Chapter 27d
Walking through the doors, they wondered if they were finally at the end of their journey? Had they found Darla or were there going to be more beasties to fight? And what was that glowing thing in the corner.
Spike and Angel stood in front, Gunn and Giles in the back. They knew now they had to keep all eyes open. Willow cast her eyes above while Tara looked down toward the floor, just in case.
The room they walked into was a huge bedroom.
From the door, where they came in, it appeared to be in the shape of a giant box.
On the immediate left side was a huge, walk-in closet, which was opened so they could see inside.
On their immediate right sat an entertainment system with a 27-inch television, a VCR, a DVD player, and a stereo system.
A four-poster bed, with heavy, sun-proof drapes, sat in the far left corner. It appeared to be empty, and made up, and the drapes were pulled back, to give them sight into it.
On the far right wall, there was a small shape and chains lined that corner.
What appeared to be two bodies, lay prone on the floor, chained against the wall.
Blood was smeared along the wall, as if either one of the two, now dead, figures had tried desperately to escape.
The small shape was actually what appeared to be a person. The person was hunched along the farthest side of the wall, holding himself tight, as if by doing that they could escape. Whoever it was, they couldn't tell, for they weren't facing them. But it was the shape of a man, it looked like the man had once been tall and built and strong, but now…he appeared weakish…or at least that was their impression. However, they were all on their guards. They remembered both what they had seen before and Buffy's warning.
Between the bed and the hunched figure, was a large bay window. The thick, sun- proofed curtains were pulled back, so the moonlight was shining brightly into the room, helping to illuminate the room.
Torches lined the room, which also helped to light the room, so that even the humans in the group could see pretty well.
Together, they walked towards the far right corner, where the green glow was coming from some source behind the hunched figure.
Halfway there, they heard Darla's voice.
"I wouldn't go that far if I were you. He's quite contagious."
They stopped and looked around.
Darla emerged from behind the bed.
"What do you mean contagious, Darla?"
Darla just giggled maniacally.
She looked left, then right, and then left again.
Then she looked at them.
"Angel, my angel…you've returned. I knew you loved me more than her."
Angel said nothing but began walking toward her.
"What happened to you Darla?"
"It was your fault. The Eagle said its Mother was the worm. But how can that be? They said it was time…the end was near. The dead returns. Night into day, night into day.
We'll burn, we'll burn, we'll burn!!!"
She began to run around the bed.
Angel had reached her by this time, and he grabbed her roughly by the arms, stopping her mad circling.
"Oooh…'Soul Man' likes it rough…that's good," she said grinding into him…"So do I!"
Angel pulled her away from him.
She started jabbering nonsense…every once in a while stopping & looking off to the side as if talking and listening to some unseen presence.
"Darla…focus."
Darla looked at him. Then started to laugh.
"You think you know…you know nothing. Her fate is not aligned with yours. Your destiny lies twined with another…didn't you know? Didn't they tell you? Probably not…for then, why would you do their bidding? The sun is upside down. Have you seen it? Did it try to reach you too? You mustn't go towards it…it'll eat you alive. I can feel the flames already. The ground will burn me…make it stop, make it stop, make it stop."
"Darla please, I need you to focus. Okay? Can you see me?"
Darla nodded, but swayed back and forth in front of him, her eyes glittering in the light of the torches on the walls, her form illuminated by the moonlight behind her.
"Watch out Angel, she has the same look on her face that Dru had earlier, right before she tried to attack us."
Darla switched her attention to look at Xander.
She began giggling again.
"Youuu...mmm...my precious Angel, what have you done...you've brought me something young and tender…you remembered…he's perfect. Just the way I like them. Young...stupid..." Darla smiled, before vamping out and launching across the room at top speed towards Xander. Reaching them before anyone could stop her, she gripped Xander by the throat.
As she lowered her head towards his neck, she whispered, " and dead."
"I'll yank out your guts, pretty boy…and use them for jewelry. Pretty jewelry they'll make…for me and mine. We'll play and dance with them. Sing your pretty music for me boy…scream…makes the blood so much sweeter."
Xander was frozen, both by his fear and by her grip.
Spike reached them before Angel did, for Angel had to cross the room, in order to help.
