A Terrible Beauty-
A Terrible
Beauty- part 7 of "All that Heaven Allows Series"
by: Isabelle
-Disclaimer: All of the main
characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics Outside
by Arron Lewis and When you're Gone by The Cranberries.
-Rated:R (Language, Sexual
Content, Violence, Adult Situations)
-Summary: Seventh part of a Spike
and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a
rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an
auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to
each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set
right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasn't happened, and won't
happen.
-Author's Note: Please send
feedback! Tell me what you think. My email is bih80@yahoo.com
Thanks again to my roommate,
Karla, for editing the stories!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And you bring me to my knees
All this time I could beg you
please
She woke up and knew she was not
happy. Something was wrong but her body hurt too much to know
what was bothering her. The last thing she remembered before she
drifted off was being trashed into a dark van and driving for
what seemed like hours, drifting finally to sleep when the sun
came up.
How ironic, now I am keeping
Vampire hours. She thought.
Then she remembered Spike, they
separated her from Spike. Where was he? Was he hurt?
With those thoughts she opened her
eyes to focus on something.
She felt her body, she felt naked
and instantly her eyes darted to her form. What the hell?
She was lying on top of the
largest pillow she had ever seen, the pillow was made of pure
green silk, embroidered with diamonds, mirrors, rubies, emeralds,
every type of stone Buffy couldn't identify.
She gasped at its beauty and
wondered why someone would let her ruin something so beautiful.
Looking from her body and the pillow she focused on her
surroundings.
She blinked twice, not accepting
the image before her.
I'm either dreaming or dead.
She thought, taking in her locality.
The room was magestical. It looked
like it droped from some fantastical adventure movie.
It looked Arabic in nature. The
colors were breathtaking. Reds, oranges, deep blues, yellows,
greens, purples, ivories, stunning her eyes with their ravishing
nature.
She gasped. The room must have
been as large as her house, with a four poster canopy bed in the
middle of the room that was covered with colored silk wrappings.
The sheets were of red silk, embroidered with precious stones
that covered the entire border of the quilt. There must have been
over twenty golden silk pillows, thrown carelessly on top of the
bed, shinning brightly against the red.
In front of the bed was a window,
and open window. The doors opened out to reveal an ample balcony
that overlooked the ocean. In the rest of the room were closet
doors, painted in gold. On the floor were the finest persian rugs
she had ever seen. There were decorations of exotic statues
throughout the room. The statues were naked women that looked
like they were dancing in wonderous ways.
The room smelled of incense,
strong but sensual incense. Music floated in the room, it sounded
like light drums with some pipes. It was beautiful. A place were
one goes to escape reality.
She stood on her shaky limbs to
find a way of escaping.
She was still in wonder at the
surrealism of the room. Making her way slowly to the open window
she was startled when she heard people walk in. She instinctively
hid behind one of the thick curtains.
"You're up." A man's
voice said, he stood in front of the curtain were she was
hidding. "There's no use in hidding Ms. Summers, I can see
through the curtain."
Buffy trembled, she wondered if
she had her strength back so she could kick his ass.
"Yes, you have your strength
back, but it'll be no use here. And I promise not to hurt
you."
She was dumfounded, he could read
minds, GREAT! Slowly she emerged from behind the heavy linen
drapes.
The man smiled as she came out.
She somehow eased into his smile,
it was genuine, his eyes screamed kindness. Yet he was mystical.
And young, almost her own age.
"Look at you, you're a
mess." he said looking over her apparel. She looked down.
She had to agree with him, her jeans were saggy and dirty, her
shirt was stained and ripped, her hair must looked hellish and
she felt pale.
"Let's get you cleaned up
before we start chatting." He said holding out his hand so
she could take it.
"Where's Spike?" she
asked looking over him.
The man smiled and nodded.
"You're companion is fine, a very violent one he is, but
he's fine."
"Where is he?" she asked
stubbornly.
"You'll soon find out."
he responded lowering his hand.
"I am not going anywhere
until you tell me were he's at." She demanded in her Slayer
style, placing her hands rigidly on her hips.
The man frowned. "Ms. Summers
please, I can only assure you he's receiving the same treatment
you are."
Buffy's thoughts raced at all the
possibilities that they could be doing to harm him.
"Fast imagination." the
man commented. "I can guarantee you they're all
overanalysis." he smiled.
"Who are you?" She asked
looking over him
"I'm Prince Sethos Habu, I
suppose it would be considered that I am your master, but I don't
agree with that sorth of foolishness, so you can call me
Sethos."
"You're the bitch's
brother." She stated looking at him with an enraged
expression.
He laughed very amused. "That
she is. No wonder she hates you."
Buffy was confused, he was nothing
like the princess, some what kind and realizing of truth.
"She hates me?" Buffy
asked confussed.
"Very insecure, my sister is,
she sees you as a threat." he stated. "Now please,
come, dinner's almost ready."
