Loving Eternally: Chapter 10
by Lisette
Legalese: See Chapter 1 for disclaimers and ratings.
Sighing, Riley kicked aimlessly at the pebbles that dotted the hard stone floor, listening as they ticked hollowly off one another, scattering in every direction to ping off the cold, iron bars of their cell. It had been hours since their talk with their captor, Drusilla, as some of her minions called her. Since then they had been left alone in their dark prison, helpless to do anything but sit, watch, and wait. For what, they could only fear.
"What do you think she meant?" Riley finally asked his quiet friends, his eyes sweeping over the large cavern once more. It seemed to be a natural, large square cavern of craggy stone that dipped out of hidden shadows. It was bare save for three focal points of activity: their prison, which sat opposite of an ovaled doorway that broke off into darkness directly across from them (focal point number two), and another archway that led off into darkness to their right (focal point number three). Here and there the seeping darkness was obliterated by a few brightly glowing torches, illuminating the dark figures that moved with a grace that defied humanity: vampires.
"Which part?" Will asked quietly as he gently picked at the flaking blood that dotted his burning scalp.
"The blood part," was Riley's solemn reply as his dark brown eyes locked with those of his friends.
"I'd rather not guess," was Will's quiet reply, his hand dropping from his forehead as his eyes darted back and forth to the monsters that threw occasional, hungry glances in their direction.
Sighing loudly, Alex stretched aching muscles as she threw her red-headed friend a disbelieving glance. "You, Will, of all people, should know exactly what she was talking about," she muttered, her tone a mix of sarcasm and anger.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he quickly retorted, matching her stony stare before guiltily turning his eyes away.
"Well, going on the assumption that vampires do exist," she continued, her tone full of vicious sarcasm, "and I don't know about you, but I'm really starting to think twice about all of those myths we were told as children - then I guess we're looking at dinner here - their dinner where we're the main course!"
"I don't think so," Riley broke in, stopping the argument before it began as he slowly lowered his hand and rapped it softly against the hard stone floor. "Cause if we were merely food, why take us here and imprison us? Why wait? They could have eaten us when they.. when they ate our parents," he finished bitterly, his voice a hollow monotone.
Instantly Alex reacted before she could stop herself, her hand flying of its own free will and striking against Riley's tanned cheek, the sound quickly lost in the large cavern. "Don't," she hissed, her eyes burning with unshed tears. "Don't say that," she whispered, softer now as she slowly turned away, her sarcasm finally lost as she tilted her head, her long raven hair hiding her tears.
Quickly Riley felt shame build within him as Will sent him a scathing look as he scooted beside the tall girl. "Don't worry, Alex," the red-head soothed quietly, searching for something to provide hope in the dank darkness that surrounded and suffocated them. "I'm sure that our parents got out of there somehow. And I bet that they already called the police and that they're on their way here right-"
"The police?" a quiet voice murmured from outside of their prison, stilling Will's weak comfort. Smiling coyly, Drusilla gently tapped the iron bars as two large vampires flanked her on either side, instantly causing the three friends to regroup back together in a tight huddle as far away from them as possible. "You think that the Sunnydale Police is your only hope?" she asked again, a large nail tapping gently against her lips. "If so, then you truly are ours."
"Hey, my dad is Captain of the Sunnydale Police!" Alex burst out hotly, arching forward to glare at the vampiress. "And you can bet your ass that he's-"
"Dead," Drusilla supplied, stopping the girl's tirade with the simple word. Quickly, a heavy silence fell over the trio as what little coloring they held quickly faded away. "But don't fret," she added as one of her companions inserted a large metal key with a hollow metallic thunk into the lock that restrained them, "for you shall be quick to join them," she whispered as the door creaked open, the two large vampires stepping within the small confines and advancing on the trio. "The time has come," she hissed, her eyes burning with mad delight as the two vampires seized a screaming and yelling Alex and Will, pulling them struggling aside as Dru advanced on Riley's still countenance. "Beginning with you," she finished as she pulled him to his feet with an iron grip that allowed no room for debate.
Instantly, Will and Alex realized that they were being taken no where and that their friend was the real prey. "No, Riley!" Alex screamed, struggling against her captor's grip as her friend was hauled from their cage, his panicked face locked on her and Will. "Let him go!" she wailed as she was shoved back against Will, the two vampires retreating and leaving them alone once more in their cell.
"Take me instead!" Will cried out, rushing the bars and straining against them with all of his might.
