Chapter Thirteen

Buffy started to feel extremely dizzy. She half closed her eyes, and she felt the way you do when you are half asleep and half awake. Then it was like she was walking through a thick fog that didn't seem to end. She heard sounds, not those of her friends talking. But she heard the sound of ….carol singers? Their singing echoed all around her. There was also the sound of children's laughter, the sound of horse's hooves against stone as they pulled old wooden carriages along. Then images came to Buffy's mind. In the carriages would be first class families. Men in black suites, ladies dressed in the finest silk. Automatically she seemed to know when and where she was. She was in London, 1800's. It was Christmas - the year William had been turned into a vampire.

"What are you doing here?" asked Spike. "I thought it was just me going back. I don't want you to see this Buffy". She looked around her in awe. "I don't know. Side effect of the spell maybe?"

"Damn magic. Always gotta have a side effect. Come on then. It's this way". Buffy felt slightly out of place as she walked, wearing her jeans, high heeled black boots and red silk top. Spike looked even worse in all that black. But she soon realised that no one could see them. "What are we, the ghosts of Christmas future or something?" she muttered. Spike laughed slightly - if a little bitter. "Or something," he told her.

It was like moving through a dream. They were heading towards a large house - it looked like a mansion. It was warm and inviting, candlelight shone in most of the windows. She couldn't remember opening a door, but somehow they were inside. There were stairs in front sweeping up to the other levels of the house. As they entered a large room to their left, Buffy began to feel uncomfortable. Something bad was about to happen - she could feel it. Spike had tensed beside her. The room was lit with many candles and a fire that kept away the chill in the air. A young girl sat in a chair by the fireside, reading.

"Will you're mother be back soon deary?" asked an all too familiar voice. Drusilla! Buffy spun round and saw the insane woman was standing by the window. William The Bloody stood beside her, arm wrapped around her shoulders. "She is at a party with my father," said the girl who looked to be no older then twelve. "But it is almost midnight," said William with a deceptive smile. "She wouldn't leave you all by yourself would she? It's dangerous to be alone". The girl looked up at them with a trusting look in her eyes. "But I'm not by myself am I? I have you to two to look out for me. If you truly are such great friends of my parents - surely you will protect me against any monsters of the night?"

The two vampires looked at each other and Drusilla laughed. It made Buffy feel sick. "She was so….innocent. It was half of the fun. She trusted us, asked no questions. The young never do. She knew nothing of her mother's secret life. Neither did her father or anyone else," said Spike beside Buffy. She turned to face him. He was staring at the little girl, lost in the past. Lost in his memories. "Spike," said Buffy, laying a hand on his arm, but he didn't even notice. "Her mother was a powerful witch. Guardian of secrets and spells known to no other. The council had only just discovered her. The party was a disguise that night you see. Her mother - Grace - was secretly meeting with the council. She would be protector to the slayer on the latest mission. And that's when they made the deal that if anything should go wrong and our world be exposed - then her spell would make things right".

"How do you know this?" asked Buffy in a whisper. He pointed at the scene before them. "I'm remembering it," he answered her.

"Come to me," Drusilla was saying in her childlike way. The young girl stood up slowly, the book she held falling to the floor.

Suddenly Buffy heard the front door crashing open. A woman came in, holding a cross in front of her. She had long brown hair and was dressed elegantly in gold. "Get out of here," she stormed. "Get away from her". William looked at the girl, then he reached out and grabbed the child, pulling her close to him. "But we were invited lady," he said calmly. "Not a step further now. It's for your own good to do as I say".

"Aren't you pretty," murmured Drusilla. "All gold's and red's. But soon the red will shine brighter then anything else - just the way we like it!"

"Anna," said grace in a whisper. "Please, let her go". William laughed cruelly. "Tricky, tricky. To rescue you're child you'll have to use your powers and reveal your secret. Unless we kill both of you soon - which is the plan. Then there will be no point in worrying".

Grace looked at both vampires for a long while, her blue eyes flashing dangerously in the firelight. "I am willing to do whatever it takes," she said, her voice gaining strength with every word. William nodded happily. "So are we". In the next second, the girl fell to the floor, cold as ice.

"You killed her," whispered Buffy in shock. "To weaken your enemy you do whatever it takes," said Spike. "That's another thing you should learn about evil pet. We don't bluff our way out of situations. We carry things through - to the end. Remember that".

Buffy looked back at grace, who was staring in shock at her daughter, to stunned to cry - to do anything. She watched in silence as the witch used everything in her power against the two vampires. The room was left in ruins by the time it was finished, but somehow Dru and William were still standing. Buffy could tell Grace's heart wasn't in it. She turned back to Spike. "We know what happens next. Do you remember the spell?"

He walked over to where Grace lay, still and silent by her daughter. Drusilla and William had vanished. Spike knelt down by his victims, actual tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he murmured. He reached out to take the girls hand, but his own finger passed through the image. "Spike, we have to go," said Buffy, trying to remember why she was here in the first place. All she could feel was Spike's grief. She walked across the room and took his arm. "Spike we have to go now!"

He looked up at her and everything else started to fade. All she remembered was a flash of light, and then she was staring at the anxious faces of her friends.