Buffy stood there for a moment
regarding him. She finally gave in and took his arm for him to
lead her.
All the time that I felt
insecure
And I leave my burdens at the
door
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm on the outside, I am
looking in
I can see through you, see
your true colors
He woke to find himself chained.
Still shirt less, cold, perks of being human he thought,
and tired, so tired.
He opened his eyes to study his
surroundings, he was in a fairly fancy room, very exotic looking.
A large bed in the middle, many pillows, he noted, a lot of silk,
and a window.
An open window. He smiled. Wankers.
He thought.
He looked up to his chains and
started to pull them.
"Look who decided to grace us
with his presence." A female voice said from behind him.
He abruptly turned around cursing
his inability to sense danger.
Kamiliah walked to his view.
His breath caught in his throat.
She was beautiful. Not golden like Buffy, but dark and
mysterious, enchanting ang luring. She was wearing a long silk
white skirt that hung at her hips and a small top that exposed
her perfectly trimmed mid-drift. The white against her olive skin
was mesmerizing. Around her slim belly hung a gold chain that
gingled when she moved. Her hair was down and cascading around
her waist. It was thick and black, a light wave to it and he
could smell the jasmine that filtrated through her pores. Her
eyes were large and intoxicating, pure purple, so enticing he
almost drowned in them.
She walked with graze, not the
type of graze that Buffy possesed, but a sultry graze, a tempting
graze, as if a touch of her skin will have him prisoner forever.
He took a few large now necessary
breaths. "What do you want?" he asked trying to compose
his hormones.
"Why do you fight it
William?" she asked coming closer to him, her eyes never
leaving his.
He stood and looked at her for a
long time. "Has there ever been a man you couldn't
seduce?"
She smiled.
He went blank. Her teeth were pure
white, and her smile was hypnotic.
"Are you enticing that I am
seducing you?" she got closer. "The question is,
William..." she stood as close as she could get and leaned
on his ear. "Are you ready to break?"
He pushed himself back and looked
at her. "You must have alot of time on yer hands." he
said not taking his eyes away from her.
"We have all the time it
takes." she replied.
"For what?" he asked
getting madder at himself for letting her control him like this.
"To make you forget."
she smiled and reached out to unlock his chains.
"You let me go and I will
kill you." he stated.
"Why the warning,
William?" she asked purred. "Afraid you wont be able to
go through it at the end?"
He stared at her. "I've
always been a wanker for women, but for you I'll make an
exception."
"Why thank you William, I am
touched." she continued to unchain him.
He just waited until she finished.
When his arms were free he roughly
grabbed her by the throat and pinned her against the wall.
She laughed lightly.
"I like it when a man is
rough." she giggled evily.
She only squeezed harder.
"Too bad you wont be alive
for the happy, pet." he stated.
She laughed. "You kill me she
dies."
Spike fummed.
"Were is she?" he
demanded.
"You kill me, she dies."
she repeated calmly.
"Luv, if we are going to
repeat all of our words tonight this might take a while." He
said pressing her harder against the wall.
"It's your choice,
darling." she said bringing her hand to caress his smooth
check. "She doesn't even love you."
Spike growled.
"She never will" Her
finger traced his face. "But me,....I could give you
everything, William. Power. Wealth, eternal life, property,
respect, and above all love,........love that you've never
received. Love that wont leave you, love that will love you no
matter what. Me, William, not her." she rubbed her thumb
over his lips as they parted. "Tomorrow she might die, and
you'll be left all alone,...again." She stopped and looked
at his cloudy eyes, she knew she had him where she wanted.
"It hurts, doesn't it, to be alone......."
Spike was struggling. She was
enthralling, his heart was pounding wildly in his chest. Without
noticing he was lowering his mouth to meet hers.
She smiled as his mouth descended
on hers and she kissed him back passionately. His arms went
around her and she embraced him in return. Their toungues dueled
for what seemed like eternity.
Then something slinthered in his
thoughts. It was a dream from so long ago, it hurt him to
remember. He was in a field, it was daylight, and he saw her,
golden hair blowing in the wind, she turned and smiled at him and
said "Come on, my love." Fight for it, Fight for
it.
He instantly pulled back and
looked at the fuliginous eyes that had held his emotions moments
before. And smiled. "Got it out of your system then?"
Her face changed instantly and she
pushed him off, rage was the only thing that could describe her
feelings.
"You insignificant
creature." she sneared. "How dare you?"
He mock laughed. "Do you
think for one second that I am going to forget all that I've
fought for?"
She walked up to him in
defiance."You think you've fought for her?" she smiled
"You haven't even begun."
"What do you want from
me?"
"You fool,....I hold this
universe in my hand and I've offered you something so grand, I
can't even begin to describe,....and you.....you throw it away
for the love of a woman who will never love you back,........were
she only touches you in dreams or out of pure need. Because
you're the only one left, because you're all she's got. Because
you're her last resort, her desperate measure."