He had thought really fast and had pulled out a piece of cloth from his pocket and then grabbed the cross Tara had in her hand and placed it on Darla's forehead, forcing her to drop Xander and back up.
Darla gripped her head in pain, her forehead smoking.
"It burns, it burns!!! Its like the sun…why does it hate me so?"
"Sorry luv, no fair biting this blighter. How about me, hmmm? He can't fight ya back, but you know I can. Don't ya want to fight something that can fight back, Grandmummy?"
"You...you're a very bad dog. Grrrrr."
"Sounds like Dru...but the look...it's just a bit too skanky."
"Spike...don't tease her."
"But it's fun...and I've never really liked her, you know. She treated me horribly sometimes."
"Spike..."
"Fine...I'll be...ugh...'good'."
Xander giggled.
"Don't forget Whelp...I just saved your life."
Xander stopped and groaned,
"He's so gonna hold that one over me, " he told Willow softly.
"Damn right," Spike said cheerfully, keeping his eyes on Darla, who had gotten up and was staring out of the window, next to the glowing hunched figure.
Xander groaned again, "Damn vampire hearing."
The girls laughed.
Gunn asked Angel,
"What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know...But I plan to find out. I'm gonna try again guys."
"Okay."
Angel stepped forward.
"Darla..."
"I'll be dead soon you know? If the poison doesn't kill me, you will. Had to go down with a fight...didn't get all that much of one the first time. You understand, don't you?"
"What poison, luv? What happened to you?"
"How dare you come here? Your kind's not wanted here. Darkness reigns here. Go back to the light."
"Hello.... vampire here. Creature of the darkness."
"Looks like kin...but its not really there. Used to be kin, it did, but kin no longer. Touched by the light…cradled by the light…does the light's bidding, it does…and wants to…how can that be? Its not really there any longer," Darla said, speaking in fragments and sinking to the floor...trying to keep hold of whatever sanity she had left.
It was, however, a loosing battle. She soon jumped up and rushed forward towards Angel,
"The stars lie...they lie. They said we'd be family again. They said you were mine, mine to rule with me. No matter how good we were to her, Mrs. Edith lied…why would she lie to us? We took good care of her…just like mother said too. The blood lied. The blood isn't supposed to lie. How can they deny the blood? We're here...we're all here, but family no more. I'll make us family again. I'll do it, do you hear. I'll do it and the blood can't lie anymore."
She wheeled around, heading for Gunn, Xander, Willow and Tara,
"Only the youngest, freshest blood will do…the old man, we'll turn to get the others…there are more…I know there are. Once the blood flows, we'll be family again. Where's my precious? They should be here to help the blood flow...we'll have a feast. Dru? Ashta? Where have you gone? No matter, I'll do it without you. I'll do it for you both. They'll come when they hear the blood call."
Angel stopped her from behind and Spike jumped in front of her.
Darla sneered at Spike, but ignored Angel,
"You…your nothing but a disgrace. Just as you've always been. Not demon enough for the likes of us. You're supposed to be kin. The moon is your master, mother, lover…but you just ignore her. Turn away. Turn away. I should have beaten some more sense into you a century ago."
Spike's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. Nor did he make any move to strike out at her, which was an accomplishment in the least.
"What's that Spikey," Darla mocked, even in Angel's grip, she still swayed side to side as she taunted Spike mercilessly, "Nothing to say….'Weepy William' has nothing to say…what a surprise. Some 'Big Bad' you are."
"Are you done, 'Mummy Dearest'," was all that Spike asked?
"Done…not done, we've only just begun. But…I'll not dance with a child. I want a man."
"Darla, what happened to you?" Angel asked her, approaching her carefully.
"He did it…he," she said, pointing to the man chained to the wall.
He was still hunched over, but they could tell it wasn't in fear and the green light seemed to be growing.
"He senses you're near…run away, run away…too late…it's too late now. Can't run…can't run…can't hide either…he'll catch you. You'll never get away now. You'll be like me soon. My time might end, but you'll not get away."
"Never mind that now, what did he do to you?"
In one of her more lucid moments, she simply stated, "Bit me."
