Chapter Eight: Last Battles
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Not the characters, nor the truly-appropriate Black Sabbath song I used.
Riley crumbed to ash in front of her. She watched, and felt nothing. He had truly perverted himself above all humanity...and he had done it for her. She felt no guilt; she didn't suffer. Riley's love was smothering and obsessive. He would've done such things for any girl he thought himself to be in love with. Riley's version of love was a cancer that polluted his soul.
Still on the ground, Buffy dropped her smaller stake and reached into her boots, drawing a considerably larger stake from one and a wicked, silver dagger from the other. She stood, turning to face the four hefty vampires who had first tackled her from behind.
"Time to play?" She asked them, an innocent smile upon her face.
Drusilla wailed a banshee's cry from the stone bench. "My pet!" She cried, upset at the loss of a fledgling that had been almost as crazed as she. This spurred the four vampires to action. As before, they rushed her in a football style tackle, Buffy dodged in the only direction she could, into Spike's crypt. She bounced off the floor and hit his stereo. Springing to her feet, as the stereo made a small shuffling sound and began to play, Buffy ran to the front entrance and assumed a fighting stance, waiting for her opponents to come to her.
Some people say my love cannot be true
Please believe me, my love, and I'll show you
I'll give you all those things you thought unreal
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal
She used the stone doorway to prevent the massive vampires from reaching her en mass. The first of the large vamps to reach her was the one with the broken nose who had choked her earlier. He threw a sluggish punch at her, obviously relying on his greater size in the battle. Buffy parried his blow with her dagger, neatly slicing his hand off at the wrist. Blood spurted out of the wound, spraying Buffy as she silently thanked Willow for blessing her weapon. The vampire grasped his wound, leaving himself open to any attack. He crumbled to dust as two more Vampires tried to wedge themselves into the small doorway. Buffy attacked, two handed. A stake found the heart of one vamp and her dagger slit the throat of the other. The tackle of the fourth vampire threw Buffy back into the crypt, a member of a grotesque sandwich. The vamp whose neck was slit lay on top of her, thrashing harmlessly as his blood poured over Buffy's head. The fourth vamp lay across them, struggling to get up. Buffy swiftly brought her stake to bear on the bleeding vampire above her. He crumbled to ash, causing number four to fall, heart first, upon her stake.
Follow me now and you will not regret
Living the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'till the end of time
Buffy stood, wiping blood from her face with the back of her hand and strode out into the cemetery to finish the battle. She froze at the sight before her. The four vampires who had been holding Spike down were now standing protectively in front of the bench where Drusilla now stood with Spike cradled in her embrace.
"The Slayer is not dead." Drusilla pouted when Buffy emerged from the crypt. She clutched Spike to her and stroked his hair protectively. "My Spike, would you kill her for me?"
"You know I can't, pet." Spike replied, his face turned away from Buffy as he cleaved into Dru's embrace.
"But would you?"
Buffy swallowed painfully, awaiting Spike's answer. He had always loved Drusilla, no matter how she cheated or lied. She knew that she and Spike wouldn't have...whatever they had.... were it not for the chip the Initiative had placed in his head. Spike would've killed her and returned to the embrace of his Black Goddess. Or she would've won their battles and he would be a mote of dust floating in the air. She waited to hear his answer, gripping her weapons in blood soaked hands.
Your love for me has just got to be real,
Before you know the way I'm going to feel,
I'm going to feel,
I'm going to feel
"But would you kill her, My Spike? For princess?" Drusilla repeated herself as Spike's answer had been to clutch at her more tightly.
Buffy glanced down, hiding the pain in her eyes. She knew how Spike would answer. He would kill her in an instant. He had already tried, when he first thought that his chip had been removed. She spotted the small stake she had used to kill Riley, laying next to her boot. Ironically enough, she realized, she was standing in his ashes. Buffy heard Spike take in a breath to answer his true love. She didn't want to hear it. Instead, Buffy sprang into motion. She placed her larger stake in her left hand with the dagger and swept to the ground, picking up the smaller stake from the ground and whipping it into the heart of the vampire standing closest to her in a move identical to the one she had performed the night Spike had first told her about Riley's perverse activities. The large vamp exploded in a cloud of dust, drawing Drusilla's attention.