The words sunk deep and hard
through his heart, gashing him with anger and frustration. This
woman read right through him like he read right thorugh Buffy. He
knew he couldn't falter. For his sake, for Buffy's sake, she
might not love him, not now not ever, but there was that voice
inside of him screaming Fight for it, and that was just
what he intended to do.
"She might not love me, not
now, not ever, she might despise me once we're out of here, she
might try to kill me, she might hurt me. I might be her last
resort, she might turn to me out of pure need. I might be her
desperate measure. But I am all she's got....... And that's
enough for me...... You really don't know me, do you? I am the
most stubborn creature on this earth. And as long as I love her,
I will be there." He was standing proud by the end of his
confession, proud of his strength, proud of his character, proud
that he had become the man he never thought possible.
She shook her head in defeat.
"Fine, you've made your choice." she walked away.
"You will do as I say, or this woman you love so much, will
be dead,.....before she knows you love her."
He looked at her wondering if she
would really hurt Buffy if she wanted to. He decided that she
would and thought it would be better to comply, until he could
find out if Buffy was alright, and if he could get her out of
there, even if he had to sacrifice himself to do it.
"My servants will come and
get you cleaned up and ready for dinner." She turned.
"And William, the first attemp you try at your escape,
together or alone, I swear on my father's grave I will make her
suffer. And that does not necessarily mean killing her."
With that she walked away letting
the servants in to take care of Spike.
Cause inside you're ugly, ugly
like me
I can see through you, see the
real you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riley sat on the edge of the bed
digesting the information he had just received. Buffy had been
sold to that family they had suspected. They had taken her east
towards the ocean where the family owned a private beach estate.
The coincidence was that over the estate loomed a closed
hellmouth that could be re-opened at the right time with the
right people.
Angel was brooding, his childe was
human, he was a male replica of Buffy, and they were together. He
fumed. It was too much, his childe had received what he had
wanted for so long. And if he knew those two, they were either
eating each other's heads off or they were kissing each other's
head off.
He looked at Riley who seemed
recklessly worried for his girlfriend.
Idiot! Angel thought, he
knew Buffy didn't love him, he had seen it in her eyes. But
Spike, her reactions towards Spike were different. He knew his
childe brought out the spark in Buffy, he brought her to life,
with him she was extremes, either infuriated to the point of
staking or calmly listening to his wild behavior.
He also knew that Spike could read
her like a book, he could read anyone like a book. If he didn't
know better those two had some type of fatal attraction that
would lead to two inescapable conclusions,.......madly crazy for
each other or dead at each other's hands.
But with Spike turning human, his
worst fears could come crashing through. She wouldn't kill him,
he was human, he was her. He was, somehow, a custom made match, a
sick trick that the fates had played on everyone.
Then, for the first time, he felt
sorry for Riley, the poor kid was in for the surprise of his
life.
"I have access to enter the
palace for the festivities tomorrow night, I'll go in and let
them know the plan ahead of time. If everything goes according to
schedule, you'll be on your way to California in two days."
Lawrence said as the others listened.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All this time that I felt like
this won't end, was for you
And I taste, but I could never
have--it's from you
The room was pure hallucinatory
enchantment. There was a long wooden table in the middle, that
sat about thirty people. The table was covered with the most
luxurious tablecloth he had ever seen, adorned with precious
stones and pure golden threads. The table was set for about ten
people leaving the rest of the space for decorations of fresh
flowers, fish tanks, and food,.....lots of food.
He had not realized he was so
hungry. It felt really strange to crave meat instead of blood.
Almost as if the bloodlust belonged to a past life. A life he saw
far away.
He smelled the scent of food and
heard his stomach make a funny noise, he cringed, this was
ridiculous.
He was led by two male escorts to
his place on the table. He had not entered the room for two
seconds when people started to pour in. He saw Kamilah and she
smiled at him sweetly.
He frowned. That bint don't
give up! He thought.
He was guided to take the seat
next to her. And he did. He searched the faces of the other
inhabitants, most were fat rich demons, some vampires, and some
upper class sluts of the demon community, he even recognized some
from his Drusilla days.
Most of them eyed him in wonder.
William the bloody, Spike, made human and allied with the Slayer.
Some of them looked at him with pity, others with hatred, others
dismissed him as a fluke of nature.
He was cringing internally. His
eyes wondered to find Buffy but she wasn't there, and he prayed
to whatever god was up there that she was OK.
He noticed they were not serving
food and he was starved. "Where's the food?" he asked
Kamilah roughly.
She smilled at his impatience.
"We're waiting." she simply said.
"Waiting for what? A
blessing?" he retorted.
She eyed him nastily.
"My brother, the Prince, and
his...what shall I call her......prize?" she smiled and
Spike knew to who she was refering to.
At that moment his hunger vanished
and was replaced by fumming rage.
