Disclaimer: I don't own the Btvs or Angel characters
-Tell me what you think
Relive
Chapter 4 'They Fall in Line'
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Kirk woke the next morning with his head pounding and his body aching from lack of sleep. The sun was just cresting the horizon, but he couldn't sleep. His mind was constantly riddled with fear. Fear for his slayer's life and god forbid the selfish fear for his own life. He was drowning in it. He didn't know what to do half the time and the appearance of a vampire that killed two slayers wasn't calming his nerves any. Alisa's dreams were disturbing enough. He could see the fear in her even when she spoke of them. Her eyes were glaze over and her face would contort when she spoke of her confusion. She never say her enemy, she said, he was surrounded in a haze of color and a blur, but each time she was drawn to him and each time he killed her.
He didn't know if they were prophetic or not. Was it just her fears manifesting themselves in her dreams, or was there merit to them. He didn't know and even with all the training he had undertaken part of him doubted even that. He was losing himself with her. If he couldn't protect his slayer what was he? Kirk ran his hands over his face and through his hair pushing it out of his eyes. Sighing he got to his feet his body still aching and decided to get back to his research. That fax should have come in by now and he could get back to reading.
On his way to the kitchen he passed by Alisa's door and repressed the urge to open the door a crack and peek in. He placed his palm on the door and sighed. This was so much of a burden for the both of them. It wasn't fair. He hoped she had slept the rest of the night and the prophecies or whatever they had been left her alone. She deserved that at least, a few hours of peace to ease her mind. Kirk lowered his hand and walked past her door without looking he stepped from the hallway and into the kitchen. He put his coffee on and rolled his neck hoping the stiffness would leave and left it to finish while he started his work. Sitting down at the table he flipped open his then notebook laptop and logged on the net perhaps he gotten an e-mail from the council. Maybe they had information.
Just as he was logging on he heard a knock at the door. It wasn't often that he got visitors. In fact no one ever came to see him. They were new here and Alisa didn't go to school. He took care of some of her studies himself making sure she knew enough, but school just got in the way of her duty, besides there were too many questions. He wasn't officially Alisa's guardian and how was he supposed to explain the aspects of a slayer watcher relationship to social services. There was another knock this time it was louder and Kirk jumped to his feet afraid that whoever it was might wake Alisa. He scrambled to the door and pulled it open. Standing in the hallway of his apartment building was a beautiful young woman somewhere in her twenties standing beside a man around the same age holding a thick blanket in his hands.
"What do you want?" Kirk asked narrowing his eyes with suspicion.
"Hi!" The young woman said cheerfully. "I'm Cordelia and this is Angel. We were wondering if we might be able to talk to you for a few minutes."
"Whatever you're selling I don't want it." Kirk said firmly and started to shut the door.
"I don't' think you understand." The man said and put his hand on the door stopping him from shutting it. "We know who you are. We know about your slayer and we're here to talk to you about it."
Kirk didn't like this. The council had said nothing about visitors. He redoubled his efforts on the door, but found his strength useless. The door didn't budge from where he was holding it. "Who are you?" He asked slowly. He must have missed something. What if there were there to kill him. He had to worn Alisa. She had to get away.
"Look where not here to hurt you." The woman said and sent a glare at the man who shrugged guiltily and released his hold on the door. "We need to talk to you. If you let us in it will all make sense. We're here to help."
"Yeah and well I don't want to be pushy but I kinda need to get inside soon." The man said slowly.
Kirk backed away still not sure of either of them and held out his arm for them to enter. The girl walked in promptly but the man stood outside the threshold almost looking lost. Kirk cocked his head to the side nothing fully registering as it should. Something was so off.
"Why don't you invite him in and we'll get down to business." The woman said not showing any signs of something strange and nodded at Kirk. "It's rude to leave your guests outside."
"You're a...you're a vampire." Kirk muttered slowly and shook. Who were they and what did they want.
"Jeez let's skip the melodramatics." The woman said. "He's a vampire, but trust me he wouldn't hurt a fly. Invite him in and you'll understand."
Kirk didn't know what came over him but he nodded and looked the man right in the eyes. "Come in." He said and shut the door behind him hoping he hadn't just made the biggest mistake of his life.
