Music pt. 2 of 10
By: Richess a.k.a. A.N.H. Richards
Feedback: I love it. I want it. Please send it. e-mail: richess78@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: All Characters belong to J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, the W.B. and/or Fox Production and etc, except, Rainne, Katherine, and Ryan were created by me
Summary: This is set directly after Barely Breathing (Riley breaks up with Buffy. But something the Riley did in the recent past will come back to haunt him. Also someone from Spike past is in town.) Katherine gets her revenge on Riley. Graham goes to Buffy for help but doesn't get the response that he expected. Xander's new job with the Construction company sends him into the clutches of a very powerful woman. Set After Listening to Fear (S.5) Spike/Buffy
Author's Notes: All actions have consequences as I guess most of you know already
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The light above his eyes stung him as he shock his head groggily.
"Oh God!"
"He won't help you Riley." Katherine's voice hissed somewhere from the shadows. "The chains are pretty strong and you don't have any superhuman strength like your girlfriend. To bad you guys weren't together anymore I could have least had a little fun having the slayer watch a video of your torture or just an tape of your screams would probably convey the message quite well."
She moved out of the dark corner of the square room. The windows were covered which meant that it was probably daylight.
Riley could hear movement in the hallway and soft knock. Katherine opened the door and snaked out. Riley in a panic still tried to move the chains. He tugged and pulled, but it was no use. He heard mumbling outside of the door, Katherine's and male.
"The tools are here Mistress.'
"Good. I'll start soon."
Riley heard her heels clicking away down the hall. And a male entered the room he must have been in his late twenties. He walked over to the window and pulled back the drapes. He turned off the light that shone above Riley's face.
"You're obviously not a vampire." Riley said stating the obvious As the man opened the wind and let the fresh morning air come through the window as well as the first rays of the morning sunrise. "What time is it?"
"Seven a.m."
"Is their any chance that you could loosen the chains a bit. I need to go to the bathroom."
"Ok." The man walked over to the another door in the room. The room white painted eggshell, with wood panelling. Riley was strapped to a large king size bed. The man went over the the closet door which was mirrored. The man opened it only after fixing his hair first in his reflection. He grabbed an extra set of chains he walked back over to Riley and chained his ankles together only leaving a foot of chain for his legs to move which was perfect because it prevented him from running away.
****I am never leaving this place alive.****
"No your not." The man responded to Riley
Riley gasped, "He could read minds."
"Of course. That's why I hang around vampires I can't read there minds therefore it like being in solitude but not really."
"There is no escape for you Riley."
"What's your name?"
"Ryan."
"Am I going to die?"
"In more ways then one."
Ryan directed Riley to the bathroom. It was handsome bathroom of blue and greens. Riley closed the door and quickly looked for a razor. **** If I slit his wrist they couldn't torture him.**** None.
"Don't bother Riley."
Riley finished in the bathroom and looked at himself which probably would have been the last time to he'd see himself. He struggled to walk back into the room as the metal began to tear in to his ankle.
**** Maybe Ryan is my only way out he might have some compassion for me**** The next thing Riley knew blurred fist knocked him to the ground.
"Compassion for you. You killed Sandy. She wanted to sire you. She thought that you two could be together, forever. I loved her and you killed her. I can't wait until Katherine starts cutting into you . . . hearing your screams will be pleasure enough for me."
Ryan pulled back the blinds and turned on the lights I the room.
Now Riley knew why Buffy had never killed Angel sometimes love and attachments outweigh common sense and logic. ****Sometimes feelings are the only logic that you need. This man loved Sandy and she didn't want to sire him****
"It's not that she didn't want to. It's that she couldn't. It's like vampires they can only turn humans not other demons. If she had changed I would have gone insane because I am already being tainted by another demon. Although I am an empath. I am not immortal nor can I ever be. That's the reason she didn't turn plus . . ." Ryan stopped suddenly.
The clicking of heels came toward the door. And Katherine appeared from behind it, "Hi boys. The rest of the stuff is coming Riley you won't have to wait much longer."
"Don't worry I am not going anywhere." Ryan smiled at Riley.
* * *
A loud ringing went off in Spike's head. *What the hell is that* He had just fallen asleep with the sun rising and now someone was waking him.
"Bloody hell." Spike answered the phone.
"Who's this?? I think I got . . . Spike??"
"What do you want wanker? I'm trying to sleep you probably woke up the slayer and niblet now. What the hell time is it??"
"It's seven. Why the hell are you at Buffy's house?" Xander asked.
"Buffy had a rough night. I stayed, the witch said she would be here at eight."