Drums sounded from behind the
large indoor trees and the people at the table stood in
reverence. He reluctantly followed suit.
The door at the head of the table
was flung open and in walked three figures.
The man in the middle, Spike would
assume, was the Prince. His tunics were purple silk and embroided
with gold linings. It had precious stones and rare engravings at
the linning of it. He entered with a calm, yet royal air around
him.
Next to him was another man that
the mere look of him, stired some recognition in Spike's blood.
He had seen this man before, in some past life. He was arrogant
and demanded respect. He was dressed in a spare-no-expence Armani
suit. His salt-and-pepper hair was combed and neatly trimmed, he
was cleanly shaven and his jaw was rigid and strong. Stubborn.
Was the only word that came to Spike's mind.
Next to the prince on his right
side was a vision that took Spike's breath away. There she was.
Dressed in a similiar fashion of Kamilah. Her golden hair was
combed until it shined, and it hung loosely around her shoulders.
The crown on her head was decorated with a string of green gems
that cascaded sligtly to her forehead. The fabric of her clothing
was made of crystalized linen that hung tight on her small frame.
The deep green complimented her skin, giving her an angelic glow.
Her face had been washed and
makeup had been applied, he hadn't seen her all dressed up for a
while and he was plainly taken back as he gazed at her beauty.
Her large green eyes darted into
the room until they met his.
She was scared, upset, worried.
But she found his eyes and all was well. She had not been
mistreated, on the contrary she had been treated like a queen.
But she was not happy, far from it. She had no idea where Spike
was at, or if he was even OK. Sethos guaranteed her that he was,
but she didn't trust the princess around him.
When their eyes met they spoke of
relief for one another. They were alive, both of them. She was
led to the room by the kind hand of Sethos and instantly felt
eyes boring into her. She turned and met Kamilah's gaze.
The woman had an evil twinkle to
her eye, so distrusting it was hard to see anything else.
She noticed that Spike was dressed
more differently than she was used to seeing him. He was wearing
some form fitting khakis with a tight white polo shirt that clung
to his chest showing off his planes.
He was staring at her intently
with concern in his eyes, she gave him a look of reassurance and
he eased off.
Conversation started in the table
as the guest spoke to one another in languages she couldn't
understand. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kamilah reach
over to Spike and whisper something in his ear. He smiled and
looked at the flirting princess.
Buffy's heart slammed against her
chest and a wave of jealousy went through her. She tried to
concentrate on other things but didn't seem to notice anything
but a blond man smiling at an exotic woman.
Spike felt when Kamilah leaned
over to him and pressed her lips close to his ear. He frowned
internally. She was acting like a seventeen year old who wanted
to make an ex-girlfriend jealous.
"Smile and have a good time,
darling, for her sake at least." Kamilah whispered in his
ear. He looked at her and forced a smile.
"You're so convincing."
He murmured.
"Remember, tonight, I am your
queen." she smiled sweetly.
"What's wrong, pet, nothin'
good on the telly?" he whispered and smiled.
She reached her slim finger, still
smiling, and rubbed his lower lip lightly.
He was about to combust. She was
beautiful, no doubt, but she was poison, a tempting poison.
He could feel Buffy's discomfort
and his heart went out to her.
He was burning inside, he wanted
to shove the slut off him and wrap Buffy in his arms, and
violently run out of this place. A safe place was all he wanted.
The dinner passed with more or
less distress and the Prince finally excused himself to retire,
leading Buffy away from the table and into their quarters.
She turned her head one last time
to look at Spike who was pleading to her with his eyes. She
wished she could accept that he was doing all this for them, that
flirting with Princess Ho' was an act, but it hurt her. He hurt
her. It was burning in her heart until she could hardly breathe.
She walked away adverting his gaze
but there are some things the heart cannot escape from. She loved
him and the possibility that he did not return her love was
devastating.
All those times that I tried,
my intentions full of pride
And I waste more time than
anyone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a knock on his door.
"Come in." he said
looking up from his book.
She entered, dressed in white and
smelling of Jasmine. She smiled at him.
He stood and neared her like a
predator that's on a hunt he knows he's won. Violently he
embraced her and descended his lips to hers, kissing her
furiously and without compassion.
She kissed him back washing her
hands through his graying hair.
He suddenly stoped and looked at
her with a questioning glance.
"You reek of him." he
said harshly.
"A girl had to do what a girl
had to do." She responded.
He let her go and walked to the
chair he had been sitting at, taking back his book and reading.
"You're not jealous, are you,
darling?" She asked swaying her hips as she walked and stood
in front of him.
He paused and looked up to her
purple eyes.
"Kamilah, I just hope you
know what you are doing." With that he lowered his gaze back
to his book.
She took the chair next to him and
gently grabbed his hand forcing him to look at her. He knew he
loved her, in a twisted way, but he did.
"Roderick, by tomorrow night,
they'll be dead." She said gently rubbing her thumb on the
back of his palm. "They don't matter."