"He bit you, luv? Aren't you supposed to be doing the biting? That is still in the job subscription...vampire bites human. And he definitely smells human."
"That's how he tricks you. Partial-human, looks human…smells human, but…not really. My head hurts, it's hard to explain. You think he's helpless…we chained him up after he bit us…he ate our food. Made us crazy. If I could kill him…don't you think I would…but I can't do it, kill him that is, if I get close…he might bite me. I don't want him biting me anymore. "
"Is she sane now?" Willow whispered to Giles.
"I don't know…she appears to be."
"And I'll remind you two that Dru also has sanity spells. Naw…she's far gone…but she'll have moments. Get as much out of her as you can, Angel…it won't last for all that long."
"Dust me now," Darla whispered, out of the blue.
"What? Are you crazy again?" Xander asked.
Darla ignored him and looked at Angel pleadingly, "Please…I don't want to be this way. Do you think that I can live like this?"
Angel was about to answer her when her eyes blanked out and she dropped to her knees right in front of him. Angel dropped to his knees as well, holding her head back to look in her eyes. Later he'd say it was like liquid passing over her eyes. Her eyes became glassy and unfocused. Then they glowed green, like the hunched figure, and then her eyes snapped back open. But this time they were wide, glittering, and unfocused. She looked towards Angel, and swiped at him.
Angel jumped back; Darla had missed him, barely.
"Do you think you can trick me? With your goody goody soul. Your soul doesn't make you special…just cursed. Look at that…do you see? Its just a big fluffy puppy with bad teeth."
Spike laughed.
Angel gave him a look.
"Oh come on, not this again, ya 'Mighty Poof.' It was funny…and I'm still on your side. Besides…I couldn't help myself…I said exactly the same thing about you about 4 years ago."
"Four years ago?"
"More pressing matters going on here 'Peaches', how about we talk this out when we're not about to dust this 'should-have-been-dead-already' bint and deal with whatever the hell he is over there?"
"Well, you do have a point."
"Glad to see you haven't completely lost your mind as well."
"Shut up Spike."
Spike ignored him and strolled towards Darla, subtly putting himself between her and the rest of the Scoobies.
"So how's about it luv, let's you and I have a go…and we'll see who know has the biggest wrinklies."
Darla turned around…and glared at Spike.
But not for the reason Spike had thought.
"You…I'm tired of you. You, with your words and your heart full of love. It was you, you who broke her heart. Broke it hard and severed it. You made the moon cry. The moon shed blood because it wanted its child back. But no…the child chases the sun. You want her, but she's in the ground…still surrounded by light. Light where we can never go…light hates us…hates us…lament if you care. I don't…I won't weep for it. If you were demon enough, you'd have never left her. You broke her. You left her. You left her."
"She left me first, I'll have you know. She left me! Tramping around with others…fledglings, humans, well, until she ate them or I snapped their necks, other demons…the worse thing I caught her with was a chaos demon…have you ever seen a chaos demon? All slime and antlers they're disgusting."
"Not now Spike."
"Yeah…right…anyway, it's her own fault I fell in love with someone else."
Darla laughed. "The childe thinks he had control. There is no control there…not just now...not just now…for years…from the beginning…the beginning…"
Darla trailed off as she whirled around and began to attack Angel.
"You were mine," was what she kept repeating as she pummeled at him.
Angel took the brunt of the blows with his arms and it barely seemed to phase him. He just shook them off, like it didn't hurt.
"She stole you…and made you hers. And then you killed me. You killed me to save your precious Buffy…but not this time. You belong to me…you were my childe and I am kin to you now. What was once my blood still flows through my veins. What was once my son, is now my own grandfather. Same blood keeps blood true. You are my blood…you cannot sever the link."
"Is anyone else briefly reminded of the Knights of Hacken-slash?"
"Oh yeah," Willow answered Xander.
"Did you catch what she just said?"
"Yes umm…Gunn. She basically just called the bond of the blood on Angel. By vampiric right, he's no longer capable of killing her."
"Of course he can still do it Giles, 'Aim, jab, and poof'. It's the system that's worked time and time again...I know this, I've seen it done and I've done it myself, once or twice, I'm proud to say."
