New Horizons: Chapter Fifty-Seven
The Continuance
By Annie
2002-07-17
Spike knocked gently on the door to Buffy's room and there was a low "come in". He turned the knob and stepped inside, careful not to let the steaming tea he was carrying in a cup in one hand drip over the edges.
Buffy looked up from where she was lying on the bed and smiled a little as she pulled herself up into a seated position. He smiled back as he came up and sat down on the edge of the bed, observing her for a moment before reaching out the hand with the cup to her. She took it and then met his eyes.
"Buffy..." he began but she closed her eyes and shook her head which made his words bundle up in his throat and he fell silent again.
Then she opened her eyes and rested her gaze once more in his before reaching out her hands and putting the cup on the bedside table. She then placed them in her lap, letting them play with the fabric of her covers before she finally drew a breath and said:
"I thought I finally had it all figured out..."
Trailing off she made her hands lie still and then she looked up and towards her window, remembering things from long ago, things that that window had showed her and let enter her room and how it had helped her many times when she was sneaking in from a late patrol, careful so that her mother wouldn't wake.
How it had always been there, just a hole in the wall covered with a layer of glass that really wasn't very protective but always gave the perfect illusion to be.
Spike looked at her, the etched lines on her face always were more noticable when she was under pressure and now they made her almost look ghastly. Her skin seemed pale in the distant moonlight reluctantly reaching its long arms in through that very window she suddenly seemed so fixed upon. She looked ill and he was worried; he wished she would drink her tea.
Finally he asked silently:
"What do you mean, love?"
She smiled a little, shaking her head and then stopping the movement as she placed one hand on her stomach, the gesture making a wave of hurt course through him.
"I thought I could finally understand why I was brought back... even though I knew when I jumped it was my time I thought with this - with our child, with you - I could finally see the reason for my return, I could understand it. And now all it feeds is more of this...evil!" she said, her voice slightly unsteady and Spike stared at her, slowly shaking his head and reaching out to take her hand.
The soft feel of his cool fingers against her skin made her turn her head and look at him, his eyes calm and loving and comforting and strong as he firmly kept shaking his head.
"No," he now said. "Not evil."
"They took Dawn...! They might kill her...and all because of...."
But no, she couldn't say it.
"I already love her, Spike," she mumbled and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck. "I already love this baby so much."
He closed his eyes and put his arms tight around her as well, now nodding a little.
"I know," he murmured, tenderly stroking her hair with one hand. "I do too."
"We have to get Dawn out of there," Buffy said.
"Hey, did you think we'd just leave her?" Spike asked and Buffy shook her head, pulling back slightly with a small smile on her lips.
"How could I choose? How could any of us choose a life before a life? Tell me we'll find her and that everything is gonna be alright," she said, voice begging and he smiled a little before saying:
"I promise we WILL find her and everything IS gonna be alright."
She drew a small breath before pulling herself close to him again.
There was a knock on the door and they pulled apart slightly, turning towards it as it opened and Willow popped her head in through the opening.
"Torah's back," she said. "And we're ready to...brainstorm," she added and Buffy nodded, sliding out of Spike's arms and over to the edge of the bed before getting to her feet.
Spike did the same and together they continued out of the room and down stairs. The others were all waiting in the living room.
"Hi there," Buffy said to Torah who was talking to Giles.
Torah looked up with a smile and a nod, about to turn back to the conversation when Buffy lightly placed a hand on her shoulder and made her look into her eyes again.
"Where'd you go?" she asked and Torah smiled again, shrugging a little.
"For a walk," she answered and Buffy frowned slightly, taking her hand away.
"In the dark? By yourself?" she asked and Torah raised her eyebrows quizzically before nodding. "What about Tom? He's still out there...I thought you were afraid of him," the Slayer then finished and Torah tried to keep her smile from growing rigid, but it was getting to be difficult as she was realizing the blooper she had just made.
"I am," she hurriedly answered. "It's just that I went out before dusk and then I didn't realize that it got to be so late and...well, I started back here the moment I did. Realize it, I mean," she added and tried to look innocent, hoping the mask was still holding.
Buffy nodded slowly, then smiled a little and turned to Spike before they both disappeared into the kitchen.
Great, Torah thought annoyed as Giles started talking again. Dammit, she better not suspect anything! she added as she put on an interested face for Giles' blabbering about some story or history or something. Oh, must he be so BORING! she thought, her head getting more and more tired.
"...and of course that was what led to him being put in the stones, inprisoned for...well, ever," he then finished and Torah tilted her head a little, her mind clearing slightly as something rang familiar in that sentence.
"I'm sorry, who?" she asked and Giles smiled a little.
"Am I boring you?" he asked and she shook her head with a disarming smile.
