Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME
Chapter 22
The rescue
Spike rode into the forest. He was almost to the other side before he realized, he had not even needed the map Giles had given him. He could see the clearing just ahead and immediately knew that if he veered off to the left a bit he would wind up behind the chapel. This familiarity with everything was beginning to weigh on his mind, but he dismissed any thought other than those of the task ahead.
He slowed his horse as he reached the chapel. Quickly he dismounted. He was at the rear, and as he started walking towards the front he looked down at his hands and could see the spell beginning to work. He picked up a rock just before he was completely cloaked. As he came to the front he saw the two large guards. He wished he had more time. He could have some fun, but he needed to get into the chapel.
He looked up and saw a small panel of stained glass on the side of the door. He threw the rock and smashed the glass. The guards turned in the direction of the noise. They quickly opened the doors and rushed inside. Spike ran in behind them and hurried past them. The two men saw the rock on the floor.
"There's someone out there." Said one of them.
"You stay here, I'll go and ride around. Maybe I can find them. I didn't hear a horse, so they are on foot." The second guard ran out and rode away. The first guard stood and felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned only to feel Spikes fist fly into his face. He was out cold. The man never had a chance. Spike was fast, and he took well advantage of it. He ran up the aisle and to the alter.
The moon was full, and the light was shining down just behind the alter. He looked and saw a side door. He ran out and took a blanket he had on his horse, and then went back inside. He could cover the body with it. It was bad enough he had to touch it, but there was no way he was going to look at a decaying corpse.
He gave himself enough leverage, planted his feet firmly on the ground and pushed with every ounce strength he had and pushed the slab to one side. He managed about a three foot wide opening, it would have to be enough. He took the blanket and threw it over the body and picked it up. It was as light as a feather. He wondered if all corpses were this light. He placed it down on the floor and then went around and slid the lid back into place.
He then picked the body up once more and went out the side door, and mounted his horse. He held the body close to him, not wanting to drop it. Corpse or not, he didn't want to mishandle it, that would be disrespectful, or bad luck or something. As he started to ride towards the woods he heard several horses approaching the front of the chapel.
"Bugger", he pulled on the reigns and lightly kicked the sides of the horse and rode as fast as he could.
In front of the chapel Ethan, Travis and Olaf had started to walk into the chapel. They noticed the doors opened. Ethan walked to the guard that was still unconscious.
"Olaf, come help me." Ethan and Olaf ran to the alter and moved the lid. Ethan lit a candle and shone it inside. It was empty.
"Dammit! They've taken her!" Ethan yelled throwing the candle to the ground.
"Who?" asked Olaf.
"The woman!" He grabbed Olaf by the arm and walked towards the door, where Travers was still standing. Come on, we have to get her back, or Angelus will have our heads." He ran out with the other two men following. They mounted their horses and Ethan started riding towards the back of the chapel.
"They had to have gone this way."
Elizabeth felt cold air all around her. She was having that dream again. He was riding with her in his arms. She felt his heat against her, and his scent was all around her. She felt herself moving; she felt the vibration of something underneath her. A horse? Was this real? Was this her dream? She tried to move, yet felt she should conserve her energy.
Spike stopped his horse for a moment. He looked down at the bundle he was carrying on his lap. Did it just move? He shook his head and started the horse up once more. He looked around. Somehow he knew where he was going. Now he was really starting to wonder what the hell was going on. Why did he know all of this; these woods, this body, this situation and then just in front of him, the cottage.
She felt herself being carried. A door opened and then closed, and she was being carried up stairs. Then someone was gently placing her on a soft surface.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. There was a soft light coming from the lantern near the window. He took hold of the blanket and started to pull it away, when he heard a pounding on the door. He got up from the bed closed the bedroom door and looked down over the narrow balcony. He thought perhaps Giles had decided to meet him now instead of waiting for tomorrow. He walked down the stairs and as he reached the bottom, he lit the lantern that hung form the corner of the ceiling just at the bottom of the stairs. He walked across the smaller room, out to the front room of the cottage. The pounding grew louder. He approached the door cautiously. He pulled the door latch back, and the door flew open. A large man came through and grabbed Spike by the neck and threw him hard against the wall. Ethan walked in with Travers following behind.