"Is that what you're telling
yourself?" he asked.
"What is that suppose to
mean?" she asked raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.
"When you kiss him, when you
flirt with him, I saw you tonight, you couldn't take your arms
off him. Are you going to tell me it was to make her
jealous?" he said snorting. "You might fool other
people, darling, but you'll not fool me. Ever since you found out
that he would resist you for the slayer, it has been eating you
up inside." He paused and looked at her hardening face.
"It's no longer business, is it, princess? It's personnal
now. He pushed you away......the only way your fingers touch his
flesh is because you dangle her life before his head."
Her eyes had narrowed and she was
fumming. "How dare you?" she cried. "I've given
you everything, and you sit there analyzing my actions as I were
up for study?" she looked at him and stood. "Who gave
you the right?"
"You!" he screamed
standing in front of her. "The moment you spread your sweet
legs for me."
She growled.
"And you know I am right. You
hate her, with a passion.......you offered him the throne, didn't
you?" he mock laughed. "And he said
no,..............poor little spoiled girl, when are you going to
learn that you can't buy yourself into people's heart?" His
words were harsh and stung at her heart.
At times, in front of him, she
felt defenceless, as if he could see right through her. That's
why she was with him. He defied her. Just like Spike did.
"I hate you." she
hissed. "I want you out."
"Truth hurts doesn't it,
baby?" he responded not moving.
She reached under her wrap and
before he knew what had happened the sharp wooden stake had
penetrated his chest.
Her eyes were cold and she looked
at the dust in the floor.
"To kill this man, you have
to love him." She murmured to herself.
With that she walked out of the
room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm on the outside, I am
looking in
I can see through you, see
your true colors
Buffy waited until Sethos left her
room and her 'servants' finished dressing her for a night's
sleep, and she wondered out of her room.
It's now or never. She
thought to herself.
She grabbed the black shawl that
was in her wardrobe and wrapped it around herself to shield her
from the night. She had to find Spike. If she waited until
tomorrow it might be too late.
She opened her window and started
her climb downwards. She moved with grace and quietness, blending
with her environment, she reached the bottom of the three story
mansion and walked with the shadows to find the room were Spike
was being kept.
The corridors were empty, she
guessed it was around eleven at night. At this time normally she
was in the height of her patrol. She sighted, she had to get out
alive. She had to get out, they had to find help and stop armagedon.
The usual.
Hearing some voices in the hall
ahead she ducked and hid behind a large plant pot that hosted a
large palm tree. She tried to make out the words that were being
said, but it was in Arabic. She frowned. Note to self: take
Arabic next semester.
She waited until the voices
muffled and stepped out of the shadows to follow were the voices
were going. She followed the shadows in front of her further into
the palace until they rounded a corner and disappeared into a
room. Quietly she approached the open door, peering, making sure
she went unnoticed.
The room looked empty, she
cautiously moved in, making sure she was invinsible and
noiseless. She moved around the corners and saw nothing, slowly
she walked to the middle of the room and was baffeled that the
voices that disappeared into thin air.
Just then something cold and hard
hit her and she fell backwards. Falling flat on her back she
looked up to find a pair of purple eyes staring at her intently.
"Well, well, well, look what
goody I found me." the dancing eyes said.
With that all went blank.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cause inside you're ugly, ugly
like me
I can see through you, see to
the real you
He paced the room. He knew he was
hyper active as a vampire, but with the humaness came the beating
heart, blood pressure, bathroom breaks. It simply complicated
things.
He was frustrated. Kamilah hung
Buffy's life over him by a thread. When he saw her today he was
relieved that she was OK, in a physical way, but she seemed
desperate inside.
He knew she was tired, he was
tired of this entire situation. Always getting more complicated.
Too much shit.
//KNOCK, KNOCK//
"Come on in." he
growled.
He was expecting Kamilah, she said
she would be by soon.
"What kept you?" he
asked sarcastically.
But the figure didn't enter the
light and lingered in the shadows.
"Well?" he waited.
"Spike?" a man's voice
said.
Spike stopped at his tracks and
peered into the shadows.
"Lawrence?" he asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She was chained and she felt it.
They were not the tugging kind, but she felt the cold metal
against her skin. And she felt naked.
Her eyes flew open. She was in her
room, but she was.......she gasped.
Oh my God! She thought.
She was laying on the same pillow
she was when she had first woken up that morning, but this time
someone had changed her wardrobe. She looked like Princess Leah,
in a gold bikini. It was metal too. She laughed out loud inspite
of herself.
In whose sex fantasy did I
fall in? She thought ironically.
Her chains were long and she could
easily move around the room, she noted.
"Suits you,I think."
Kamilah said coming behind her.
Buffy instantly reacted and flung
herself at her, trying to hit her, but the princess stepped back
and Buffy was restrained by the metal chains. She growled.
