Chapter 9

John laid the unconscious body of Shannon on the back of his car, sliding into the facing seat. The driver looked over his shoulder, and the demon shook his head. Not yet.

"Sir. They're inside. They tried the front door first, but didn't make a second attempt that door. I had the flame-thrower up there. They've come in through the back door. Shall I let them pass, or continue the delaying tactics?"

"Let them in, Nathaniel." John smiled. "They'll be too late." He nodded to the driver, and the car emerged from the tunnel, heading down the road towards the highway.

Angelus and Spike exchanged a glance and within a moment, the fight was over and the demon was dead. "This is too easy."

Spike nodded, the itch between his shoulderblades still there. "It feels like they're just meant to delay us. Not to stop us."

"I agree." Angelus led the way through the house. "Come one, come on. Where are you?" he whispered.

The human wielding the flame-thrower appeared briefly, and when he saw the two vampires, slowly backed away, his head tilted as if listening to someone.

Angelus grinned. "Sorry, pal. No barbeque today."

The human snorted. "Not for you. For the blond, the boss doesn't care."

Angelus shrugged. "Maybe not. But as rumor has it, I do." He pointed upstairs and headed after the flame thrower, sending Spike upstairs

The human turned and bolted for the front door, shedding the flamethrower as quickly as he could.

Spike took the stairs two at a time, his senses alert for an ambush. There was no one in the long hall, and he slowly made his way down it, peering in each door as he came to it. One opened onto a windowless room where there was the distinct smell of spilt blood, and a trail of it led out the door away from him. "Angelus!" he shouted.

Angelus took the stairs two at a time, forgetting the man with the flame thrower. He knelt, running his fingers through the blood and tasting it, his eyes narrowing. "It's hers."

"Lovely." Spike scowled. "MacInnis didn't come out either door, which means there's at least one other way out of this house."

Angelus sneered. "Then let's find out," he growled.

Alexa slowed as she exited the highway, watching headlights coming up the road from where she knew MacInnis's house was. She watched as it passed, her eyes narrowing when she got a glimpse of a familiar face in the window. Spinning the motorcycle around, she opened the throttle completely, pulling a wheelie as she raced after the car, leaving Katie sprawled in the dust.

Katie stood, dusting herself off, and pulling the goggles free of her face. Her eyes flashed golden for a moment before she turned towards the house, and began walking. She had to find Angelus. She shook her head, her thoughts still switching back and forth between the mindset of Katie and Natalie.

Spike followed him, the two vampires following the trail of blood down two flights of stairs, to a narrow doorway. On the other side, Spike blinked. The walls of the long gallery were covered with gems that gave off a soft glow, enough to see clearly the writing beneath each one. The names of vampires.

"What the hell is this?" Angelus snarled as he led the way through the gallery.

There were two settings where the gems were dead, glistening in the light from the others, but with no glow of their own. Under one, a tear-drop shaped piece of obsidian, was written 'Angelus'. Under the other, a square-cut ruby, was written 'William the Bloody'.

"I'd say it was that collection the demon spoke about," Spike replied, shivering slightly. He didn't like this room at all.

The blood trail led to the far door, and Spike followed it, finding a tunnel that led out into the night, tire marks in the dust indicating where a car had driven away from the end of the blood trail.

"I'd say you're right." Angelus followed Spike from the room, his eyes scanning the night air. "Damn."

"Your quarry is headed north on the highway, with a demented human chasing it on a motorcycle, driving at speeds even I try not to travel at." There was a note of dry amusement in the voice as it floated out of the night. "At least, that's what I saw of them after Alexa dumped me in the dust. You know, Liam, you really ought to..." There was a pause, as Natalie came out of the darkness. "I want my locket back. Before that bloody child's memories confuse me more." Gold eyes met his, dry amusement in them.

Angelus looked down at Natalie. "You let Alexa leave, by herself, with my woman and you think I'm gonna give you the locket back? Not on your life, lady.

Natalie raised an eyebrow. "Let her leave? I didn't have much choice. I lost my grip, and she was the one driving." Natalie shrugged. "But I do know where there's another car around here, and I've dumped the other human in the back seat. Better than dealing with the human women whining about him being left here alone."

"Let's go. And I'm driving," Angelus stated as he grabbed Natalie's arm and made her lead him to the car.

Natalie shrugged, dropping the keys into his hand, and sliding into the passenger seat, leaving Spike stuck next to the still unconscious Lindsey.

John directed the driver to pull off onto a deserted road, grimacing as Shannon stirred. He glanced over his shoulder again, noting that the person who'd been chasing them for the last fifteen minutes was still there, following them at the breakneck speed the entire way. They pulled into a dusty cul-de-sac, and he waited to see what the person would do.

The woman swung off the motorcycle, pulling off the helmet to free a long braid of hair. She drew a katana from her back, and a curved dagger from the belt at her hip. "MacInnis!" Her voice was strident, and there was a clear hint of anger, audible even through the door. "Come out here and die, little man!"

John raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Do you have a death wish, human?" he murmured.

"MacInnis!" The woman was waiting where the road was clear for him, settled into a fighter's crouch.

He sighed, shaking his head. "So be it." He shifted into his demon form as he stepped out of the car, smiling slightly. "If you wish to die, I will oblige you, human."

"Oh, don't be so cocky, MacInnis." The woman smiled. "I'm not as easy to kill as I look."