Asleep Inside
O soft embalmer of the still midnight,
Shutting, with careful fingers and benign,
Our gloom-pleased eyes, embowered from the light,
Enshaded in forgetfulness divine:
O soothest Sleep! if so it please thee, close,
In midst of this thine hymn, my willing eyes,
Or wait the «Amen», ere thy hoppy throws
Around my bed its lulling charities.
Then save me, or the passed day will shine
Upon my pillow, breeding many woes, -
Save me from curious conscience, that still lords
Its strength for darkness, bun-owing like a mole;
Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards,
And seal the hushed casket of my soul.
To Sleep' by John Keats
How does the guy pay for something this big? Cordelia commented as the group stared up at the mansion.
He probably just eats the owners.
Hmm. If I'd have known he was loaded I would have--
Xander cleared his throat pointedly and for once his girlfriend took the hint. Kendra stood a little back from the group, expecting an attack at any second, but so far they had not met one Vampire. Giles was staring up at the building in silence. He hadn't been back since the events with Jenny, and even the outline of it against the sky made his stomach turn. With the silence spanning out around him he could almost imagine that he was by himself, and that it was that night again. Instead of running away he had turned around, and now alone was ready to attack and kill the monster within.
Giles, you ready? Xander asked loudly.
What? Oh, yes. Giles exhaled and pulled the small hand-axe out of his coat. Small in comparison to other axes, but still deadly. It occurred to him that they were setting themselves up for tragedy. With Buffy gone and Kendra being used to taking orders, he was inevitably in charge. Did he have that much faith in himself?
Is everyone else ready?
Yep. Troops deployed and ready for action Captain.
Cordelia and Xander, stay close. Kendra... If you want to--Take the lead.
The group walked to the mansion entrance as virtually a line, with Kendra making the only exception. When they reached the closed door the group paused and Kendra's hand wavered over the handle.
Its not locked. Giles supplied quietly.
The Slayer opened the door and immediately a Vampire sprung out from behind it. They'd been expecting it but it still made the group panic for a millisecond before Kendra's stake touched heart and all that was left was ashes. Xander let out a sigh that seemed to reflect Giles's feelings of hope draining from his body. If one Vampire made them panic then what about a room full? Kendra glanced back for clarification before leading the group in through the door. It may have been night time but outside had been bright with streetlights and the moon, inside it was almost black as pitch. The group huddled together much in the style of roman soldiers as they made their way through the first random corridor.
They found themselves in a place that was more alcove than room. The passage still continued past it but it contained at one end a window covered by thick black draped and at the other a bench pushed into the wall. Two female Vampire's lounged on the bench, looking clearly bored, while a male crouched next to them. As they sighted the Slayer they disentangled themselves and stood as one fluid unit.
Someone's been reading a little too much Anne Rice. Xander quipped.
Kendra, take the first one, we'll take the others. Giles ordered quietly.
Kendra squared off against the larger Vampire as the he in turn sized her up. The other two, slid back their human masks to reveal the creased foreheads and teeth of the demon within.
Okay, this can't be so hard. Buffy does it all the time.. Xander muttered, holding a stake up just above his shoulder.
The explosion of action was vivid, each unplanned action happening as if it was scripted. The first Vampire launched itself at Kendra and she knocked it away with a vicious kick to the side. The Vampire skidded sideways but didn't fall, immediately attacking again. Fortunately, other than its supernatural strength the demon did not seem to have much fight training. Kendra delivered two punches to its face and while bent back produced a stake and rammed it into the heart.
Giles smashed the back of his fist into the cheek of the Vampire he was fighting, then kicked her legs out from under her. As he bent down the female grabbed him by the shirt, even as he dusted her she flipped him over and onto his back.
Cordelia hit the Vampire's side with all of the strength she could but it continued to hover over Xander, canines inches away from the boy's neck. Xander strained against the vicelike grip but to no avail. He felt a sting at his neck moments before all pressure was gone. He opened his eyes and the grimace disappeared from his face.
Thanks Kendra. He said, with a smile, raising a hand gingerly to his neck to inspect the damage.
Note: Quickest way to a Vamp's heart; through his back. Cordelia said, catching her breath and dusting down her outfit.
one, Vampires; nil, We rule! Xander grinned.
***
Spike stared across at the Slayer, motionless limbs not betraying any of the fear that he felt. Her blonde hair was plastered across her face and her eyes were shut tightly. He couldn't hear a heartbeat. The white mist pressing against them both was relentless, and the demon's eyes ungiving. He could feel every subtle change in his body. Every bone breaking and the speed at which it tried to heal down to every blood vessel that popped in his eyes as he strained them looking around for anything to help.
For that moment all bravado was forgotten. He forgot that he was supposed to hate this girl, this Slayer, kill her even, drink her blood. He forgot how she hated him, a Vampire, wanted to stake him even. They were supposed to be in this together. Death wasn't part of the deal.
