Title: Akoshta: Ulterior Battles

Author: Kaylorin

Beta Read by: RogueAngel

Synopsis: Buffy and Spike have been thrown through time and must prevent any changes in the past. Meanwhile, in Sunnydale a new Slayer arrives with an entourage and is slowly introduced to her new life.

Rating: R

Distribution: Fine with me, make sure it's the final edited copy, and let me know where it's going. My e-mail is bsdance@comcast.net

Disclaimer: BtVS and AtS are the property of other people. Some have lots of money. Lucky them. I however own the characters I have made up such as the sisters of Akoshta, Michelle, Christian and Richard. As well as Samantha the Vampire Slayer and Ashton the Vampire.

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What? Where? Who?

Hemphry and her one barmaid were running ragged. Not only had the normal occupancy of the pub doubled in number in a matter of minutes, but some of the creatures were sending off vibrations that the demon could not ignore.



Her head was pounding even as she smiled at yet another newcomer and took another order. "And some fine blood for my love here," the vampire said to Hemphry then turned to the dark vampiress at his side. She was adorned in a white hooded cape over a pale blue flowing gown. She sat quietly, smiling beside the younger vampire. One she had made less than a year ago and that took care of her while her prince was away.



"Can it be something sweet, Dustin?" she cooed and pleaded with her dark eyes. "Something young." Her pleading look soon went to a malicious smile.



He studied her face seriously, then smiled and leaned into her. "Whatever you wish." His head snapped back to the female waiting for his order. "You heard the lady."

Hemphry glared at the demon. "I'm sorry, sir. The magic protecting this place does not allow anything perceived as violent. Human blood cannot be brought past the barrier."



Drusilla looked up to the demon turning down her request. "It's an evil game. I don't like the rules."



"Ssshhhh..." Dustin tried to calm her. "It's all right my love. After I have finished my business here, I will find you the sweetest meal this town has to offer. I hear there is a Slayer."

Hemphry listened intently now.



"No, no. She's left. Spike has gone to kill her," Dru explained with more lucidity than usual. "He's gone to find her again," she said, a little sadder.

Dustin wrapped a protective arm around her. He was second only to Spike. If he went after Slayers, it was just fine with him. Eventually one would kill him, and Dustin could finally be with Dru. And not just when Spike wasn't available. Not that Spike knew it was Dustin that kept Dru happy in his absence.

One thing Dustin had decided, Spike had too much trust in both his minions to be the ones to take care of her and too much trust that Drusilla was his alone. He smiled again at the dark vampiress who'd brought him to this eternal life. Her eyes were no longer looking to him, but to another vampire who entered. A large dark one. One that, from descriptions he'd heard, looked a bit like Angelus.

Dustin looked behind him when he heard the crowd moving around. The discussions of final preparations were beginning. He looked back from his love, to the waiting woman, and then to the vampire seating himself at a table alone. "Just bring her red wine," he said and leaned towards Drusilla again. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Dru tore her eyes from the vampire giving off such an odd light. "Yes. Red. Red is lovely. It swirls and binds."



"Good." He nodded and looked up at the pub's owner again. Now she was looking at the dark vampire. "Did you get that?" he said a little too loudly.

Hemphry gazed back at the young vampire. "Yes, red wine. I may be able to come up with that. One moment," she said and hurried off to the vampire.



Dustin only watched a moment before declaring he had to join the others. Dru nodded mechanically, and was left alone.

The other patrons ignored the group gathering in the back of the bar, to them this was normal. If a group of strangers came though with a plan, this was the only pub open to their kind. So they went about their normal business, paying little or no attention to either the shunned demon at one end, or the group at the other.

Hemphry tried to act as though she was taking another order, but the fear in her face made it nearly impossible. "Ashton. Thank The Powers."

Ashton had known Hemphry for some time now, and never had he seen her this fearful. "What is it?"



"The new ones. They do have it. They have found the talisman and know how to use it. It's never gone this far before," the demon blurted out quickly. "Ashton, I'm truly scared this time. They never really had the true talisman before. It should have been impossible."



Ashton nodded. "I know. We will find a way to stop it. Of that you can be sure, but we need to know how and where."



Hemphry nodded, and looked back at the group. The normal undercurrent of noise with voices in different languages filling the space of the bar was much louder tonight. Her attention was brought back to the people she needed to serve. Her barmaid had her hands full with the regulars. "One moment. I will see what more I can find.



