Freedom Fighter
Author's Note: Surprisingly, I don't have that much to say...except sit back and enjoy this chapter, my readers. And just for you, Karla, this chapter is kickin' some Myron butt good, lol. And to the anonymous reader who left a review at the end of Chapter 11, I thank you for following this story. I didn't know there was anyone else reading this story besides a few of my friends and a fellow fan fiction writer (and again, much thanks to them). Also, I'm working on a drawing of Geia-not that it's going to be good, but at least I'm trying-but my only problem is that I don't have a scanner at home, so I'll find some way to get it out to you guys. I might have to get a friend to help me out with that. The lyrics in this chapter are from the Linkin Park song "Papercut", hence, the lyrics aren't mine. And Moon, I must tell you that you can't freak out about that kiss-it wasn't what you thought it was, trust me;) Just to let you know, each of the next chapters will be one of the next five days. They're important, so it looks like this story will be 18 chapters, maybe. ;)
I must hurry, for there they go and I am their leader.
Chapter 12-Becoming
Why does it feel like night today? Something in here's not right today Why am I so uptight today? Paranoia's all I got left I don't know what stressed me first Or how the pressure was fed/ But I know just what it feels like To have a voice in the back of my head It's like a face that I hold inside A face that awakes when I close my eyes A face watched every time I lie A face that laughs every time I fall [And watches everything] So I know that when it's time to sink or swim That the face inside is hearing me/Right underneath my skin
It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back It's like a whirlwind inside of my head It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
I know I've got a face in me Points out all my mistakes to me You've got a face on the inside too Your paranoia's probably worse I don't know what set me off first but I know what I can't stand Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is I can't add up to what you can But everybody has a face that they hold inside A face that awakes when they close their eyes A face watches every time they lie A face that laughs every time they fall [And watches everything] So you know that when it's time to sink or swim That the face inside is watching you too/ Right inside your skin
The sun goes down I feel the light betray me
....And then he was gone. The dagonsphere had exploded, ensnaring the soldiers. There had been a loud explosion behind he and Geia, and then he saw figures...inhuman figures. A bright light blinded him, and he woke up to find himself in a cage. A cage that looked very similar to the ones in Myron's cavern.
He twisted his head around to look at his surroundings, dimly lit by only a few torches on the rock walls. This was the cavern Myron had slaves working in. Why was he here? As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw a figure enter the cavern. Myron. Son of a bitch. Spike leaned his head back against the bars and tried to remember what happened....seeing the soldiers, Geia giving him the dagonsphere and telling him to throw it when she said to....Geia kissing him....the explosion, seeing bodies fly, and waking up here with a terrible pain in his head. He touched his head and his fingers came back with blood on them. But it wasn't his blood, he could smell the difference. It was Geia's blood.
He opened his eyes to see Myron standing a few feet away from the cage, leaving him no time to wonder how Geia's blood had gotten on him. His face vamped out at the sight of the sorcerer, and Myron clucked disapprovingly. "My my. Look what my favorite little blonde vampire got himself into. All caged up like the little animal he is. What sorry, just plain bad luck you have, my friend."
Myron leaned closer to the cage, and Spike spit in his face. "You bastard. Let me out of this bloody cage and I'll let you know what kind of an animal I am." But Myron just wiped his face off and grinned.
"See, it's you who just doesn't understand what is going on around you and your friends." He pulled the gold medallion out of his shirt and spun it around. It sparkled hypnotically in the light, the flames from nearby torches reflected in its flawless color. "This little piece of fine ancient craftsmanship is my ticket to bringing Hell to Earth. Not just bringing Hell demons and monsters to Earth but changing Earth into Hell. Big difference." He stopped its spin and held it up to the cage. "What a beauty. It had been telling me just what I need for my spell, and you are just one of the ten ingredients, Spike. Just sit back and relax because I won't need you for another couple of days...one of my ingredients won't be available until there is a full moon, and that's not for another two days. I've been waiting almost 250 years for this. I think I can wait a few more days." Myron left the cavern and appeared a minute later, a small packet of blood in his hand. He tossed it to Spike between the bars and saw Spike's look of disgust and mistrust. "Listen, vampire, why would I taint blood that would keep you healthy? Drink up-it's the last meal you'll have for a while."
Spike saw an opportunity when Myron turned to leave. With a skilled flick of the wrist, the half-open blood packet sailed across the room and hit Myron in the head. Spike silently congratulated himself on the look of utter hate Myron had on his face, trails of crimson running down it, as he turned and walked out. But surprisingly, he turned back around and walked back to the cage. "By the way," he said, his voice dripping with spiteful glee, "your girlfriend or whoever she is, the pretty whore with the black hair, got her head busted in on the tombstone you two were hiding behind. That's how you got her blood on your head." He paused, seeing the panic on Spike's face. "And one more thing. Do you know a vampire named Angelus, or Angel as he's going by now? I'll take your silence to mean a yes, because he'll be joining you sometime tomorrow night after I track him down. Nothing like waiting to die, is it vampire?"