"Slayer..." She said, taking a few steps back and drawing Spike with her as her three remaining bodyguards closed on Buffy. "We shall enjoy watching you die. T'is a pity, My Spike cannot kill you himself..." She stroked Spike's face and smiled up at him at her words. "But there will be other Slayers."
Spike looked away from Buffy the entire time Drusilla talked. He would not meet her eyes as he clutched at his Dark Goddess. "Kill her." Dru whispered to the three remaining bodyguards.
Buffy laughed outright as the three converged on her. She felt the adrenaline sing through her veins and knew that tonight was not the night this Slayer fell. She plucked her larger stake from her left hand, holding her two weapons at ready. The three vampires looked at Buffy askance. "Well?" She asked, a confident grin upon her face. "The 'ho said kill me. So try. I dare you." With blood-curdling battle cries, the vampires charged at her, again football style. Buffy knew they expected her to dodge, as she had done before. Instead, she ran at the vampire in the middle of the charge, grasping his shoulders before he could grab her and expertly flipping over his head. She twisted in the air, landing that she might keep an eye on her three assailants and another one on Drusilla. The three massive Vampires gave up on the charge and tackle strategy; instead two circled her, cautiously.
"You know.... even if she turned a whole football team" Buffy spoke to the only Vamp who had stayed in her vision. "That move will never work. You should give it up. I'm a Slayer, not a Quarterback." Buffy grinned at the obvious discomfort of the Vampire, letting her senses tell her exactly where the Vampires were instead of trying to keep her eye on all of them. Once the Vampires had adequately spread out, Buffy sensed a change in their demeanor. Anticipating their attack, she charged at the only Vampire she could see, diving into a roll beneath his legs before his clumsy swipe could grab her. She sprang to her feet, just as the Vampire was turning around. His arms came up too high, leaving his stomach exposed. Buffy swiftly brought her dagger to bear, eviscerating the Vampire before he knew what had hit him. He swiftly brought his arms to his stomach, trying to prevent his bowels from spilling onto the ground. Buffy slammed her stake into his heart just as the final two Vampires came at her from both sides. Buffy dove to the ground, rolling beneath the flashing fists of the Vampires. She came up, in a battle stance, unaware of how close she was standing to Drusilla.
*****
The Vampiress hadn't made a sound during the fight. She had clutched Spike to her chest as though he were one of her dolls and watched the battle in rapt silence. Spike, meanwhile, had turned his head on Dru's shoulders that he might watch his Slayer in action. The battle had begun on Drusilla's side with both Spike and Buffy at her mercy. However, the ever-resourceful Buffy had managed to turn the tables yet again.
"Pet," Spike whispered in Drusilla's ear as Buffy launched herself over the charging Vampires. "This is our cue to go."
Drusilla patted him absently on the head. "The Slayer will die." She told Spike, and didn't move.
"Dru," Spike breathed lovingly, as he used too. "You know she won't. We'll get her, you and I. But not tonight."
Drusilla's petting hand became a crushing grip on the back of his neck. "The Slayer will die." She replied, forcing Spike to turn his head and cradle deeper into her embrace. He didn't resist her. "Let Princess take care of everything, My Spike. And we shall be happy again."
*****
Buffy was finished dancing. She grinned at her two opponents, whom she had fought to a standstill. "Bye, boys." She purred seductively, before lashing out with her stake and knife. One Vamp exploded into dust, while another fell to the ground, clutching the area where his manhood used to reside.
Buffy swiftly put him out of his misery.
"See, Spike?" Drusilla said, shoving Spike away from her as Buffy crouched to stake the last Vampire, her back to the couple. "The Slayer will die." She silently advanced upon Buffy, drawing her hands up that her blood-red nails became sharp claws.
*****
Buffy heard Drusilla's whispered words to Spike, but did not turn around. She feigned ignorance, standing slowly from the ashes of her last opponent. Sensing how near Drusilla was to her, Buffy spun around in a kick, knocking Dru to the side. She blocked the insane Vampiress' return blow, lashing out with her dagger to slice a small cut down her cheek. The Vampiress screamed louder than was necessary for such a small wound and backed up hastily.
