By Night - Chapter Thirteen

by Angel Eternal aka Angeline

email: spikes_angel01@yahoo.com.au

Website: In Dreams and Shadows
http://www.geocities.com/spikes_angel01/index.html

Rating: R

Pairings: Primarily S/B, but also has W/T and X/A

Summary: Secrets revealed have a disastrous aftermath, amidst all the hurt and confusion, a dark being roams,
finally freed from it's prison

Author's Notes: This is set S6, and is loosely based on spoilers concerning the season. I just want to point out
though that I haven't seen S6 and won't for a while, so if things aren't quite right, you'd know why. I also wanted
to thank all the people who've left me such awesome reviews! Thanks, you guys make it easier to write =D

Distribution: "In Dreams and Shadows", "Shadow Borne", "Shelby's and Erin's Place" and at FF.net but it you want to
archive it go ahead, but just let me know first - I kinda like to know where it's going, and plus I find out about more
S/B shipper sites! ::grins::

Disclaimers: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is owned by Joss Whedon, several companies and God knows who else.
One thing is certain - I don't own any of it! Nothing - zip - nada!







The heavy fumes filtered slowly in, seeping deep into his brain. It was like breathing in pure poison.

Xander coughed, nausea quickly settling in the pit of his stomach.

His last memory was going off the find Buffy and running into Anya...he lifted his head, as the room spun
crazily, he slumped back down.

"Maybe moving isn't such a crash hot idea." he muttered to himself, trying to still his stomach. He heaved once,
but there was nothing in his stomach to heave out. With a groan, he shut his eyes, and rested his forehead on
the floor.

He heard the sound of voices, female, one that was heart-achingly familiar.

"...what have you done! You can't possibly be in your right mind!"

"Please, who are you to criticise me? Besides, it's not like he's dead or anything. I just wanted to teach him
a lesson."

"A lesson? Look at him! He's a wreck! Don't you think this has gone on far enough?"

Xander heard a disdainful sniff, and then a screech. "Anya! Goddamnit Anya, let me out!"

"You're getting on my nerves witch."

It was all Xander heard before he slipped back into the waiting darkness.


* * *


She drifted in and out of consciousness, constantly hearing his voice. Sometimes it was Spike's mocking laughter,
at others a completely different one, a voice she only heard in her darkest nightmares.

But it didn't matter; the voices were always punctuated by Dawn's pleas for mercy.

Buffy tried to shut out the cacophony of noise, determined not to succumb to the demon's special brand of
torture.

"This isn't Spike..." she muttered under her breath, eyes tightly shut.

She heard the laughter again, this time closer, icy breath rushing past her ear. "You really believe that?"

Slowly, almost against her will, her eyes opened and she found herself staring into his yellow eyes.

He smiled, fangs flashing, "You honestly believe that I'm not Spike?"

Buffy returned the smile, "I know you aren't. You're a monster."

His face shifted into Spike's human countenance, "I know you'll never love me. I know that I'm a
monster. But you treat me like a man." He sneered, "Really Slayer, falling for that rot."

She glared at him, "You're not Spike, you're a part of what he used to be. The part that he had extinguished.
Why else would you be out and about?"

His face shifted once more to the demon's, yellow eyes flashing dangerously. "He'd gotten weak Slayer. You're
his weakness. I'm doing both of us a favours by eliminating you! Without you he'll be strong again."

Buffy laughed contemptuously, "Really? Newsflash - I was dead. Was dead for 147 days, last I heard he didn't
exactly indulge in a killing frenzy right after. There goes you're theory, I guess."

In a rage, his hand lashed out at her face. Buffy's head snapped back with a sickening crack as her head slammed
against the wall. Before she could recover, the demon had his hand at her throat.

"I could just snuff out your life right now Slayer."

Buffy fought to keep her consciousness as she stared back at him, "Go ahead...bag your third one."

The harsh grip on her throat slackened, and turned into a caress. His knuckles grazed gently over the bruises
that were starting to form on her slender neck. "Why did he never turn you?"