"No, not at all. I find it fascinating," she stated and now he smiled.
"Oh, I very much doubt that," he said and she laughed. "Well, then. The demon known as Aktarak was who I was referring to..."
"Oh, the necklace that was stolen at the museum the other night?" Willow asked, immediately interested and Torah felt her eyes grow slightly.
I have to start working on my listening skills, she thought as she focused on the conversation brewing.
"That's right," Giles confirmed, removing his glasses and gently polishing them as he continued: "It is supposed to be an incredibly powerful artifact, or so the records on it say... What I cannot really grasp is the reason for the Trio stealing it. There isn't any spells to set the demon of Aktarak, or Karatka as his real name is, free, and so I'm not sure what they might want it for."
"Maybe they've found a loop-hole?" Tara asked and Torah had to contain herself from shooting the Wicca an evil glare.
"Perhaps," Giles agreed, Torah listening with appalled ears, the last thing she needed was this gang of mortals starting to snoop around about the necklace. "Aktarak is supposed to be one of the most powerful demons ever known to the underworld... Just imagine what hell he might create on earth were the Trio foolish enough to set him free."
At this Torah got up, hiding her widening smile the best she could and mumbling an excuse she walked through the hall and into the dining room.
"I don't know," she heard Buffy's voice saying in the kitchen and the demoness became very still as she listened. "I agree with you now... There's just something off about her."
"Well, I'm glad that you're finally beginning to see it, pet," Spike's voice said and Torah felt how her whole body was stiffening with anger. "I just don't bloody well trust her. I'd really like to know why, but I don't," he added and there was a low scuffeling with silverware and then Buffy's voice.
"I think it's too bad though, I kinda liked her."
Spike huffed.
"I never liked her," he stated and Torah squinted at the door with a gaze growing filled with malice.
Then she shrunk down in a crouching position and soon she was in cat form, which made it easier to slink unnoticed up the stairs. Reaching her room she got into human form once more and shut the door behind her before she closed her eyes and said a short sentence in the ancient tongue of her people.
"You called," a sweet voice said and Torah opened her eyes, resting them on the girl standing before her: the spitting image of the Slayer.
"Yes, child," Torah said with a smile. "It is time for you to do my bidding."
"Of course," the girl said and Torah smiled wider.
This is even easier than I ever thought, and it is just marvellous!
"Good, stay here for a moment and don't move until I come back, do you understand?"
The girl nodded and Torah smiled again before opening the door and gliding outside. She walked to the top of the stairs and there she stopped, calling down:
"Buffy! Could you come up here, please?"
There was a few seconds of silence and then Buffy appeared at the foot of the stairs gazing up at her.
"What is it, Torah?" she asked and Torah quickly put on a distraught face before gesturing for the Slayer to hurry.
"I need to show you something," she then said. "Come quick!"
With that the demon turned around and walked swiftly back towards her room, the steps of the Slayer ascending the stairs sounding loudly in her ears and she held back the triumph with difficulty as she stopped in front of her own bedroom door, Buffy coming towards her down the hall.
"What's the matter?" she asked impatiently and Torah didn't answer as she pushed the door open and stepped inside, grabbing Buffy's arm and pulling her with her before closing the door behind their backs. "What is it?!" Buffy demanded and Torah reached out a hand to flip the switch of the overhead lamp.
"Hello, there," a voice said to Buffy's left as the room flooded with light and Buffy turned her head in surprise, her eyes growing large at the sight of the girl, the mirror image of herself, slowly making her way forwards from the window.
Buffy tried to open her mouth to ask what the hell was going on but her lips wouldn't move and she turned her head to Torah who's face was covered by such a sadistic smile it completely distorted her features.
"Time to lose," she hissed and made a small sign to the strange girl to leave the room. "And remember," Torah then said and the girl paused, hand on the knob, waiting for the demon to finish, "you only listen to the name Buffy."
The girl nodded before exiting the room, the door closing softly behind her.
Buffy stared at the woman she had practically considered a friend with unmasked hate and grief at what she was doing. Torah merely smiled again, shaking her head a little at the Slayer.
"I HATE to cheat," Torah suddenly said, "even though this isn't EXACTLY cheating on my part, I'm just bending the rules a little...making you slightly off balance ahead of the finish line...to speak metaphorically, that is."
Buffy glared at her, wanting to make some kind of noise so that her friends would understand something wasn't right, only problem was she couldn't move.
"Let's go see your sister, Buffy," Torah said gently. "What do you say?"
Before Buffy could respond they were moving through the air, the world a blurr around them and then Buffy heard Dawn's voice calling out her name.
***
Spike looked up when Buffy came downstairs again. She smiled warmly at him before turning right and walking into the kitchen.