"Well, well, look who we have found." Ethan was smiling, "Spike. You were quite literally the last person in the world I expected to see here." Spike tried to focus. Olaf had knocked the wind out of him, and his head hit the wall hard. After a moment, he realized who it was.
"Good on you then." Spike struggled underneath Olaf's grasp. He was caught by surprise, and had to get his bearings again. And of course it didn't help that Olaf's huge hands were getting tighter around his neck.
"This is turning into quite a night. Now I can take back two things you have stolen from me." Ethan stepped closer to Spike. "First, where is the locket."
"Sod off Pillock!" Spike kicked at Ethan and caught him in the balls. Ethan doubled over in pain. Olaf punched Spike across the face, leaving his lip open and bloody. Travers moved towards Ethan and helped his straighten up. Ethan merely laughed.
"I was going to kill you quickly, however now I think I'll just cut your balls off and watch you bleed to death instead. Travers, go up and see if she is there." Travers moved quickly. He ran up the stairs and opened the door to the room. He swung the door back and closed it behind him slightly. He saw a body wrapped in a blanket on the bed.
She heard someone approach. There had been a scuffle downstairs, and by now she had figured out the name of her rescuer to be Spike. She had picked up on his scent, and she knew that the person approaching her now was not him. Spike smelled of leather, sandalwood and a hint of tobacco, the same kind her father had used.
She felt the hunger inside of her taking over. She was ravenous. She had not known how long she had been in that alter. It had seemed like forever to her. The demon inside of her was still strong, and there was a desperation to feed that overwhelmed her. She opened her eyes under the blanket and waited for his approached one more. Her timing was of the utmost importance.
Travers walked to the bed. His curiosity got the better of him. He reached down to uncover the body, when the light of the lantern went out. Elizabeth took that as her queue. She threw off the blanket and grabbed him by the throat with one hand.
"Curiosity killed the cat." She pulled him down to her and bit into him. She drank him down quickly. So desperate was her need for blood that she held him so tightly she broke his ribs. She could feel her body come to life once more. The blood was coursing through her veins. She felt warm, and strong, and still so very hungry. Downstairs Ethan was growing impatient with Spike and Travers.
"Travers what the bloody hell is taking you so long! Get down her now!" Travers' body came crashing down on top of the table, and snuffed out the candle that was lighting the room. Ethan moved aside quickly, and Olaf was so surprised that he released Spike, who had fallen on his knees and was now grabbing his own neck, and coughing. The room was dark, except for the soft pale moonlight coming in from the front window and some light coming from the other room. Spike heard someone jump from the balcony down and land behind Ethan. He lifted his head and saw the shadow of someone standing behind the other man.
"Jesus, what the hell happened to him?" screamed Olaf. He was paralyzed, he couldn't move. Elizabeth grabbed Ethan by the neck and bit into his him. This buffet would certainly quell the hunger she had inside of her, and she was going to take full advantage of it. Spike scrambled away from the mayhem in the room and crawled to the other room. Along the way he grabbed the bag he had dropped on the way in, and took out a crossbow, and some arrows. He quickly moved to the corner and sat underneath the light and tried desperately to load the crossbow. He could hear a gurgling sound, and then a body falling on the floor. Then he heard the sound of Olaf whimpering, and pleading for his life. Then a crack, more gurgling, another thud and then silence.
He began to hear a pounding sound in his ears, and realized it was his heart. His breathing was becoming hard and heavy. He managed to load one arrow, and held out the crossbow with trembling hands.
There were so few things in this world that frightened him and he had not remembered being this afraid since he was a child, that night he had tried running away. But there was something there now, in the room with him, something that had killed three large and tough men, as though it were killing flies trapped in honey. And now it was moving towards him.
He saw the figure outlined in the doorway. There was a soft pale blue light surrounding it. Slowly it approached him. The footsteps were light, and almost predatory. Spike swallowed hard and readied himself for the monster that was approaching him. It stopped just three feet in front of him. He could see only to the knees, and then it crouched down.