The first change was so subtle that he hardly noticed it. A slight slackening of the pressure on his chest. His body didn't move from the tree, but gradually he didn't feel anything. It was slightly euphoric and for a second he almost believed that he was going to heaven. Until he remembered he was a demon. The white mist grew around him, and Buffy, in turn, enveloping his whole body. Purple-tinted tendrils pushed outwards and swayed like snakes in the air as it he was the centre of some giant ball of lightening. He found that he could move, but only inside the mist. He tried to touch one of the tendrils--
--Blood on his fangs, rich and sweet, thick and intoxicating like the thing you wake up in the middle of the night craving but never putting a name to. Death in his arms. Is he a killer then?--
--and got a shock. There was a pain was not in his hand but in his head and images flashed before his eyes as if briefly he was somewhere else. It was as if his emotions had been made external. Horrified he pulled his hand back and clutched it to his chest as if the memory had burnt itself onto his fingers. What the hell is this?!
Desire.
The word popped into his brain like a thought. But not his.
Your friend didn't tell you?
The tendrils blew around him each time the voice spoke as if a powerful wind was blowing them backwards. Slowly his eyes fixed on the Leopard before him. It had not changed position since he had last seen it, but it looked subtly different. Its coat, shiny and rippling when he had flung and axe at it, was now patchy in some places, showing dead areas of skin. Weeping from its nose was thick puss and its eyes were now at red-brown alertness.
But then I don't suppose she would. She doesn't like you very much, does she? I may not exist in this realm physically, but I can still have some influence. You desire to touch the memories, don't you? Feel them? Relive? Everyone does. To see what could have been done differently. To remember happiness and joy. But each memory reminds you of failure, better days. Men turn mad viewing their pasts. Eventually. And madness is closer to my realm. I devour their souls and their spirits. And they make me strong with their foolish curiosity. I am not without mercy, should they stave their curiosity then they shall keep their minds and be forever trapped. None have escaped.
Classic bad-guy rant. Spike told himself. He'd done in a million times, tell them there is no hope, then give them hope, then take it away. It was probably pre-rehearsed. Used every time he lured a victim into his net. Perhaps he fed on fear as well. All that Spike needed now was the Slayer, despite his mistrust of the beast before him, he felt that the Slayer might know something about this beast. And it would be good for her not to be dead also.
He stretched out a hand towards her but paused when all he reached were the edges of tendrils, perhaps if he could touch both of their external minds together and jump-start her back into existence. But the pain of the memories, and the promised madness...
He growled softly before plunging his hand outwards. He shut his eyes tight as pain seared through his head, the growl of annoyance quickly growing to one of suffering. Images flashed through him as if he was in a million different places at once--
--Staring up at the stars, was anything so beautiful? He would love to live for night-time alone just to watch them--And her name was Cecily--Such a wanker, Angelus--Her Childe--Soft like satin--Destruction, good and bloody--Had a soul now did he--She just wanted to be normal--The Chosen One?--
--And he knew that he had gotten through to her. Even before opening his eyes, he knew he had managed it. With the pain still strong he retracted his hand to let it subside and watched as their two bubbles of mist stuck together. He took in a mental breath and then called out.
Slayer.
***
Slayer.
It was as if someone had thrust a hot poker into her middle. But instead of burning it just thawed out frozen organs. The first thing she was aware of was oxygen flooding into her lungs, and realising how good it was to be able to breath. One of life's underrated pleasures. And how good it was not to be dead. All that she could remember was thinking how stupid Spike was and then, boom, she was plastered up against a tree. The pressure on her chest was sudden and violent, probably cracking a few bones, and making it impossible to breath. Her heart had slowed, she'd felt the blood throbbing in her brain. Then nausea and nothing.
Slayer.
Then a voice inside her head. She tried to open her eyes but found the lids plastered shut. Her limbs didn't feel like her own anymore, not complying to simple wishes of movement. But she could breath now. That at least meant that she couldn't be dead.
Slayer.
That annoying voice confirmed it.
Spike, get the hell out of my head. She thought, half-joking.
Not bloody likely. Took you long enough to wake up.
You can actually hear me? Please tell me this isn't another one of my daydreams.
You daydream about me Slayer? I'm touched.
In the head.
Whatever. While you were sleeping I was keeping you alive.
Okay, are you some kind of angel? Spike as my angel, now that would really suck.
You're not dead, Slayer.
So I'm just mad, talking to the voices inside my head that sound like Spike. Why couldn't I have gotten Christian Slater or someone cute to do the voice for my insane inner ramblings?
This is the mind of the Slayer that kicks my ass? If I could blush I would.
Spike, what's the deal?
What didn't you tell me about this guy?
I told you everything I knew. Big evil. Emotions. Yada, yada.
You really do think as shallow as you talk.
Spike, what is going on?
Open your eyes and take a look.
Buffy was about to tell Spike that he was stupid for thinking she could do such a thing, when she felt the pressure slack on her eyelids. Cautiously she edged them open and felt for a moment as if she had gone blind. Everything around her was a blinding white. She blinked a few times before the world beyond the light swum into view. She saw the light emitting from Kakeaner, twin beams, one illuminating her and the other.... Spike.
Holy crap.
(Author's Note: Did I fool you? Everyone asked for more B/S so I started with Giles and Co. I'm evil, I know. What do you think of the BB? Scary? Not? Confusing? I love input. Doesn't mean I'll take a blind bit of notice. But I like it. Thanks for the reviews everyone :-))