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Alisa could hear voices when she awoke and shook her head. That was strange they never had guests not unless the council had scent somebody. Alisa frowned and pulled herself to her feet. There hadn't been anymore dreams, but her sleep had been anything but peaceful. She found it hard to sleep and had tossed in turned all night unable to get a full night sleep no matter what she did. She was either too hot, or it was cold. It didn't matter something always woke her and now it was voices. Slipping out of bed she pulled on a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt before leaving her room and following the sound to the kitchen. As she walked down the hallway her senses were going haywire. She could sense something was wrong. It was screaming at her as she rounded the corner and saw a man and woman sitting at the table talking with Kirk. Her eyes narrowed on the man and before she could help herself she blurted it.
"Vampire!" She spat and looked frantically for a stake, something.
"Man she's good. I can't remember Buffy doing that, no wait I think she used to pick 'em out at the bronze like that." The woman said and picked up her cup of coffee sipping it. "You'd better tell her the deal watcher before she stakes my husband."
Alisa was confused. 'Husband'. "Kirk what's going on?" She asked slowly her eyes closing as she remembered him holding the knife his voice as he plunged it into her stomach and twisted. She could see the blood even though her eyes were open and she could almost feel the pain. What if he betrayed her?
Kirk stood hastily. "I can't believe this. Alisa these two people new the last slayer who was here." Kirk was excited as he eyed them.
"But that was over a hundred years ago. They couldn't still be alive." Alisa said her voice trembling.
"That's because he is a vampire." Kirk said. "That's Angel. He has a soul."
"Vampires don't have souls." Alisa said shaking her head.
"Knows her vampire lore too," Cordelia mocked, "smart one."
"What's she." Alisa asked. "You said they. She's not a vampire."
"No sorry to disappoint you but I'm just a little bit demon. I get visions and then I and Angel here try to help the people I see. My name is Cordelia," She smiled, "nice to meet you."
"Hi?" Alisa said uncertainly and sunk into a chair at the table as Kirk led her toward it. "Why are they here?"
"They had a vision about you." Kirk said evenly. "They're here to help."
"So they know what I've been dreaming about." Alisa asked. "You know what I was called here to fight?"
"Well not exactly." Angel said shaking his head. "All we know is that we're supposed to help and so is one more uh...person."
"Who's that?" Alisa asked her brow raised.
"Kirk tells me you've already met him, obnoxious guy with a slight obsession with slayers, or more so recently with just one." Angel said. "He calls himself Spike."
"Are you talking about the vampire I met in the cemetery? I'm supposed to trust a vampire and get his help. Does he have a soul too?"
"No." Angel said. "Spike's a special case. He seems to have over come his demon."
Alisa shook her head hardening her brow. "Vampires don't feel."
"The council really has to stop feeding them this crap." Angel said and turned to look at Cordelia. "I mean they were spouting it out back in 1997 and they're still doing it today."
"Honey, don't start. We kinda renounced the council after the whole Giles and Wesley thing. I think that's pretty much over with." Cordelia chided him easily.
"Guys um...I'm still confused." Alisa said. "I don't understand why are you're here?"
"I'm seeking redemption." Angel said. "Before I had a soul I did a lot of horrible things and now I'm trying to make up for it."
"How old are you?"
Angel looked up at the ceiling for a moment as if counting. "384. I think that's right." He looked at Cordelia.
"Don't ask me I lost count after 278." She shrugged. "Just too many candles to put on the birthday cake."
Alisa was still confused. "What about the other one, the one who's supposed to help me. How old is he?"
Angel was silent for a long time trying to figure it out. "He's I think 268." He shrugged. "We've been around for awhile."
"I can't believe you let them in here!" Alisa said feeling her rage boil to the surface. This was her enemy. She should drag his ass into the sun and watch him burn. She should laugh at his ashes and behead the demon to his side. This wasn't right. She was a slayer. "I can't believe you trust them!"