"Torah gave me a lead so I'm going out!" she suddenly called, the kitchen door opening and closing before anyone could really react and Spike got to his feet.
"I'll go check what that was all about," he excused himself before walking into the kitchen and opening the door outside. "Buffy?!" he called, but there was no sign of her.
He frowned slightly.
"I'll be back in a while!" he then yelled to the others before stepping outside and starting to track her.
In the living room the five left looked from one to the other.
"That was weird..." Willow said slowly and the others agreed silently. "Okay, so we should try to check this theory of yours out, Giles," she then added and Tara nodded.
"Yeah, if it is as you say, that this demon 'king' or whatever he liked to call himself...well, if his queen shared his fate then..."
"...there should be something written about her as well," Willow filled in.
"Right," Tara agreed, nodding again. "And maybe it'll just totally explain everything, right?" she added and Giles smiled a little.
"I'm happy that you share your enthusiasm, but I haven't found out that much about this other talisman... Only its name: The stone of Harot. I can't seem to find out anything about when this demoness was supposedly put in it or what incantation was supposedly created to free her... It's as though these records have been deleted or removed... Hidden, if you will."
Willow straightened her back a little, staring at Giles before saying:
"Why did they put Karatka backwards at first? I mean, you called it 'the necklace of Aktarak', but then you said..."
"Yes, you are quite right," Giles interrupted softly, nodding. "The priests who created the kind of prison, which the necklace was, thought it bad luck to actually say the name of the demon outloud; and so they put it backwards, I believe, to keep a curse from falling upon them. The stone of Harot is just as old and probably made by different priests but the old myth stuck with it, I suppose..."
Willow just kept staring at him and now the others turned their eyes on her just as Giles did. He looked quizzical for a brief second and then it dawned on him. Shaking his head at himself he grumbled:
"Of course, why didn't I see it before?"
***
Buffy felt her eyes finally focus and then Dawn's anxious gaze met hers.
"Buffy, are you okay? Buffy, say something! Can you see me? Buffy, can you hear me?!" her voice asked and Buffy nodded a little, shaking her head slightly to clear her mind and then looking around at where they were located.
A small, rotten little basement.
"What grand settings are these, my eyes goeth blind!" she quipped and then clenched her jaws together in irritation at the whole situation.
She suddenly realized that they weren't alone, that three of the minion demons stood silent by the wall to her left and when she turned her head her eyes first met a pair of chocolate brown ones, belonging to a man, and shortly following that the cold stare of Torah, who's lips wore a small and gleeful smile.
"You back-stabbing little..." she murmured and Torah laughed, heartily, shaking her head.
"Not at all, dear friend and Slayer of the Innocent, I am simply...winning," she stated and Buffy furrowed her brow a little.
"'Slayer of the Innocent?'" she asked, not following, and Torah took a step forward, her voice quivering with emotion as she said:
"Yes, of MY people, of MY subjects, of MY poor fellow demons!"
Buffy eyed her for a moment, and then she smiled a sweet smile.
"You have got to be kidding me," she said in a low voice and Torah's eyes flashed with anger.
"You KILL them, as though they mean nothing!" she exclaimed, the rage getting the better of her, Buffy still smiling a little, shaking her head.
"Torah, they come into MY world and try to kill MY people, THEY feast on HUMANS as though they mean nothing and you dare to call them innocent? If they could just be smart enough to stay the hell away from the surface of the earth and maybe just crawl into dungeons or caves or wherever it is that you live, if they could stay in their OWN dimensions I wouldn't have to kill them," she stated soberly and then her smile faded, her eyes became hard and she added: "As it is, I have to, don't I?"
Torah glared at her and then her face went smooth and she seemed to adopt a state of calm as she took a step back again, once more standing by the man.
"Who's that?" Buffy asked and the man raised his eyebrows slightly.
"My name is Karatka, and I can speak for myself," he said with a small smile. "I am king and Torah is my queen," he added and Buffy frowned.
"Karatka, the necklace guy?" she asked a little disbelieving and then shaking her head slightly, that she hadn't put two and two together earlier was seriously starting to get on her nerves. "Well then, your HIGHness maybe you should ask your wifey there to go easy on the name calling, she just spent the last few days lying to my face," she now growled, Karatka's expression not changing as he observed her for a moment before turning to his queen.
Torah didn't take her eyes off the Slayer.
"I was just having some fun," she then huffed and Buffy's eyebrows shot up.
"That's what you all say," she then stated calmly before turning to Dawn, ignoring the growing annoyance on Torah's face. "Are you alright?" she asked her sister and Dawn nodded.