She scurried away and began filling a tray with drinks. He looked about the room, happy to see that as usual, he was paid no attention. He scanned the faces of the newcomers and stopped when a pair of eyes looked back.



The vampiress looking back appeared more fragile than the humans she supposedly killed. Her intense gaze never faltered, and he found himself unable to look away. Something inside drew him to her eyes. Before he knew it, a feeling in his head startled him enough to cause him to close them and shake his head.



"What?" He looked back at the woman who now only appraised him. Her eyes not digging into his anymore.



He looked away from her to Hemphry, now among the patrons, talking and smiling as she set glasses of liquid and pints with the frothy substance most came for, in front of each demon accordingly.



She smiled as she took empty containers and spoke again when she was prompted to do so. All the while Ashton watched as her hands would pass closely by each patron's temple. Not enough for a full reading of any subject, but with so many present, the chance was good she would pick something up.

He watched her walk away to the bar again and put her tray down. The barmaid that worked here on the busier nights was demon as well. Her kind was passive and, unlike Hemphry, she could not hide her demon. The maroon skin covered her basically human features at all times.



Hemphry spoke to her for a moment then strode back to Ashton's table with a pint in her hand. Her eyes were still glazed with fear, but he sensed some hope now as well. "Keirden will keep her ears open for anything else," the bar matron supplied before adding, "but I believe I have found out all that may help." She set the drink down in front of the vampire and continued. "It is as I first feared. Generally the talisman they believe they have is not pure, but this one seems to be. They may actually accomplish their goal."

Ashton took a quick gulp of his drink. "And the ritual, will it be in two days?"

"Yes. Our information was correct on that as well. They have found a demon willing to help open a dimensional portal. He wants to return to his home and this portal will be his only way." She paused. "And they have found a seer as well. One to call on the power needed to draw on the power the stone possesses."

Ashton looked back at the vampiress across the room. She was still alone, but now seemed to gaze at the ceiling with great interest.

"So that is what she was doing," he said to himself.

Hemphry looked back at the woman, then to Ashton. "You should go. If she read you, she could know about Samantha, your visitors, not to mention you."

Ashton reluctantly began to stand. "You may be right." He started towards the door, and then walked back to Hemphry who was clearing his table. In a quieted voice he asked her, "Did you manage to find out exactly where they would perform the ritual?"

Hemphry closed her eyes and studied the thoughts now inside her head. Placed there by whatever powers ruled her destiny. "I think, near." She grimaced and opened her eyes. "Someplace in an alley. Closed off at one end. There is an energy there. Something drawn from it." She thought a moment. The image had the two blondes in it. "It could be where Buffy and William came in."

Ashton smiled, something quite rare lately, and took one of Hemphry's hands. "Thank you. And don't worry, we will stop it. I give my word."



Hemphry shook her head, smiling. "I never thought I'd see the day the word of a vampire could ease my mind."

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"Here?" Buffy said, wide eyed. "And now?"

"'M pretty sure. And that wanker Dustin's brought her. Of that I am sure." Spike watched Buffy looking at him incredulously. "And don't give me that face. I didn't know the date now. You told me yourself who Ashton was, just never really clicked until."

"Spike, you saw the diary, and didn't say a word. About any of it." Buffy threw her arms in the air as she paced a few step back and forth in front of the bar. She thought he just hadn't paid any attention to the small print on the diary. It was a minor, not to mention moot, point then. Considering Ashton the vampire was long gone, and Ashton the human had passed on. "And don't give me that, 'I didn't know the date' crap. You knew all about the Tomar. And Dru is right here."

"Was hoping it was one of the fumbled attempts. Sure woulda been easier, but if Dru is here, then we're in a whole heap of trouble. More 'an you know," he said and studied her angry stance, not to mention the look on her face.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked, stopping in her tracks to stare him down.

"Do they do this a lot?" Mike whispered to Sam from behind the bar.



"Quite a bit actually," Sam said, still watching the two. "Although I'm beginning to think its part of a game, and not so much a fight," she added.

"And what more trouble could we possibly have? We're stuck here," she said and looked back at Sam. "No offense."

Sam smiled. "None taken."

"And we don't know exactly how we're supposed to get home, while we try to save the world, and may I add, before the gig was even mine, just to have your girlfriend come here and what?"



"She's 'ere with Dustin," Spike explained.

"What?" Buffy asked, confused.