"Where did you sleep??"
"None you bizz, Xander."
"Was it Riley?"
"How did you know?" Spike answered now sitting up on the couch.
"He's been acting kind of weird lately. Is Buffy, fine."
"I guess she cried most of last until she fell asleep. Any ways gotta go I here the brat, moving around up stairs. I'll tell the Slayer to call you." And with that Spike hung up the phone. By the time Spike reached the top of the stairs, he could hear Dawn screaming.
"NNNOOO." Dawn screamed. Her eyes still closed but her body flung around like something that could have been in the Exorcist movie.
"Dawn." Spike shook her but her eyes didn't open. "Dawn"
She gurgled in the back of her throat. "William your destiny has started to unfold."
"What???" Spike said startled.
"William an old friend will change you, again." Dawn grumbled.
"Nnnnnooooo." Dawn hissed, "Please no. Stop. Please. I'm begging you."
"What the . . . Dawn wake up. Dawn." Spike said louder.
"I am The Key."
"What the hell?" Buffy said as she stood in the door way, "What did you do to her?"
"Me? I didn't do anything to . . ."
"William your destiny has started to unfold. Please no. Stop. Please. I'm begging you." Buffy rushed to Dawn's side as Spike jumped out of the way.
"Dawn? Dawn!" Buffy looked at Spike with panicked eyes.
"Your power is rooted in darkness. You think you know. What you are. What's to come. You haven't even begun."
Buffy jumped back startled at Dawn's words. **I've heard those words before**
Dawn's eyes fluttered and opened wide. See gasped as she saw Buffy and Spike staring at her.
"Why are you two perverts standing over me."
"You were talking in your sleep, we came in to look on you." Spike said quickly.
"Well get out. Now." Dawn shrieked at them. Spike walked out of the room looking at Buffy.
Buffy sat down on Dawn's bed and stroked her hair, "Did you remember what you were dreaming about?"
"Kinda. But it was a bad dream. About Riley."
"What about him?"
"He was torturing Xander and tried to kill him." Dawn lied.
"Oh. It's ok Dawn. Riley is gone, so he can't hurt Xander. Plus he and Xander are friends, why would he hurt Xander?"
"I don't know." Dawn lied again.
"Go get ready for school Dawn." Buffy said as she exited the room. Spike was standing outside the door.
"I'm sorry for accusing you of doing something to Dawn. I just got kinda panicky." Explained Buffy.
*She even looked good first thing in the morning. Her face plain with no make-up was just as beautiful. Her hair even matted from the half drying that it received last night, looked good on her. A pyjama shirt that reached her mid-thigh and those legs. What did she just say*
"What??"
"I said thank you for last night. Being nice and all." Buffy said staring at the floor.
"You're welcome, Buffy." Spike turned to leave, when her arms snaked around his waist and she hugged him.
"You were a real friend." She whispered into his chest.
Buffy broke the embraced when Dawn opened her room door. Spike quickly dashed down the stairs.
* * *
Xander's new work site was Angel's old mansion. The owner decided that she had had enough of the place that her father built over ten years ago and decided to build a new state of the art mansion on the land.
Demolishing was finished. Xander had to go over all of the carpentry and start on the woman elaborate design plans. Most of the crew were not allowed to see the blueprints. Apparently she wanted a lot of hidden entrances and secret hiding places therefore only the crew heads were allowed to see it. Xander the youngest of the crew heads would be the first to met the billionairess that would create this mansion for what she rumoured to say was a poultry twenty million dollars.
Xander arrived at the Russo Cafe at seven thirty sharp, and she was their waiting inside the as Spike would say "posh" cafe. A glass of milk cost ten dollars. Xander wondered if the cow itself brought to the table for that price, the first time that he took Anya there and he hasn't been back since.
"Mr. Harris?" A hostess asked, and quickly ushered him to the woman's table. He still didn't know her name, the contractor didn't even know her name only that one of her companies names would be on the title.
"Mr. Alexander Harris. I presume." She said looking at him up and down as if he standing in front of her naked. She gave him a warm smile that made his knees weak. Xander looked at himself to make sure that he wasn't naked. ***Clothes all there. Fly zipped. Tie straight.***
"You presume right." Xander said extending his hand, to the beautiful young woman standing in front of him.
"My name is Rainne." The beautiful girl sitting in front of him, had golden caramel skin and almond shaped eyes. Her hair black and sleeked to perfection and fanned on her shoulders, her full lips had on a very glossy berry coloured lip gloss. She wore a purple coloured knitted top and a medium length black skirt. And she made Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell look like amateurs in the beauty department. She was around Buffy's height and her build as well. This was a billionairess, she no more than twenty-two, and could pass for sixteen.