The torches blew out as he left, leaving Spike in complete darkness. As much as he fought, his bruised and tired body willed him to sleep. So what happens now? What if he died during the spell, but Geia and Jamal were able to destroy Myron. Who would protect Buffy and her family. He couldn't bear the thought of Dawn, Joyce and Buffy without protection, especially Dawn. His fist slammed into the metal bars. Goddamit, he thought. He had to get out. Did Geia know he was here? Spike hit the bars again, and noticed that there was no pain. The bruises and scratches he could see on his forearms were nearly gone. His mind drifted back to right before they were attacked. When Geia had kissed him, he had felt something go through him.
He fell asleep, knowing Geia had protected him by what she had done. **************************************************************************** **
"So wait, let me get this straight. You want to help me destroy your sister." Myron leaned back and eyed the spectral figured in front of him with curiosity. "What did you sister do to you, my dear Emily? Did she steal your boyfriend or something?"
Emily didn't like his condescending tone of voice-he obviously didn't know how powerful spirits could be. "She is fighting against you and your cause. I only wish to see her demise."
The grin on Myron's face spread wider. "Honey, listen. I'm not in the vengeance business. I simply want the world to go to Hell, no big deal. I have an agenda of my own. I suggest you go find a vengeance demon to take care of your sister. The only people trying to stop me are a Slayer and her little group of buddies." He didn't dare mention the "freedom fighters" because he had no idea of whether this spirit was telling the truth or not. Myron leaned over and took a Rolodex from the table in front of him. He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Ah, here you go. This guy knows his vengeance stuff. He'll be perfect, you just have to be able to pay him. One of the best."
Emily smacked the Rolodex out of his hands with amazing force. "I do not want a vengeance demon, you twit. I want my sister dead. If she had done her job, I wouldn't be dead and I certainly wouldn't have come to you if this wasn't a desperate situation."
Myron's posture was still cavalier, as was his voice. "So why me? I mean, this worthless planet and all its mortals will be dead in four or five days anyway. Can't you wait that long?"
The spector dealt him a heavy blow across the face. "She's not a mortal, you idiot. She's girl that's been giving you so much trouble, keeping you from finding your ingredients for the spell."
Myron rubbed a hand on the cheek she had hit him on, her words sinking in with major shock value. "You're telling me that bimbo is your sister? And she's responsible for your death? I'm listening. We are talking about that girl with the black hair that's been hanging out with the Slayer and her buddies, the one that set my slaves loose?"
"Yes. I want her destroyed, and you and I together can do it. She'll destroy you if you don't get to her first."
"Fine. But what do you mean she's not mortal?"
Myron didn't miss the hatred in her voice. "She is responsible for my death because I was assigned as her apprentice, and she didn't watch out for me. She let me die at the hands of a filthy vampire, the one they called Angelus. I've only recently gained enough power to cross over into this dimension and make contact with others beside her. I even tried to possess the Slayer, but her little friends got in my way, but I let Angelus, or Angel, know that I'm around."
He looked at her skeptically. "But you still haven't explained what she is. I got the how and where but what makes her immortal?"
Emily smiled. "She was destined at birth to die at a young age, go to Heaven, and become one of God's warriors, a Tainted One. But somewhere a mistake was made, and I was killed with her. She became my Master at a young age because she had received her training first. And she is responsible for my death. I want her dead."
Myron couldn't believe the opportunity he had just been handed, on a silver platter and doused in blood. "A Tainted One? They exist?" He received a nod from Emily. "Is it just her?"
"No. She has her apprentice, the black man that was with her."
Myron's mind was churning. How do you defeat a myth, something so powerful that it competed with his own power? "You and I will work this out, but what can you give me?"
He was testing her patience, and her words were forced. "I can give you the other souled vampire you seek, the one they call Angel." **************************************************************************** **
"He's dead."
Riley nodded to Graham and watched as his partner gently picked up the body of one of their comrades and put it with the other three. "Damn. Four lost, half our unit."
"Your unit was small to begin with, Finn."
Riley stared at the bloody figure before him. "Trying to make a fashion statement? Our unit was for recon only. We didn't come out here to pick a fight."
Geia slammed her sword into its scabbard. "Well, you got one, didn't you? That bastard sent those warriors after the both of us, but he got what he was really after." She sat down on a fallen tombstone and peeled her jacket off. Riley got a good look at the severity of her wounds. They had both been taken by surprise, and neither had really been prepared. How could someone suffer such severe wounds and still be conscious? Even immortals had a breaking point. Geia saw Riley watching her and smirked. "See anything you like, soldier boy?"
