Severed Ties

Chapter 39

The Unknown Soldier

Frost's eyes narrowed and, forgetting the three demons that had accompanied him to Sunnydale, focused on the platinum blonde. There was something about Spike that he instantly disliked. He wasn't sure if it was the cocky flair that all bad asses without honor carried or the confident knowledge that he was needed. Whatever it was, the frigid warrior wanted nothing more than to run the vampire through with Airendale. He curtailed that desire, however, and critiqued the words that had just left Spike's mouth.

"You plan to kill the slayer?"

Spike shrugged and glanced at Morrigann. "Thought you said he was the bright one of the lot, pet." He blew out a final plume of smoke and tossed the fag to the ground. "That's what I said, mate; I'm gonna kill the Slayer…not the brunette trollop or my daughter dearest, but the real Slayer. Buffy Summers."

Frost chuckled, a sound of ice scraping across metal. "Pardon my disbelief, vampire, but you are her lover, are you not?"

"Was her lover, mate. Emphasis on was."
"Was?" D'Bahn asked.

"Yeah," Spike replied, "meaning 'not anymore'." He took another step

forward and gazed at Frost. "And you really expect to have things in order for the poofter's arrival? I must say, unless you blokes got something else in your bag 'o tricks, I'm not seein how you could do anything without pretty lil me."

"And that's why you're here, lover boy," Morrigann purred and crushed herself to Spike's back. "While these three are formative warriors and Frost--though he may be unimaginative and has an icicle up his hidden parts--has the intelligence to scheme up a battle plan, you are the key."

Frost ignored Morrigann's exchange between Spike, his mind on something the blonde had just said. Fury rose within him and he nearly pulled his sword from its sheathe. Instead, he strode over to the two vampires and, pushing Spike away, glared at Morrigann.

"You told him about Gabriel? Are you so ruled by the heat between your legs that you would endanger our Master's plans for this?" He pointed towards Spike and when the latter took a menacing step forward, Airendale's tip danced across Spike's neck, drawing blood when it nicked his flesh. "Careful, vampire," Frost said, his eyes still blazing holes through an obviously unconcerned succubus. "If you wish to battle me, have at it. But know that it is a fight you cannot win."

"He's right, my dear," Morrigann said and positioned herself between the two. She reached behind her and Spike took her proffered hand. "Frost is a most powerful warrior. Other than that minor setback against Seth, I don't believe I've seen him bested."

" 'S not like I haven't beat the odds before," Spike replied and draped his arm over Morrigann's shoulders. Holding his free hand up, he ticked away the points with his fingers. "Faced off against a hell god, killed two slayers, fought a third to standoff on numerous occasions, shagged a slayer and made her fall for me and, last but not least--knock said slayer up in, oh, about twenty years. So, I'd say a good old fashion rhubarb with the white warrior over there'd be a piece o' cake."

"Can't let my two boys fight now, can I?" she tsked.

"I am not yours, succubus," Frost spat and sheathed his sword. He turned his back to the four and walked out to the deck in the back. He overheard the demon brothers filling the vampires in on what would no doubt be seen as his treachery but he didn't care. Instead, he focused on the crisp summer night, the multitude of insects performing as an orchestra. It was a welcome disturbance, his solace in many ways. It'd been on a night like this--what, four hundred years ago? Five?--that he'd met the person that would change his life.

"Where are you now, old man?" He rested his forearms against the railing and peered down the hill at the flickering lights of the small town below. Vampires and other demons scurried through the night now, killing innocents here and there. But once Gabriel arrived, there would be no more Sunnydale. The people that had been protected for years by the Slayer and her friends would be no more. The Slayer was formidable but Frost knew the power his Master possessed. In truth, Gabriel had enough skill with his magic alone to destroy the Slayer and her friends. Though he was never one for prophecies, Frost began to lend credence to the truth of what Gabriel had told them.

Was he that afraid of the hybrid-child? That was quite possible but if that were the case, why not have them kill her now? Now that he thought about it, some of Gabriel's initiatives made no sense to Frost. Only now, however, had Frost realized this much. Gabriel had given them free reign to do as they pleased, save for killing the slayers. Anyone else, including the vampire, had been fair game.

The vampire…

Just as the previous thoughts had derailed his calm, the image of the platinum blonde refused to leave his mind. What was Spike's game, anyway? Frost had been told about the love that existed between the Slayer and her vampire before they'd departed from the future time. Why would he betray her then? Though he knew the power of Morrigann's pheromones once released into a victim's blood, he'd never thought she could turn someone as obstinate as William the Bloody.

"Something's not right here," he whispered to the night. But the more he attempted to understand the events the more his mind drifted back…back to days long past. Days when he was human.

Days that he'd refused to dwell on for generations.

The click of footsteps behind him drew Frost's attention from his thoughts and he had never been more grateful to turn and see the glowing eyes of the succubus staring into him.

"So," she said, the malice in her eyes belying the gentle curiosity of her voice, "the boys've told me you were busy while I was out."

Frost shrugged and faced her. "That I have."

Her eyes narrowed and she took another step towards him. "So you do not deny their accusations."

"Why deny it? It will only come out in the future regardless. And though they speak the truth, I see not how my actions concern you or anyone…they do not jeopardize our purpose."

"Do you really think that is what the Master will believe?" He flinched when her hand caressed his forearm. "My dear Frost, I know you are not that naïve. Gabriel shall be most displeased with your behavior."

He pulled away from her touch, taking a step to her left. "My behavior? Am I not the one that prevented you from turning the young boy you took a fancy to?"