"Buffy, I'm so sorry that I managed to get myself into a mess again!" she then said and Buffy smiled a little, shaking her head.
"Not your mess this time," she then answered. "My job to clean this one up but I'd appreciate your help," she added and Dawn smiled at that, nodding.
"Shut up," Torah suddenly snapped and both sisters turned their heads to her. "You have both been getting on my nerves for far too long, it will be a delicious relief to finally be rid of you."
"My darling," Karatka said slowly. "Not yet."
Torah merely smiled.
"Of course not," she agreed.
Buffy couldn't believe her, this supposed-person-turning-out-to-be-a-demon act was aggravating every last cell of her and she wanted to kick the demons butts from there to Kingdom come. The audacity of this Torah thing to actually weasel her way into the very home of humans and make them participans in this lunatic scheme of hers...!
"What EXACTLY do you want?" Buffy asked and Torah smiled.
"To play a little...before I terminate you, that is," she answered simply and Buffy ground her teeth, trying to move and not able to she cursed the supernatural powers of these beings.
"Playing; that's what you've been doing all along, isn't it?!" Buffy asked, struggling with the bond holding her down.
Torah smiled again.
"Yes," she confirmed and then she moved forward, stopping right in front of the Slayer. "There's no use," she then added, "you can't break free."
Buffy relaxed slightly, not facing the fact of giving up, but simply because she was already tired.
"Oh, she's worried about something," Karatka said suddenly and Buffy looked up at him with a questioning gaze in her eyes.
"Careful..." Dawn warned. "He's a..."
She didn't get any further, her tongue was tied, literally. But Buffy thought she understood and tried desperately to shut her thoughts down.
"It's buried deep," the demon king now said, coming forth as well and grabbing a light hold under Buffy's chin, making her look into his eyes.
She tried to close them, but there was no use.
"She's afraid for her baby," he mumbled and at that Torah smiled, nodding.
"Good," she said as Karatka let Buffy's chin go, taking a step back again. "You should be," she then added and Buffy looked up, feeling powerless in the tight hold of the demon.
"You'll pay," Dawn suddenly whispered. "I swear that if you do anything to that baby you'll pay."
Torah turned her eyes to the younger one and smiled as a small glow started up in her eyes.
"Hate?" she asked in a low voice. "Is that hate in your tone, sapien?" she then added and the smile grew larger. "How fabulously wicked to sow it in your chest," she then stated and Dawn glared at her, Buffy taking a breath in anger.
"The show is almost about to start," Karatka suddenly said and Torah turned to her husband, clapping her hands in a childish gesture and walking up to him.
"Bring it on," she said with a laugh and suddenly the wall behind them showed the image of...
"Spike!" Buffy called out. "What is he doing...?" she added to herself, watching him run towards something unseen.
"You'll see," Torah said, a low laugh was heard again and then she turned to the Slayer who's eyes were growing. "You'll see," she whispered.
***
Spike ran almost without thinking, following her scent. He was worried, she had been acting funny the whole evening, the taking of Dawn had hit her hard and the latter outlook of having to make a choice between two peices of herself had gotten to her much more than she had lead on, he was sure of it.
This life they shared between them now, it was greater than anything either one of them had ever been a part of. He felt his heart jump in his chest every time he thought about it, it was still so unreal. Now he just HAD to find Buffy. He wasn't certain what she might do if...
He stopped short.
Had he really heard that?
Yes, there it was again, her laughter. He frowned slightly as he realized he was at his old cemetery, then he proceeded to walk towards the now stronger sound of her voice.
"Billy, be careful. I don't have much time..."
"What did you tell him?"
"I just said I was following up on a lead... nothing special. Although it doesn't take much, he trusts me even more now than before, now that I 'trust' HIM," her voice said and Spike felt something thick and black start to build in his chest as he walked up to a large headstone and leaned against it for a moment before peaking around it.
A few yards away, leaning against a tree, was his love with the hands of another man gliding over her as she smiled up at him just to meet his lips in a deep kiss.
Spike furrowed his brow, wanting to beat the black rising beneath his breast back, but he felt the rage and deceit and the gutting pain start to thump in every nerve and he swallowed hard.
"He's such a dummie," Billy said and Buffy nodded.
"Hey, he's a vampire, what the hell did you expect?" she asked and the man laughed a low laugh, sounding very much as though he was agreeing.
The words Spike had spoken to Torah came back with another hard gush of the pain and as it rang through his head his face changed from pale human to cold predator.
'If Buffy ever cheated on me I'd kill the bloke. Even if he was a bloody human I'd endure the pain and savor the joy of ripping his head off his shoulders.'
As Billy once more bent down, his lips meeting hers, Spike saw nothing but a cloud of red and burst out from his hiding place with a growl of fury.