"Just a demon who needs killed."
That only made her smile more. "You tried once, Finn. You think I'm going to give you another shot at me? You should have done better the last time."
Graham saw Riley reach for his laser gun and ran to back him up. "I don't know who you are, but if Riley thinks you need to be eliminated, it will be done."
Geia stood up, the worry and pain she felt not reflected in her cold eyes. "Take your best shot, sweetie."
Riley's finger hit the trigger, but nothing happened. His and Graham's guns were yanked out of their hands and landed in Geia's. She saw the defeat in their eyes as she pointed both guns straight at their hearts. "If you gentlemen don't mind, I have to protect a group of mortals, put a barb wire fence around an immortal who is in major trouble if I don't, save another immortal from impending doom, kill the bad guy, stop Earth from turning into Hell, and train my apprentice to pass the Trials. AND I have to let someone know that I think we're destined, and hope that the spell I put on the other immortal just before you boys crashed my party works. Good night." The guns were nothing more than dust on the cold ground as she turned and left. **************************************************************************** ***
He had been having dreams. No, not dreams, he reminded himself. Fantasies. There was no such thing as Evil-nothing but Good. There was no need for a Slayer, or for sacred warriors of a secret plan. He was happy, an emotion he hadn't known for a very long time. He was happy, and he had a life, a life in the daylight. Vampires didn't exist. Demons didn't exist, and all that people knew was that they'd all go to Heaven when they died. Everyone would; there were no criminals. A child could walk down the street, alone or with friends, without having to worry about or be afraid of kidnappers, child abusers or sexual predators. Fear was something unknown. Everyone was happy.
Everyone was blissfully ignorant.
In this fantasy world, he was in love with a beautiful woman who loved him just as much. She was amazing. He loved her more than anything else. But when he couldn't see what she truly was, what she was fighting for, his world crashed down on him. There was Evil, and she was fighting against it. He watched as she rushed into battle, sword drawn, killing everything that got in her way. This woman, his love, could kill without remorse. She explained that this was because she didn't and couldn't feel sorry for those beings that sought the destruction of humanity. He only slightly understood this, but when she told him that she loved him, and then left their home, he was baffled. And worried beyond belief.
He didn't see her for two days, and then one night when he was walking home from the grocery store, he passed by the cemetery, and saw her. Black duster, black pants, blood red tank top, hair, now dyed black, blowing in the stiff breeze. He rushed over to talk to her, to beg her to come home, but he didn't get the chance. She was fighting someone, a dark man with an evil aura. The battle raged for five days, neither side gaining much ground. The townspeople came and watched, silent observers to the gruesome violence. But in one explosion, it was over.
The evil man had been defeated, but she had died in the process. He was alone, his perfect world gone, and only her sword remained.
The sword remained so its owner could come back and claim it.
That thought echoed in Angel's mind as he raced over to Giles, full of concern and impending doom. His worry crashed into him on the way in. Literally.
Angel got one look at her bloodied clothes, noticing that she was Spike- less, and ushered her inside. They got strange looks from the mortals gathered in the living room, going over battle plans.
Giles stood up quickly. "Geia, what hap-"
"Don't." She held up a hand to stop further conversation. "Myron has Spike, four of the Initiative soldiers were killed in the battle," she turned to Angel, "and I need you to come with me. I can't afford to let you out of my sight. Jamal will be at the house when we get there." Geia pointed to the others. "I want all of you to go home, pack enough stuff to get you through five days, and then call me when you're ready. It's too risky to let any of you to go out at night without some protection." She saw the stunned and confused looks, but ignored them. "Buffy, make sure your mom and sister are with you. They have to come too. Myron's going to come after anyone that is associated with myself or Buffy, so the best way for me to protect you is to have everyone in the same house." She gave them one last glance. "Ready?"
And they were gone.
Angel only shook his head at her trick. He watched her take a deep breath and then turn to him, concern and anger written on her face. "Anything I can do, Geia-"
"What you can do is not leave my sight. If you so much as go out of my range of sight, Myron will know and he will use that opportunity to capture you. I can't afford to lose you. He needs two souled vampires for his spell, and you and Spike just happen to be handy. He'll curse two other vampires if he has to, but Myron doesn't like to do things the hard way unless he absolutely has to. We'll just make sure he takes the hard road."