"Bitch!" she hissed.
"Aren't you the short
tempered one?" She was walking around Buffy, inspecting her.
"You're not bad little one,
but you must understand I can't have you running around messing
thing up, when tomorrow is such a big day for me." She said
walking closer to Buffy.
Buffy simply sneered at her. This
situation was getting out of control.
"What do you want with
me?" Buffy fizzed.
Kamilah took her small face in her
hand and forced Buffy to look at her. "Release him."
Buffy could not help but laugh at
the irony.
"Release him?" she
laughed. "What do you think, that I have him by a ball and
chain? You can't control what people feel. It just is. And you're
a sad demented case if you think you can manipulate the
heart."
Kamilah back handed her hard
across her jaw.
"You'll do good to watch your
words around me." Kamilah said "I can kill you in a
second."
Buffy composed herself, her jaw
was throbing. The demoness was stronger than she was and she knew
it.
She looked up and met her eyes.
"And I look foward to shoving those words down your
throat." She responded after she could move her jaw.
Kamilah hit her again and Buffy
blacked out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All the times that I've cried,
all this wasting--it's all inside
And I feel all this pain,
stuffed it down--it's back again
"Tell the poof I say
thanks." Spike told Lawrence before he stepped out of his
room.
"You tell him when you see
him." Lawrence told him, trying to give the man hope.
"Just do that, 'lright? Just
in case." Spike said looking down.
Lawrence understood that he had
accepted the complications of what tomorrow might bring, he was a
realist.
Lawrence extended his hand and
Spike took it, gripping and sealing the friendship.
"Be gone, then." Spike
said, and with that the man nodded and slipped out of his room.
Spike took a seat at the edge of
the bed and sighted.
Long day in hell. He
thought to himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I lie here in bed all
alone--I can't mend
And I fear tomorrow will be
okay
She felt a damp cloth patting her
aching jaw ever so gently. She was still groagy.
"Spike?" she whispered.
"No, not him." a kind
voice said.
She focused her eyesight to find a
pair of black eyes looking at her, they were filled with concern
and humility.
"Sethos?" she
clarrified.
"Yes, Buffy, it's me."
he said dabing the cloth on her swollen jaw again. She winced.
"Sorry."
"It's ok, I'll heal in a
couple of hours.....perks of being a Slayer, I guess." she
said proping her elbows from her laying position in bed.
Then she remembered she was
chained a'la Princess Leah. She looked down her body and let out
a frustrated groan.
"I'm sorry, my sister feels
you would escape." he said refering to her condition.
Buffy paused and looked at the
kind young man in front of her.
"You're so different from
her, why?" she inquired sitting up completely.
He looked down and let out a sigh.
"Don't know,..........this,......what she's doing is not
what our father wanted." he took a deep breath. "I wish
I could do something, but she's so much stronger...."
Buffy shook her head, her patience
running low with the weakling. "NO!!" she said loudly,
"Why do you tell yourself that?"
Sethos was taken back by her tone.
"Be..because it's tr-true" he stammered.
"According to whom?
Her?" She let out a small laugh. "She's not all up
there." she gently caught his hand. "Even you can see
she'll destroy good to fullfil her purpose. What she's doing
tomorrow, do you think it's right?"
Sethos thought for a moment
playing with his fingers. "No." he said soberly.
"Why not stop her?" she
persisted.
Sethos stood from the bed and
began pacing the room. "You don't understand,...she's
strong,..and smart, very smart, and..."
"Hey! None of that
talk!" she said standing as far as her chains would let her.
"What would your father had said?"
He paused and looked at her
chewing on his bottom lips pensively. "Take charge,
Sethos......he would have said Take charge, Sethos." he
said.
Buffy nodded. "Take charge
then."
A minute passed, he was gathering
strength.
"When I faced my greatest
opponent, he taunted me...I was alone,...It was all up to
me...,and just when I thought I had no hope left I found....me,
me is all I had, and me was enough." She placed her hand on
his chest. "Take charge, Prince Sethos, claim your rightful
throne, rule....rule like your father would have wanted."
she said almost in a hard whisper.
When his eyes met hers again there
was a fire in them she had never seen before.
"Tomorrow....leave Kamiliah
to me." he said giving her an appreciative nod.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He felt her come to his room, without
turning around he knew it was her. The evil force around her
consumed him and he wanted to throw her out his window.
"Pensive, William?" she
asked approaching him.
He didn't move.
"Your girl, she has quite a
character." she said standing in front of a sitting Spike.
He looked up at her.
"I hope she told you good 'n
proper." he said.
She smiled. "Considering her
abilities were limited, she did pretty well of defending herself
while she was all chained up."
Spike stood in outrage. The
thought of Buffy chained up was unbearable. "What have you
done to her?" he cried.
Kamilah laughed at his outburst.
"Done to her?" she
walked pass him "Don't you mean what she did to
herself?"
Spike ignored her taunts.
