Chapter 9
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Buffy entered the kitchen yawning after only a few hours of very deep tumultuous sleep to find Spike sitting at the table drinking his dinner from his favorite bite me mug. Even her shower hadn't done much to wake her up. Between Spike's pre-bedtime antics and a demon arsonist being chained in her basement Buffy had a lot on her mind and it definitely came through is the form of some very weird dreams.
"Morning, luv" Spike said groggily. His sleep hadn't been any more restful than that of Buffy's for mostly the same reasons.
Buffy just grunted something inaudible as she headed to the coffeepot to pour herself a cup before taking a seat across the table from Spike. "Thanks, what time is it?" she said indicating that Spike had made the coffee.
"Just after eleven. So what's the plan?" Spike asked nodding slightly towards the basement door.
"I thought we'd wing it," Buffy answered lightly between sips of coffee "I see Xander has been here and boarded up the front window"
"He left a few minutes before you came down. I sent the Nibblet with him and the witches told her it was to help the wiccans move. I didn't figure she should be here for . . ." he trailed off.
"Thanks" Buffy said flipping her still damp hair back over her shoulders. "I guess we should get to work"
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SMACK
The demon's eyes sprung open as his head whipped back from the force of the small hand that slapped his face.
"Wakey, wakey Slime Ball" Buffy said her voice filled with saccharine. "So are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?" Buffy asked but was only answered with stubborn silence.
"Hmmm, he must like the hard way." Buffy said to Spike as she shrugged her shoulders.
"It's more fun this way anyway pet" Spike replied smiling as he flicked open his zippo lighter in one fluid motion and lit the propane torch he was holding in his other hand. Spike slowly started towards the now shaking demon.
"Just make sure not to damage the vocal chords in case it decides it wants to talk"
"Nah, I'd thought I'd start with his nether regions" Spike replied as he eyed the proposed area only to see a large puddle form on the ground at the feet of incredible frightened demon.
"Wait" the demon croaked. "I just did what I was paid to do, it's nothing personnel"
"Who paid you?" Buffy demanded.
"The new masters, they're not fans of either of you" the demon said indicating both Spike and Buffy.
Buffy turned to Spike "Masters, as in plural?"
"Names" Spike demanded waving the still lit torch towards the demon.
The demon became silent once more. "Names. Now." Spike said menacingly as he took a step forward.
"It's Darla," the demon said warily.
"Bloody hell" Spike cursed quietly.
"Great" Buffy said "and the other one, what's her name?"
Spike took another step closer to the trembling demon.
"He's new in town, goes by the name Riley."
Both Buffy and Spike froze at the sound of his name. Spike quickly shut the torch off and returned to Buffy's side and put his arm around her shoulders as she remained in shock.
"What's this Riley bloke like?" Spike said returning his attention to the still chained demon.
"He's tall, big guy with blondish hair. Very military like with the minions, horrible temper. Which is why you might as well kill me now" the demon said his head sinking to his chest realizing his fate was at hand.
Buffy finally shook her self from her stupor and turned to face Spike her face resembled what Red called her resolve face.
"Spike, would you unchain him and have him clean up the nice little puddle he made and send him on his way. I've got plans to make."
"Sure you don't want me to kill him luv?" Spike asked.
"No, that's be one more thing we'd have to deal with. He'll leave town. Won't you?" she asked the demon.
"Y ye yes Slayer ma'am you won't see me again I swear it" the demon stammered.
"Good because if I do you are going to wish I had let Spike have his way with the torch, are we clear?" Buffy asked.
The demon could only nod.
"Spike I'm going to go call the others and let them know what's going on. Could you meet me upstairs?"
"Sure thing luv, go ahead" Spike said as Buffy was already on her way up the stairs.
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"All cleaned up luv" Spike said from Buffy's bedroom door.
Buffy was sitting cross-legged on her bed and was on the phone but she nodded her head and patted the bed beside her. Spike took a seat and gingerly picked up one of her sock-clad feet and began to rub it. "Yeah Wil, thanks I'll try. I'll see you guys in a little while . . .ok bye." She finished and hung up the phone.
"Well I brought Willow and the gang up to speed," Buffy said as she flopped back on her pillow throwing her arm over her eyes. "How could this happen Spike?"
"Well Riley had been drifting in that direction for a while now" Spike tried to explain gently as he crawled up the bed to lounge beside her. "It was really only a matter of time before he got himself killed or turned"
Buffy sat back up and turned to look at Spike "I know that dimwit, I mean how did he get so powerful so fast? He wasn't a vampire the other day when he was here"
"No he wasn't but he had quite a bit of control over them before he was turned, that probably helped and I'm guessing that since he's working with Darla then she is his sire, she knows ways of speeding up the process" Spike said as he propped himself up on one arm.