Within an hour, everyone was in the two-story house that Geia and Jamal had occupied. The house was bigger on the inside than what it appeared to a passerby, but the basement had to be made into makeshift bedrooms. Geia and Jamal gave up their bedrooms to stand guard in the living room. No one dared to ask any questions after Geia had explained what had happened in the cemetery. Her eyes were black with anger and hatred as she talked, and Jamal could only stand by as she outlined her plan to rescue Spike. She said nothing of the spector that had possessed Buffy for a short time, nor why.
As everyone else was resting, Geia relieved Jamal of his watch to get some sleep. She had been down on the couch for about three hours when she heard someone quietly walk down the steps. "Is there something wrong, Dawn?"
Dawn froze on the last step, then hesitantly came over to the couch. "Um....no. I just couldn't sleep."
Geia's face softened and she patted the couch. "You're welcome to sit down here with me. We can start a movie or something if you want."
The teenager sat down and looked at the warrior. The cuts she had a few hours ago were nearly gone, her healing powers working quickly to seal the wounds. Dawn saw Geia's sword sitting on the cushion beside her and knew that Geia was expecting some kind of attack. "Geia, what happens when Myron gets everything for his spell?"
Geia bit her lip in frustration. How was she supposed to answer that? Tell her the truth? She had to; it was what Dawn wanted to hear. This young girl had already been exposed to so much in her young life, being the Key, having her sister die and come back....and she still wanted the truth. "Well, first of all, he'll do whatever it takes to get what he needs for his spell. Once he gathers everything, he can't perform the spell until the eclipse that takes place five days from now. The only way he can be defeated is when he is in the process of the incantation, because all of his power will be focused on the spell. That's when we'll strike. It will take Buffy and the whole gang to do this, because Myron will have many warriors to protect him while the spell is taking place. The spell takes fifteen minutes all together, from beginning to activation of Hell's dimensions to Earth, and that's when Myron is the weakest, so we'll have to plan out every second of the attack." She knew Dawn wanted to know about Spike, so she didn't avoid it. "Jamal and I will get Spike out tomorrow night. We have a little plan that ought to fool Myron long enough to get Spike out safely. And hopefully, we'll get a little reconn while we're there. I put a protection spell on Spike before we were attacked. He'll be fine until we can get him out of there."
Dawn smiled at her. "So Myron won't be able to do what he wants? You'll stop him, right?"
Geia's eyes hardened again. "I won't let him hurt you, your family or any of the gang. On the honor of my heritage, I will not fail you. No matter what I have to do." **************************************************************************** **** Angel came downstairs just as the sun began to rise. He had been awakened by his dreams again, dreams of that perfect world that was destroyed. He found Geia in a state of shock, her gaze focused on something in her hands.
Angel ran over and shook Geia by the shoulders, but she didn't move. It wasn't until he sat down beside her that she turned her hands palm down on her legs. She saw the confusion on his face and hoped he hadn't seen the deep cuts on her hands. "It's none of your concern, Angel. Go back to bed." She grimaced at her harsh tone, but didn't say anything else.
"Geia, I can't. What's going on?"
It was a few tense minutes before she spoke. "My sister, Emily, she....she's joined forces with Myron to destroy me. She wants revenge for her death."
Angel took her hands and stared at the red slashes on her palms. "Where did these come from?"
Her voice was choked with suppressed tears. "I went on the Ghost Roads to see if I could find her. When I did, she had the ghosts of the Zalkana warriors I've killed behind her. She also had a sword, and when I grabbed it from her, I had to grab the blade. She told me that I'm responsible for her death and that I deserve a fate like hers." Geia looked down at her hands, now being held by his. "I woke up and found my hands like this. The cuts didn't go away after I came back." She looked up at him, a new resolve present. "But I have to destroy her at the same time I destroy Myron. She was the one who chose to use the gift she was given for Evil purposes. Our warrior's code says we must destroy anything Evil." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I never thought my sister would be Evil."
Angel's eyes searched her face, trying to figure out how she could sound and appear to be so confident and determined that her sister would die when Myron did. Her heart wasn't that cold, he knew that. He was still holding her hands, and the warmth from her body slid over him. He shivered, and she looked questioningly at him. But her look had something else to it....a plea? She wanted him to know something...damn, he thought, as he stared at her blankly.
"The dreams, Angel. You weren't having them for no reason. You should know by now that dreams are very important."
Her tone had a slightly teasing note to it, and he smiled. The attraction had been there from the start. But there was still something else. Her hand ran down his cheek, and he leaned into it. She saw a softness in him she had never seen in any kind of souled demon. He was the one. Her dreams had told her so.
As the distance between their lips closed, he heard her whisper, "We're destined, Angel. This is how it's supposed to be."
When they pulled apart, only inches from each other, he knew what it was.
He knew it as much as he knew that his heart, dead for over two hundred and fifty years, had slowly begun to beat again.