"She's 'ere with Dustin. Closest thing you could call 'im would be my brother. But what 'e done would only be considered brotherly on that Jerry Springer show." He shook his head at his own statement. "The 'ole bleedin' family should hop that one once. Bet the ratings would skyrocket."



"What? What is he talking about?" Sam asked. She was happy to follow the throwing of arguments back and forth quietly. That is until none of them made any sense whatsoever.

"Don't worry about it," Buffy said, finally sitting back down on the seat between Spike and Sam. "You don't want to know. Trust me." Buffy turned back to Spike. "Now explain what the heck is going on," she demanded.



A heavy sigh expelled his lungs before Spike could start. "It's like this. Vamp boy goes off to find and kill girl. Vamp's best girl is left behind, for her own protection, to be taken care of by boy's minions. Best girl's newest childe decides big brother has left best gal alone too much, and thinks some comforting is called for. Big brother comes home to find little brother in bed with best girl, who's too out of her mind to know what's going on," Spike finished, shaking his head at his hands.

He looks up and sees Buffy looking back at him with some pity in her eyes. Something he hates to see geared in his direction. With another heavy breath he adds, "Oh, and little brother, before big brother reduces him to ash, brags about following in big brother's footsteps."



Now the pity has left Buffy's face to be replaced by confusion. "Because he'd, he'd slept with Dru?"

He shook his head. "Not just that, Buffy."

Her eyes widened again. "He killed a Slayer."

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Zeek was not one to hide, but he never liked being the center of attention. Now he was being studied and watched by several sets of eyes, all wondering what he was talking about. The gathering, he'd known, could have been an opportunity to get help if it was really needed. All factors pointed towards the convergence though, and the closer the time came, the more worried he became.



"I'm not sure I know how to explain it," Zeek started. "We thought that the one time was the only time. At least that's what my father always told us."



Willow sat on the couch, still pushed up against a wall. "What could only happen once?"

"The vortex could only be opened once. That the chances of getting the talisman and all the people needed together would be impossible now. The talisman was gone, what powered it was never even found. So we should be safe."



Each of the Scoobies began to take seats around the room, scattering on the floor and furniture. Zeek followed suit, keeping an eye on all of their reactions as he continued and sat in one of the kitchen chairs.



"My great-grandfather and great-grandmother were there, they even knew the Slayer then. We were always told that when the time came for each opportunity the ritual could be done to be near a Slayer. If worse came to worst, we could seek her out. That she could stop it and us. Being drawn to the energy is dangerous you see. If the portal opens we will loose our ability to control our actions and automatically be yanked back into the detention. My species is one of the few with this problem, but none of my ancestors who originally crossed to this place are even living now. None of us want to go. This is our home."

"Wait," Dawn said and looked at Zeek with her face twisted. "I thought demons were immortal."

"Only some," Anya supplied. "Others live a few hundred years, other may only live 80 or so. Like a human."

"Oh," Dawn said.

"What talisman?" Tara asked.

"Yeah," Xander added. "If we can find this talisman thing, then whatever the ritual is, it can't be done. Right?"

"That's sort of the problem." Zeek looked about the room to the man who'd just spoken. "The talisman was destroyed. The Slayer took it back to her Watcher just to do so."

Richard asked the next question, a little more than perplexed. "But you say you felt the power of the vortex just days ago?"

"Yeah. That night when Faith..." Zeek looked back at the candle still burning brightly. "It was nothing like what my father had told me about, but it was there. He called me right when it started to warn me Mother was feeling it."



"So your mother is D'stol," Michelle said, more to herself than anyone else. "And your father, you said he was mostly human?"

"Yes, but only a quarter. My great-grandfather was fully human and married a Kornoth female. She was very good and had the power to read people. That's how they worked with the Slayer."



"I'm sorry," Anya interrupted. "But how is it that your family seems to be drawn to demons?"

Zeek grinned at her. "It's ok. Apparently, some time ago, centuries from what I'm told, my family had someone saved and watched over for generations by a vampire. I even heard rumors that at least one of my earlier human ancestors was invited to join the Council because of the familiarity with demons. And that the family still remains. My grandfather even bragged about when his sister was invited in for the same reason. Of course, no one was supposed to know where she and her husband were heading off to, but in my family it's hard to hide those things."



"Wow. Two family lines among the Watchers that are connected in such a way," Michelle said then looked at Richard. "I wonder who they were."



"Unfortunately, I have no idea. All I know is that the vampire was called Ashton, and disappeared sometime in the 1940's. Early I think."

An audible gulp echoed in the room.