"I don't mean he forgot how, Xander…I mean he's not allowed. The blood bond she just called on him makes it impossible for him to make a move to kill her."
"Wow…well that's just great. Just what we need now…an insane vampire who wants to suck us dry and share us with her vamp kin…and a great hulking Angel-shaped statue."
"I can hear you, you know? And I'm not frozen," Angel said, turning to look at him.
Xander just looked around, as if he hadn't said anything.
"So what do we do now?"
"Now you run," Darla said, giggling at their predicament. "I need to find the moon and the stars…and then we'll have us a great chase…and the music will play…and the blood will flow," she said, advancing on them.
"I'm quite sure now you've forgotten me," Spike said, stepping to the side and kicking Darla to the ground.
She swung at him a couple of times and kicked at him, but Spike barely felt it. It was like fighting a clumsy fledgling.
"Sorry Grandmummy…but this is where you get off," he said, spinning her around and pulling out his stake. " Need your ashes to get back my girl…and you didn't remember to call a blood bond on me as well."
"Back to hell, Grandmum…I hope you get a break from your lunacy there."
"Ashes to Ashes…dust to dust…"
With that, Spike plunged the stake into her heart, and Darla fell, look of wild shock replaced with a half smile to her face and a 'Thank You' on her lips as she was sane long enough to see the end of her torment. The she burst into ashes on the floor.
Spike looked towards Tara.
"Can I get the jars, Glenda?"
"Oh…y…yes. H…Here they are," She said bringing taking them out of the bag and bringing the bag and the jars to him. She scooped down to help, but he stopped her and said,
"Go with
them to check that thing in the corner out.
And don't get too close to it.
Alright?"
"Alright," Tara said, smiling
at him.
Then she walked over to the rest of the gang, who were inching, slowly and extremely cautiously to the chained figure in the corner.
**************
A few seconds later, they were staring in shock.
"Oh…my…god," the group said, en-mass
They were looking at the figure still chained to the wall.
They had now gotten close enough to recognize the features, well, what features there were that were still human, that was.
Spike had finished collecting the remains of Darla and after putting the now dust filled jars back into the bag; he strolled over to where they were. He handed Tara the bag, which she put on absently, but still didn't take her eyes off of the sight before her.
"What's up with the silence?"
"Look," Angel whispered.
Spike's eyes followed Angel's hand, looking towards where he was pointing; chest tightening at the thought of what could horrify them so much that they stood deep in shock.
Spike looked at the figure before him and froze.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
"Riley?"
"Spike?" Riley asked…and then started laughing insanely.
"Come on Captain Cardboard, get a hold of yourself."
Riley focused on him again.
"Look at me…I'm what I should be killing."
"What happened to you?"
"Got bit."
"What bit you man?" Xander asked.
"A Dewamptinkil demon…in Southern Brazil. Where I went, after the first assignment. I was tracking this Solkintar demon, nasty things, jump up from their lair in the water, grab onto unsuspecting humans, squeeze their life-force out, and then eats their skin and muscles, leaving bones and a major organs left in a heap."
"Ewww."
"Yeah…exactly…anyway, my team and I had one of these damn things cornered, when out of nowhere…this…Dewamptinkil ambushed us. It disabled us in seconds…then it started rampaging everywhere. It took most of us to kill it, but it bit a few of us before going down. I don't know if you know anything about this kind of demon, Giles, but…its smart and fast and its strong, very strong. I don't know anything stronger…not even Buffy. Hey, where is Buffy?"
"Oh…man…I don't know how to tell you this but…she's dead," Xander said.
"Oh…damn…"
"I know…I feel the same way, but…"
"No…I don't think you do," Riley said, interrupting Xander and standing up and breaking the chains off the wall.
"If she's dead, then I don't get to kill her," he said as his eyes glowed green, his voice changing deeper and becoming something out of a horror book.
"I'll guessssss I'll have to s…settle on killing you all, making some of you my children...and making a few demons crazy," he said advancing on them.
"To the back…NOW!!" Spike shouted at the others, their safety was his first priority.
"I have to say, I thought you'd have better sense 'Nancy Boy'."
Riley's whole form seemed to have taken on that eerily greenish glow. He lunged at them, but was stopped by Spike and Angel, taking him on from both in front and behind.