Author's Note: Surprisingly, I don't have that much to say...except sit back and enjoy this chapter, my readers. And just for you, Karla, this chapter is kickin' some Myron butt good, lol. And to the anonymous reader who left a review at the end of Chapter 11, I thank you for following this story. I didn't know there was anyone else reading this story besides a few of my friends and a fellow fan fiction writer (and again, much thanks to them). Also, I'm working on a drawing of Geia-not that it's going to be good, but at least I'm trying-but my only problem is that I don't have a scanner at home, so I'll find some way to get it out to you guys. I might have to get a friend to help me out with that. The lyrics in this chapter are from the Linkin Park song "Papercut", hence, the lyrics aren't mine. And Moon, I must tell you that you can't freak out about that kiss-it wasn't what you thought it was, trust me;) Just to let you know, each of the next chapters will be one of the next five days. They're important, so it looks like this story will be 18 chapters, maybe. ;)
I must hurry, for there they go and I am their leader.
Chapter 12-Becoming
Why does it feel like night today? Something in here's not right today Why am I so uptight today? Paranoia's all I got left I don't know what stressed me first Or how the pressure was fed/ But I know just what it feels like To have a voice in the back of my head It's like a face that I hold inside A face that awakes when I close my eyes A face watched every time I lie A face that laughs every time I fall [And watches everything] So I know that when it's time to sink or swim That the face inside is hearing me/Right underneath my skin
It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back It's like a whirlwind inside of my head It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
I know I've got a face in me Points out all my mistakes to me You've got a face on the inside too Your paranoia's probably worse I don't know what set me off first but I know what I can't stand Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is I can't add up to what you can But everybody has a face that they hold inside A face that awakes when they close their eyes A face watches every time they lie A face that laughs every time they fall [And watches everything] So you know that when it's time to sink or swim That the face inside is watching you too/ Right inside your skin
The sun goes down I feel the light betray me
....And then he was gone. The dagonsphere had exploded, ensnaring the soldiers. There had been a loud explosion behind he and Geia, and then he saw figures...inhuman figures. A bright light blinded him, and he woke up to find himself in a cage. A cage that looked very similar to the ones in Myron's cavern.
He twisted his head around to look at his surroundings, dimly lit by only a few torches on the rock walls. This was the cavern Myron had slaves working in. Why was he here? As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw a figure enter the cavern. Myron. Son of a bitch. Spike leaned his head back against the bars and tried to remember what happened....seeing the soldiers, Geia giving him the dagonsphere and telling him to throw it when she said to....Geia kissing him....the explosion, seeing bodies fly, and waking up here with a terrible pain in his head. He touched his head and his fingers came back with blood on them. But it wasn't his blood, he could smell the difference. It was Geia's blood.
He opened his eyes to see Myron standing a few feet away from the cage, leaving him no time to wonder how Geia's blood had gotten on him. His face vamped out at the sight of the sorcerer, and Myron clucked disapprovingly. "My my. Look what my favorite little blonde vampire got himself into. All caged up like the little animal he is. What sorry, just plain bad luck you have, my friend."
Myron leaned closer to the cage, and Spike spit in his face. "You bastard. Let me out of this bloody cage and I'll let you know what kind of an animal I am." But Myron just wiped his face off and grinned.
"See, it's you who just doesn't understand what is going on around you and your friends." He pulled the gold medallion out of his shirt and spun it around. It sparkled hypnotically in the light, the flames from nearby torches reflected in its flawless color. "This little piece of fine ancient craftsmanship is my ticket to bringing Hell to Earth. Not just bringing Hell demons and monsters to Earth but changing Earth into Hell. Big difference." He stopped its spin and held it up to the cage. "What a beauty. It had been telling me just what I need for my spell, and you are just one of the ten ingredients, Spike. Just sit back and relax because I won't need you for another couple of days...one of my ingredients won't be available until there is a full moon, and that's not for another two days. I've been waiting almost 250 years for this. I think I can wait a few more days." Myron left the cavern and appeared a minute later, a small packet of blood in his hand. He tossed it to Spike between the bars and saw Spike's look of disgust and mistrust. "Listen, vampire, why would I taint blood that would keep you healthy? Drink up-it's the last meal you'll have for a while."
Spike saw an opportunity when Myron turned to leave. With a skilled flick of the wrist, the half-open blood packet sailed across the room and hit Myron in the head. Spike silently congratulated himself on the look of utter hate Myron had on his face, trails of crimson running down it, as he turned and walked out. But surprisingly, he turned back around and walked back to the cage. "By the way," he said, his voice dripping with spiteful glee, "your girlfriend or whoever she is, the pretty whore with the black hair, got her head busted in on the tombstone you two were hiding behind. That's how you got her blood on your head." He paused, seeing the panic on Spike's face. "And one more thing. Do you know a vampire named Angelus, or Angel as he's going by now? I'll take your silence to mean a yes, because he'll be joining you sometime tomorrow night after I track him down. Nothing like waiting to die, is it vampire?"
