Title:Warriors in the Grey: The Pack (2/?)

Author: Dark Jester

Email: Darkjester@saintly.com


Pairing: Faith/Ian, Xander/Dawn, Spike/?(I have someone in mind, I'm
just not telling yet. Nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh)

Rating: PG-13 for now

Feedback: NOW!!!

Distribution: Fanfiction.net, anyone else, just ask.

Note: In a prior post I mentioned one of the pairings as
Spike/Xander. I changed my mind. I can do that, I'm the author.

Note part 2: I made a typo in chapter 10 of the original. The collar
around the neck of the tattoo is supposed to read 'Property of
Faith'. Sorry about the mix up.

Note part 3: Always looking for betas.





Ian waited. He was good at waiting, had been trained to wait for long
periods of time without moving. Waiting for one of his prey to come
out onto the balcony he now hid on. That's how he thought of them, as
nothing more than prey.

He had been waiting there for close to an hour. Wearing his Kevlar
body suit, he wore a shirt of ring mail underneath. Leaving his sword
at home, his only weapons were a garrote made of fishing line, two
small knives; one in his boot and one in sheath on his forearm, and
what God had given him. So, he waited.

He knew the room next door, Buffy and Riley's, was empty. They had
left shortly after he had arrived. Travers had gone with them, saying
they would return in a few hours. Where the red-headed witch was he
didn't know. She was not a primary target. He waited.

He could hear them through the glass door. They were a disgusting
bunch, sharing sick stories of what past captives had been subjected
to, and what they had planned for his Faith. Ian would not allow his
anger to dictate his actions. Doing so could lead to mistakes. He
calmed, telling himself none of the five men would see morning. He
waited.

His waiting paid off when the door opened and one of the men stepped
outside into the night. Ian disappeared into the darkness, almost as
if the dark knew what he was about to do and approved.

The man was talking to himself. "Can't wait to sink myself into that
body. Bet the slayer's tight as fuck."

"Those things will kill you."

As the Tracker turned toward the voice he suddenly felt a hand wrap
around his throat. All his struggling was for naute. Ian wasn't
trying to choke him, he was crushing the throat. As he fought for
breath Ian held him down so the others weren't alerted. The last
thing he felt before the darkness enveloped him was Ian removing the
ring signifying him as a Tracker from his finger.

Four to go.

Ian looked though the sliding door of one of the bedrooms. He saw
someone sleeping on one of the beds, dead to the world. He slid the
door open quietly and slunk in, close to the floor. He stood when he
reached the bed, looking down at his prey. He removed the knife from
the sheath on his wrist, and got on the bed slowly, straddling the
man.

Quick as a snake he simultaneously covered the man's mouth and slid
the knife between ribs into the heart. The Tracker had only a moment
to react before he was dead. Ian removed his ring as well, cleaning
the blade on the sheets so that the blood wouldn't gunk up the sheath
before returning it to said sheath.

Three to go.

He knew the easy part was over. He had taken out the solitary targets
quickly and would have to face the three together. Not a problem,
just a difficulty. If he could take them by surprise he might be able
to take out one more before the other two could react.

Ian inched his head around the doorway, careful to keep his body out
of sight, looking into the next room. All three had their backs to
him, watching, of all things, Jackass. 'I thought they canceled that
show' Ian thought to himself. 'Well, takes all kinds to screw up
cable'. Ian decided that the time for stealth was past. He would have
to keep things quiet though or else someone would come to
investigate.

Ian quickly formed a plan. He knocked the body off the bed then ran
behind the door. As he thought the three ran past the door to
investigate the body. Stepping behind the one known as Sean Moore,
Ian popped his claws and quickly, and messily, tore out the bastard's
throat.

Two to go.

Both turned to Ian. "What the fuck?"

Ian remained quiet, leaving nothing to identify him later.

Ian sent a kick into the one in front, knocking him into his
companion, both going down hard. Before either could get up Ian
kicked the one on front in the head, temporarily knocking him out.

Ian grabbed the other by the arm and yanked him up, right into his
Kevlar and steel covered fist. He did this several times until
noticed the other Tracker coming to. Dropping his victim, Ian stepped
over and picked him up, ramming his knee into the man's face. After
removing his ring, Ian simply threw him head first through the window
out into the darkness below.

Turning, Ian was met by a punch to the face. He then felt the man's
hands wrap around his throat. Having his face almost beat in, his
grip wasn't tight. Ian simply popped him in the stomach. Throwing him
over his shoulder face up, Ian pressed him over his head before
gripping and yanking him down over his knee, breaking his back with
an audible snap.

Removing the rings, he put them in an inner pocket and went to the
balcony. Hanging adjacent was the rope he had descended in the first
place. As he climbed he heard a noise below. Looking up at him from
her balcony was the red head. Their eyes locked for a second. Her
eyes left his to see the dead man on the balcony and the one who had
been thrown out the window and now lay in a dumpster. When she looked
up again, Ian was gone.

When Ian reached the roof he ran across and jumped onto the one next
door. Quickly stripping he changed into the jeans and shirt he had
stashed there. Stuffing his Kevlar into the bag he descended the fire
escape until he reached the ground, where he found Spike waiting in
the De Soto.