For the first time Xander realized that they were the only ones in the cafe besides her, and her five body guards who looked like they just stepped off on the Secret Service training grounds even the hostess had disappeared.
"Is Rainne your first or last name?"
"First and the only name that you will get Mr. Harris."
Before Xander knew what was happening three waitresses appeared with plates of croissants, pancakes, French toast, cereal, jams, syrups, eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, coffee's and teas, juice's grape, apple, orange, and pineapple.
"Go ahead and eat Mr. Harris. I will basically be doing all of the talking."
"Xander please."
"How about Alexander. I like that name." She said smiling again. ***Her smile could melt ice***
The hostess was arguing with someone on the phone about an order. Since they had closed down shop for Rainne any breakfast orders to the rich and famous of Sunnydale had been on hold. Rainne quickly got up and excused herself and went over to the hostess.
"What's the problem?"
Xander watched from the corner of his eye as he poured himself a glass of pineapple juice. He couldn't hear there conversation but looking at her legs were enough for him.
"They are not regular customers. Rainne." The hostess covered the receiver, "But this guy a Spike' wants a major order and I'm trying to explain to him . . ."
"Bring him what ever he wants to what ever address he want's. I'll pay for it and tell you driver don't wait for a tip. I'll give him one." With that she shelled out five hundred dollars gave the hostess a hundred and paid for the rest of the order. "Tell the driver to see me before he leaves."
Rainne quickly manoeuvred around the until tables in her path, and reached the table, "Now Alexander. We can get started." Rainne began.
* * *
The Summers door bell rang at eight o'clock on the dot. Buffy went in the shower and Dawn was in her room getting ready. Spike stood behind the door and slowly opened it. The man stood in the doorway and peeked in at Spike and looked at him suspiciously.
"Delivery for uhh . . . Spike?" The puggy man said.
"Bring it in." Spike growled at the nervous looking man. "How much is it?
"Nothing, sir. It was already paid for." the man said "Would you like me to set the table up for you sir."
The woman told him to offer the set the table and bought an extra set of china that the store had in a box for three hundred dollars, when she gave him a two hundred dollar tip at the cafe.
"Sure" *I guess this is how the rich live. Harm told me that these people were the best. Cordelia and her went there every morning before school.*
The man set up everything on the dining room table and even brought real plates in bone coloured china with platinum trim and forks with a floral design all around the edges.
"There you go sir. Have a good day." The man said as he opened the door and skipped down the Summers front path
*He didn't even wait for a tip. What a weird little man.*
Buffy and Dawn were called down stairs by the smell of food. *How did two bags hold that much food. I didn't order all of this stuff*
"Wow." Dawn exclaimed, looking at the door. "Thanks Spike."
Buffy smiled as her sister sat in the chair closest to her and began to eat the fruit salad in front of her.
"This was sweet." Buffy said to Spike.
As they sat down at the table Willow and Tara burst through the door and both of their mouths gapped open at the sight of Buffy, Dawn and Spike having breakfast.
Dawn got up and dragged Willow and Tara to the table they each grabbed a plate. They sat and ate and talked like regular normal people. No witches, no vampire, no slayer, no key, just friends having breakfast. Willow reminded Buffy of the time she beat up the homicidal cafeteria lady. But Buffy told the story of the Willows, when Anya had brought about an alternate reality vampire Willow. Spike especially loved the description of the binding leather outfit. Tara giggled.
"I always knew you had it in you Red." Spike laughed.
**He is so normal looking. He has a sense of humour.** Buffy laughed and looked at her best friend, blushing face.
"Hey at least I wasn't engaged to Spike." Willow said, grinning at Buffy.
"What?" Tara blurted out, meanwhile Dawn choked on her orange juice.
"That was a spell." Spike and Buffy said in unison. Dawn was rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter. Buffy face was completely red from embarrassment. And if Spike could get any paler he would have.
"I did a Will it So' spell. And I made Giles blind, Xander a demon magnet and I said the Spike and Buffy should just get married." Willow explained giggling. She had felt guilty for the last year but she could see the humour in it now. Dawn was laughing even harder and Tara couldn't contain it any longer.
**I remember that day all too well. All the things we did. I didn't even tell Willow half of it.**
Buffy looked up at Spike who just stared down at the plate of food in front of him not even daring to look in Buffy's direction.