"Hello, sitting right here." Cordelia said waving her hand to get the girl's attention. "I know you don't understand, but if you just sit down for a moment your watcher and Angel will explain. We have a huge history to discuss with you and maybe while we dive and dig through our pasts we'll find out why we've been called to help you." Her voice softened slightly and she gave Alisa a mournful gaze. "I know what it's like to be alone. I never lived the life of a slayer, but I did live a very isolated adult hood. I knew Buffy and now that I think back on her it's in awe. I can't believe she did what she did and so selflessly. I know you are alone and you're not used to being helped, but if you don't allow us to help you I guarantee you that you'll fail and with your failure Sunnydale will become the proverbial hell hole everyone always thought it was."
Angel reached across the table and took Cordelia's hand in his. He squeezed it slightly and sent her a weak smile. Sometimes he was amazed by her. She had changed over the years each year getting stronger and more giving. She was an angel herself. How many times would he have given up if it wasn't for her encouragement?
"I'll listen." Alisa said breaking the moment slightly and slipped back into her chair though her muscles were still tight coiled as if she waited for them to jump on her. She didn't trust them, but she would listen and for now that had to be enough.
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Spike was drowning in her touch and her smell. She was all around him refusing to let go. He could almost feel her lips against his as he reached for her wavering form that leaned over his body. As his hands came in contact with her flesh they slipped through the image and he hit himself with his falling fingers.
Spike woke with a start his fingers on his stomach and tears in his eyes. "Bloody fucking hell." Spike cursed and jumped to his feet pacing across the crypt rubbing his chin and running his hand through his hair. He wiped his eyes hurriedly with the back of his hand and let his hands fall to his side clenching them. Biting his lip in frustration Spike brought the fist he'd used to wipe his tears into view. It was still wet with his grief. Growling his face morphing he balled his hand up and smashed it into the concrete wall with a roar. Even as he felt his skin split and tear on the rough surface and pain radiated through his hand making his fingers shake it wasn't enough. Growling again he slammed his other hand into the wall and punched through the concrete. He knew even before he'd pulled it all the way out that he'd broken some fingers. They throbbed pulsated with a physical pain that ran throughout his body.
He hated the pain. He hated being weak and sometimes he hated her for making him that way. Sighing and still in demon face he sank to the ground cradling his destroyed and bleeding hands in his lap. Slowly he opened his closed fist and watched his fingers shake and protest the movement and he winced. He tried the other hand and found it moved easier and without as much pain. He hadn't broken anything in that one. He would heal in a couple of days maybe less. Spike lay back his body molding to the cold ground and wondered why it was his hands would heal but it had been so many years and his heart still bled. In fact just seeing her grave ripped the wound wide open.
"Why do you haunt me Slayer?" Spike asked the ceiling as if it were Buffy herself was hiding. Nothing met him but silence and Spike rolled to his side and caught sight of his duffle bag. Reaching for it he wrapped his good fingers around the strap and dragged it across the floor toward him. He dragged the bag across his chest and rolled onto his bag. Slowly he unzipped the canvas bag and rummaged through the contents not caring that he was smearing blood on his clothes. His fingers wrapped around a bottle of scotch and with a slight grin he let the bag fall to his side and he untwisted the cap of the bottle. Sitting up slightly he took a long fast drink and tried to take down as much as possible. He wanted to get drunk and he wanted to get their fast.
"Pathetic really, a master vampire crying on his floor a bottle of liquor in his hands."
Spike jumped to his feet immediately and swung his still steady gaze toward the intruder. It was a vampire, not a very old one at that about ten years or so. "What is it with people lately or demons or whoever? Can't a bloke get a little time to himself without half the bloody world coming in to question him, and who the hell are you?"
"Just a messenger 'master'," he mocked happily and paced in front of Spike swaggering slightly.
"You're treading on thin ice mate." Spike said taking another swing from his bottle. "I've been known to dust a few vampires in my day. If you don't shut your mouth you'll be next. Now get the hell out!"
"I've come to tell you Spike of a new opportunity." He smirked. "It seems there's a new leader in town." He paused. "I'm just out to recruit nothing more. I'm telling everyone I know of about him. He's building an army and I thought for once you'd like to be on our side instead of being the back stabbing trader that you are."
"How the hell do you know who I am? You're practically fresh out of your grave." Spike asked taking a few steps closer. This bloke was starting to really piss him off.
