Long Ages Past-

Long Ages Past- part 8 of "All that Heaven Allows Series."

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics I'd do anything for love by MeatLoaf. Poems: Long Ages Past by Wilfred Owen (as the title), and My Soul by Stevie Smith.

-Rated:R (Language, Violence, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Eight 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.

-Part 8/10.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think. My email is bih80@yahoo.com

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"Thou wert a mad slave in a Persian Palace,

And the King loved thee for thy furious beauty,

And all men heard thy ravings with a smile

Because thy face was fairer than a flower.

Thou art the face reflected in a mirror

Of wild desire, of pain, of bitter pleasure.

The witches shout thy name beneath the moon,

The fires of Hell have held thee in their fangs."

From Long Ages Past by Wilfred Owen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And I would do anything for love,

I'd run right into hell and back,

I would do anything for love,

I'll never lie to you and that's a fact.

"Why the sad face, brother?" Kamilah asked coming behind Sethos and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Roderick has gone missing." he stated with a stale face.

She smiled and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"He'll turn up." she said lightly.

He turned around to face her.

"He did turn up,....in dust particles." he didn't flinch.

Her eyes grew wide. "No! Oh by the gods! Are you sure?" she gave her best performance of penance.

His eyes narrowed. "Don't play with me, my sister." he said hard.

She made her best innocent face "Sethos, my brother, you would not think that I would....."

He glidded his hand up her bare arm and kissed her shoulder slowly. "Would you?" he murmured against her skin.

She stiffened. She felt threatened, something she had never felt coming from her brother.

"How can you say that?" she hissed not moving.

He looked at her and smiled.

"You know how I felt about him." she said not flinching.

"Like you feel for the rest of humanity.....how is it that you say sometimes....'a girls gotta do what a girls got to do'...." he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes grew wide with horror and she pushed him off her. Looking at him she smacked him hard across his face. "A curse on you." she hissed.

He grabbed her hand and roughly pressed her against his body. "You feel you're running the show, darling, like you have everyone buzzing around you like flies. Flies you can so easily swat down." he held her tighter and she let out a whimper."He was no mere vampire, Kamilah, he was a master....how am I going to explain what you've done out of temperance, huh? I am tired of cleaning up after your messes."

He slid his other hand and caressed her cheek. "You pull another one like that, my sister.....and I'll make sure you see the real me." he finished almost in a whisper.

Her eyes were wide as saucers, her blood was trashing within her body.

"Now, run along, and have fun with the preparations." he said letting her go and walking out of the room leaving her stunned and furious.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Outside of Habu Palace, 10:00pm)

"I still don't see why we can't just barge in there, get them and come out!" Cordilia cried as they dismounted the white van with blacked-out windows Angel had rented.

"Because if we do that none of us will survive." Angel responded annoyed yet used to her simple reasoning.

Riley came up behind them with binoculars. "Are you still sure we can trust that guy Lawrence? We don't even know him." he pointed out.

Angel shrugged. "If Spike and Buffy trusted him, then so am I." he brought down the bag of weapons. "My goal is to get them both out of there alive."

"You know you're risking it?" Riley said looking at him. "You heard what Lawrence said this morning, Spike accepts that he might not make it. The place is crawling with hostiles."

"Will you stop calling us that?" Angel snorted.

"Listen all I care is about getting Buffy out of there alive, I don't care if I have to sacrifice some murdering, no good ex-vampire, to do it." Riley said looking at the house.

He didn't see Angel's hand come at him in vampiric speed and back hand him in the jaw. Cordilia gasped as the boy hit the pavement.

"He's MY childe and he is no longer a vampire, if the powers gave him another chance then I'll make sure he lives to enjoy it."

Riley was clutching his jaw and had no intention of provoking the vampire any further. His strength was unlike anything he had ever felt.

"In two hours I'll meet them in the location, grab Buffy, bring her back here, whether she likes it or not. Then I'll go in after Spike. If I don't come out you guys leave without us, we'll make it out.......we always do." he looked at Cordilia's concerned expression. "Is that clear?"