But their pleas landed on deaf ears as the small woman effortlessly drug Riley away from them, heading towards the archway that led to the tunnel to their right. Gasping, Riley marveled at the vampire's steel grip, all but cutting off the blood to his arms. He kicked, thrashed, and yelled but to no avail as he was walked to his certain doom. But then, just as she was about to drag him into the darkness of the new tunnel, a roar went up amongst the vampires in the cavern behind. Shocked, Riley saw the world whip around as Drusilla spun him effortlessly, both their eyes moving to the other entrance to the cavern, to their right and directly across from his friends' prison. What he saw was enough to take his breath away.
"Anne?" he murmured, watching in disbelief as the small blonde dressed in tight black, cotton pants and a small white halter top stepped from the dark tunnel and forward into the large cavern with quiet determination. Quickly she was flanked by Angel, the dark stranger from the night before and... and someone who looked remarkably like his father only considerably younger (a brother?) and more strangers that he didn't recognize but looked familiar somehow. But his dad didn't have any brothers.
"Buffy," Drusilla chirped happily, her eyes locking on the Slayer as her captive seemed to sag in her hands, "so good to see you again!" she called out before turning on her heels and moving quickly down the dark, slanting tunnel with her captive held tightly in her grip.
"Drusilla," Buffy hissed in return, her resolve strengthening as vampires seemed to melt from the shadows of the large cavern to slowly step into the light, game faces on and obviously ready to party - a welcoming party.
"She has Riley," she heard Giles mutter thinly from beside her, the pain obvious in his voice as his eyes traced the outline of the dark archway that, just scant moments ago, his son had stood in.
"I've got him," was Buffy's quick reply as she surged forward without another glance, cutting a swath through the vampires that stood in her way.
"I'm with her," Spike added, breaking rank and following close on Buffy's tail, using his stake with deadly accuracy...
... Which left the others standing in a loose circle, eyeing the many vampires that dotted the large cavern. "And I guess that leaves us to deal with the rest..." Xander trailed off as he awkwardly pulled a stake out of a bag that he was carrying, eyeing it doubtfully before turning to once more gawk at the many vampires that slowly began to advance.
"The kids!" Willow gasped, her hand clamping on Xander's arm as her eyes locked on the cage that sat opposite them, behind the sea of fangs.
And then, as though his earlier fear had been forgotten, Xander's face shifted into one of grim determination as he gripped the small piece of wood in a tight-fisted hand, throwing the bag aside with the other. "Then let's get down to business," he summed up for everyone as he, Giles, Willow, Oz, and Angel moved into the fray.
"What's going on?" Alex asked for the fifth time as she strained against the bars that kept her prisoner, trying to make out what the darting shadows meant.
"I think that the cavalry arrived," Will responded above the screams, yells, and shouts of pain and the sound of fighting, his eyes squinted against the poor lighting as the squirming shadows drew closer.
"The police?" Alex asked hopefully, instantly picturing her father in full dress uniform beside his many top detectives.
For a moment Will was quiet as he slowly backed away, trying to puzzle out what he had seen. "I don't think so," he murmured as two shapes broke free of the tumult and threw themselves against their iron caging, sending the friends scampering back as two familiar faces peered at them anxiously.
"Oh Will, thank God!" the young girl gushed, her face flushed as long red hair trailed wildly over her heaving shoulders.
"Alex, are you alright?" the guy beside her asked quickly, his unruly black hair doing little to hide the soot that dotted his sweaty face.
Instantly, Alex and Will felt as though the floor had dropped out beneath them as the voices finally clicked with the familiar faces. "Dad?" Alex squeaked, trying to compare this lanky teen to the image of her father in full dress police uniform that she had branded in her mind's eye.
Will, on the other hand, could only gape at the young woman that kind of sounded like his mom but so did not look like his mom, his mouth opening and closing silently as he slowly shook his head in disbelieving confusion.
For a moment, fear clutched at Willow's heart as she took in her son's obvious fear and confusion, afraid that he may faint. Then, their reactions clicked as she glanced down at herself and then over at Xander. "Oh, this," she said absently, waving at herself and Xander in an off-handed way. "We'll explain later," she said hastily, "but first let's get you out of here!"
Shaking slightly, Will slowly nodded his head as his mom and Uncle Xander began inspecting the large lock that barred their exit. Then, something sparked in his mind as he quickly strode forward and reached through the bars, grabbing his mom's shoulder urgently.. well, at least he was pretty sure that it was his mom. "She took Riley!" he said quickly, pushing his confusion aside as fear for his best friend was once more renewed with a fervor.
"Don't worry," Xander quickly cut in, a ghost of a smile pulling at his lips. "Buffy's getting him."