Buffy exhaled loudly and moved so she could sit with her back leaning against the headboard of the bed "Ok here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to swing by the hotel and send Angel and company back to la la land"
Spike gave Buffy a confused look.
"I don't need Angel's little issues with his skanky sire getting in the way," Buffy said before Spike could question her." Anyway then I'll drop by the school and make sure our new little er big friend Maon gets on his way and then I'll meet up with you and the rest of the gang at the Magic Shop. Hopefully I will have come up with a plan by then."
"Ok just try to get back to the shop before the sun goes down. I don't want you out alone after dark" Spike said seriously.
Buffy just raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't give me that 'I'm the Slayer' look there's no reason to take unnecessary chances. Oh by the way while Mr. Green and Slimey was cleaning up I persuaded him to tell me where they're lair is" Spike said drumming his fingers on the bed.
"Well are you going to share with the group or do you just want to taunt me some more?" Buffy asked sweetly.
"Hmm let me think, I can either tell the info or taunt Buffy? It's such a hard decision. You see on one hand" Spike began but was interrupted by Buffy biffing him hard in the back of the head. "Alright I guess I'll go with the tell the info option" Spike said rubbing the back of his head. "They're holed up at my old factory, you know I really think that once this is all over we should see about getting that place demolished, it attracts unseemly characters" he finished with mock seriousness.
"Yeah well, I guess not all of them turn out so bad" Buffy mumbled lost in thought.
Spike quietly snaked his arm around Buffy's waist and gently eased her down into his arms. "You still have some time to get some more sleep before you go out" he whispered. "Get some rest'
Buffy just nodded her head slowly and relaxed onto Spike's chest and they both drifted off to sleep.
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Spike awoke slowly and was immediately aware that he was alone in bed. He sighed and rolled over to the edge and sat up seeing a note laying on the nightstand.
Spike,
You sleep like the dead
I'm going to head out and get started with my errands. I'll see you at the magic shop in a little while. Can you bring the Harley?
Buffy
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"Maon" Buffy said a little loudly as she entered the weed covered abandoned football field.
"Over here, Buffy" Maon said as he slowly became visible.
"Cool, how'd you do that" Buffy asked.
"Willow is a very powerful witch, she put in a loophole" Maon said his dragon like face quirking into a smile.
"So how are your wings? Are they ready to commence a flappin?" Buffy asked light-heartedly as she hopped up on the seat of an old tackling dummy.
"Yes they seem to be in perfect working order, I took a spin around Sunnydale this afternoon. Everything has changed so much since I've been trapped" Maon said his Scottish voice taking on a saddened tone.
"I wish we'd have known that you were down there we would have tried to free you years ago."
"No one knew, my slayer, died at the same moment I became trapped and her watcher had been killed a few days before that. There was no one else" Maon explained.
"I'm so sorry Maon" Buffy said as she hopped down from her seat and crossed to the crouching beast and patted his neck. "I hate to cut our visit short but we kinda have a situation with two master vampires who have a grudge against me."
"Is there anything I can do?" Maon asked.
"Nah, I think me and the gang can handle it. I'm sure you're looking forward to getting back home to your family."
"That I am Lassie" Maon said. "I'll be waiting until the sun goes down and the weather cools off a bit then I'll take off. Thank you for all your help."
"No problem, that's what I'm here for" Buffy said.
"It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance lady Buffy" Maon said bowing his head low to the ground.
"Same here Maon, have a safe trip." Buffy said as she walked away waving.
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"Angel" Buffy said into the payphone down the street from the hotel he was staying at. "Hi, it's Buffy . . . no nothings wrong, I just forgot that Willow and Tara are moving today so we're not going to be around to meet you . . . . yeah, sorry about that . . . . yep that would be great . . . .yeah we'll talk later this week then? . . . . . great have a safe trip . . . .ok tell Cordelia and Wesley bye for me . . . . me too . . . bye" Buffy hung up the phone and silently chastised herself for misleading her friend. "Oh well, I've got work to do", she said as she started walking in the direction of the Magic Shop.
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"What's that rumbling noise?" Tara asked as she turned from the book she was reading to the group.
The others all paused to listen to the low rumbling noise that seemed to be getting closer.
"That's would be Spike" Buffy said as she returned to sorting her bag of weapons.
"Since when does Spike rumble?" Willow asked.