"Oh no, first you have to play with me. Come on, creature from the black lagoon, or green lagoon, let's you and I have it out…man to man…well, vampire to glow-y creature."
Angel laughed and said, "Oh no…I want to play too…I've been dying to fight this man…well, thing now, for a long, long time."
They both grinned and vamped out.
Riley turned around and backhanded Angel, sending him flying across the room.
"No fair two-on-one…you wait your turn Mr. I-got-a-soul-don't-stake-me-cause-I'm-good."
He turned back around to look at Spike.
"First, I want to play with the 'Bite Less Wonder'."
Spike raised his eyebrow, his expression mocking.
"Ooohh…look at you…who's a puffed up manly man now? Got some more borrowed power I see."
"It's not borrowed this time…I'm stronger than I've ever been," he said stepping towards Spike, throwing punches his way, but missing the vamp, who dodged him easily.
Spike didn't even bother to throw any punches at him…he'd rather play with him.
So he just messed with him. He'd get close enough to deck him, but only slapped him softly across the face. Then he would jump out of Riley's way, mocking him all the while.
This infuriated Riley to no end.
"What's wrong Spike? Scared to take on a real man?"
Spike laughed.
"Ahh…but see…that's the beauty of our little scenario…you're no longer a man. Went and got yourself all demon-y, didn't ya? Yeah, I know it wasn't really your fault, but I like to blame you for it, cause…well, I don't like you…no secret there. Trying to put a little monster in the man, I see…she still wouldn't want you, cause your not enough for her, you Great Pillock. But back to what I was saying before…you're now a beastie…like me…and I hurt beasties."
Spike ducked Riley's next punch and rolled, missing Riley's clumsy kick, coming up right behind Riley.
He jumped up and kicked him in the chest, sending Riley flying into the entertainment stand, breaking the TV in the process as Riley's head punched through the thick glass screen.
"Look Ma…no pain!!" Spike yelled triumphantly grinning wide and letting all his fangs show.
He was interrupted, in his gloating, by Gunn.
"Spike!"
"What?"
"You broke the TV, man. We could have used that."
Spike looked to where Riley still hadn't gotten up, taking in the now broken TV, and winced.
"Damn," was all he said as he looked at the sparks now coming out the front of the TV screen.
"Yeah, don't damage the rest if you can help it, 'Fang Boy'. We can divi up what's left later and take them home with us."
"Oh…right…yeah Xand. I was just so busy trying not to die and leave you and the Scoobies helpless, that I just didn't have my priorities straight."
"Hey, Gunn said almost the same thing…and you didn't get on his case…I tell you. You British guys are always picking on me. But in this case," he turned to Gunn, "your not Watcher's pet…your Vamp's pet."
Gunn raised one of his eyebrows, displaying an expression similar to the one Spike always gives.
Xander realized this and started laughing.
"What's so bloody funny, Wanker?"
"You two…you could be
twins. Check you two out. It's like…Spike alive & Spike undead."
Both Gunn and Spike just rolled their eyes.
"Wanker."
"You said it."
During their discussion, Spike had just missed being sneak-attacked by Riley.
Angel, however, had intervened, catching Riley by the collar and tossing him back across the room.
"Uh uh uh…now that wouldn't be nice…sneaking up and attacking Spike from behind. Afraid that you can't take him face-to-face?"
"I can take him…and you too."
"Then bring it on, I can't wait to see what you got."
Angel and Riley went at it.
Riley, when he got a blow in, was strong and you can tell it disoriented Angel a little, but he was also much slower, and Angel was able to avoid most of them.
After they had been fighting for a while, Spike tapped Angel on the shoulder after Angel had knocked Riley down.
"Yes my childe?"
"I wanna fight," Spike pouted. "I'm bored watching you have all the fun."
Angel smirked.
"Well, I guess I can let you take over…since you are on my team and all."
"Thanks dad…I really…Hey, keep away from them…"
Spike broke off to attack Riley, who had started going after the Scoobies.
"Stay away from my crew…Captain Cardboard…or I'll be forced to kill you quick. No play involved."
"I told you…I'm more powerful and stronger than ever."