Cordilia looked at him with pain in her eyes. "You want us to leave you?" she said carefully, she knew Angel was already aggravated as it was.

"If it comes down to you guys getting out of here alive, then yes. Don't worry about me and Spike, I'll make sure he makes it." he stuffed stakes in different places of his body. He turned and looked at Riley. "Buffy might put some resistance in leaving us behind...we'll she'll definitely put resistance, so here." Angel grabbed out of the bag a small white bottle and a handkerchief and handed it to Riley.

"Chloroform?" Riley asked taking the bottle.

"You're gonna need it." Cordilia said from where she was standing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But I'll never forget the way you feel right now

Oh no - no way - I would do anything for love,

But I wont do that, I wont do that, anything for love,

I would do anything for love, I would do anything for love,

But I won't do that, I wont do that.

She had it all calculated in her mind. After an entire night of crying her eyes out she had come to a conclusion. She loved Spike too much to just let him walk out of her life. And to make it worst he was sacrificing his life, his newly found life, for her. For the first time in her life she had a man who she loved completely and willingly and was not risking him turning into a moster or a campus Casanova.

For Christ sakes he was made for her! The powers had created her mate, custom made. That is not something that happens everyday.

So her plan was simple, once Spike shoved her off the estate grounds, she was going to the van, where she knew Angel would have all sort of weapons, and she was going to stack up. Even if she had to knock Angel unconscious, she was going back in and getting Spike out. They either both lived or they both died, she was not going to go through another heartbreak because she had to loose the man she loved to save the world.

Her thoughts were racing as she was being taken to the main chamber were she could already hear the start of the festivities. She braced herself, with this little number they had placed her in, she was lucky if she got away with a few rubs. YUK!

The room was gorgeously decorated, sparing no expense. The people in this place were ravishly rich, powerful and influential. And they were all demons in one way or another.

Golden shimmers was the only way to describe the lit room. It cascaded in gold and golden lights with flickers of crimson, magenta, and tourquoise. People and demons alike were dancing eating from the ample variety of food, laughing and talking amongst themselves.

When she entered the room there was a swift and recognizable silence as the migty slayer was brought in chains: helpless against its captors. Some looked at her in wonder, other in hate, other had unreadable faces, others gave thier pitiful sorrow to the fallen warrior of the light.

Buffy sighted as they chained her to the wall. It was going to be a long night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aren't you the happy critter tonight." Spike commented to Kamilah as they walked to the main room. He was over the top annoyed with her and her advances on him.

Talk about someone who does not understand the meaning of the word NO.

All his thoughts were with Buffy. He was bitter in the most part. He had been given the chance to spend the rest of their lives together and he had to sacrifice it the moment hers was placed in danger.

God! He was such a pounce! A wipped lap dog like his sire.

All he could hope was that they would take care of her. He knew Buffy, she would probably pull herself into a deep depression mourning over him and what not, but in the end, he knew she was stronger than what she knew and she would be just fine.

He just hoped it wasn't in the arms of the whelp or captain' peanut.

Kamilah was chatting up a storm by herself and he ignored her as usual, her tactics were getting old and boring, she was no Slayer, and the more he looked at her the least he liked her.

"Stay close by tonight, many unexplainable things can happen." She commented as they neared the entrance of the grand parlor.

"Like you dying? That would be a shame." He said sarcastically through clentched teeth.

She looked at him and smiled knowingly. "And don't try to be a hero, it will only get you killed."

He didn't respond to her taunter, instead he brased himself for the view of Buffy chained to a wall in a gold bikini.

He sighted. It was going to be long night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some days it dont come easy,

Some days it dont come hard

Some days it dont come at all,

And these are the days that never end.

(Demon Party, 11:45 PM- Half an Hour to Buffy's Escape)

Spike had his eye on Buffy the entire night, a few times they had caught each other's gaze and held it as long as it was allowed. He had to hold himself in place and not run and rip the chains off the wall and carry her out of there.