The Continuance
By Annie
2002-07-17
Spike knocked gently on the door to Buffy's room and there was a low "come in". He turned the knob and stepped inside, careful not to let the steaming tea he was carrying in a cup in one hand drip over the edges.
Buffy looked up from where she was lying on the bed and smiled a little as she pulled herself up into a seated position. He smiled back as he came up and sat down on the edge of the bed, observing her for a moment before reaching out the hand with the cup to her. She took it and then met his eyes.
"Buffy..." he began but she closed her eyes and shook her head which made his words bundle up in his throat and he fell silent again.
Then she opened her eyes and rested her gaze once more in his before reaching out her hands and putting the cup on the bedside table. She then placed them in her lap, letting them play with the fabric of her covers before she finally drew a breath and said:
"I thought I finally had it all figured out..."
Trailing off she made her hands lie still and then she looked up and towards her window, remembering things from long ago, things that that window had showed her and let enter her room and how it had helped her many times when she was sneaking in from a late patrol, careful so that her mother wouldn't wake.
How it had always been there, just a hole in the wall covered with a layer of glass that really wasn't very protective but always gave the perfect illusion to be.
Spike looked at her, the etched lines on her face always were more noticable when she was under pressure and now they made her almost look ghastly. Her skin seemed pale in the distant moonlight reluctantly reaching its long arms in through that very window she suddenly seemed so fixed upon. She looked ill and he was worried; he wished she would drink her tea.
Finally he asked silently:
"What do you mean, love?"
She smiled a little, shaking her head and then stopping the movement as she placed one hand on her stomach, the gesture making a wave of hurt course through him.
"I thought I could finally understand why I was brought back... even though I knew when I jumped it was my time I thought with this - with our child, with you - I could finally see the reason for my return, I could understand it. And now all it feeds is more of this...evil!" she said, her voice slightly unsteady and Spike stared at her, slowly shaking his head and reaching out to take her hand.
The soft feel of his cool fingers against her skin made her turn her head and look at him, his eyes calm and loving and comforting and strong as he firmly kept shaking his head.
"No," he now said. "Not evil."
"They took Dawn...! They might kill her...and all because of...."
But no, she couldn't say it.
"I already love her, Spike," she mumbled and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck. "I already love this baby so much."
He closed his eyes and put his arms tight around her as well, now nodding a little.
"I know," he murmured, tenderly stroking her hair with one hand. "I do too."
"We have to get Dawn out of there," Buffy said.
"Hey, did you think we'd just leave her?" Spike asked and Buffy shook her head, pulling back slightly with a small smile on her lips.
"How could I choose? How could any of us choose a life before a life? Tell me we'll find her and that everything is gonna be alright," she said, voice begging and he smiled a little before saying:
"I promise we WILL find her and everything IS gonna be alright."
She drew a small breath before pulling herself close to him again.
There was a knock on the door and they pulled apart slightly, turning towards it as it opened and Willow popped her head in through the opening.
"Torah's back," she said. "And we're ready to...brainstorm," she added and Buffy nodded, sliding out of Spike's arms and over to the edge of the bed before getting to her feet.
Spike did the same and together they continued out of the room and down stairs. The others were all waiting in the living room.
"Hi there," Buffy said to Torah who was talking to Giles.
Torah looked up with a smile and a nod, about to turn back to the conversation when Buffy lightly placed a hand on her shoulder and made her look into her eyes again.
"Where'd you go?" she asked and Torah smiled again, shrugging a little.
"For a walk," she answered and Buffy frowned slightly, taking her hand away.
"In the dark? By yourself?" she asked and Torah raised her eyebrows quizzically before nodding. "What about Tom? He's still out there...I thought you were afraid of him," the Slayer then finished and Torah tried to keep her smile from growing rigid, but it was getting to be difficult as she was realizing the blooper she had just made.
"I am," she hurriedly answered. "It's just that I went out before dusk and then I didn't realize that it got to be so late and...well, I started back here the moment I did. Realize it, I mean," she added and tried to look innocent, hoping the mask was still holding.
Buffy nodded slowly, then smiled a little and turned to Spike before they both disappeared into the kitchen.
Great, Torah thought annoyed as Giles started talking again. Dammit, she better not suspect anything! she added as she put on an interested face for Giles' blabbering about some story or history or something. Oh, must he be so BORING! she thought, her head getting more and more tired.
"...and of course that was what led to him being put in the stones, inprisoned for...well, ever," he then finished and Torah tilted her head a little, her mind clearing slightly as something rang familiar in that sentence.
"I'm sorry, who?" she asked and Giles smiled a little.
"Am I boring you?" he asked and she shook her head with a disarming smile.