"You should be careful where you point that. Someone could get hurt." She said. The sight of her shocked him. Two things came to his mind at that moment. One was how beautiful this woman was. She was small, with golden hair, and the face of an angel. And two, that this angel was covered in the blood of the men who wanted to cut his balls off and watch him bleed to death. She had blood on her mouth, down her chin, and all over her neck. He wondered if her blouse had been red to begin with or if perhaps it was the blood her very recent victims.
"Who are you?" Spike still held the crossbow in front of him. Elizabeth reached out and lightly pushed it way from her. He looked at the crossbow and then put it down next to him.
"I'm Buffy. Who are you?" She wanted to make sure she had heard his name correctly.
"Spike." He studied her closely and raised his eyebrow, "You wouldn't by any chance happen to be the dead body I just put upstairs?" She smiled at him, happy that his fear seemed to have subsided.
"Yes, I would happen to be." She stood up and held her hand out to him. He looked up at her and accepted her offer of assistance, and stood up. He still only saw her in the pale light, yet he knew that she was beautiful. "Do you now what I am?"
"I have an idea." He said and nodded.
"My friends didn't tell you I was a vampire?"
"No, it seems Mr. Giles left out that minor, yet rather important detail."
"Who were those men?" she asked as she turned to look at her victims. He looked at her, smiled and tilted his head to one side.
"Bite first and ask questions later ay pet?" He had stopped shaking, having by now realized that she was only going for the three course meal this night. Had she wanted him dead, he would have been so by now.
"I somehow got the impression they were not friends."
"They were old associates you might say." He walked to the bodies, "No matter, they won't be missed."
"Good. I suppose we should get them out of here. Help me get them on the horses." Spike looked at her.
"We have to bury them, not take them out for an evening stroll luv."
"I plan to bury them. Just not here. If the bodies are found I don't want anyone to find this cottage. Its been hidden away in here for many years." Spike picked up Ethan and Elizabeth picked up Travers. They both picked up Olaf, him being the size of two men put together. Once they were secured on the horses, Elizabeth mounted Spikes horse.
"Please, stay here. It won't take me very long. There is a well around the side and some wood. Can you make a warm bath for me?" she looked down at her bloodied clothes, "I must look a fright." She smiled at him and rode away, with the three bodies in tow.
Chapter 22
The rescue
Spike rode into the forest. He was almost to the other side before he realized, he had not even needed the map Giles had given him. He could see the clearing just ahead and immediately knew that if he veered off to the left a bit he would wind up behind the chapel. This familiarity with everything was beginning to weigh on his mind, but he dismissed any thought other than those of the task ahead.
He slowed his horse as he reached the chapel. Quickly he dismounted. He was at the rear, and as he started walking towards the front he looked down at his hands and could see the spell beginning to work. He picked up a rock just before he was completely cloaked. As he came to the front he saw the two large guards. He wished he had more time. He could have some fun, but he needed to get into the chapel.
He looked up and saw a small panel of stained glass on the side of the door. He threw the rock and smashed the glass. The guards turned in the direction of the noise. They quickly opened the doors and rushed inside. Spike ran in behind them and hurried past them. The two men saw the rock on the floor.
"There's someone out there." Said one of them.
"You stay here, I'll go and ride around. Maybe I can find them. I didn't hear a horse, so they are on foot." The second guard ran out and rode away. The first guard stood and felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned only to feel Spikes fist fly into his face. He was out cold. The man never had a chance. Spike was fast, and he took well advantage of it. He ran up the aisle and to the alter.
The moon was full, and the light was shining down just behind the alter. He looked and saw a side door. He ran out and took a blanket he had on his horse, and then went back inside. He could cover the body with it. It was bad enough he had to touch it, but there was no way he was going to look at a decaying corpse.
He gave himself enough leverage, planted his feet firmly on the ground and pushed with every ounce strength he had and pushed the slab to one side. He managed about a three foot wide opening, it would have to be enough. He took the blanket and threw it over the body and picked it up. It was as light as a feather. He wondered if all corpses were this light. He placed it down on the floor and then went around and slid the lid back into place.
He then picked the body up once more and went out the side door, and mounted his horse. He held the body close to him, not wanting to drop it. Corpse or not, he didn't want to mishandle it, that would be disrespectful, or bad luck or something. As he started to ride towards the woods he heard several horses approaching the front of the chapel.