"William, I had no choice,
she was trying to escape,...she could have avoided the entire
situation."
"You don't have to chain her
up." he stated trying to control his anger.
"What do you suggest that I
do? Slap her hand and tell her to behave?" she smiled.
"The Slayer doesn't play that game."
"When she gets through with
you, they'll be collecting you with a sponge." he said
harshly. "I should know, seen 'her do it before."
"Doubtful, very
doubtful." she walked close to her.
"I want to see her." he
said walking close to the demon.
She looked at him surprised.
"Really?"
"I am through playing your
game, I wanna see her." he said.
"No."
"You're gonna let me see her,
and you're gonna let me see her tonight." he said
"Because if you don't,.......not even I will play your
game."
She looked up to his eyes. They
were stone cold with anger and menace.
"If you don't let me see her,
Kamilah, I will make sure I go through hell and back to prevent
the portal from opening." he said in a low harsh whisper.
She swallowed. "I'll take you
to her, but only because you've been such fun." she got
closer. "And besides...." she caressed his cheek
"You need to say your goodbyes."
Spike stiffened under her touch.
But nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hold on to love that's what I
do,, now that I've found you.
And from above everything's
stinking, they're not around you
And in the night, I could be
helpless,
I could be lonely, sleeping
without you.
And in the day, everything's
complex
There's nothing simple, when
I'm not around you.
She was pacing the room when she
heard to door unlock.
What now? She thought
angrily. She couldn't deal with another visit from Princess
Bitch.
"Buffy?"
Her heart leaped.
"Spike?" she almost cried out. He stepped into the dim
light. But she hid herself in the shadows, she didn't want him to
see her all chained up.
"Pet, come out here, I don't
have long." He said looking in the darkness.
"No Spike, go away." she
said trying to compose her pride.
"Luv, its ok, I know what she
did to you." he said pleading with her.
She felt humiliated, feeling like
a sacrificial piece of meat was making her reach her boiling
point. The images of Kamiliah and Spike flirting throughout
dinner were engraved in her head and it only made her madder.
"Go away, Spike." she
said harshly.
"Pet, please listen to me,
I...I had to, I had to Buffy." he swallowed "She's
hanging your life over my head like a piece of bait."
Buffy didn't know what to believe.
He was here, at least, and she wanted nothing else than to run
into his arms. She moved and her chains made a rattling noise.
Tears swelled up in her eyes.
"Please....Spike." she
begged him to leave.
"Buffy." He said
stirnly. "Come out here, pet, I just want to talk."
She shook her head. "We can
talk like this."
"Slayer, you 'r pissin' me
off, get your ass out here I ain't got much time!" he cried.
Buffy mustered all her strength
and stepped into the light, revealing her half nude self and her
chained condition.
Spike swallowed. Part of him
cringed with the sight of her like that, part of him couldn't
appreciate the sight more, she looked beautiful.
"Well say something."
she said looking down embarrased.
"How are you feeling?"
Was all he could think of.
Her head shot up angrily.
"How am I feeling?" she cried. "That's what you
can ask? I am chained, wearing movie props! How do you think I
feel?"
He smiled at her wit. He walked
closer to her. "You look beautiful."
Buffy blushed. "Yeah, every
man's fantasy." She said sarcastically.
He nodded and thought they should
get down to business. "Angel's in town."
Her head shot up, her eyes were
wide with relief and shock. "Here, where, when?" she
asked rapidly.
"I told you I didn't have
much time." he said. "I want you to listen to me, and
for once Summers don't question my motives or my decisions, or my
actions. Can you do that for once?"
He looked straight into her eyes..
She nodded, all of a sudden,
finding hope in a situation she thought had become helpless.
"Tomorrow during the
celebration, you will be taken to the throne where your chains
will be tied. I will be left to roam on my own, Lawrence
will.."
"Lawrence?" she cut him
off.
He nodded. "Lawrence will get
the keys to your chains and give them to me, I will unchain you
and you, by yourself, will sneak out to the gardens were Angel
will be waiting with a van. You go with him. You don't stop and
fight, you don't look back, you don't wait for me."
She was shaking her head.
"I am not leaving
with.."
"I have to stay." He
said stirnly.
Her eyes went wide. "Oh I
see..." she whispered. "Because of her, you want to
stay because of her."
He shook his head. "Yes,
because of her but not in that way, if you want to get out, I
have to distract her, it's your only chance."
Her bottom lip trembeled.
"You don't have to lie to me, Spike." her voice
quivered. "I understand if you want to stay here, I mean she
is beautiful and rich and a princess..."
"Buffy, listen to me.."
"And she'll probably give you
all you've ever wanted..."
"Listen, would you listen,
its not like that..."
Her voice was shaking with emotion
and she hated herself for falling for this trap. "I
understand...."
He grabbed her by her shoulders.
"Buffy, I love you."