"No, not at all. I find it fascinating," she stated and now he smiled.
"Oh, I very much doubt that," he said and she laughed. "Well, then. The demon known as Aktarak was who I was referring to..."
"Oh, the necklace that was stolen at the museum the other night?" Willow asked, immediately interested and Torah felt her eyes grow slightly.
I have to start working on my listening skills, she thought as she focused on the conversation brewing.
"That's right," Giles confirmed, removing his glasses and gently polishing them as he continued: "It is supposed to be an incredibly powerful artifact, or so the records on it say... What I cannot really grasp is the reason for the Trio stealing it. There isn't any spells to set the demon of Aktarak, or Karatka as his real name is, free, and so I'm not sure what they might want it for."
"Maybe they've found a loop-hole?" Tara asked and Torah had to contain herself from shooting the Wicca an evil glare.
"Perhaps," Giles agreed, Torah listening with appalled ears, the last thing she needed was this gang of mortals starting to snoop around about the necklace. "Aktarak is supposed to be one of the most powerful demons ever known to the underworld... Just imagine what hell he might create on earth were the Trio foolish enough to set him free."
At this Torah got up, hiding her widening smile the best she could and mumbling an excuse she walked through the hall and into the dining room.
"I don't know," she heard Buffy's voice saying in the kitchen and the demoness became very still as she listened. "I agree with you now... There's just something off about her."
"Well, I'm glad that you're finally beginning to see it, pet," Spike's voice said and Torah felt how her whole body was stiffening with anger. "I just don't bloody well trust her. I'd really like to know why, but I don't," he added and there was a low scuffeling with silverware and then Buffy's voice.
"I think it's too bad though, I kinda liked her."
Spike huffed.
"I never liked her," he stated and Torah squinted at the door with a gaze growing filled with malice.
Then she shrunk down in a crouching position and soon she was in cat form, which made it easier to slink unnoticed up the stairs. Reaching her room she got into human form once more and shut the door behind her before she closed her eyes and said a short sentence in the ancient tongue of her people.
"You called," a sweet voice said and Torah opened her eyes, resting them on the girl standing before her: the spitting image of the Slayer.
"Yes, child," Torah said with a smile. "It is time for you to do my bidding."
"Of course," the girl said and Torah smiled wider.
This is even easier than I ever thought, and it is just marvellous!
"Good, stay here for a moment and don't move until I come back, do you understand?"
The girl nodded and Torah smiled again before opening the door and gliding outside. She walked to the top of the stairs and there she stopped, calling down:
"Buffy! Could you come up here, please?"
There was a few seconds of silence and then Buffy appeared at the foot of the stairs gazing up at her.
"What is it, Torah?" she asked and Torah quickly put on a distraught face before gesturing for the Slayer to hurry.
"I need to show you something," she then said. "Come quick!"
With that the demon turned around and walked swiftly back towards her room, the steps of the Slayer ascending the stairs sounding loudly in her ears and she held back the triumph with difficulty as she stopped in front of her own bedroom door, Buffy coming towards her down the hall.
"What's the matter?" she asked impatiently and Torah didn't answer as she pushed the door open and stepped inside, grabbing Buffy's arm and pulling her with her before closing the door behind their backs. "What is it?!" Buffy demanded and Torah reached out a hand to flip the switch of the overhead lamp.
"Hello, there," a voice said to Buffy's left as the room flooded with light and Buffy turned her head in surprise, her eyes growing large at the sight of the girl, the mirror image of herself, slowly making her way forwards from the window.
Buffy tried to open her mouth to ask what the hell was going on but her lips wouldn't move and she turned her head to Torah who's face was covered by such a sadistic smile it completely distorted her features.
"Time to lose," she hissed and made a small sign to the strange girl to leave the room. "And remember," Torah then said and the girl paused, hand on the knob, waiting for the demon to finish, "you only listen to the name Buffy."
The girl nodded before exiting the room, the door closing softly behind her.
Buffy stared at the woman she had practically considered a friend with unmasked hate and grief at what she was doing. Torah merely smiled again, shaking her head a little at the Slayer.
"I HATE to cheat," Torah suddenly said, "even though this isn't EXACTLY cheating on my part, I'm just bending the rules a little...making you slightly off balance ahead of the finish line...to speak metaphorically, that is."
Buffy glared at her, wanting to make some kind of noise so that her friends would understand something wasn't right, only problem was she couldn't move.
"Let's go see your sister, Buffy," Torah said gently. "What do you say?"
Before Buffy could respond they were moving through the air, the world a blurr around them and then Buffy heard Dawn's voice calling out her name.
***
Spike looked up when Buffy came downstairs again. She smiled warmly at him before turning right and walking into the kitchen.