"Spike." Buffy called out, watching Drusilla warily as she backed into Spike's protective embrace. Spike's head shot up, finally making eye contact with Buffy. "I owe you."
"Owe me for what, Slayer?" Spike forced out, his throat suddenly dry. Drusilla was clutching at him, sobbing that her face hurt. He absently stroked her back, watching Buffy all the while.
Buffy shrugged, forcing a smile to her face. "For everything." She replied, letting the pain of the night wash through her. She was surprised how much it hurt her to see Spike holding Dru so possessively.
"Slayer, I..." Spike was at a loss for words. His actions with Drusilla was pure habit. He had taken care of her for so much longer than he had loved her. Dru would always need him. How could he let her know that he no longer cared? How could he tell Buffy that he did care?
"See ya, Spike." Buffy began to back out of the cemetary. "You know the deal. We've done it before."
Spike looked down at Drusilla, wondering how he could leave her. He had never left her; she needed him. He had loved her. A soft sound caused him to look up. Buffy was gone.
Drusilla abruptly stopped crying and cocked her head to the side as though considering something. "You love her." She stated in a brief moment of clarity.
"Yeah, ducks, I do." Spike sighed, letting go of his Princess and stepping back.
"Then be with her."
Spike blinked, shocked. "Are you sure, pet?"
Drusilla smiled. "Yes. I love My Angel and you let me be with him when he came to visit. T'is only fair, My Spike. You love her."
Spike shook his head in amazement. Here, Drusilla had come to take him away from the Slayer and now she was encouraging to be with her! "You always ran hot 'n' cold." Spike muttered.
Drusilla clapped her hands, "Am I still your princess?" She asked, a hopeful tone in her voice.
"Yes, pet." Spike grinned, and gently stroked her cheek just below the cut that Buffy had given her. "Always."
"Good." Drusilla nodded, backing away from Spike. In a flash of skirt, she was gone as well and Spike stood alone in the cemetery with his thoughts.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Not the characters, nor the truly-appropriate Black Sabbath song I used.
Riley crumbed to ash in front of her. She watched, and felt nothing. He had truly perverted himself above all humanity...and he had done it for her. She felt no guilt; she didn't suffer. Riley's love was smothering and obsessive. He would've done such things for any girl he thought himself to be in love with. Riley's version of love was a cancer that polluted his soul.
Still on the ground, Buffy dropped her smaller stake and reached into her boots, drawing a considerably larger stake from one and a wicked, silver dagger from the other. She stood, turning to face the four hefty vampires who had first tackled her from behind.
"Time to play?" She asked them, an innocent smile upon her face.
Drusilla wailed a banshee's cry from the stone bench. "My pet!" She cried, upset at the loss of a fledgling that had been almost as crazed as she. This spurred the four vampires to action. As before, they rushed her in a football style tackle, Buffy dodged in the only direction she could, into Spike's crypt. She bounced off the floor and hit his stereo. Springing to her feet, as the stereo made a small shuffling sound and began to play, Buffy ran to the front entrance and assumed a fighting stance, waiting for her opponents to come to her.
Some people say my love cannot be true
Please believe me, my love, and I'll show you
I'll give you all those things you thought unreal
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal
She used the stone doorway to prevent the massive vampires from reaching her en mass. The first of the large vamps to reach her was the one with the broken nose who had choked her earlier. He threw a sluggish punch at her, obviously relying on his greater size in the battle. Buffy parried his blow with her dagger, neatly slicing his hand off at the wrist. Blood spurted out of the wound, spraying Buffy as she silently thanked Willow for blessing her weapon. The vampire grasped his wound, leaving himself open to any attack. He crumbled to dust as two more Vampires tried to wedge themselves into the small doorway. Buffy attacked, two handed. A stake found the heart of one vamp and her dagger slit the throat of the other. The tackle of the fourth vampire threw Buffy back into the crypt, a member of a grotesque sandwich. The vamp whose neck was slit lay on top of her, thrashing harmlessly as his blood poured over Buffy's head. The fourth vamp lay across them, struggling to get up. Buffy swiftly brought her stake to bear on the bleeding vampire above her. He crumbled to ash, causing number four to fall, heart first, upon her stake.