Buffy was confused, the feel of his hand, gently stroking her throat was unsettling, "You tell me."

His gaze hardened, and he abruptly turned away from her, "Because he was a fool. Every time I presented
the idea to him, he turned it away. Muttering foolish talk of wanting you as you are - unsullied."

Buffy didn't know how to take that. Spike had never wanted to turn her. Never. She had always assumed that
he wanted to.

The demon continued his rant, now oblivious to her. "It would have been so simple, so perfect. We both could've
been happy." He spun around to face her again, "It can still be done. You can be at my side forever."

"The way Drusilla was?" Buffy spat out.

He recoiled from her, eyes blazing with fury. "Don't talk about her - you have no idea Slayer!"

Not waiting for her reply, he stalked off, leaving Buffy to slump against the wall once more.


* * *


The soft light from the candles was the only illumination in the room. Willow breathed in deeply, the aroma
of incense infusing her every being.

She wound the golden strand that was Buffy's hair around her finger; concentrating on her breathing.

She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come. Abruptly, she closed her mouth, and concentrated on
her breathing again. She knew, even with this relatively simple spell, the importance of uttering the words in
the right frame of mind.

Willow tried to shake off the nervousness, knowing that every moment counted and that Buffy and Xander
were depending on her. In her effort to calm herself down, she remembered Spike, just before she had locked
herself in the room.

Spike had squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, and had murmured that he trusted her in that voice of his that
had suddenly gone very soft. Willow had wondered fleetingly if he spoke like that to Buffy, and in a flash of
understanding knew that he probably did.

Willow took another deep breath, and began to chant.


* * *


Spike walked, careful to stick to the shadows before he remembered that the sun was no longer a problem.
Nevertheless, he kept to the shadows, old habits died hard after all.

Willow had ordered him to rest and to wait for Dawn to come back from school, but Spike couldn't stay still.
Frustrated, the witch sent him out, before she shut herself into her room.

Spike didn't waste any time rushing out the door, thoughts of Dawn and her incessant questions making his
feet run out faster.

His steps now slowed, as he assimilated his thoughts. Buffy had been gone for a long time, Xander equally long.
Memories of days passed without Buffy in this world, made him shudder, and renewed his search efforts. He
didn't know if he could go through that again.

Spike groaned, he had to keep his mind occupied to prevent the morbid thoughts. His mind turned to the thing -
he really had no idea what to call it. He remembered the creature's taunting voice, cryptically telling him to
look within. There was nothing in there.

The thought made him stop. There was nothing in there.

He spun on his heel and ran back to the house.


* * *


"Xander? Wake up Xander..."

He thought he could almost smell bacon frying, the scent tantalising him, he could feel her soft breast pressing
against his arm, he could just roll over and clasp her in his arms...

The putrid scents assaulted him again, making him jerk upright. He moaned, his temples throbbing.
"Anya?"

Anya smiled down at him, and offered him a plastic cup of water, "Xander."
She trailed her fingers down the side of his face, tracing the contour of his cheekbones, lingering on his chin.

Greedily, he gulped down the water, slowly he realised that Anya was reaching out to touch him through steel
bars. With a gasp, the cup slid from his slack hand, rolling to the side.

Anya frowned at him, thoroughly annoyed, "I'm not getting you another one."

"Anya? What the hell is going on? What..." Xander's eyes focused on another cage, much smaller then the one
he was in that was behind Anya. He could see the outline of a crumpled figure lying on the floor, her blonde
hair spread out around her. "My God...is that Tara?"

Anya flicked a glance behind her, "Oh, yeah, her. She's not important."

Xander focused his attention back to Anya, "What are you doing?"

Anya smiled at him sadly, "I realised that there is nothing left for me in this world. I want to go back to the
vengeance business." She nodded firmly. "And I need you to do it."

Xander's mouth fell open, "What the hell? Anya..."

She reached out through the bars again, placing a finger on his mouth, hushing him, "It's alright Xander, I won't
hurt you. Just do something really simple - maybe put a few warts on your penis."

He grabbed his crotch, shielding it from her view.