"Bugger", he pulled on the reigns and lightly kicked the sides of the horse and rode as fast as he could.
In front of the chapel Ethan, Travis and Olaf had started to walk into the chapel. They noticed the doors opened. Ethan walked to the guard that was still unconscious.
"Olaf, come help me." Ethan and Olaf ran to the alter and moved the lid. Ethan lit a candle and shone it inside. It was empty.
"Dammit! They've taken her!" Ethan yelled throwing the candle to the ground.
"Who?" asked Olaf.
"The woman!" He grabbed Olaf by the arm and walked towards the door, where Travers was still standing. Come on, we have to get her back, or Angelus will have our heads." He ran out with the other two men following. They mounted their horses and Ethan started riding towards the back of the chapel.
"They had to have gone this way."
Elizabeth felt cold air all around her. She was having that dream again. He was riding with her in his arms. She felt his heat against her, and his scent was all around her. She felt herself moving; she felt the vibration of something underneath her. A horse? Was this real? Was this her dream? She tried to move, yet felt she should conserve her energy.
Spike stopped his horse for a moment. He looked down at the bundle he was carrying on his lap. Did it just move? He shook his head and started the horse up once more. He looked around. Somehow he knew where he was going. Now he was really starting to wonder what the hell was going on. Why did he know all of this; these woods, this body, this situation and then just in front of him, the cottage.
She felt herself being carried. A door opened and then closed, and she was being carried up stairs. Then someone was gently placing her on a soft surface.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. There was a soft light coming from the lantern near the window. He took hold of the blanket and started to pull it away, when he heard a pounding on the door. He got up from the bed closed the bedroom door and looked down over the narrow balcony. He thought perhaps Giles had decided to meet him now instead of waiting for tomorrow. He walked down the stairs and as he reached the bottom, he lit the lantern that hung form the corner of the ceiling just at the bottom of the stairs. He walked across the smaller room, out to the front room of the cottage. The pounding grew louder. He approached the door cautiously. He pulled the door latch back, and the door flew open. A large man came through and grabbed Spike by the neck and threw him hard against the wall. Ethan walked in with Travers following behind.
"Well, well, look who we have found." Ethan was smiling, "Spike. You were quite literally the last person in the world I expected to see here." Spike tried to focus. Olaf had knocked the wind out of him, and his head hit the wall hard. After a moment, he realized who it was.
"Good on you then." Spike struggled underneath Olaf's grasp. He was caught by surprise, and had to get his bearings again. And of course it didn't help that Olaf's huge hands were getting tighter around his neck.
"This is turning into quite a night. Now I can take back two things you have stolen from me." Ethan stepped closer to Spike. "First, where is the locket."
"Sod off Pillock!" Spike kicked at Ethan and caught him in the balls. Ethan doubled over in pain. Olaf punched Spike across the face, leaving his lip open and bloody. Travers moved towards Ethan and helped his straighten up. Ethan merely laughed.
"I was going to kill you quickly, however now I think I'll just cut your balls off and watch you bleed to death instead. Travers, go up and see if she is there." Travers moved quickly. He ran up the stairs and opened the door to the room. He swung the door back and closed it behind him slightly. He saw a body wrapped in a blanket on the bed.
She heard someone approach. There had been a scuffle downstairs, and by now she had figured out the name of her rescuer to be Spike. She had picked up on his scent, and she knew that the person approaching her now was not him. Spike smelled of leather, sandalwood and a hint of tobacco, the same kind her father had used.
She felt the hunger inside of her taking over. She was ravenous. She had not known how long she had been in that alter. It had seemed like forever to her. The demon inside of her was still strong, and there was a desperation to feed that overwhelmed her. She opened her eyes under the blanket and waited for his approached one more. Her timing was of the utmost importance.
Travers walked to the bed. His curiosity got the better of him. He reached down to uncover the body, when the light of the lantern went out. Elizabeth took that as her queue. She threw off the blanket and grabbed him by the throat with one hand.
"Curiosity killed the cat." She pulled him down to her and bit into him. She drank him down quickly. So desperate was her need for blood that she held him so tightly she broke his ribs. She could feel her body come to life once more. The blood was coursing through her veins. She felt warm, and strong, and still so very hungry. Downstairs Ethan was growing impatient with Spike and Travers.
