Buffy ran towards her sister and her captor in the alleyway, with Spike
following close behind. The fact that Dawn was in trouble again was
something she'd leave until later to discuss, because just now there was
the small matter of the boy who had her younger sister by the hair to deal
with.
Overtaking her, Spike moved to hit the stranger, but instinctively jumped back when he saw the vicious looking knife the boy had procured from somewhere and was now holding against Dawn's neck.
'A-a-a. Back off vampire. We don't want any bloodshed now do we?' The question was directed at Dawn, who shook her head as vigorously as possible without allowing the blade to come into contact with her skin.
Spike held back, his skin tingling with anger and the knowledge that he was in the presence of some primal evil. He reached a hand out to stop Buffy from advancing on the boy, shooting her a warning glance before returning his eyes to the present danger.
'Who the hell are you?' Typical Slayer, thought Spike, all violence and anger, very little logical thought or cunning planning.
'That is not important to you. What you really want to know is how you're going to get your sister out of my grasp without injuring her. It's simple. We trade sister for sister.'
Dawn wriggled in the boy's arms, irritated that she'd managed to bring trouble to Buffy again. And also, how come boys were just interested in her to get to her sister?
'Ok. How about this deal? You give me Dawn, we fight, and if you beat me, you can have me. Sound fair?'
Of course, Buffy had enough confidence to think that she would be able to beat this stranger, even with his warrior-like appearance and the Big Bad vibes he was giving off. After all, she'd taken down a god and saved the world more times than she cared to count. Add to that the fact that she had Spike on her side and she should be home safe in about 5 minutes flat.
'Buffy, I don't think…' Spike tried to reason with her, considerably less sure of their chances than she obviously was. Something about this boy disturbed him deeply, and it wasn't the fact that he seemed awfully keen to get his hands on the vampire's pseudo-girlfriend.
But before he could say anything else, Dawn had been released and the boy had launched himself at Buffy, fists and feet flying.
The fight had barely even begun, and Buffy's lip was already burst and bleeding. Spike shot his foot out and connected with the base of the boy's spine, making him rear backwards, letting out a roar as he did so. He turned to face Spike, his eyes glowing more brightly than before, but instead of hitting him, he threw his arm out to the side and picked Buffy up by the neck, keeping eye contact with Spike all the while. Spike slammed the palm of his hand into the boy's face, connecting squarely with his nose, while kneeing him in the ribs, and then pushing him backwards with his foot against the boy's stomach all in one fluid movement. Still the stranger held the nearly choking slayer securely in his grasp, never once flinching during the vampire's assault, although drops of blood rolled their way down his face.
He used his free hand to backhand Spike, catching him on the jaw with such force it made him fly backwards into the wall behind him.
Before Spike could launch another attack, the boy threw his head backwards and screamed to the night sky, making the very ground shake. A rift began to appear in the air beside him, rippling with green light, and growing with each second that held the boy's shrill scream.
Suddenly everything was calm. Dawn looked up from the corner she had been cowering in.
'Buffy? Spike?'
But the alley was empty.
--------------------
End of part 4 by Reuladair*
Overtaking her, Spike moved to hit the stranger, but instinctively jumped back when he saw the vicious looking knife the boy had procured from somewhere and was now holding against Dawn's neck.
'A-a-a. Back off vampire. We don't want any bloodshed now do we?' The question was directed at Dawn, who shook her head as vigorously as possible without allowing the blade to come into contact with her skin.
Spike held back, his skin tingling with anger and the knowledge that he was in the presence of some primal evil. He reached a hand out to stop Buffy from advancing on the boy, shooting her a warning glance before returning his eyes to the present danger.
'Who the hell are you?' Typical Slayer, thought Spike, all violence and anger, very little logical thought or cunning planning.
'That is not important to you. What you really want to know is how you're going to get your sister out of my grasp without injuring her. It's simple. We trade sister for sister.'
Dawn wriggled in the boy's arms, irritated that she'd managed to bring trouble to Buffy again. And also, how come boys were just interested in her to get to her sister?
'Ok. How about this deal? You give me Dawn, we fight, and if you beat me, you can have me. Sound fair?'
Of course, Buffy had enough confidence to think that she would be able to beat this stranger, even with his warrior-like appearance and the Big Bad vibes he was giving off. After all, she'd taken down a god and saved the world more times than she cared to count. Add to that the fact that she had Spike on her side and she should be home safe in about 5 minutes flat.
'Buffy, I don't think…' Spike tried to reason with her, considerably less sure of their chances than she obviously was. Something about this boy disturbed him deeply, and it wasn't the fact that he seemed awfully keen to get his hands on the vampire's pseudo-girlfriend.
But before he could say anything else, Dawn had been released and the boy had launched himself at Buffy, fists and feet flying.
The fight had barely even begun, and Buffy's lip was already burst and bleeding. Spike shot his foot out and connected with the base of the boy's spine, making him rear backwards, letting out a roar as he did so. He turned to face Spike, his eyes glowing more brightly than before, but instead of hitting him, he threw his arm out to the side and picked Buffy up by the neck, keeping eye contact with Spike all the while. Spike slammed the palm of his hand into the boy's face, connecting squarely with his nose, while kneeing him in the ribs, and then pushing him backwards with his foot against the boy's stomach all in one fluid movement. Still the stranger held the nearly choking slayer securely in his grasp, never once flinching during the vampire's assault, although drops of blood rolled their way down his face.
He used his free hand to backhand Spike, catching him on the jaw with such force it made him fly backwards into the wall behind him.
Before Spike could launch another attack, the boy threw his head backwards and screamed to the night sky, making the very ground shake. A rift began to appear in the air beside him, rippling with green light, and growing with each second that held the boy's shrill scream.
Suddenly everything was calm. Dawn looked up from the corner she had been cowering in.
'Buffy? Spike?'
But the alley was empty.
--------------------
End of part 4 by Reuladair*