"Strength and power doesn't have all that to do with it…but experience does," and with that, he sent a spinning kick Riley's way, forcing him to the ground.
Spike looked down at his shoes, where something from Riley had landed on his shoe.
"Hey…what the bloody hell is this
thing?"
"It's a mark."
"Do you not understand how much I love my shoes…maybe you'll understand if I stomp you to death for getting something on them."
"C…Calm down Spike. I…I'm sure it'll come off."
Spike took a few, unnecessary deep breaths.
"You're right, Glenda, okay…I'm calm now."
Unfortunately for Spike, he took his eyes off of Riley. Who, after getting in a lucky punch and knocking Angel down, moved faster than normal, and grabbed Spike from behind.
"Hey…let go!"
"In a minute Spikey…just a quick taste first," Riley said as he extended his fangs and bit Spike in the neck.
Spike jerked and with a strength three times his own, he flung Riley over his shoulder at the wall.
"You bit me…you right bastard. I'll kill you for that."
Then he started kicking and punching Riley.
He moved so fast, Riley couldn't keep up.
After he was done beating on him, Spike got behind him and twisted his neck.
Spike gave a wicked smile at the crunching sound of his neck snapping.
Riley's body fell to the ground as Spike let go.
He stepped over it and walked over to the group.
"Let's go."
"Wait, Spike…are you okay? How's your neck?"
"I'm…" Spike broke off giggling at nothing and then stopped just as suddenly as he had started. "Oh bloody hell…the blighter infected me."
Spike slumped down to the floor.
"Spike," Willow shouted as she ran to help pick him up.
"Spike…look at me. You can fight it. We'll find a way to help," Angel said.
Spike didn't say anything. His head started lolling back as his eyes began to glaze over.
Tara & Gunn helped to pull Spike up to his feet.
Angel waved them aside & put Spike over his shoulders.
"I got him, let's go."
"Are we going to be able to help him at all Angel?"
"We're gonna have to, Giles. I'm not loosing any of you."
The rest of the gang nodded their agreement, even Xander. They were all going to do their best to help their other champion vampire out of his current situation.
"Then lets take this party home shall we," Xander said. "We have the magical dust and we'll find a way to help out 'Fang Boy' & then we'll bring back the Buffster & all will be good."
They smiled as they started back through the halls.
They were wondering how they were gonna get back down to the other floors when they saw that the doors that had previously been barred and the wall that had disappeared, to lock them in, had now been lifted, gone, and the other had reappeared as if it had been there the entire time.
"Giles, an explanation if you would be so kind?"
"Demons, magic, and who knows Xander."
"Great…when I want a long explanation…you give me the simplified version. When I want the simple words, you hit me with hereto's and winceforth's. I can't win, can I?"
The rest of the group, minus Spike, who was still semi-unconscious, simply stated, cheerfully, "No."
Passing through the doors, they noticed that Dru was still in the same spot, still wailing about her poor un-life.
"They all left me…all left me. The moon cries, but no one listens. Grandmum is gone…her time has ended…ashes to ashes, dust to dust…"
"Okay…that's freaky, how did she know that phrase?"
"You do remember, don't you Xander, Dru has visions…she may be loony, but she's always been useful."
"Yeah, so I forgot…other things have been happening you know…and I haven't seen Dru for a long time. Plus, you made her insane…so I think I should get some points."
Angel sighed.
"No offense meant."
Xander nodded…and then at the others hard looks said,
"What? Oh…none taken."
Angel just chuckled and set Spike down, gently, motioning Tara and Willow to help him.
As they held Spike, Angel walked over to Dru.
"We're leaving now Dru…and I'm telling you now…so there won't be any mistaken judgment later. I'm calling the blood bond for you. You will not be allowed to attack me, or Spike, cause I've named him, or any of the Scoobies or Angel crew. Do you understand? I increased the bond, they are now your family."
"Family?"
"Yes…family."
"I'm not hugging her, she'll forget and take a good bite."
"Shut up Xander."
"Okay…father Angel?"
"Yes Dru…"
"The glow is returning."
"What do you mean, Dru?"
"The glow is coming…we have to go."
Dru jumped up, and grabbed Spike in her arms.
She looked at the rest of them and shouted, "Run!"