She stifled an exaggerated yawn. "You're reaching, Frosty my boy. Even if he'd been out of bounds, I believe conspiring with the enemy as you have would eliminate any semblance of good will. " She turned and strode towards the door and Frost's cold eyes followed her sway of their own accord. She stopped just inside the threshold and glanced back at him. "You have a bit yet to come to terms with the infinite possibilities that could perhaps be your punishment. I hope that, by the time it comes, you do not scream like all the others."

Frost shivered at her words. The bitch was right. Once Gabriel caught wind of Frost's actions, the vampire Lord would be most displeased. True, it hadn't, and wouldn't, interfere with Gabriel's plans but he'd shown mercy to the enemy, something his Master would find wretched and cowardly. So, he'd pay with his blood and, like Morrigann had said, it was quite possible that the vampire Lord would fill the night with Frost's screams.

His craned his neck towards the sky as his mind played back the images of the warriors the vampire Lord had broken with a blood-thirsty sadism surpassed only by his childe, Seth. Whereas Seth used nothing more than the physical tools available to him, Gabriel had access to an incalculable wealth of knowledge of the black arts. He could bring such agony onto a body that many times, once it was over, Frost had witnessed those that had forgotten who they were.

Shaking his head, Frost walked back into the house. His last thought as he crossed into the room was if it came to that, he'd have nothing to lose. After all, he didn't know who the hell he was anymore, anyway. Hadn't for quite sometime. Maybe forgetting all coherent thought would, in fact, be a blessing.

"If I were only that lucky," he muttered to the now empty room.

He was answered with silence.

&&&

The room had taken on three seconds of complete silence at his announcement, but when it broke, Xander fought the urge to cover his ears.

"Tell me I didn't hear you…"

"--your brother?"

"I've known you for how long and you've never…"

"--kissed Willow but not telling me about his sibling…"

"…fucking jerk, I should…" On Faith's colorful promise, Xander clapped loudly until everyone simmered down.

"Thank you. Now, if I could just explain…"

"Yeah," Buffy chimed in, "explain how you forgot to tell us about your brother, who just so happens to be a bad ass bad guy who introduced me to his sword, Mr. Icicle and sent CJ to the hospital…"

"…he did save me though," Fred whispered.

"Which means," Dawn said, "that his motives are completely obscure, at best and…"

"Completely duplicitous at worst," Angel declared.

Xander held up his hands and walked into the middle of the floor. "People, please. While I know the whole 'brother' issue is an attention grabber, it may have been a bit misleading…"

"I don't know, X," Faith said and he winced at her sarcasm. "There aren't too many ways 'brother' could be taken."

"He could've been in a fraternity," CJ supplied.

Dawn shook her head. "He didn't go to college, hon."

"Thanks ever so, Dawnster."

The One beamed at his sardonic reply. "No problem."

"People," Angel said, "can we get back on the subject?"

"Trying to tall, dark and brooding," Xander muttered. He ignored the vampire's indignant objection and took a deep breath. "Do you all know what I am?"

"Of course," Buffy said, "you're Xander."

He shook his head. "Not who I am, but what."

"Well," Cordelia said, "aside from being a moronic jackass most of your life, I'd say you're human. If that's what you're trying to get at."

"Thanks ever so, Cord," he replied sardonically.

"No," Dawn said and Xander cringed from the power and certainty of her voice. "He's something else."

No one spoke but Xander felt the weight of all eyes once again staring into him. He said nothing for several seconds, awaiting the questions but none came. He wanted to remain silent but knew he owed them an explanation. It wasn't as if it was that bad. Okay, so maybe he was now infused with the very things he'd hated but other than that, everything was on the up and up.

Closing his eyes, Xander let out a harsh sigh. What are they gonna think of me now? He thought. Oh, nothing, Xander, only that you're now the world's greatest hypocrite.

Xander jumped when he felt a warm hand squeeze his fingers. He craned his neck and saw Faith's brown eyes, full of love and support, staring into his. That was all it took to give the once glorified bricklayer the strength to tell them his story.

&&&

He didn't need eyes to feel the magic swirling around him. A maelstrom of black and purple whipped at his flesh, slashing him. He winced at every pull of the magic but never wavered. Even as powerful as he was, the forces he'd summoned, were he to mispronounce any part of the incantation in the slightest, would rip him apart. And though the soul he carried within him was tainted more than the demon housed in the husk of the once Irish rake, Gabriel knew there were still hells that even he could not fathom.

Shouting in a language older than the hell dimension the human part of him was raised in, Gabriel harnessed the powers of the magic of the voice, directing it at the blonde figure bound to the seven foot cross. Though it hurt his eyes, he dared glance at the religious icon. The magic twisted around it in a dance it knew it couldn't win. It never touched the silver crucifix but battered and violated the small figure with impunity. Her unconscious body rebelled, spewing forth her now tainted blood from all openings. For a moment, the vampire warlock thought that this latest plan, thought up at the last minute, would be his undoing. But just as he thought her body would destroy him and everything in the room, her head lolled to the side and her body fell limp.

"Well," Gabriel said after spending several minutes recuperating, "that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Brushing himself off, he stood and, on wobbly legs, made his way towards the motionless figure. Studying her face, he noted the ripples in her flesh where the Void's dark energy surged in her veins. When he caressed her cheek, his finger sizzled from her touch.

"Perfect," he whispered and stroked her dirtied blonde locks. Immune to magic, she was also poisonous to the touch. Coupled with her already prodigious strength and skills, the dark magic would make her completely unstoppable and under his command. If that child was the only one that could bring forth his demise, Gabriel was going to make sure that she had to get past his new weapon.

"And you are a wonderful weapon, aren't you, my dear?" Eyes that were once hazel and full of life glared at him with a malice that caused him to take a step back. Oh yes, the Slayer and vampire's child would have to go through this abomination first. And since she couldn't do it before, he doubted if the girl could kill this woman this time.

After all, it was her mother.

TBC in The Path of Thorns