Chapter 4
They could tell they were coming close to the demon's lair when the stench grew. It was the smell of burn and decay. The hall they were in opened in a large cavern full of…
"Treasure!" Elizabeth yelled with glee.
"Don't touch any of it." Spike snapped grabbing her wrist. "It's being protected by the demon for a reason."
"I wasn't going to touch it." Elizabeth wriggled her wrist away. "I just think it's a pity we can't take it back and use it for good, like helping the poor."
"God, you're full of it. You wanted to wear it you dumb bint. No one gets anything past me."
"I'm a girl aren't I? Elizabeth moved from him, able to see with the reflection of dim light on the thousands of golden objects.
"Keep a lookout for a book." Spike wadded through the gold and silver and gemstones, would have picked them up at any other time. But now he wanted to get out of their with the book and on the road. If they were lucky they would be back in that town just around dawn and take a room for the day and go back the next night.
"Spike." He perked up and looked across the room. Elizabeth was pointing to something on the ground that seemed to be glowing. He hurried over and saw the book, it had an aura around it, a soft amber glow.
"Hmm." Spike chewed his lip, not sure what to do. "Do you still have that stake?"
"Yeah." she handed it to him and he reached down. He poked the aura around the book. Nothing happened except the stake slid into the glow like a spoon in pudding. It make a sucking sound when he pulled it out.
"Do you hear something?" Spike turned to Elizabeth as a great hissing sound filled the room. The walls seemed to move.
"Bats. Run." He reached for the book, no time to lose and raced towards the doorway. Bats flew around their heads, scratching his already burned head. Then the walls started to crumble. Dirt fell around him.
"It's caving!" Elizabeth shrieked. Spike grimaced and dug his heels into the ground as they hiked back up to the entrance. It didn't help that dirt was rolling down at them. They made it to the entrance, then Spike hoisted Elizabeth up the hole. He gripped for purchase as it caved towards him. He got out just as it fell in. The whole ground sank and the pillars stayed put. He fell to the ground and took a deep breath out of habit. The book had stopped glowing and looked very ordinary and unmagical now.
"We did it." Elizabeth breathed collapsing next to him.
"I don't want to get up." Spike moaned, the effects of the fight starting to be felt in his bones.
"Come on." Elizabeth stumbled to her feet and held out her hand. Spike took it gladly and hoisted himself up, grabbing the book. They made their way to the car and Spike slid into the driver's seat.
Elizabeth held the book as they drove back to the hotel. She was asleep in the seat when they arrived, the sun just peeking over the horizon. The woman at the desk gave him a curious look but he gave her a polite smile as he carried Elizabeth and the book into their bedroom. He collapsed on his bed, thoughts of sleep heavy on his mind. He was asleep before he had the chance to yawn.
They could tell they were coming close to the demon's lair when the stench grew. It was the smell of burn and decay. The hall they were in opened in a large cavern full of…
"Treasure!" Elizabeth yelled with glee.
"Don't touch any of it." Spike snapped grabbing her wrist. "It's being protected by the demon for a reason."
"I wasn't going to touch it." Elizabeth wriggled her wrist away. "I just think it's a pity we can't take it back and use it for good, like helping the poor."
"God, you're full of it. You wanted to wear it you dumb bint. No one gets anything past me."
"I'm a girl aren't I? Elizabeth moved from him, able to see with the reflection of dim light on the thousands of golden objects.
"Keep a lookout for a book." Spike wadded through the gold and silver and gemstones, would have picked them up at any other time. But now he wanted to get out of their with the book and on the road. If they were lucky they would be back in that town just around dawn and take a room for the day and go back the next night.
"Spike." He perked up and looked across the room. Elizabeth was pointing to something on the ground that seemed to be glowing. He hurried over and saw the book, it had an aura around it, a soft amber glow.
"Hmm." Spike chewed his lip, not sure what to do. "Do you still have that stake?"
"Yeah." she handed it to him and he reached down. He poked the aura around the book. Nothing happened except the stake slid into the glow like a spoon in pudding. It make a sucking sound when he pulled it out.
"Do you hear something?" Spike turned to Elizabeth as a great hissing sound filled the room. The walls seemed to move.
"Bats. Run." He reached for the book, no time to lose and raced towards the doorway. Bats flew around their heads, scratching his already burned head. Then the walls started to crumble. Dirt fell around him.
"It's caving!" Elizabeth shrieked. Spike grimaced and dug his heels into the ground as they hiked back up to the entrance. It didn't help that dirt was rolling down at them. They made it to the entrance, then Spike hoisted Elizabeth up the hole. He gripped for purchase as it caved towards him. He got out just as it fell in. The whole ground sank and the pillars stayed put. He fell to the ground and took a deep breath out of habit. The book had stopped glowing and looked very ordinary and unmagical now.
"We did it." Elizabeth breathed collapsing next to him.
"I don't want to get up." Spike moaned, the effects of the fight starting to be felt in his bones.
"Come on." Elizabeth stumbled to her feet and held out her hand. Spike took it gladly and hoisted himself up, grabbing the book. They made their way to the car and Spike slid into the driver's seat.
Elizabeth held the book as they drove back to the hotel. She was asleep in the seat when they arrived, the sun just peeking over the horizon. The woman at the desk gave him a curious look but he gave her a polite smile as he carried Elizabeth and the book into their bedroom. He collapsed on his bed, thoughts of sleep heavy on his mind. He was asleep before he had the chance to yawn.