"You think nobody knows of 'William the Bloody' the trader vampire who fought along side the slayer. Who practically married the enemy! You're a legend and I mean in the not so amoral way."
Spike had had enough. Setting his bottle of scotch carefully on the floor he raced across the room and grabbed the vampire by the neck. He squeezed lightly and watched as the vampire's eyes bugged out of his head. "I'm not chipped any more and I don't help anyone but myself. I don't want part of this little shin dig and I want your mouthy ass gone."
"I'm just telling you what I know. Just let me go." He said his voice changing dramatically from his first impression of a cocky son of a bitch.
"Changed your tune a little bit haven't we." Spike said mockingly and shoved the man harder against the wall. "Are you afraid to die?" The vamp nodded and Spike chuckled. "Too late for that mate you're already dead." Smirking slightly Spike reached into his pocket and pulled out a stake. "Always keep one handy." He said and plunged it into the chest of the vampire smiling slightly. "You know just in case."
He watched as the dust settled to the floor and turned away from the pile not even caring that he could have just found out a lot from the fellow if he hadn't killed him. He didn't do that anymore. Not since she died. He wasn't the hero. He didn't care. He didn't care at all. Spike grabbed his bottle and sank to the floor at the foot of his bed and leaned backward before taking a lengthy swig. It wouldn't be long before he was lost in the bliss of alcohol. "Bloody git." He mumbled.
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Spike could hear a struggle in the alley just in front of him. He could tell it was a vampire in fact he could smell the girl's fear. She was about to be killed, eaten, all that rot. To think just a few years ago that would have been him in the alley. He started to turn around and leave the bloke to his meal but something whispered in his mind. A voice he hadn't been able to banish yet, no matter how hard he tried to.
'You're not going to just leave her there are you!"
'Slayer, this isn't my deal. If he's hungry he's hungry.'
'But she'll die.'
'So.'
'What if it was Dawn or...'
'Bloody hell'
'Save her.'
'You're dead. You can't do this anymore.'
'So I'm dead. I am then who are you arguing with? Just save her.'
Spike growled deep in his throat and turned around heading back for the alley. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and stuck it between his lips all the while mumbling curses and lit it just as he stepped around the corner. "I leave town for a couple of years and come to find you guys haven't learned your lessons." Spike said pulling the vampire away from the girl. He hadn't bitten her yet but she was shaking and terrified. He was going soft.
"S-Spike." The vampire mumbled looking from side to side as if contemplating his escape routes. "When did you get back?"
"Oh I don't know a while ago. I was hoping I could stay gone, but it seems as if my work is never done." He took the cigarette out of his mouth and ground it into the cement with the toe of his boot. "So you want to do this the easy way?"
"S-sure." The vamp said a little unsure.
"All right," Spike shrugged, "I like the easy way." Swiftly he took a stake out of his pocket and charged. Within seconds he plunged it into the vamp's chest and watched as he body disintegrated.
'Thank you.'
'No problem Slayer that was for you.'
Spike turned his gaze on the woman and sighed. This was also part of the job. "You can get up know." He said focusing on her shaking and crying form but unable to force himself to help her to her feet. "I'd suggest you get back home and get there quick. He's not the only one about and I can't follow you all night." He watched as the girl stood still shaky.
"Thank you." She said her voice shaking with each word.
Spike was silent. "It wasn't me." He said turning away from her.
"It was. You saved my life." She said slowly and took a step toward him.
"Did you not hear me?" Spike asked and turned back to face her his eyes flashing yellow. "I said go get out of here!" The girl stumbled backward and broke into a run leaving him alone. Spike twirled the stake in his fingers like he'd seen Buffy do a thousand times and dropped it in his pocket. Even in death she had him whipped.
"Well, well if it isn't Spike. Everyone's favorite bleached wonder."
Spike turned around rolling his eyes as he came face to face with Xander Harris. "What do you want?" He asked cocking his head to the side to show his boredom. "I swear if it isn't one thing it's another."
"I saw that Spike." Xander said grinning like an idiot.
"Saw what?" Spike asked defensively.
"Not exactly the best way to take praise though. I think you scared her."