The torches blew out as he left, leaving Spike in complete darkness. As much as he fought, his bruised and tired body willed him to sleep. So what happens now? What if he died during the spell, but Geia and Jamal were able to destroy Myron. Who would protect Buffy and her family. He couldn't bear the thought of Dawn, Joyce and Buffy without protection, especially Dawn. His fist slammed into the metal bars. Goddamit, he thought. He had to get out. Did Geia know he was here? Spike hit the bars again, and noticed that there was no pain. The bruises and scratches he could see on his forearms were nearly gone. His mind drifted back to right before they were attacked. When Geia had kissed him, he had felt something go through him.
He fell asleep, knowing Geia had protected him by what she had done. **************************************************************************** **
"So wait, let me get this straight. You want to help me destroy your sister." Myron leaned back and eyed the spectral figured in front of him with curiosity. "What did you sister do to you, my dear Emily? Did she steal your boyfriend or something?"
Emily didn't like his condescending tone of voice-he obviously didn't know how powerful spirits could be. "She is fighting against you and your cause. I only wish to see her demise."
The grin on Myron's face spread wider. "Honey, listen. I'm not in the vengeance business. I simply want the world to go to Hell, no big deal. I have an agenda of my own. I suggest you go find a vengeance demon to take care of your sister. The only people trying to stop me are a Slayer and her little group of buddies." He didn't dare mention the "freedom fighters" because he had no idea of whether this spirit was telling the truth or not. Myron leaned over and took a Rolodex from the table in front of him. He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Ah, here you go. This guy knows his vengeance stuff. He'll be perfect, you just have to be able to pay him. One of the best."
Emily smacked the Rolodex out of his hands with amazing force. "I do not want a vengeance demon, you twit. I want my sister dead. If she had done her job, I wouldn't be dead and I certainly wouldn't have come to you if this wasn't a desperate situation."
Myron's posture was still cavalier, as was his voice. "So why me? I mean, this worthless planet and all its mortals will be dead in four or five days anyway. Can't you wait that long?"
The spector dealt him a heavy blow across the face. "She's not a mortal, you idiot. She's girl that's been giving you so much trouble, keeping you from finding your ingredients for the spell."
Myron rubbed a hand on the cheek she had hit him on, her words sinking in with major shock value. "You're telling me that bimbo is your sister? And she's responsible for your death? I'm listening. We are talking about that girl with the black hair that's been hanging out with the Slayer and her buddies, the one that set my slaves loose?"
"Yes. I want her destroyed, and you and I together can do it. She'll destroy you if you don't get to her first."
"Fine. But what do you mean she's not mortal?"
Myron didn't miss the hatred in her voice. "She is responsible for my death because I was assigned as her apprentice, and she didn't watch out for me. She let me die at the hands of a filthy vampire, the one they called Angelus. I've only recently gained enough power to cross over into this dimension and make contact with others beside her. I even tried to possess the Slayer, but her little friends got in my way, but I let Angelus, or Angel, know that I'm around."
He looked at her skeptically. "But you still haven't explained what she is. I got the how and where but what makes her immortal?"
Emily smiled. "She was destined at birth to die at a young age, go to Heaven, and become one of God's warriors, a Tainted One. But somewhere a mistake was made, and I was killed with her. She became my Master at a young age because she had received her training first. And she is responsible for my death. I want her dead."
Myron couldn't believe the opportunity he had just been handed, on a silver platter and doused in blood. "A Tainted One? They exist?" He received a nod from Emily. "Is it just her?"
"No. She has her apprentice, the black man that was with her."
Myron's mind was churning. How do you defeat a myth, something so powerful that it competed with his own power? "You and I will work this out, but what can you give me?"
He was testing her patience, and her words were forced. "I can give you the other souled vampire you seek, the one they call Angel." **************************************************************************** **
"He's dead."
Riley nodded to Graham and watched as his partner gently picked up the body of one of their comrades and put it with the other three. "Damn. Four lost, half our unit."
"Your unit was small to begin with, Finn."
Riley stared at the bloody figure before him. "Trying to make a fashion statement? Our unit was for recon only. We didn't come out here to pick a fight."
Geia slammed her sword into its scabbard. "Well, you got one, didn't you? That bastard sent those warriors after the both of us, but he got what he was really after." She sat down on a fallen tombstone and peeled her jacket off. Riley got a good look at the severity of her wounds. They had both been taken by surprise, and neither had really been prepared. How could someone suffer such severe wounds and still be conscious? Even immortals had a breaking point. Geia saw Riley watching her and smirked. "See anything you like, soldier boy?"