Anya laughed, and reached out to stroke his cheek again, "Oh don't worry, it won't hurt, and I'm sure you're
precious Willow would take them off for you."

Xander's ears perked up, he definitely heard the note of resentment in her voice when she said Willow's name.
"Anya...Willow and I..."

"Yeah - Willow and you, as it always was and always will be." her eyes flared with anger and she strode away
from him.

Xander groaned and slumped against the wall.


* * *

Willow continued to chant, falling into the rhythm. She was only attempting a simple spell, it had never been
this hard to connect before.

Maybe because you really don't want to - a voice whispered in her head. Resolutely, Willow pushed it harshly
aside. She wasn't afraid. She wouldn't succumb.

If only Tara was...

Willow almost stopped in mid-chant, but remembering what was at stake here, she continued.

If only Tara was here to support her.

She didn't need Tara! Willow told herself fiercely. She wasn't afraid!

Something inside snapped.

Her eyes darkened to pitch black, as light cascaded upon her. Her head was thrown back.

"Seek." the word hissed from her mouth. Immediately, her mind was filled with images.

She saw Xander, crouched low on the floor, an expression of heart-felt defeat on his face.

She saw Buffy, chained to a wall, her golden head bent. Slowly, Buffy raised her head, and looked straight
ahead, and Willow saw the flash of determination on her face.

Then just as suddenly, it was over.

Willow crumpled to the floor, holding onto her stomach. It felt as is if she had been sucked into a vortex, then
chucked back out. She was starting to sit back up, when Spike burst through the door.

Spike abruptly halted when he saw her. "Willow! Are you alright? I shouldn't have left..."

He helped her to sit up, and Willow saw the concern in his eyes, "It's alright...I'm alright..."

Spike frowned, hearing how fragile Willow's voice was. He made no move to step away from her.
"Willow, what happened?"

She shook her head, attempting to clear it. "The spell...it worked. I saw them..."

Spike wanted to grab her shoulders, but refrained. Instead he nodded, gently reassuring her.

"I saw Xander first, he was in a cage, someplace really dark - somewhere near the water. Buffy was chained
to a wall, the place had an abandoned warehouse feel to it."

Spike nodded, "I know where Buffy would be then."

Willow frowned, "Know where Buffy would be? How would you know Spike?"

He stood, his duster flaring out behind him. He didn't answer her until he reached the door, "I know because it
was me that took her."

Willow's jaw dropped open, and she instinctively backed away from him.

Spike continued, oblivious to her, "My demon, it was my demon that took Buffy, and I know precisely where
he would take her."

Willow frowned, it didn't help that her head still felt as if someone had hacked at it with a battle axe, "What?
Spike, you're not making any sense. What do you mean your demon..."

Then it clicked into place, Willow staggered to her feet.

Spike glanced at her, assured that she understood what he meant.

"But Spike...what about Xander? He's in trouble too."

Spike paused. What to do? Xander was defenceless, and the rational part of his brain told him that they would
have to go after the whelp first. But the other, less rational side, rebelled - viciously. Spike, better then anyone,
knew what his demon was capable of doing. The thought of Buffy at the monster's mercy was beyond
contemplating.

But this was the Slayer they were talking about - she was more then a match for any demon, even his.

"We help Xander first - after we got him, we head straight for the Slayer."

Willow nodded reluctantly, "What about Dawn?"

Realisation crashed in on Spike. "Oh fuck! Dawn!"

He rushed down the stairs, to check if he missed the teenager in his mad dash up the stairs. Willow ran to
check Dawn's room.

They met at the stairs, and both blurted out, "She's not here."

Spike slumped against the wall, as Willow leaned heavily on the staircase.

Spike straightened, "We find the whelp and the Slayer first. If anything has happened to Dawn, she's most
likely to be with one or the other."

Willow glanced at him, and saw the tightness of his lips, "I can do a spell..."

"No." Spike said firmly, wholly aware of Willow's over dependency on magic and her weariness after the spell
she had just cast. "No, Willow. We do this the old-fashioned way."