She was being exhibitioned, men and women alike came to study the infamous Slayer, she just ignored them or looked straight ahead, searching for Spike. His gaze gave her comfort. And that was all she needed at that moment.

Spike saw Lawrence from the corner of his eye and knew that was his cue. He quietly and silently made his way to the table with the gold elephant were he was supposed to wait for Lawrence to drop the key.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Demon Party, 12:00 AM- Fifteen minutes to Buffy's escape)

"Buffy?"

She turned on her chains and faced Sethos.

"The time is coming, you have to get out of here." He said

"Don't worry about me, take care of Kamilah. Keep her distracted from me." she said her eyes searching the room for Spike, since he had disappeared.

He grabbed her arms gently and looked at her. "Take care of yourself, Slayer." he said and squeezed her quickly. "And Thank you."

"You be a good Prince." she said gave him a small smile.

With that he turned around and left to find the demoness.

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(The gardens, 12:05 AM- Ten Minutes to Buffy's escape.)

Angel crept through the shadows avoiding any guards. With the route that Lawrence had sketched for him he knew the exact position of the guards and the places he wouldn't be noticed.

He hid behind a large boulder that was meant for art decoration, he was hardly amused or impressed by it. He checked his watch one more time and sighted.

Show Time. He thought.

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"In the flame of the flickering fire

The sins of my soul are few

And the thoughts in my head are the thoughts of a bed

With a solitary view.

But the eye of eternal consciousness

Must blink as a bat blinks bright

Or ever the thoughts in my head be stilled

On the brink of eternal night."

From My Soul by Stevie Smith

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some nights you breath fire,

Some nights your carved in ice,

Some nights your like nothing I've ever seen before,

Or will again.

(Demon Party, 12:10 AM- Five minutes to Buffy's escape)

He strolled casually to her, holding tight the metal object pressing on his the palm of his hand. From the corner of his eyes he saw Lawrence distracting the guards by telling them there was some commotion in one of the back rooms.

The idiots followed him, leaving Buffy all alone.

He caught her eyes. He didn't say a word.

"Spike, please..." she whispered begging him to come with her. "We can take our chances."

He was silent, afraid that he might not go through the plan, but he had to get her out of there.

"Spike talk to me, please."

He was unchaining her legs. Unable to control himself at the touch and sight of her tanned, lean, shapped legs he ran his hand up her leg to at least feel its silky texture.

She gasped. Just his mere touch was driving her wild.

"Spike...." she almost hissed.

Then his head bend down and kissed her knee and he looked up at her, were she was staring at him with glossy eyes.

He stood and unchained her arms.

She was breathing hard.

Once both her arms were unchained he looked at her.

"It's time." He said. And linked their hands together.

She felt tears prickling in her eyes as she stared at him while he walked her to the back door that let out to the gardens. He felt her eyes on him and squeezed her hand gently letting her know that all was well when he was crying out inside for them to run away, to be selfish, to risk it all.

"Leaving early?" Kamilah said stepping up right before them. Spike instantly stood infront of Buffy, shielding her form Kamilah. "But darling, the festivities have yet to start." She fake pouted.

Buffy was tired of Spike thinking she was defenceless and have to be covered from the world for it might hurt her. She was the Slayer for crying out loud, this was her game no matter what some profecy said, this was her battle, like so many before her.

Just as she pulled herself out off Spike's hand, three large guards came up behind the princess.

"This just keep getting interesting." Spike muttered.

"You could have kept them simple, William." She retorted as the guards behind her took out their weapons and regarded the likely escape.

"You had to complicate it." Buffy said looking Kamilah over with disgust.

"Buffy.." Spike warned taking in the amount of the guards and her chance for an escape.

"No, my love." Buffy said not moving her eyes form Kamilah's face. "The bitch is mine." She hissed.

Without warning Buffy hit the princess hard on the face with all her built up Slayer strength and her built up anger for this woman. Kamilah flew ten feet back landing on her ass.

