two were in love, and secretly together?" It was a comment met to be back-biting but the more he chewed the statement the more likely it seemed. All the color drained from Xander's face. "Oh for the love of God, that would actually make a lot of sense… No, I am not ready to hear that. Please don't answer."
Spike rolled his eyes dropping the subject. Swiftly he picked up the fallen oil drum from its side taking off the lid with ease. In stark contrast Xander blanched backward. The sight of the body that had been more goo than girl was the final straw. He dropped to his knees while the contents of his stomach crawled up his throat.
From out of the blue Spike helped the boy up and grumbled, "Come on Harris, this is gettin us nowhere. Sounds like your little Scooby pals are just upstairs. With any luck they have Bates and maybe he can tell us where the Slayer is."
