Part 6
Fighting Fernando's minions wasn't that hard. The younger ones were inexperienced. But Fernando had compensated with an apparently inexhaustible supply of minions who continued to arrive in waves of five. But, then again, he had not expected the Slayer to have a friend.
Xander was armed with a supersoaker full of holy water and a water canister was strapped on his back. A large cross swung from his neck. He sprayed holy water on the first five minions who approached, but missed one. Buffy was preoccupied with the second wave of minions, quickly winnowing them down from five to two. Xander kept spraying, but the third and fourth waves had arrived and the vampire he had missed earlier was still harrying him.
As Xander narrowed the playing field, sending six minions to a damp and dusty death, a vampire ambushed him from behind. Xander tried to struggle, but the supersoaker made it difficult to move. He grabbed a stake from his back pocket, but it was too late. He felt a sharp pain as razor sharp teeth tore his skin and flesh.
"Buffy," Xander gasped. He was beginning to feel woozy as the vampire fed.
Buffy was busy trying to find the stake that got knocked out of her hand. She looked up when she heard her name. She saw the vampire feeding off of Xander, and a part of her died. The distraction of Xander gave another minion the opportunity to tackle her to the ground.
"Buffy?" Xander could feel the life being drained from his body untilpoof. A burst of air and dust exploded around him. Xander turned to see a shadowy figure behind him and then passed out.
Buffy was being pummelled by four vampires. Then he stepped in. He dusted two vampires quickly while Buffy handled the last two with ease. She looked at the masked stranger dressed in army fatigues. Maybe it was one of them commando guys. Her questions were forgotten as she looked to Xander and ran over to him. He was still breathing and his a pulse was little weak, but he would survive.
A car roared around the corner. It was Giles. Buffy and Giles put Xander in the car while the stranger turned to leave, but another set of minions came running in their direction. He jumped in the passenger side, and Giles tore off down the road not even questioning the stranger's presence. In the back seat Buffy cradled Xander's head in her lap as she applied pressure to his wound.
* * *
"How the hell did she get away?" Fernando hissed at his minions.
Silence echoed through the room.
"I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself," Lily observed. Her amused gaze turned on him and he grabbed her hungrily. She smiled at his roughness.
"Did you at least find out where she went?" Fernando turned back his attention to his minions.
Silence.
"This is just perfect."
"There was a man that helped her. A masked man," a minion by the name of Heidi volunteered. .
Fernando raised his eyebrow, "A masked man?"
"Yes. He fought for her and left with her. He was strong. Not human."
"Vampire perhaps?"
"I dunno."
"Thank you, Heidi. All of you get out of my sight. Except Heidi." Fernando still had her in his grasp, but he released her as the minions left. "Lily, I'll see you later."
She smiled innocently at him and left the room.
"Heidi, who was your sire?"
"Angelus," she looked at him with hope and approval.
"He was a good warrior until the change. But you now are loyal to me, right?"
"Of course, Fernando." Heidi's brown eyes danced as he came closer to her. She was young, turned at seventeen. She had that all-American look, light brown hair and brown eyes. He stepped toward her and cupped her face in his hands.
"Are you sure that it wasn't Angel?"
"Yes. One hundred percent. Not Angelus or that thing Angel."
"Good. That's all."
* * *
Giles and the stranger carried Xander into Buffy's house and laid him on the couch. The commotion brought Joyce came downstairs . She looked at Buffy, Giles and
"Spike. You found them ," Joyce smiled.
Spike took off the ski mask as Buffy and Giles turned around in utter shock.
"Spike?" Buffy gasped. She didn't know whether to be glad or angry. After the Gem of Amara battle and him torturing Angel in LA, she should be ready to rip out his throat, but she was glad he'd saved Xander.
"Honey , he said that you needed help and I told him where to find you ," Joyce said bringing gauze and hydrogen peroxide to clean Xander's wound.
"To help me? Yeah right. You do remember that he is a vampire, don't you mom?" Buffy scoffed.
"So was Angel," Joyce said annoyed at her daughter's tone of voice.
"Don't bother arguing with mum, here. You're going to need my help against Fernando." Spike said to Buffy. Buffy hadn't looked at him long enough for him to read her mind. So Spike turned to Giles.
//Him helping Buffy? The prophecy. Good lord, I always assumed that it was Angel.//
"The prophecy? AhhI came because of it. I mean Fernando asked me to help him kill the slayers. But that one - Kendra - I thought Dru killed her?"
"When one dies, another is called. The other slayer is Faith, but she's in a coma," Buffy replied.
Suddenly Buffy's final year of hell in high school was implanted into his mind at the mention of the other slayer.
"Wow, I've missed a lot of fun," Spike exclaimed, flashing Buffy a sexy little smile.
"Uhh?" Buffy asked confused. //I hate him. He is so arrogant. Stop smiling like that.//
Spike laughed. But Joyce's glare stopped him.
"How did you know about the prophecy, Spike?" Giles asked.
"Heard of it. Not much details though," Spike covered.
"The prophecy states that only the Slayer and the most powerful vampire can defeat the Master Fernando. They would meld into one and destroy him," Giles recollected.
"Meld into one?" Buffy and Joyce asked at the same time.
"I don't know what that is suppose to mean. Do you?"
Buffy, Giles and Joyce looked at Spike.
//I hope that meld into one doesn't mean sex.//
//What if it's not Spike? Since when is Spike the most powerful vampire anyway?//
//I wonder if Xander will be fine. He looks so pale.//
"I wouldn't mind if it did, cutieI am extremely powerful, Giles. I have powers beyond your wildest dreams. And the boy here just needs to rest up he'll be fine in a couple of hours, don't worry , Joyce." Spike replied to them.
"What?" Buffy and Giles exclaimed at the same time.
"Good lord. You can read minds." Giles gasped.
Spike smiled and nodded. Xander stirred on the couch and then his eyes flew open.
"What happened?"
"A vampire got you, Xan." Buffy said kneeling down next to him. Xander looked past Buffy at Spike.
"How much blood did I lose? Cause, I swear that Spike is standing behind you."
"No , you're seeing just fine. He saved you." Buffy grumbled, turning back to stare at the demon .
"IT must be the hellmouth." Xander replied closing his eyes.
Buffy huffed, "I know."
* * *
TBC
Notes: I forgot on the first chapter to thank my ever wonderful and faithful beta Wyrdin who must get lots of praise for betaing my fics cause it is definitely not an easy job. Thank you! Thank you! You are the best beta ever.