Follow me now and you will not regret
Living the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'till the end of time
Buffy stood, wiping blood from her face with the back of her hand and strode out into the cemetery to finish the battle. She froze at the sight before her. The four vampires who had been holding Spike down were now standing protectively in front of the bench where Drusilla now stood with Spike cradled in her embrace.
"The Slayer is not dead." Drusilla pouted when Buffy emerged from the crypt. She clutched Spike to her and stroked his hair protectively. "My Spike, would you kill her for me?"
"You know I can't, pet." Spike replied, his face turned away from Buffy as he cleaved into Dru's embrace.
"But would you?"
Buffy swallowed painfully, awaiting Spike's answer. He had always loved Drusilla, no matter how she cheated or lied. She knew that she and Spike wouldn't have...whatever they had.... were it not for the chip the Initiative had placed in his head. Spike would've killed her and returned to the embrace of his Black Goddess. Or she would've won their battles and he would be a mote of dust floating in the air. She waited to hear his answer, gripping her weapons in blood soaked hands.
Your love for me has just got to be real,
Before you know the way I'm going to feel,
I'm going to feel,
I'm going to feel
"But would you kill her, My Spike? For princess?" Drusilla repeated herself as Spike's answer had been to clutch at her more tightly.
Buffy glanced down, hiding the pain in her eyes. She knew how Spike would answer. He would kill her in an instant. He had already tried, when he first thought that his chip had been removed. She spotted the small stake she had used to kill Riley, laying next to her boot. Ironically enough, she realized, she was standing in his ashes. Buffy heard Spike take in a breath to answer his true love. She didn't want to hear it. Instead, Buffy sprang into motion. She placed her larger stake in her left hand with the dagger and swept to the ground, picking up the smaller stake from the ground and whipping it into the heart of the vampire standing closest to her in a move identical to the one she had performed the night Spike had first told her about Riley's perverse activities. The large vamp exploded in a cloud of dust, drawing Drusilla's attention.
"Slayer..." She said, taking a few steps back and drawing Spike with her as her three remaining bodyguards closed on Buffy. "We shall enjoy watching you die. T'is a pity, My Spike cannot kill you himself..." She stroked Spike's face and smiled up at him at her words. "But there will be other Slayers."
Spike looked away from Buffy the entire time Drusilla talked. He would not meet her eyes as he clutched at his Dark Goddess. "Kill her." Dru whispered to the three remaining bodyguards.
Buffy laughed outright as the three converged on her. She felt the adrenaline sing through her veins and knew that tonight was not the night this Slayer fell. She plucked her larger stake from her left hand, holding her two weapons at ready. The three vampires looked at Buffy askance. "Well?" She asked, a confident grin upon her face. "The 'ho said kill me. So try. I dare you." With blood-curdling battle cries, the vampires charged at her, again football style. Buffy knew they expected her to dodge, as she had done before. Instead, she ran at the vampire in the middle of the charge, grasping his shoulders before he could grab her and expertly flipping over his head. She twisted in the air, landing that she might keep an eye on her three assailants and another one on Drusilla. The three massive Vampires gave up on the charge and tackle strategy; instead two circled her, cautiously.
"You know.... even if she turned a whole football team" Buffy spoke to the only Vamp who had stayed in her vision. "That move will never work. You should give it up. I'm a Slayer, not a Quarterback." Buffy grinned at the obvious discomfort of the Vampire, letting her senses tell her exactly where the Vampires were instead of trying to keep her eye on all of them. Once the Vampires had adequately spread out, Buffy sensed a change in their demeanor. Anticipating their attack, she charged at the only Vampire she could see, diving into a roll beneath his legs before his clumsy swipe could grab her. She sprang to her feet, just as the Vampire was turning around. His arms came up too high, leaving his stomach exposed. Buffy swiftly brought her dagger to bear, eviscerating the Vampire before he knew what had hit him. He swiftly brought his arms to his stomach, trying to prevent his bowels from spilling onto the ground. Buffy slammed her stake into his heart just as the final two Vampires came at her from both sides. Buffy dove to the ground, rolling beneath the flashing fists of the Vampires. She came up, in a battle stance, unaware of how close she was standing to Drusilla.