"Torah gave me a lead so I'm going out!" she suddenly called, the kitchen door opening and closing before anyone could really react and Spike got to his feet.
"I'll go check what that was all about," he excused himself before walking into the kitchen and opening the door outside. "Buffy?!" he called, but there was no sign of her.
He frowned slightly.
"I'll be back in a while!" he then yelled to the others before stepping outside and starting to track her.
In the living room the five left looked from one to the other.
"That was weird..." Willow said slowly and the others agreed silently. "Okay, so we should try to check this theory of yours out, Giles," she then added and Tara nodded.
"Yeah, if it is as you say, that this demon 'king' or whatever he liked to call himself...well, if his queen shared his fate then..."
"...there should be something written about her as well," Willow filled in.
"Right," Tara agreed, nodding again. "And maybe it'll just totally explain everything, right?" she added and Giles smiled a little.
"I'm happy that you share your enthusiasm, but I haven't found out that much about this other talisman... Only its name: The stone of Harot. I can't seem to find out anything about when this demoness was supposedly put in it or what incantation was supposedly created to free her... It's as though these records have been deleted or removed... Hidden, if you will."
Willow straightened her back a little, staring at Giles before saying:
"Why did they put Karatka backwards at first? I mean, you called it 'the necklace of Aktarak', but then you said..."
"Yes, you are quite right," Giles interrupted softly, nodding. "The priests who created the kind of prison, which the necklace was, thought it bad luck to actually say the name of the demon outloud; and so they put it backwards, I believe, to keep a curse from falling upon them. The stone of Harot is just as old and probably made by different priests but the old myth stuck with it, I suppose..."
Willow just kept staring at him and now the others turned their eyes on her just as Giles did. He looked quizzical for a brief second and then it dawned on him. Shaking his head at himself he grumbled:
"Of course, why didn't I see it before?"
***
Buffy felt her eyes finally focus and then Dawn's anxious gaze met hers.
"Buffy, are you okay? Buffy, say something! Can you see me? Buffy, can you hear me?!" her voice asked and Buffy nodded a little, shaking her head slightly to clear her mind and then looking around at where they were located.
A small, rotten little basement.
"What grand settings are these, my eyes goeth blind!" she quipped and then clenched her jaws together in irritation at the whole situation.
She suddenly realized that they weren't alone, that three of the minion demons stood silent by the wall to her left and when she turned her head her eyes first met a pair of chocolate brown ones, belonging to a man, and shortly following that the cold stare of Torah, who's lips wore a small and gleeful smile.
"You back-stabbing little..." she murmured and Torah laughed, heartily, shaking her head.
"Not at all, dear friend and Slayer of the Innocent, I am simply...winning," she stated and Buffy furrowed her brow a little.
"'Slayer of the Innocent?'" she asked, not following, and Torah took a step forward, her voice quivering with emotion as she said:
"Yes, of MY people, of MY subjects, of MY poor fellow demons!"
Buffy eyed her for a moment, and then she smiled a sweet smile.
"You have got to be kidding me," she said in a low voice and Torah's eyes flashed with anger.
"You KILL them, as though they mean nothing!" she exclaimed, the rage getting the better of her, Buffy still smiling a little, shaking her head.
"Torah, they come into MY world and try to kill MY people, THEY feast on HUMANS as though they mean nothing and you dare to call them innocent? If they could just be smart enough to stay the hell away from the surface of the earth and maybe just crawl into dungeons or caves or wherever it is that you live, if they could stay in their OWN dimensions I wouldn't have to kill them," she stated soberly and then her smile faded, her eyes became hard and she added: "As it is, I have to, don't I?"
Torah glared at her and then her face went smooth and she seemed to adopt a state of calm as she took a step back again, once more standing by the man.
"Who's that?" Buffy asked and the man raised his eyebrows slightly.
"My name is Karatka, and I can speak for myself," he said with a small smile. "I am king and Torah is my queen," he added and Buffy frowned.
"Karatka, the necklace guy?" she asked a little disbelieving and then shaking her head slightly, that she hadn't put two and two together earlier was seriously starting to get on her nerves. "Well then, your HIGHness maybe you should ask your wifey there to go easy on the name calling, she just spent the last few days lying to my face," she now growled, Karatka's expression not changing as he observed her for a moment before turning to his queen.
Torah didn't take her eyes off the Slayer.
"I was just having some fun," she then huffed and Buffy's eyebrows shot up.
"That's what you all say," she then stated calmly before turning to Dawn, ignoring the growing annoyance on Torah's face. "Are you alright?" she asked her sister and Dawn nodded.
"Buffy, I'm so sorry that I managed to get myself into a mess again!" she then said and Buffy smiled a little, shaking her head.