The guards launched at her but Spike got in the way hitting two of them as he glanced at the pissed off Slayer. "What the hell are you doing?" He screamed at her.

"Keeping it interesting." She said smiling as she walked back to the shocked woman and kicked her on the side.

Then all her hell broke loose as Spike bested his chances with the four remaining guards and Kamilah and Buffy fought mercilessly with each other.

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Angel was about to get worried, when he panicked, as he saw from the garden in through the glass windows; Buffy in a tiny bikini, fighting a woman who seemed pretty strong and four guards getting the best of Spike.

Without a second thought he rushed in, large knife in hand, ready to kill whomsoever threatened either of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guard was strong and he was getting tired. Four at the same time was not his best performance, plus he was human now and the demon had him by his throat cutting off his air supply.

He felt strange and vulnerable as the grip tightened and he was choking.

Without warning the hands that were on him were violently pulled off, as Spike looked up he saw his Sire, game face out, ripping the demon's throat out.

Spike was gasping for air and looked frantically for Buffy who was giving and taking blows from and to Kamilah.

He looked at Angel. "Peaches?!! What the hell are you doing?" he yelled as he punched one of the remaining guards. Angel tossed him a sword to finish the job off and smiled at him.

"Didn't think I'll let you have all the fun, did ya?"

"Bloody hell!" Spike cried as it was impossible to argue with his hard-headed sire.

Buffy saw when Angel came in and saved Spike and she gave out a sight of relief. But that momentary action caused Kamilah to take the upper hand in the fight and grabbed Buffy by her braided hair and yanking her to the floor screaming as she brought out a small knife and aimed it at her throat.

Buffy knew this was the end for her. The knife was descending at superhuman speed and she braced herself for her death. She involuntariy closed her eyes and said a little prayer for her family and reminded Spike and Angel that she loved them, sending her strength to her two warriors that were to stop Armageddon.

But her thoughts kept coming and she wondered if all slit throats were this painless, becasue she literally felt nothing.

After a few more moments she opened them to find Sethos pulling his sister off the the fallen Slayer and hitting her against the wall as she slumped to the floor.

He glanced at Buffy. "GO!" He yelled at her.

She immediately scrambled to her feeth and ran to the others.

Angel killed his last guard and the demon's body slumped to the floor. He glanced up at his childe, Spike was kicking a final blow on an debilitated demon and then slit the creature's throat with the knife his sire had given him.

"Angel!" Buffy scried coming up behind him. The dark haired vampire immedietly turned and embrace the half naked, bruised Buffy.

"We feared you dead." He whispered in her hair.

"Oh Angel!" she cried. "We nearly did die." She said pulling back and looking at his dark features. This was the face of the man she had loved so deeply once he had been her entire life. And though love like that does not fade, the fates had taught her to live on and survive. She would always love him no matter what, no one forgets their first love.

She glanced at Spike who was now walking towards the embraced couple and before she had time to run to him, around the corner a dozen guards came running.

Spike shot a look at Angel and the vampire understood.

"Get her out." Spike told him.

"What do you mean 'get her out'?" She said to him not believing that he was not going to fight for them after all this.

Without warning Angel grabbed Buffy's tiny body and flung her over his shoulder holding her in a vmapiric grasp.

"SPIKE!" She cried as she saw her love looking at her with pained eyes.

"You promised, Buffy." he said camly looking out for the rapidly approaching guards.

She was furious. "No!" she cried in defeat. "Angel put me down!"

Angel ignored his former love and turned to give Spike a shampoo-sized bottle filled with gasoline and a lighter.

"Have fun." the elder said.

Spike smiled. "Always."

Angel looked at his childe on last time and ran out with a very mad and crying Slayer over his shoulder.

Spike watched painfully as the small blonde cried out for him and fought her former love with all her remaining strength.

Then he turned to face the coming guards.

A beaten Kamilah hit her brother on his head, knocking him unconscious. She looked at the escaping Slayer and the tall strange man. "Get the Slayer!" she cried to her guards.