"If I don't see you
again......." she looked up to his eyes. "Y-yo-you
what?"
"I love you." He
repeated, knowing this was probably the worst place to say it.
"You love me?" her voice
was a whisper. "Why? I am...short...and problematic...and
unexperienced....and you hate me.....and I hate you." She
didn't believe it herself.
He smiled at her naiveness.
"I love you, Slayer." He
got closer. "I've always loved you, since the moment I first
saw you." he breathed hard bringing his hand to touch her
face. "Such purity,...such danger...you're
intoxicating."
Her heart was pounding a mile a
minute and she had to remind herself to breathe. It was all too
much, somehow in the mist of this entire situation they had
managed to fall in love, or at least accept their feelings
towards one another.
She stared at his face and not a
word could come out of her mouth, it was completely dry.
His hopes sagged, he knew she
probably didn't feel the same, but he had to tell her before he
never had a chance to.
"Tomorrow at twelve fifteen,
in the garden, you be there, if I am not there......you go without
me."
She was shaking her head in
defyment. "I am NOT leaving without you."
But I'll miss you when you're
gone, that is what I do. Hey,baby!
And it's going to carry on,
that is what I do. Hey, baby!
He grasped her arms tighter.
"Slayer, listen to me, you go.....you get out of
here.....you survive.....you make it home."
Her tears were pouring on her
cheeks, and uncontrollable sobs errupted her body, he was
sacrificing his life for her, for her to get out. "We stick
together!" she cried. "I dont leave you, you don't
leave me......" she was crying full force and he wrapped her
in an embrace.
She sobbed holding tight to him as
if he might disappear.
He kissed the top of her head and
inhaled her scent. "Buffy listen, pet, I've
lived........"
She cried harder clutching on to
him.
He continued. "I've plagued
this earth for hundreds of years, and if my time comes, its
comes." he swallowed trying to accept it himself.
"Yours.....yours has not yet come, you'll live." he
grasped her face in his hands. "You'll live some more,...and
you'll survive."
He bent down and kissed her
forehead.
She was sobbing wildly still in denial
of what had to be done. "Spike, I am not leaving...."
she shook her head.
He shook her roughly. "Don't
be foolish!" he cried.
"Fuck you!!" she cried
through tears. "I am not leaving you!"
He hugged her shaking body again.
"Not leaving you...not
leaving you..." she kept repeating with her head burried in
his chest..
"Please Buffy, if not for you
do it for me." he said holding her so he could see her face.
"I made you a promise once, remember?"
She nodded weakly. Remembering his
promise to her the day before his operation.
"Please make me this promise,
be strong, baby, please." He pleaded with her.
She looked in his eyes fearing it
would be the last time he would hold her. She brought her hand to
his face and nodded painfully.
She knew what had to be done. They
couldn't fight their way out, but she wasn't leaving without him.
She was determined.
He smiled sadly at her reluctant
acceptance.
"Good....now pet, for old
times sakes..." He looked into her eyes. "Lie to me,
and tell me you love me."
Fresh tears slipped down her
cheeks as she shook her head meaning 'no'. Her bottom lip
quivered.
His heart sank.
"No......" she reached
for his scared eyebrow and stroke it, her eyes never leaving his.
"I'm gonna lie to you and tell you I don't."
His heart soared. And he captured
her mouth in a single stroke. Holding her small body against his
lean one. They embrace out of pure desperation. Both knowing what
tomorrow might bring and relishing the moment that heaven had
allowed them.
Hold onto my hands, I feel I'm
sinking, sinking without you.
And to my mind, everything's
stinking, stinking with out.
She inhaled his scent that was so
purely Spike, she would never forget it. His heart was pounding
wildly against hers and while their tongues battled so did their
choices.
She couldn't bear to live without
him, he was letting her go.
He knew that for the first time in
his unlife, he was acting out of pure unselfish reason. It pained
him to leave her alone, but she'll live, live with memories, and
that was enough for him.
The door opened interrupting them.
"Time's up." the guard
said to them.
They looked at each other and she
wiped the tears from his cheeks.
"You promised..." he
said looking into her eyes. "This all that heaven
allows." he quoted whispering it to her ear and kissing her
lips one last time.
"I'll always love you."
was all she could say before the guards ripped him away from her
arms, leaving her cold and alone.
She saw his eyes as he left, this
was hurting him as much as it was her. She stood in the middle of
the room with her arms still opened, feeling his touch still hot
on her body.
She let out a sob and crumbled to
the ground curling herself in a fetal position. Her tears came
like a flood, she couldn't control them, neither did she want to.
She let them come, for the first
time in her life feeling completely loved, and completely alone.
And in the night, I could be
helpless
I could be lonely, sleeping
without you.
And in the day, everything's
complex,
There nothing simple, when I
am not around you.
But I'll miss you when you're
gone, that is what I do. Hey, baby!
And it's going to carry on,
that is what I do. Hey, baby!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~