"Yeah so I saved some one from a vampire induced death without the slayer. It doesn't make me a bleedin' saint. I don't see 'em naming churches after me." Spike scoffed uneasily and reached in his pockets for another cigarette.
"Humph...I can see it now in big blinking neon lights. St Spike's Cathedral, give a pint of blood to support our cause." He laughed at his own joke.
"Funny whelp. It really was, but if you don't mind too much I'll skip the rest of the act." Spike said and took a drag on his cigarette.
"No, Spike I mean...It's been a while. What you been up to?" Xander asked running his hand through his hair absently. "Sunnydale hasn't been the same without you around to terrorize it." He smiled.
"Yeah well I don't much like this place anymore." Spike said honestly and stepped past Xander. "I'm only here for a little while then I'm gone again."
Xander watched him leave for a second before calling out. "Hey you wanna go shoot some pool? Anya's spending some alone time with Jesse. You know mother kid stuff and well I was just walking around."
Spike stopped mid step and turned back around. He cocked his head to the side and smoked the last of his cigarette before answering. "Yeah, whatever. For a little bit I guess. As long as you don't tell anyone I saved that girl."
Xander grinned, "Secrets safe." He jogged up to stand beside him as they made their way toward the Bronze. "So you came to visit Buffy?"
Spike winced even though he tried to suppress it. "Yeah, but lets not talk about that all right. Tell me about your family whelp. How's marital bliss?"
"Just yesterday Jesse did the funniest thing..."
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They didn't know his name or even his true form, but they knew he was powerful. They could feel the energy circulating through their bones and making them incredibly uneasy. No one was fighting despite the crowd, demon against demon, vampire against vampire and all of them touching the other. The heat from the heat rising from so many bodies so close together was unbearable but no one was willing to take the first punch or say the first heated word. They had heard stories. The first vamp recruited by him was scared witless let he was given everything he wanted. All of it was in turn for something. Something some of them dreaded and desired to give all at the same time. The masses milled and waited in the silence of the abandoned building. The night was about to fall and already the place was full. When was he going to show? As if on queue something stepped from the shadows above hanging over the catwalk and down on the demons of all kinds below.
"I know why you have come." The pale man, obviously a vampire, with dark black hair and sunken green eyes looked out over the crowd. "You have been told of him, about me about his purpose and you are all here." He waved his arm dramatically over the masses and some had insults threatening to escape their mouths but none of them could mange to make their tongue work and shoot forth the blasphemous comments. "He wishes to pull you into his masses. You will be his followers you will be his people. If you but pledge your lives and your services all of it can be yours."
The crowd was silent as they watched him. It was as if a spell had been cast to calm them. No one questioned they just fell in line. The first demon raised his clawed hand.
"What is the name that I pledge my life to?"
The vamp watched him for a moment and smiled. It was working perfectly. They had no idea what they were handing over. It was the same thing he had handed over so willing. They would soon fell it like he did and they would hate themselves and crave more of it at the same time.
"He has no name that can be spoken properly in your tongue. He has given me the privilege of speaking for him. He comes from the hell dimension Tradous. His plain is to take over Sunnydale and eventually this entire dimension. If you fall in line you will be spared, but if you walk out I promise you only death."
The demon nodded and the words, the oath that would bind their fate flowed from their all too willing mouths. He didn't see one walk out. They were all his. The vamp let a lazy smile spread across his face as they all fell in line. Their free will was a thing of the past. Even if they wanted anything else it wasn't going to happen. If they expressed it they would die and their death would not be without pain. He had seen something powerful and the terror that ran rampant through him was like nothing he had ever felt as a mortal or as a demon.
The demon watched from the shadows. They were falling into place. He hadn't planned to use this sort of glammer yet but it was without help. They were intrigued by the promise because of the spell he'd placed on the words. They stood calmly because of the calm that surrounded this particular space. Now was their words reached him he closed his eyes as waves and waves of free will left the bodies and filled him. They were his eternally and he would know the minute they acted otherwise. Demon's and vamp's first and the weak humans that populated this planet. As soon as he dealt with the Slayer nothing would be able to stop him.
So what do you think?