Spike opened the bottle and flipped the lighter and smiled at the B-B-Q to be guards. "Daddy's got a sweet tooth tonight!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maybe Im crazy, But it's crazy and it's true,

I know you can save me, No one else can save me now but you.

Buffy watched through teary eyes as her love disappered, her heart breaking.

"Angel we have to......"

He cut her off. "In the van, I have supplies."

She stoped struggling with him out of surprise.

"You think I'm gonna let Spike have all the fun?" he asked trying not to let her know his real plan. Riley was waiting with the chloroform in the van. He put her donw and looked at her tear streaked face. He knew at that moment those were tears of love, the same tears he had seen before she sent him to hell. If it cost him his unlife he was gonna get her back her warrior.

She smiled at him and hugged him again.

"Thank you." she said.

His heart broke at what he had to do to her. Again, he would hurt her for her own good.

"C'mon lets go, we don't have much time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

"Where are they? It has been almost half an hour!" Cordilia exclaimed.

"Shh" Riley said hidding behind the van. "They're coming."

The two forms approached the van and Riley quickly drenched the handkerchief with the liquid, hidding it in his back pocket.

"Cordy?" Angel exclaimed as they approached the van.

Cordilia jumped out of her seat in the van and went to greet them.

"Cordy!" Buffy cried as she hugged her conventional friend, but any familiar face was better than none.

"Oh good, you're alright!" Cordilia exclaimed as she hugged her back.

Buffy pulled away fast. "We have to get Spike back, we'll need weapons..." she slured when she saw Riley walk out of the shadows.

"Buffy." he said looking at her with loving eyes. "Baby, I was so worried."

Her heart sank, Riley had completely left her mind. How was she going to explain that her heart no longer belonged to him, if it ever did.

"Riley." She said as she went to hug him.

He gripped her so hard she was lost in his gigantic body.

"I missed you too." she lied.

"C'mon lets get out of here." he said pulling her to the van.

"No! Spike! We have to go after him." she said with wide eyes, walking past him to get the weapons in the van.

Angel looked at Riley and nodded.

Cordilia pressed her sweaty palms together as she watched Riley come up behind Buffy.

"Are you sure, Buffy?" Riley said getting closer behind her with the handkerchief in his hand.

She nodded without looking at him "I can't leave him." Taking out stakes, knives, and anything else that spelled kill.

She studied a stake in her hand when she felt Riley's hand come up with the handkerchief in it.

"Sorry Buffy, but I can't let you." he said as he pressed the object to her face.

By the time she tried to struggle her eyes were getting droppy.

I have to save Spike...he's going to die.........

The three watched as Buffy's body went limp on top of Riley.

Angel nodded. Then turned to look behind him and saw half a dozen guards searching for the misisng couple.

"Get out of here, NOW!" He hissed.

"Wait!" Cordy said going after him, without warning she grabbed his neck and planted a kiss on his lips, slipping her tongue past his shocked lips. His eyes went wide.

She backed away, breathing hard. "Take care." she said and pushed him off before he could respond.

As long as the planets are turning,

As long as the stars are burning,

As long as your dreams are coming true - You better believe it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kamilah saw Spike's intentions and ran for her brother's limp body. She pulled him off the floor and dragged him to the ceremonial room were she had prepared for the chanting.

She placed Sethos on the large expensive chair that was sitting at the far corner of the room, she didn't need his blood yet.

Taking off her excess clothing she stood before the sacred circle and began her chant.

"Torents of darkness, hear my prayer, listen to a humble servant. Torents of darkness, come and rule, take your rightful place in the realm. Bring the triumvirate, let it cease the forces of light and welcome the forces of misfortune for those who praise not your name. Torents of darkness, hear my prayer, listen to a humble servant." With the last words of the encantation Kamilah reached for the hidden knife in her tunic and slashed her wrist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Spike toarched the guards he drenched the escape doors and part of the walls of the estate.

He saw one of the torches that was perched on the far wall and walked to it, spreading the angry fire thoughout the palace.