"Just a demon who needs killed."
That only made her smile more. "You tried once, Finn. You think I'm going to give you another shot at me? You should have done better the last time."
Graham saw Riley reach for his laser gun and ran to back him up. "I don't know who you are, but if Riley thinks you need to be eliminated, it will be done."
Geia stood up, the worry and pain she felt not reflected in her cold eyes. "Take your best shot, sweetie."
Riley's finger hit the trigger, but nothing happened. His and Graham's guns were yanked out of their hands and landed in Geia's. She saw the defeat in their eyes as she pointed both guns straight at their hearts. "If you gentlemen don't mind, I have to protect a group of mortals, put a barb wire fence around an immortal who is in major trouble if I don't, save another immortal from impending doom, kill the bad guy, stop Earth from turning into Hell, and train my apprentice to pass the Trials. AND I have to let someone know that I think we're destined, and hope that the spell I put on the other immortal just before you boys crashed my party works. Good night." The guns were nothing more than dust on the cold ground as she turned and left. **************************************************************************** ***
He had been having dreams. No, not dreams, he reminded himself. Fantasies. There was no such thing as Evil-nothing but Good. There was no need for a Slayer, or for sacred warriors of a secret plan. He was happy, an emotion he hadn't known for a very long time. He was happy, and he had a life, a life in the daylight. Vampires didn't exist. Demons didn't exist, and all that people knew was that they'd all go to Heaven when they died. Everyone would; there were no criminals. A child could walk down the street, alone or with friends, without having to worry about or be afraid of kidnappers, child abusers or sexual predators. Fear was something unknown. Everyone was happy.
Everyone was blissfully ignorant.
In this fantasy world, he was in love with a beautiful woman who loved him just as much. She was amazing. He loved her more than anything else. But when he couldn't see what she truly was, what she was fighting for, his world crashed down on him. There was Evil, and she was fighting against it. He watched as she rushed into battle, sword drawn, killing everything that got in her way. This woman, his love, could kill without remorse. She explained that this was because she didn't and couldn't feel sorry for those beings that sought the destruction of humanity. He only slightly understood this, but when she told him that she loved him, and then left their home, he was baffled. And worried beyond belief.
He didn't see her for two days, and then one night when he was walking home from the grocery store, he passed by the cemetery, and saw her. Black duster, black pants, blood red tank top, hair, now dyed black, blowing in the stiff breeze. He rushed over to talk to her, to beg her to come home, but he didn't get the chance. She was fighting someone, a dark man with an evil aura. The battle raged for five days, neither side gaining much ground. The townspeople came and watched, silent observers to the gruesome violence. But in one explosion, it was over.
The evil man had been defeated, but she had died in the process. He was alone, his perfect world gone, and only her sword remained.
The sword remained so its owner could come back and claim it.
That thought echoed in Angel's mind as he raced over to Giles, full of concern and impending doom. His worry crashed into him on the way in. Literally.
Angel got one look at her bloodied clothes, noticing that she was Spike- less, and ushered her inside. They got strange looks from the mortals gathered in the living room, going over battle plans.
Giles stood up quickly. "Geia, what hap-"
"Don't." She held up a hand to stop further conversation. "Myron has Spike, four of the Initiative soldiers were killed in the battle," she turned to Angel, "and I need you to come with me. I can't afford to let you out of my sight. Jamal will be at the house when we get there." Geia pointed to the others. "I want all of you to go home, pack enough stuff to get you through five days, and then call me when you're ready. It's too risky to let any of you to go out at night without some protection." She saw the stunned and confused looks, but ignored them. "Buffy, make sure your mom and sister are with you. They have to come too. Myron's going to come after anyone that is associated with myself or Buffy, so the best way for me to protect you is to have everyone in the same house." She gave them one last glance. "Ready?"
And they were gone.
Angel only shook his head at her trick. He watched her take a deep breath and then turn to him, concern and anger written on her face. "Anything I can do, Geia-"
"What you can do is not leave my sight. If you so much as go out of my range of sight, Myron will know and he will use that opportunity to capture you. I can't afford to lose you. He needs two souled vampires for his spell, and you and Spike just happen to be handy. He'll curse two other vampires if he has to, but Myron doesn't like to do things the hard way unless he absolutely has to. We'll just make sure he takes the hard road."