*****
The Vampiress hadn't made a sound during the fight. She had clutched Spike to her chest as though he were one of her dolls and watched the battle in rapt silence. Spike, meanwhile, had turned his head on Dru's shoulders that he might watch his Slayer in action. The battle had begun on Drusilla's side with both Spike and Buffy at her mercy. However, the ever-resourceful Buffy had managed to turn the tables yet again.
"Pet," Spike whispered in Drusilla's ear as Buffy launched herself over the charging Vampires. "This is our cue to go."
Drusilla patted him absently on the head. "The Slayer will die." She told Spike, and didn't move.
"Dru," Spike breathed lovingly, as he used too. "You know she won't. We'll get her, you and I. But not tonight."
Drusilla's petting hand became a crushing grip on the back of his neck. "The Slayer will die." She replied, forcing Spike to turn his head and cradle deeper into her embrace. He didn't resist her. "Let Princess take care of everything, My Spike. And we shall be happy again."
*****
Buffy was finished dancing. She grinned at her two opponents, whom she had fought to a standstill. "Bye, boys." She purred seductively, before lashing out with her stake and knife. One Vamp exploded into dust, while another fell to the ground, clutching the area where his manhood used to reside.
Buffy swiftly put him out of his misery.
"See, Spike?" Drusilla said, shoving Spike away from her as Buffy crouched to stake the last Vampire, her back to the couple. "The Slayer will die." She silently advanced upon Buffy, drawing her hands up that her blood-red nails became sharp claws.
*****
Buffy heard Drusilla's whispered words to Spike, but did not turn around. She feigned ignorance, standing slowly from the ashes of her last opponent. Sensing how near Drusilla was to her, Buffy spun around in a kick, knocking Dru to the side. She blocked the insane Vampiress' return blow, lashing out with her dagger to slice a small cut down her cheek. The Vampiress screamed louder than was necessary for such a small wound and backed up hastily.
"Spike." Buffy called out, watching Drusilla warily as she backed into Spike's protective embrace. Spike's head shot up, finally making eye contact with Buffy. "I owe you."
"Owe me for what, Slayer?" Spike forced out, his throat suddenly dry. Drusilla was clutching at him, sobbing that her face hurt. He absently stroked her back, watching Buffy all the while.
Buffy shrugged, forcing a smile to her face. "For everything." She replied, letting the pain of the night wash through her. She was surprised how much it hurt her to see Spike holding Dru so possessively.
"Slayer, I..." Spike was at a loss for words. His actions with Drusilla was pure habit. He had taken care of her for so much longer than he had loved her. Dru would always need him. How could he let her know that he no longer cared? How could he tell Buffy that he did care?
"See ya, Spike." Buffy began to back out of the cemetary. "You know the deal. We've done it before."
Spike looked down at Drusilla, wondering how he could leave her. He had never left her; she needed him. He had loved her. A soft sound caused him to look up. Buffy was gone.
Drusilla abruptly stopped crying and cocked her head to the side as though considering something. "You love her." She stated in a brief moment of clarity.
"Yeah, ducks, I do." Spike sighed, letting go of his Princess and stepping back.
"Then be with her."
Spike blinked, shocked. "Are you sure, pet?"
Drusilla smiled. "Yes. I love My Angel and you let me be with him when he came to visit. T'is only fair, My Spike. You love her."
Spike shook his head in amazement. Here, Drusilla had come to take him away from the Slayer and now she was encouraging to be with her! "You always ran hot 'n' cold." Spike muttered.
Drusilla clapped her hands, "Am I still your princess?" She asked, a hopeful tone in her voice.
"Yes, pet." Spike grinned, and gently stroked her cheek just below the cut that Buffy had given her. "Always."
"Good." Drusilla nodded, backing away from Spike. In a flash of skirt, she was gone as well and Spike stood alone in the cemetery with his thoughts.