The reaction was instantaneous. After the guards began screaming in pain the guest began to scream and run. The fire began to spread to the walls and the nearby plants. Spike ran the opposite direction. He had to find Kamiliah, and get rid of the bitch before she did some serious damage.

Sethos had prepared his personnal guards for the confrontation. Their explicit instructions were to apprehend the princess and all her followers.

When Spike lit the guards, the fire started spreding to the roof and around the building. The guards took that as the signal and they attacked Kamilah's men.

In a matter of half a minute the entire party was caos.

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Riley pushed the gas peddal as far as he could and the wheels of the van screeched against the crumbling road. Narrowly missing the screaming and charging guards.

Cordilia watched in horror and sorrow as the palace went up in flames before her eyes. She watched every exit with the binoculars, but they never came out. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Riley sighted. He too knew the consequences and the price that had been paid for Buffy's escape.

Cordilia looked at Buffy's peacefully sleeping body on her lap. Sadness filled her. She hoped against all might that she might survive this, that I will survive this. She thought sadly.

"I'm sorry,Cordilia." Riley said from the driver's seat as he drove in silence.

"They knew the consequences." Cordilia said with a shaky voice.

"I know." Riley said thinking of how his girlfriend was going to react to this. He knew she loved Angel, and Spike...well she had never said it, but he had seen it in her eyes tonight. She loved both vampires or ex-vampire and she was going to be a mess when she found out.

"They are the true heroes." Cordilia said running her hands through Buffy's hair.

Riley nodded, unable to disagree.

They drove in silence the rest of the way, as the flames burned the night sky behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His head was pounding in pain as he slowly opened his eyes to find the room uncharacteristically cold. He shuddered then came to his seses. Kamilah! He thought as he sat up quickly searching for his evil twin.

He saw her as she slashed her wrist and let the blood pour out freely to the sacret gate.

"NO!" he ran to get her knife. "Kamilah, please, this is insane."

Kamilah turned to look at her charging brother.

He almost stumbeled when he saw her eyes. The usually enchanting purple orbs were illuminated to a brilliant red. Demonic in all her glory.

"Foolish brother of mine. I can feel it. I can feel the power cursing through my veins...." she laughed in ludicracy. "It's intoxicating!" She walked up to the stunned Prince. "Share this power with me brother! Together we'll be unstoppable. We'll rule this earth and all its inhabitants."

Her eyes wild with possesion frightened him and he pressed his lips flat with fright.

"Don't let it intimidate you, Sethos! We'll be gods! We'll be immortal! We can have anything..... How can you throw such a unique birthright away?"

Sethos looked at her with horror. The demon in her had taken complete control over her and the thing standing before him was no longer his sister, but an alien creature. He shook his head. "You're not my sister. My sister would have honored our father's whishes. My sister would have a good heart. My sister's dead. You're a corpse..."

She grabbed him by his throat and slammed him against the nearest wall.

"Wrong answer, my Prince" her eyes bore right through him. All her power was concentrated on a point of focus. "Pitty that I have to kill you, but then again.....without your blood, the portal can't be opened."

She brought her knife to his throat. "Pleasant dreams, brother."

Sethos braced himself for the coming pain of his death. He closed his eyes and waited for it.

It never came, her grip gave out and he felt her crumble to the floor.

He slightly opened his eyes, afraid that this might be a game she was playing. But at his feet was her crumbled body, her throat had been slashed and blood was pouring freely unto the floor from the wound.

He raised his head to look at her killer.

A platinum blonde head looked down at the body. In his right hand was a large knife, that he recognized as the one the palace guards used.

"Never liked the bint', wasn't all there." he said looking up at the frightened Prince.

Sethos stared at him in shock, this man had saved his life.

"You alrigh' your highness?" he asked.

Sethos simply nodded, still looking in amazement at the peroxide blonde.

"Let's get you out of here, this place is in caos." he said.

"Spike? Is it?" Sethos asked tentativelly.