*I wonder if she remembers. Everything. In the bathroom, the courtyard. Oh man . . . the courtyard. If Anya and Xander had been ten minutes earlier they would have caught an eyefull.*
Spike smiled still looking at the plate in front of him.
*Oh my god. He does remember* The phone rang and Buffy dashed up to get it,
"Hello! Miss. Summers?"
"Yes this is her."
"Hi, I'm Nancy one of your mother's nurses. And your mom regained consciousness a little while ago. I just wanted to call and inform you."
Buffy remembered Nancy a nice woman in her late fifties who told Buffy that she had admired her for being at the hospital everyday. She told her that she was probably the bravest girl that she'd ever met. Buffy took that compliment to heart.
"Thank you so much." BEEP "Has she said anything?" BEEP Buffy looked at her call display and saw Unknown Name Unknown Number' *Forget it this is more important*
* * *
Katherine put on the first c.d.. The song played and Katherine swung her body along with the beat. Riley saw her open a suitcase with different knives, pokers, needles, prongs, extractors, scissors, and most likely any other torture device known to man that could fit inside it. Katherine had learned most of her torture techniques a year and a half ago from a now dusted vampire named Marcus. She hated his thing for children but adored his love for torturing and maiming all creatures. He was an excellent teacher.
"He's scared." Ryan told her.
"I know. I can smell it." Katherine replied at she open a box on the floor with a car battery and wire sticking out from it. There was another unopened box by Katherine's feet.
"Any last requests, Riley?" Katherine voice leaked her venomous intentions.
"Yes, I want to make a phone call." Riley answered desperately.
"Sure but if you say anything . . . this torturing thing might take a couple of days, even weeks. I'll make you my bitch and you'll love it. You know why, because I tell you too." Katherine whispered in his ear
Riley had a decision to make call his parents, or Buffy. He tried Buffy, maybe she'd be able to help him, but her phone just kept on ringing. Katherine agreed to let him make another call.
"Hi mom."
"Riley. How are you. I got that picture that you sent to me of you and Buffy. You two make a cute couple. I think that I'll have some pretty cute grandchildren"
"Mom I don't have much time. I called to say that I . . . I love you. And dad." Riley took a deep breath.
"Riley is something wrong?" His mother voice grew worried. Her only son sounded desperate and scared.
"Could you call Graham for me and tell him that it's a no go. And tell Buffy that I am sorry." Riley's voice cracked.
"Riley, honey what's wrong?"
"I'll miss you mom." Riley's mother let out a cry on the other end of the telephone. Katherine ripped the phone out of his hands.
"Mrs. Finn, you raised such good boy. Maybe even too good." Katherine said to his mother. "But God gives life and creatures like me take it." With that she hung up the phone.
"That was so touching. Too bad you didn't give my sister that same luxury." Katherine cooed.
"Strip him and strap him up." Katherine barked at two male vampire behind her. "I'm going to love to hear you scream."
* * *
Graham was shocked that Riley was so late. He asked the commander to let Riley and him come in on a later flight which Graham was shocked that he agreed to. He made his way to Riley's apartment and found nothing his bags were packed and sitting in the foyer. Graham checked out Riley's answering machine. He pressed the play button.
"Riley! Riley answer this phone. Your mother is frantic here she says that you're in trouble please calls us, Riley please." Graham recognized the voice, it was Riley's father.
"Time 8:20 am." The automated voice blared, "Next message."
"Riley for god sakes call us. Please just call home and let us know that you are all right. I'm going to call Graham and Buffy like you asked but please just call us." Riley's father's voice sounded panicked and you could here a woman crying loudly in the background.
"Time 8:40 am."
"Shit." Graham looked at his watch 8:46 am. Graham dialled the Finn's number.
"Riley?" A woman shaky voice asked on the other end of the line.
"No Mrs. Finn. It's Graham."
"Ohh, Graham. Is Riley with you."
"No Mrs. Finn. He was suppose to leave with me this morning he was rejoining the army. But he never showed up." Graham cringed as he heard a whimper on the other end of the line.
"H . . . he called this morning. He sounded scared. Oh Graham we're worried."
"So am I Mrs. Finn. I'm going to go look for him. I will call you back as soon as I find out anything, Mrs. Finn."
"Thank you Graham. Thank you."
Graham thought grimly that Riley was in serious trouble. He had told his parent goodbye. This is big. First stop Buffy's house.
* * *
Riley was stripped of all of his clothing and was strapped into a chair for the first torture session. Katherine feed off of him mercilessly then stopped as he gritted his teeth through the pain until she began to dig her fingernails into the wound. He grunted in pain as he felt her dig into his muscle on his shoulder then she stopped. She straddled him in the chair and looked into his eyes with her human facade on.