He headed for the weapons chest and added to the arsenal already strapped to his body. He threw a dagger
at towards Willow, who deftly caught it.

Spike glanced at her, and she nodded, indicating her readiness.

Spike took a deep breath, "Time for me to face my demon - literally."


* * *

Tara woke, feeling as if every part of her body was aching. She struggled to sit up. Through blurry vision,
she could make out Anya's form, and Xander's slumped against the wall.

She shook her head to clear it, and he vision focused. Anya was adding ingredients to a simmering cauldron,
while Xander stared at her through hooded eyes.

Tara considered her options in light of the situation.

Anya, a former vengeance demon, seeking her demonic form once more after being slighted by the one she
had dared to love, had insisted that she didn't want to harm Xander. Could Tara trust that? She didn't know.
Anya had locked her into this cage to prevent her from stopping her, and seeking help.

She didn't know if she dared to take Anya on by herself - she had no idea what kind of witch the former
vengeance demon was in her earthly life. So Tara played it safe, and called on the one person she thought
never to contact again.

^Willow?^


* * *

Willow held tightly onto Spike as they sped along on his bike, terrified and unwilling to open her eyes.

She heard the slightest probe on her mind and knew without further prompting who it was. ^Tara!^

^Listen up Willow, Anya's got me and Xander...^

"Anya?" Willow was so surprised by this revelation that the name was spoken out loud, but Spike probably
didn't hear her.

^Yes.^

Even in their minds, Willow sensed the coldness from Tara. Willow quickly filled her in on Buffy's disappearance
as well as Dawn's.

Tara was silent for a moment, ^You and I can probably handle Anya - tell Spike to get to Buffy.^

With that she abruptly severed the connection.

Slightly disoriented, Willow tapped on Spike's shoulder to get his attention, and told him to slow down.

"What about Anya?

Willow mentally slapped herself; of course, Spike still retained his vampiric hearing. Quickly she filled him
in on her conversation with Tara. "It'll be easier for me to just teleport - it would be faster, and more efficient."

Spike nodded once, "You think you and Tara can handle this?"

Willow knew that she only had to show the smallest sign of doubt, and Spike would refuse to go to Buffy.
She could already see why her best friend would fall so heedlessly for this creature - no, this man - despite
all that stood in their way in the past, in the present and undoubtedly in the future.

Confidently, she nodded, "No problem - I can bring back the dead, I can take down an ex-demon."

Spike stared at her for a second, and she could see the emotions flickering across his countenance, "Alright -
if you're sure..."

"I'm sure." she nodded firmly.

Spike hesitated for a moment, before jumping back on his bike and speeding off into the night.

"Good luck." Willow whispered into the night.


* * *

He paced, growling.

The Slayer's words still rang in his ears... 'The way Drusilla was?'

He hated this, he wanted to let her go and fight her - then shag her. He wanted her bruised body beneath his,
twisting in desperation as he fucked her senseless. He wanted to drown in the searing heat of her blood. He
wanted her to fill him.

But that wasn't the plan.

He groaned, and raked his hand through his hair - fuck the plan.

He stalked out again; drinking in the sight of the Slayer slumped against the wall. Once she was aware of his
presence she would straighten, and glare at him defiantly. Damn - no one knew how much he craved this girl.

Harshly he pulled her head up, she yelped in pain, arousing him even further. Her eyes widened with that
unmistakable emotion called fear.

Light glinted off his fangs as he, without hesitation, plunged his fangs into her neck.

Her body arched upwards, as she cried out in pain.

He was lost to the heat, the fire that was her. He clasped her body tighter to his, relishing, feasting. He could
feel her coursing in him, filling him, completing him. Through the haze of pleasure, he felt the trickle of her tears.
Feeling the Slayer's tears on his cheek, he crushed her to him.

With sheer willpower, he pulled from her. He licked the blood off his lips, he raised his head, and howled into
the night. He stared into her hazel eyes, clouded with pain. Abruptly, his head snapped up.

"Come on Spike...I can feel you..."



~To be continued~