"Since he got his Harley out of storage" Buffy said a small smile forming on her face.
"Oooo a Harley" Anya piped in. "I hear they are quite expensive and extremely sexy in some cases. I've seen some bikers that aren't very good on the upkeep in the hygiene department which is a big un-sexy no no . . ." she drifted off as she dropped a nickel from the cash drawer she was counting out for the nightly deposit.
Xander remained silent; he just shook his head slightly and grinned as Anya got down on her hands and knees under the counter looking for her lost nickel.
Soon the rumbling became very loud and stopped abruptly. A few moments later Spike entered the front of the store.
"Hi Spike!" Dawn said enthusiastically "I was just going to go warm you up some dinner" she said as she started back to the make shift break room in the back.
"Thanks Nibblet" Spike said as he ran his hands through his wind blown hair and flopped down in the nearest chair propping his boots up on the table. "So what's the what Slayer?"
"I thought we'd keep it simple. You know ride in guns a blazin' so to speak, kill them all and still have time for a dorm warming party for Tara and Wills" Buffy said as she spun a stake idly in her hand before putting it in her waist band of her leather pants.
"And when she says guns a blazin' she speaking literally" Xander said grinning as he went behind the counter to grab his newest invention. The contraption consisted of two average propane tanks hung in leather straps that resembled saddlebags. The tanks were hooked together with a Y type hose that ran into a long metal tube that looked like a wand with a trigger."
"Bloody hell" Spike mumbled as he got to his feet strangely drawn by the new weapon. "You made this?"
"Yep, that's me maker of weapons" Xander said his chest puffing out slightly as he handed the wand to Spike.
"Have you tested it?" Spike asked turning the wand over in his hand.
"Yeah you should see the punching bag in the training room, I kinda got it extra crispy" Xander whispered not wanting to induce the wrath of Buffy or Anya.
"Here ya go Spike," Dawn said as she re-entered the room with a large warm mug of blood for her vampire friend.
"Thanks, Dawn" Spike said handing the weapon back to Xander and receiving the mug in the other hand.
"Guys, I think we need to get started" Buffy said after she got her weapons bag loaded to her satisfaction.
Everyone quickly turned their attention back to the matters at hand and gathered around the table.
"Ok, I think we're going to go for simple on this one. First of all we all stick together. Riley and Darla both know our weaknesses and our biggest weakness is our love for each other so we all stick together. Everybody understand?" Buffy paused as the others all mumbled their agreements.
"So when you say love everyone" Spike started.
"Shut up Spike" Xander said a little too loudly "Damn I miss G-man he would have backed me up on that one" Xander said grinning clearly joking.
"Ok first wave; Spike rides in on the bike and makes with the flames. He'll toast as many vampires as he can without burning the place down around us." Buffy gave Spike a devilish smile. "The rest of us will be the second wave, I go in first with Dawn, Anya and Xander right behind me. Willow and Tara you guys can bring up the rear and make sure we don't get boxed in. You've got everything you need for your fire spells and whatnot?"
"Yep sure do, all in our little bag of wiccan tricks" Willow chimed in.
"Great! We kill all the vampi uhm I mean we kill all the bad guys" Buffy quickly corrected herself "and we get home in time to christen Tara and Wills dorm with lots of pizza"
"Sounds like a plan Buffster" Xander said glad that Buffy was back to take charge of the plan making once again. "Let's roll"
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Riley felt the sun go down and his eyes slowly drifted open. He was lying half-sprawled on top of two cold bodies and felt the weight of another cold body lying across his back. He grunted slightly as he lifted himself up slightly to push one of the lifeless bodies out from under him and it fell to the floor with a thud.
'Last nights dinner and entertainment could be cleaned up by a minion later,' he thought and the body that had been on his back rolled off and began to dress herself.
Riley scooted over in bed and asked, "What's your hurry Darla?" He stretched languidly his arm brushing against the other cold body that shared their bed causing it to stir slightly. Riley was truly enjoying being a vampire; he liked to feel such power coursing through his body once again. "We have all night precious"
Darla paused 'why are men so stupid' she thought 'Dru may have been crazy but at least she wasn't an imbecile' "Darling, don't you think dear little Buffy is going to be a little miffed about the fireworks we sent her?"
"I thought we agreed we weren't going to mention that sluts name in my presence" Riley growled his true face coming forth at the same time.
"Calm down, my love, we will take care of slayer tonight. Won't we Angeleus?"
"Yes, tonight Buffy and Spike will both die" Angeleus said from his spot on the bed an evil smile appearing on his face.
TBC . . . .