"Not your mess this time," she then answered. "My job to clean this one up but I'd appreciate your help," she added and Dawn smiled at that, nodding.
"Shut up," Torah suddenly snapped and both sisters turned their heads to her. "You have both been getting on my nerves for far too long, it will be a delicious relief to finally be rid of you."
"My darling," Karatka said slowly. "Not yet."
Torah merely smiled.
"Of course not," she agreed.
Buffy couldn't believe her, this supposed-person-turning-out-to-be-a-demon act was aggravating every last cell of her and she wanted to kick the demons butts from there to Kingdom come. The audacity of this Torah thing to actually weasel her way into the very home of humans and make them participans in this lunatic scheme of hers...!
"What EXACTLY do you want?" Buffy asked and Torah smiled.
"To play a little...before I terminate you, that is," she answered simply and Buffy ground her teeth, trying to move and not able to she cursed the supernatural powers of these beings.
"Playing; that's what you've been doing all along, isn't it?!" Buffy asked, struggling with the bond holding her down.
Torah smiled again.
"Yes," she confirmed and then she moved forward, stopping right in front of the Slayer. "There's no use," she then added, "you can't break free."
Buffy relaxed slightly, not facing the fact of giving up, but simply because she was already tired.
"Oh, she's worried about something," Karatka said suddenly and Buffy looked up at him with a questioning gaze in her eyes.
"Careful..." Dawn warned. "He's a..."
She didn't get any further, her tongue was tied, literally. But Buffy thought she understood and tried desperately to shut her thoughts down.
"It's buried deep," the demon king now said, coming forth as well and grabbing a light hold under Buffy's chin, making her look into his eyes.
She tried to close them, but there was no use.
"She's afraid for her baby," he mumbled and at that Torah smiled, nodding.
"Good," she said as Karatka let Buffy's chin go, taking a step back again. "You should be," she then added and Buffy looked up, feeling powerless in the tight hold of the demon.
"You'll pay," Dawn suddenly whispered. "I swear that if you do anything to that baby you'll pay."
Torah turned her eyes to the younger one and smiled as a small glow started up in her eyes.
"Hate?" she asked in a low voice. "Is that hate in your tone, sapien?" she then added and the smile grew larger. "How fabulously wicked to sow it in your chest," she then stated and Dawn glared at her, Buffy taking a breath in anger.
"The show is almost about to start," Karatka suddenly said and Torah turned to her husband, clapping her hands in a childish gesture and walking up to him.
"Bring it on," she said with a laugh and suddenly the wall behind them showed the image of...
"Spike!" Buffy called out. "What is he doing...?" she added to herself, watching him run towards something unseen.
"You'll see," Torah said, a low laugh was heard again and then she turned to the Slayer who's eyes were growing. "You'll see," she whispered.
***
Spike ran almost without thinking, following her scent. He was worried, she had been acting funny the whole evening, the taking of Dawn had hit her hard and the latter outlook of having to make a choice between two peices of herself had gotten to her much more than she had lead on, he was sure of it.
This life they shared between them now, it was greater than anything either one of them had ever been a part of. He felt his heart jump in his chest every time he thought about it, it was still so unreal. Now he just HAD to find Buffy. He wasn't certain what she might do if...
He stopped short.
Had he really heard that?
Yes, there it was again, her laughter. He frowned slightly as he realized he was at his old cemetery, then he proceeded to walk towards the now stronger sound of her voice.
"Billy, be careful. I don't have much time..."
"What did you tell him?"
"I just said I was following up on a lead... nothing special. Although it doesn't take much, he trusts me even more now than before, now that I 'trust' HIM," her voice said and Spike felt something thick and black start to build in his chest as he walked up to a large headstone and leaned against it for a moment before peaking around it.
A few yards away, leaning against a tree, was his love with the hands of another man gliding over her as she smiled up at him just to meet his lips in a deep kiss.
Spike furrowed his brow, wanting to beat the black rising beneath his breast back, but he felt the rage and deceit and the gutting pain start to thump in every nerve and he swallowed hard.
"He's such a dummie," Billy said and Buffy nodded.
"Hey, he's a vampire, what the hell did you expect?" she asked and the man laughed a low laugh, sounding very much as though he was agreeing.
The words Spike had spoken to Torah came back with another hard gush of the pain and as it rang through his head his face changed from pale human to cold predator.
'If Buffy ever cheated on me I'd kill the bloke. Even if he was a bloody human I'd endure the pain and savor the joy of ripping his head off his shoulders.'
As Billy once more bent down, his lips meeting hers, Spike saw nothing but a cloud of red and burst out from his hiding place with a growl of fury.