Then she took off down the stairs.
They remembered how accurate Dru usually was, so they didn't waste more than a second before following her at top speed.
They were on the first level when the building shook.
"He's found us…he's found us," Dru said, putting Spike down and holding him tightly. "It's okay my baby…it's okay. I'll fight the glow-y man. He'll not hurt my family again."
"Okay…I'm scared for two reasons," Xander said. "Number one, cause the building just shook…and it's still shaking, but only on the sides."
They all looked, and sure enough, the walls were shaking, but the ceiling and the floor were still.
"What's the second thing Xander," Giles whispered.
"I understand what Dru meant. It's Riley…he isn't dead. Snapping his neck, the way Spike did, it didn't kill him, did it Dru?"
Dru agreed by shaking her head that no, it didn't kill Riley.
"Okay…I knew it…I'm gonna panic big time now, if no one has a problem with it."
"Oh no…we're right up there with you Xand."
Before they could blink…the walls stopped shaking and a final loud boom sounded from what sounded like right above them.
Riley burst through the ceiling then, dropping in front of their path, blocking their exit.
His skin was green now, as were his eyes…he kinda looked like a living incredible hulk, but his face was hardly recognizable as being Riley's now. Spines and crater-like shapes replaced what had once been nice and smooth.
He was at least double his previous size and it looked like he was on a pure murderous rage, the fire in his eyes looked like it would consume them all.
"I'll crush you all! You think you could kill me?"
Spike chose this moment to come into consciousness.
He looked at Willow and smiled in a kind and friendly way, if not all that focused, and then turned his head towards Riley…and screamed.
"It's gonna eat us…it's gonna eat us. I must not have been a good boy. I tried so hard…but I wasn't good enough. It's gonna eat me."
Everyone looked at Spike and sighed, but they couldn't comfort him, they didn't know how, they were terrified and Angel wasn't sure how to kill Riley.
Dru hushed him and whispered soothing sounds.
"Shhh…little one, all is not lost. A child will save them all, you know. It's been written…it will be done. Stronger than all is one."
"Do you see the light, Dru?"
"Yes I see it Spike."
"I wanna play in the light, Dru"
"The light will burn you."
"I wanna play in the light."
"The light will turn you."
"Can we go into the light together?"
"Only one of us is allowed my dearest William."
"What happens if I put you in the light?"
"I'll burst…ashes to ashes…"
"Dust to dust."
"Okay, that's so not helping, as interesting as it is. Hey, how come neither of them is really violent towards us. Darla tried to attack us every minute, but okay…I get with Dru, we're family now, so she can't, but how come Spike hasn't even thought of it?"
"We don't know Xander, and we have a bit more of a problem before us."
"Right…haven't really forgotten him, just wondered, that's all"
Riley was getting closer to them.
Dru and Spike stood up as one and stood in front of the rest of the group, their eyes glowing the same green as Riley's was.
"What do you think you're doing? You don't attack me. Kill them," Riley ordered, his voice barley recognizable.
Both Dru and Spike chuckled maniacally.
"He doesn't get it?"
"He never will."
"Shall we tell him?"
"Might as well."
"We'll never do your bidding, Blighter."
With that, they both jumped up and began to attack him from both directions. Dru getting in a few good shots, even though she didn't fight like Spike did.
Riley tossed both of them aside, a few minutes later.
Spike crawled over to where Dru had fallen on her backside.
"Owww…" she moaned.
"Did he hurt you princess?"
"Am I a princess again?"
"Your always my princess."
Dru giggled. Then stopped. She looked toward the ceiling. She looked back at Spike.
"Uh oh…he's angered her. He shouldn't have pushed us down."
"You tell 'm love."
They both looked up towards the ceiling, ignoring Riley who was advancing on them.
Suddenly a bright light encompassed them all, except Riley, and deposited them across the room.
Moments later, Ashta appeared.
She smiled at the group, "I was called to help."
She looked at Riley.
"Your time is at an end boy, now do we do this the easy way, or are you gonna make a tiny thing like me fight you?"
Spike and Dru chanted 'Fight' like two children watching a game or a cartoon on the TV.
Angel tried to move forward, but found he couldn't.