"Travers what the bloody hell is taking you so long! Get down her now!" Travers' body came crashing down on top of the table, and snuffed out the candle that was lighting the room. Ethan moved aside quickly, and Olaf was so surprised that he released Spike, who had fallen on his knees and was now grabbing his own neck, and coughing. The room was dark, except for the soft pale moonlight coming in from the front window and some light coming from the other room. Spike heard someone jump from the balcony down and land behind Ethan. He lifted his head and saw the shadow of someone standing behind the other man.
"Jesus, what the hell happened to him?" screamed Olaf. He was paralyzed, he couldn't move. Elizabeth grabbed Ethan by the neck and bit into his him. This buffet would certainly quell the hunger she had inside of her, and she was going to take full advantage of it. Spike scrambled away from the mayhem in the room and crawled to the other room. Along the way he grabbed the bag he had dropped on the way in, and took out a crossbow, and some arrows. He quickly moved to the corner and sat underneath the light and tried desperately to load the crossbow. He could hear a gurgling sound, and then a body falling on the floor. Then he heard the sound of Olaf whimpering, and pleading for his life. Then a crack, more gurgling, another thud and then silence.
He began to hear a pounding sound in his ears, and realized it was his heart. His breathing was becoming hard and heavy. He managed to load one arrow, and held out the crossbow with trembling hands.
There were so few things in this world that frightened him and he had not remembered being this afraid since he was a child, that night he had tried running away. But there was something there now, in the room with him, something that had killed three large and tough men, as though it were killing flies trapped in honey. And now it was moving towards him.
He saw the figure outlined in the doorway. There was a soft pale blue light surrounding it. Slowly it approached him. The footsteps were light, and almost predatory. Spike swallowed hard and readied himself for the monster that was approaching him. It stopped just three feet in front of him. He could see only to the knees, and then it crouched down.
"You should be careful where you point that. Someone could get hurt." She said. The sight of her shocked him. Two things came to his mind at that moment. One was how beautiful this woman was. She was small, with golden hair, and the face of an angel. And two, that this angel was covered in the blood of the men who wanted to cut his balls off and watch him bleed to death. She had blood on her mouth, down her chin, and all over her neck. He wondered if her blouse had been red to begin with or if perhaps it was the blood her very recent victims.
"Who are you?" Spike still held the crossbow in front of him. Elizabeth reached out and lightly pushed it way from her. He looked at the crossbow and then put it down next to him.
"I'm Buffy. Who are you?" She wanted to make sure she had heard his name correctly.
"Spike." He studied her closely and raised his eyebrow, "You wouldn't by any chance happen to be the dead body I just put upstairs?" She smiled at him, happy that his fear seemed to have subsided.
"Yes, I would happen to be." She stood up and held her hand out to him. He looked up at her and accepted her offer of assistance, and stood up. He still only saw her in the pale light, yet he knew that she was beautiful. "Do you now what I am?"
"I have an idea." He said and nodded.
"My friends didn't tell you I was a vampire?"
"No, it seems Mr. Giles left out that minor, yet rather important detail."
"Who were those men?" she asked as she turned to look at her victims. He looked at her, smiled and tilted his head to one side.
"Bite first and ask questions later ay pet?" He had stopped shaking, having by now realized that she was only going for the three course meal this night. Had she wanted him dead, he would have been so by now.
"I somehow got the impression they were not friends."
"They were old associates you might say." He walked to the bodies, "No matter, they won't be missed."
"Good. I suppose we should get them out of here. Help me get them on the horses." Spike looked at her.
"We have to bury them, not take them out for an evening stroll luv."
"I plan to bury them. Just not here. If the bodies are found I don't want anyone to find this cottage. Its been hidden away in here for many years." Spike picked up Ethan and Elizabeth picked up Travers. They both picked up Olaf, him being the size of two men put together. Once they were secured on the horses, Elizabeth mounted Spikes horse.
"Please, stay here. It won't take me very long. There is a well around the side and some wood. Can you make a warm bath for me?" she looked down at her bloodied clothes, "I must look a fright." She smiled at him and rode away, with the three bodies in tow.