"How'd it go, mate?"

"I took care of our problem. The Trackers are no longer in the
equation."

"How many were there?"

"Just five. Travers wasn't there but I don't think he'll cause
much of a problem." Ian sighed. "God, I wish I had a better
class of enemy. These guys weren't even a challenge."

"Buck up. I'm sure you'll meet someone who can kick your ass,
and then you'll get your challenge. Think anyone'll come after
you?"

"No one knows I did it so they won't come after me till I want
them to. They still think I'm just a little club owner."

"This is going to be fun." Spike grinned.

"Yep." Ian answered simply.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Where have you been?' Faith had an angry scowl on her face,
which would have been a great deal scarier if she hadn't also been
wearing a flowery apron.

"Has anyone ever told you your sexy when you cook?"

"No ones ever seen me cook. Now answer my question. You should
have been home hours ago."

"We were just taking care of some pests."

The look on Faith's face showed she didn't believe his story. Over
the last month it finally sunk in that Ian wasn't going anywhere
without her. This made her deliriously happy. It also caused some of
her brashness to resurface.

"And your not buying this, are you?"

"Not a bit, Stallion. So how about telling me the truth?"

"Fine. I had some visitors at the club today. I had to take deal
with them."

"So what, your old enemies are coming back, is that it? Thought
you'd just start killing again? Let me tell you, I won't put up with
that. I just got you, I will not lose you because you've got
something to prove with your old playmates."

"Faith, most of my 'old playmates' are dead. You can't retire
from my business and have loose ends. The visitors didn't come for
me. They came for you."

Faith's eyes filled with fire. "What the fuck?" She stormed
over to where Ian stood, jabbing him in the chest with a spatula.
"Do you think I'm some little princess that needs protecting?
Let me tell you something, Big Boy, I can take care of myself. I
don't need your help dealing with my past."

Now Ian was beginning to get angry. "What, you expect me to have
people come into my office, threaten to take you away from me, and
I'm just supposed to sit back and do nothing? Listen, Little Girl,
that mark on your chest means you are under my protection. Anyone who
threatens you has to deal with me. And I will kill to protect my own.
Deal with it."

"What, you think you own me? You've got some balls saying that
to me." As Ian was about to speak Faith raised her hand.
"No, Ian. I'm mad at you Get the hell out of my kitchen."
When she saw he wasn't moving, Faith decided to take direct action.
She picked him up and threw him out of the kitchen.

Ian jumped to his feet. He was about to barge back in to give her a
piece of his mind when he felt a staying hand on his shoulder.
Turning he saw Xander.

"You don't want to do that. You'll just say something you don't
mean and it will hurt her."
Knowing Harris was right, Ian turned and climbed the stairs to the
third floor.

Faith busied herself around the kitchen, trying to burn off some
aggression. How dare he make her worry like that. When she became
angry she fell back on her two tension relievers; sex and food. Since
Ian still wasn't giving it up, she cooked.

Hearing the door open, she turned. "I said get.... Oh, hi
Xand."

"Faith, we need to talk." Xander knew someone hads to tell
her what had happened. Ian just didn't understand the enormity of the
situation.

"About what?"

"What happened with Ian today."

"I can't believe he sent you in. He...."

"Faith, shut up and listen." Seeing he had her attention he
continued. "They've found us."

"Who?" Faith asked confused.

"The Council. Buffy, Willow, Riley, and three Watchers visited
Ian today. They clued him in on your less than stellar extra
curricular activities."

"Oh my God. They're here. I thought they'd leave me alone."
Faith was getting scared. She had hoped that if she kept out of sight
the Council would leave her alone. Guess she was wrong.

"Faith, have you ever heard of the Trackers?' At her nod,
"Have you heard the rumors of what happens to their captives
before they're killed?" Again, she nodded. "They sent six
after you. They weren't messing around." Now Faith was
terrified. She couldn't let them get their hands on her. She couldn't
take six of the Council's best and she couldn't take what it would do
to her. Being raped was her worst fear. It had happened to her at
such a young age, and so often, that she knew if it happened again
she would lose her mind.

Seeing the look of fear on Faith's face Xander enveloped her in his
arms, offering support. "Faith, it's okay. Spike told me Ian
killed five of them tonight."

"And I was so mean to him. I've got to apologize."

"I think he understands."

"But he's worked so hard to build me up. And I nearly bit his
head off."

"Well, he's upstairs, so we won't see him till he decides to
come down. Ever wonder what he does up there?"

"He probably just likes to have a place of his own. I mean, he
spent years by himself and within a few months he's got four people
living with him."

"Deciding to change the subject Xander looked Faith up and down.
He shook his head and grinned. "I still can't believe he sent
you to that school."

Faith's grin rivaled his. "I know. Who knew Ian was such a kinky
bastard?"

Under her apron, Faith wore a plaid skirt that ended mid-thigh, a
tight white blouse with most of the buttons left undone, knee high
white stockings, and Mary Janes. The rosary tattoo and pig tails
completed the look. Faith knew she looked damn sexy. And by the looks
Ian sent her, he agreed.