"There is not the place to be, sit down and watch the show," Dru told him.
"We got you all a seat," Spike said quietly.
Tara ruffled his head, " Thanks."
Spike just grinned.
They watched as Ashta turned her back on Riley.
Riley, like the idiot he was, attempted to rush her, and was slammed against the wall, hard, by an unseen force.
Ashta began to glow purple.
"Do you really think you can defeat me?" she asked, her voice barely above its normal child like volume.
She raised her arms and his arms and legs stretched out as if he was being pulled from four directions.
"I could kill you with a look, but I'll show them a neater trick," she said, the force dropping Riley on the ground.
As soon as she got close enough to him, he gripped her by the throat, trying to crush her windpipe. He also shook her, thinking that if he could, he'd shake up her magic.
She merely laughed.
"Hello…vampiric demon here…windpipe…not necessary," she said, taking the palm of her small hand and tossing him back away from her.
"I'm tired of playing with you, and I've other things to do."
With that, she placed her hand on his chest.
She issued no words, just looked at him as his body contorted in pain.
The others watched silently, not sure what was going on.
Riley's changed and deformed body began to fold in on itself. As if he was collapsing from the inside. Soon his whole form had collapsed and the substance that was left traveled into Ashta's palm.
When it was done, she dropped to the floor, holding her stomach with both hands.
She looked up to the ceiling and opened her mouth wide.
A stream of blue light erupted from her mouth and a funnel full of energy burst out of her being, floating up into the ceiling and then through it.
Once the light was gone, her head came back down and her head dropped towards the floor, even though her hands had caught the rest of her body.
It was then that the barrier had dropped, allowing them to run towards her.
They reached her and Dru and Spike picked her up.
"Pretty child, is she hurt?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes Spikey, I'm fine."
Spike smiled at her and said,
"I like the way you fight…you kicked a lot of demon ass."
Dru laughed. "You said ass."
Spike laughed.
"Wow, that was great Ashta."
"I'm with Spike, you kicked his butt big time."
Angel broke through their praises, not that he wanted to stop the flow, but he had a question to ask.
"Ashta?"
"Yes Angelus?"
"That was a lot of power you
showed."
"I told you I was powerful…not everything is how it appears."
"Oh we get that," Xander said.
"I'm sure you do," Ashta said. "You must go through a lot daily. And you all gave every effort, the higher beings smile down on you."
"I believe I understand what Angel was trying to say, if I may?"
"Go ahead."
"With that level of magic, etc….could you cure Spike?"
"Spike is broken?" Spike asked.
"Just a little," Xander replied, "It's kinda hard to tell."
Whereas normally Spike would glare or retort, this time he did neither.
He looked towards Dru,
"Princess…is Spike broken?"
"My precious Spike doesn't bite humans any more," Dru said sadly.
"Does that make Spike broken?"
"No," Willow and Tara cut in, before Dru could say anything.
"Spike's not broken that way, that makes him special."
Spike beamed at them.
Spike turned to Gunn.
"Is Spike broken?"
"Not really broken man, more like different."
Spike blinked at him, then said.
"Gunn's Spike's good friend, right?"
"Yep."
"Then Spike thinks he's not broken."
"Yes, I'm glad your fine Spike." Giles said before turning to Ashta and Angel.
"Well, can you?"
Ashta smiled.
"Yes, I can cure them both…well, him fully and her…she'll be back to the way she was."
"Oh you mean only a little loony," Xander said, "well, a little loony is better than way wacky loony any day…so…chant the chant or whatever you need to do. Fix them already, Spike's grinning at me and hugging everyone is really starting to wig me out."
Everyone laughed, and Spike, who only heard the word hug walked over to Xander, hugged him tight and then went back over to where he, Willow, Tara, and Dru were playing some game designed to keep the two vamps amused.
This caused further laughter and when they finally calmed down, Ashta told them.
"I can cure them, but I can't do it alone…I need the help of the Key."
"Alright everyone, back to the hotel."
TBC….
A/N : Whew…that was a long one. :-D Don't stress…the next one's already in the works. And for those of you who are stressing anyway, wondering what I'll do next…the next title is called : The three necessary R's : Restoration, Ritual, and Resurrection