Within an hour, everyone was in the two-story house that Geia and Jamal had occupied. The house was bigger on the inside than what it appeared to a passerby, but the basement had to be made into makeshift bedrooms. Geia and Jamal gave up their bedrooms to stand guard in the living room. No one dared to ask any questions after Geia had explained what had happened in the cemetery. Her eyes were black with anger and hatred as she talked, and Jamal could only stand by as she outlined her plan to rescue Spike. She said nothing of the spector that had possessed Buffy for a short time, nor why.
As everyone else was resting, Geia relieved Jamal of his watch to get some sleep. She had been down on the couch for about three hours when she heard someone quietly walk down the steps. "Is there something wrong, Dawn?"
Dawn froze on the last step, then hesitantly came over to the couch. "Um....no. I just couldn't sleep."
Geia's face softened and she patted the couch. "You're welcome to sit down here with me. We can start a movie or something if you want."
The teenager sat down and looked at the warrior. The cuts she had a few hours ago were nearly gone, her healing powers working quickly to seal the wounds. Dawn saw Geia's sword sitting on the cushion beside her and knew that Geia was expecting some kind of attack. "Geia, what happens when Myron gets everything for his spell?"
Geia bit her lip in frustration. How was she supposed to answer that? Tell her the truth? She had to; it was what Dawn wanted to hear. This young girl had already been exposed to so much in her young life, being the Key, having her sister die and come back....and she still wanted the truth. "Well, first of all, he'll do whatever it takes to get what he needs for his spell. Once he gathers everything, he can't perform the spell until the eclipse that takes place five days from now. The only way he can be defeated is when he is in the process of the incantation, because all of his power will be focused on the spell. That's when we'll strike. It will take Buffy and the whole gang to do this, because Myron will have many warriors to protect him while the spell is taking place. The spell takes fifteen minutes all together, from beginning to activation of Hell's dimensions to Earth, and that's when Myron is the weakest, so we'll have to plan out every second of the attack." She knew Dawn wanted to know about Spike, so she didn't avoid it. "Jamal and I will get Spike out tomorrow night. We have a little plan that ought to fool Myron long enough to get Spike out safely. And hopefully, we'll get a little reconn while we're there. I put a protection spell on Spike before we were attacked. He'll be fine until we can get him out of there."
Dawn smiled at her. "So Myron won't be able to do what he wants? You'll stop him, right?"
Geia's eyes hardened again. "I won't let him hurt you, your family or any of the gang. On the honor of my heritage, I will not fail you. No matter what I have to do." **************************************************************************** **** Angel came downstairs just as the sun began to rise. He had been awakened by his dreams again, dreams of that perfect world that was destroyed. He found Geia in a state of shock, her gaze focused on something in her hands.
Angel ran over and shook Geia by the shoulders, but she didn't move. It wasn't until he sat down beside her that she turned her hands palm down on her legs. She saw the confusion on his face and hoped he hadn't seen the deep cuts on her hands. "It's none of your concern, Angel. Go back to bed." She grimaced at her harsh tone, but didn't say anything else.
"Geia, I can't. What's going on?"
It was a few tense minutes before she spoke. "My sister, Emily, she....she's joined forces with Myron to destroy me. She wants revenge for her death."
Angel took her hands and stared at the red slashes on her palms. "Where did these come from?"
Her voice was choked with suppressed tears. "I went on the Ghost Roads to see if I could find her. When I did, she had the ghosts of the Zalkana warriors I've killed behind her. She also had a sword, and when I grabbed it from her, I had to grab the blade. She told me that I'm responsible for her death and that I deserve a fate like hers." Geia looked down at her hands, now being held by his. "I woke up and found my hands like this. The cuts didn't go away after I came back." She looked up at him, a new resolve present. "But I have to destroy her at the same time I destroy Myron. She was the one who chose to use the gift she was given for Evil purposes. Our warrior's code says we must destroy anything Evil." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I never thought my sister would be Evil."
Angel's eyes searched her face, trying to figure out how she could sound and appear to be so confident and determined that her sister would die when Myron did. Her heart wasn't that cold, he knew that. He was still holding her hands, and the warmth from her body slid over him. He shivered, and she looked questioningly at him. But her look had something else to it....a plea? She wanted him to know something...damn, he thought, as he stared at her blankly.
"The dreams, Angel. You weren't having them for no reason. You should know by now that dreams are very important."
Her tone had a slightly teasing note to it, and he smiled. The attraction had been there from the start. But there was still something else. Her hand ran down his cheek, and he leaned into it. She saw a softness in him she had never seen in any kind of souled demon. He was the one. Her dreams had told her so.
As the distance between their lips closed, he heard her whisper, "We're destined, Angel. This is how it's supposed to be."
When they pulled apart, only inches from each other, he knew what it was.
He knew it as much as he knew that his heart, dead for over two hundred and fifty years, had slowly begun to beat again.