"Don't do it." Ryan cautioned Riley.
"What did he want to do?" Katherine asked smiling.
"Spit in your face."
Katherine laughed and yanked Riley's head back by his hair.
"Leave." She barked to the two vampire guard still in the room enjoying the show that there sire was putting on., "Stand outside the door."
Now it was only them in the room. Riley, Ryan and Katherine.
"Now Ryan, I want you to read my mind. I want you to pass me the instrument that I'm thinking about." Katherine told him starring into Riley's eyes the whole time. Ryan smiled because this essentially gave him the leeway to torture Riley indirectly.
"Well let me see." Ryan thought out loud, "Ah ha."
He picked up a knife but sharp looking four inch knife. Katherine held out her hand for it and examined the cruel looking piece of metal.
"Just was I was thinking."
Ryan handed it to her and began to look for another weapon.
"What's this?" She fingered the three inch scar on his left pectoral, "Scar tissue, I love it." The knife pierced his skin she reopened the wound and twisted the knife in it left and then right. Riley bit his tongue at the pain refusing to scream for her. But that resolve would only last so long.
* * *
"Leave us alone Ryan." Katherine barked at him.
He quickly got up and left.
"Oh my gosh. Look at you, crying and whimpering like a child." Katherine said sounding sympathetic
She touched his face gently. She had been extra careful not to get too carried away on him. She needed to leave his face in tact although his blue-green eyes were begging to ripped out. But she controlled herself.
She carefully lifted the object up and splashed some water on it which evaporated immediately. Then she started again. The smell of burnt flesh engulfed the room and so did his screams.
* * *
Graham pounded on Buffy's door until it slowly swung open. Graham stepped inside to see Hostile 17 standing on the other side.
"What the hell?" Graham knocked Spike to the ground. Spike dodged the next two swings that Graham attempted.
"HEY! What the hell are you doing Graham?" Buffy yelled bringing the actions to a halt.
"I know that you had something to do with it." Graham yelled.
"Something to do with what?" Spike yelled back at him.
"Riley. He's missing."
"What?"
"He was suppose to leave at six this morning and he never showed up. Then I went to his place and his parents are calling him and they are really upset. I figured that he was here with you."
"Why you must have known what happened last night? Why would you think that he'd be here with me?" Buffy asked angrily.
"Because he loves you and if he thought that for a moment that you loved him he'd be here. That's Riley. I've never seen him so strung out on a girl before. To bad it was only one sided."
Buffy looked at Graham with utter hatred.
"Look here white bread number two, if she hears from Captain Cardboard she'll give you a ring. Until then why don't you sod off." Spike glared at him.
"Buffy we need to find him." Graham replied ignoring Spike.
"You know what you guys must learn tracking skills in the army, you find him." Buffy growled as she ran up stairs.
* * *
"Oh you poor thing. You're shaking." Katherine cooed.
"Well I guess loosing half of my blood most of my skin on my upper body and breaking my leg with a sledge hammer will do that to a fella." He replied weakly.
"Hey, you forgot a whole bunch of stuff in between like me branding you and carving my sister name into your chest putting a couple volts a electricity through your body. Are you forgetting all the good times that we've been having for these last eight hours." Katherine pouted as she moved over his body. Moving him to the bed had made it so much more fun, than it was when he was strapped to the chair. Her fingers passed over his tender burn wounds, he knew what was going to happen next. And almost like clockwork it did. She jabbed her nails into the quarter sized wound that marred his chest.
"Please no. Stop. Please. I'm begging you."
"That so cute you begging me. I like a man that begs. It turns me on." She dipped her head forward her nose touching his, "Now be a good boy and do what ever mummy wants, and you might be able to say you survived, a vampire's wrath."
What happened next Riley definitely did not expect. She kissed him.
Katherine kissed him gently also being particularly careful not to touch any of his wounds. As the kiss got deeper, Riley felt like he could no longer breath and she wasn't pulling away, her tongue delved into his mouth waiting for a response. Which Riley did when her fingers reopened the bit mark that she had given him earlier. It took mere seconds for her vampiric facade to appear. Her teeth now razor sharp cut his tongue mercilessly. She pulled back her lips blood red. Riley's blood red and licked them.
Riley felt sick as the coppery tasting liquid filled his mouth and throat.
"Now I don't have to hear your little remarks anymore. Your grunts of pain will music to my ears." She laughed.
To be continued . . .