Spike cleaned the blade on a nearby curtain and nodded at the Prince.

"You saved my life.."

Spike shruggled. "All in a day's work."

"How can I..."

"Listen, I luv to stay here and chit chat and what have you not, but this place is in flames. I should know. I started it." he said almost proud of himself.

"The portal, we have to close it." Sethos said walking over to were a blue unearthly light had started to expand in the middle of the ritual room.

Fuck, He had forgotten about the portal.

"How do we close it?" Spike said walking behind Sethos.

"My sisters blood." he simply replied.

Spike jumped into action and walked to the limp body of Kamilah. Without hesitation he picked her up and brought her to Sethos.

Sethos stared at the peaceful face. She looked peaceful.

"I'm sorry." Spike murmured as he saw him studying the girl.

Sethos shook his head. "She left us a long time ago." he looked at Spike who looked remorseful. "She wasn't always like this, people change, creatures change."

"I should know" Spike said.

Sethos studied the man before him. "She must really love you." he noted.

Spike looked at him with a questioning glance.

"Buffy, I mean." Sethos corrected.

A wave of pain hit his chest, he knew the battle was not over, he had to get out of there first, and he was very much mortal now.

"You sacrificed yourself to save her. There is no greater love."

"I don't have a soul." Spike replied.

"No.....you have a heart." Sethos said with a small smile. "We have to get you out of here, Buffy deserves that, at least."

That I would do anything for love,

And I'll be there until the final act

I would do anything for love!

And I'll take a Vow and Seal a pact

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lawrence was getting tired, for the past few minutes he had bravely fought, and was loosing to the Kueralla Demon before him. The demon was stronger than him, and more skilled. But Lawrence was faster. He knew that this betrayal would not go unnoticed.

If he made it out of this mess alive, he would be hunted down and killed within the month.

Might as well go down fighting. He thought as the last of his strength gave out.

Angel had seen Lawrence and noted that he was in his final moments. Holding his ax firmly, he cut through the mad mess of fighting demons and the wild fire that was consuming the walls.

They had to get out of there.

I hope Spike stopped the portal. He pleaded internally.

Angel saw in a clear helpless view how the demon literally slashed Lawrence in half, sending him crumbling to the floor.

He instinctively ran with his ax in the air and swung with all his might, slicing through the thickening air and severing the demon's head. He watched as it rolled to the ground and his body fell in one big heap to the floor.

He immediately rushed to the young man's side.

He was bleeding like crazy and his skin was already getting cold.

"Lawrence!" Angel shook him.

He slowly opened his eyes to see Angel above him.

"I am dying." he stated slowly.

"I am gonna get you out of here." Ignoring the protest, Angel craddled the body in his arms and headed for the exit.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw an all too familiar shocking blonde head.

"Spike!" he screamed trying to get his attention.

Spike's head immediately shot up. He was literally drenched in blood from all the guards he had killed to make their escape. He saw Angel and dragged Sethos behind him to meet his sire.

"Peaches! Why are you still here?!!" he screamed.

"You know me being the hero and all." Angel replied.

"Where's Buffy?" Spike instantly asked.

"She's safe." Angel said looking at his blood drenched childe.

Spike nodded in relief. For a moment he almost searched the crowd for the petite fighting form.

"We must leave. The roof!" Sethos cried from behind Spike.

All three conscious men looked at the roof. It was caving in. With the power of the portal and the fire, it was seconds away from trapping them under the debris.

They raced through the maddening crown trying to pry doors opened, trying not to trip over fallen bodies, trying not to choke on the smoke filled room.

They search and ran, fighting for their lives.

Out of the corner of his eye Angel saw an all too familiar form of a stuffy English man and a name instantly popped into his head. Quentin Travers.

Angel wanted to charge foward as he knew the council had been responsible for the kidnapping, but his thoughts went blank as a large piece of cement fell knocking him out.

But I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way - Tonight -

I would do anything for love!

I would do anything for love,

I would do anything for love,

But I won't do that, I won't do that...

TBC..............................

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