Authors: Richess a.k.a A.N.H. Richards
Email for feedback: richess78@hotmail.com
Summary: When Buffy begins to date a new guy spike suspects that he is not everything the slayer thinks he is. Things to know: Spike is not in love with Buffy at this point. This takes part after Into the Woods. A S/B ship
Disclaimer: We don't own a single part of BTVS or Mutant Enemy Productions, they belong to Joss and the other powers that be
Note: Thanks to Wrydin & Spike's Pet. for betaing this chapter of GITW.
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CHAPTER TEN
Part Fifteen
Spike was still reeling as a flood of emotions went through his mind. Everything that he had been told tonight had to be a lie. It was too unreal to comprehend.
"So watcha thinking?"
"I am thinking that you guys are lying to get me to help the slayer . I don't believe one word of it." Spike glowered at the man next to him.
"Well, after we visit the witches we'll see."
"WE aren't going to do anything. I am going to see them on my own."
"Well I don't really trust you to do that. And I can't really screw up this mission again."
"Again?"
"Well the whole Acathala thing." Spike looked at him inquisitively as he continued. "Well, I well, I kinda got Angel to and the slayer. Oh never mind."
"Please. Hearing you talk is giving me a headache anyway. I am going to see the wicca's alone anyway tonight." Spike looked at the horizon to see the sun quickly approaching. "But for now , leave me alone."
Whistler shrugged, walking off in the opposite direction.
Ancora pulled on a robe as she walked through the apartment. The terry cloth hugged her wet skin as she walked toward the spare room of the apartment where most of her magical ingredients were kept. She looked at the picture she had taken of the boy from the Magic Shop at a construction site. She knew that she could control him a lot easier then Deighton. Her love for that leech had dissipated decades before, but she had to make sure that she found a suitable candidate to take his place. There was no room for error. Once she began the spell ritual, she would only have 24 hours to complete it.
She picked up the picture of Xander Harris and began to the ancient binding ritual she had learn over two thousand years ago. Now all she needed was to touch Xander and within days she would be rid of the baggage known as Deighton Michale.
"Willow, I think we need to help Buffy. I think something is wrong with this Deighton. He's not all that he seems and that fact that an artifact related to the Dalsa is involved scares me. I looked up some of my mother's old books and from what I read; the women of the Dalsa clan were ruthless and feared."
"Maybe you are just overreacting." Willow didn't want to think the worst since it was the first time in months that Buffy was happy.
"Just let me tell you what I have found. Nearly three thousand years ago a demon rose up, bringing severe storms and plagues to the earth. According to this book, the Dalsa men, who were warriors for the Powers That Be, were losing the fight against the demon. So the Dalsa women made a pact with evil, hoping to at least save their own lives.
So the evil made a deal with the thirteen queens of the Dalsa. All of the male warriors were to be killed, and the Dalsa women would be bound to the demon, destroying warriors throughout time for him. The demon made the women immortal and gave each a necklace set with a binding stone. But the brother clan, the Dalsanni, found out about the women's pact and vowed to destroy them. The women beat them, but not before a demon granted a Dalsanni man a wish. He wished the life-force of the Dalsa women to be linked with that of the Dalsanni men. The Dalsa women didn't believe the curse until they started dying, one by one. The surviving Dalsa women quickly found the remaining men and stole the life sources of warriors, making them in turn, immortal as well."
"And you think this has something to do with Deighton?"
"Yes. It has a picture of the necklace in the book, Wil." Tara handed her a book and Willow turned to the bookmarked page. The redhead gasped as she saw the exact necklace that was currently on Buffy's neck.
"Oh my god! Buffy is in danger. But she" Willow sighed. "She's not going to believe us. I mean she doesn't even trust Giles, and who knows"
"That's another thing I forgot to tell you, Wils. The Dalsa women were proficient at mind control. I think that Buffy's dream was sent to her on purpose to get her away from Giles. I think it is probably a tactic to separate her from the people who would protect her."
"It's possible" Willow was interrupted by a knock on the door.
Tara looked at Willow and then at the door before she answered it . "Anya?"
The ex-demon burst into the apartment, tears streaming down her face . "Xander's gone."
"What? Where?" Willow hopped off the couch.
"I don't know. He was getting ready for work this morning and then he started acting weird. An- -and then he just announced that he was leaving me. And then he was gone. He just left. He didn't go to work; the foreman called me. He's just gone. It's witchcraft, I know it. I could feel it." Anya sobbed as Tara hugged her, helping her down to the sofa.
"We have to figure out what is going on," Willow said. "I am going to call Buffy, she can help."
Willow dialled the phone and put it on speaker.
"Hello?"
"Buffy, it's Willow."
"Hey Wil," Buffy replied groggily.
"Buffy, something is wrong with Xander. Anya said that"
"Why are you calling me, Wil?"
"I just said something is wrong with Xander. He's missing."
"And I care because" Buffy's cold tone silenced everyone.
"What is with you lately, Buffy? You are angry at Giles , and now what has Xander done ? Hell , what has Giles done?"
"They're evil and Xander will get what he deserves just like Giles did ," Buffy replied yawning.
"Giles did?"
"Yeah, the hospital called me an hour ago." Buffy yawned again.
The three girls looked at each other , worry etched on their faces . "What happened?"
"I dunno, Wils. I don't care. There was some accident. He was in surgery or something. My phone number was in his wallet, so they called me. Anyway Wil, I got to go."
"Buffy , wait!" But all Willow heard was dial tone.
"What are we going to do?" Anya asked.
"First of all , you two are going to the hospital to make sure that Giles is alright ," Willow said firmly.
"What about Xander?"
"I will do a location spell and I will find him." Tara grabbed her coat and Anya reluctantly got up.
"What about Buffy?" Tara asked quietly.
"I don't know, but somehow we have got to get rid of that necklace or at least get rid of Deighton," Willow answered before both girls left.
TBC