Chapter 14
The Rescue
"Another slayer. How fascinating," Giles said after hearing the update.
"Yeah, wonderful. Giles, the sacrifice is tonight. We need to do something," Buffy urgentely said.
"I have found out that they don't like daylight," Giles told her, referring to his book as Anya and Xander walked in.
"Giles, what's up?" Xander noticed Natalie. "And...who are you?"
Anya walked up to Natalie and held out her hand. "Hi! I'm Anya. Who are you?" Anya cheerfully asked and Natalie smiled back and shook her hand.
"I'm Natalie."
"Natalie who?" Xander asked.
"Natalie the Vampire Slayer. Willow'll fill you in," Buffy said and took Natalie over to Giles. "Do you have any idea where they are?"
"No, I haven't found anything else on them, unfortunately," Giles responded.
"Hey, look here!" Spike called. He was standing near the bookshelf. "I found something. It says Klakarec demons usually make a fake ceremony chamber above the real one to keep anyone from finding them."
"Anyone would be us," Buffy said, walking over to him and looking at the book he held. "Well, that tells us where they are. We were right on top of them last night, and we're going to back there very soon. Giles, how do we kill them?" Buffy looked up at Giles.
"I don't know, but there's no way we can be ready before the ceremony tonight," Giles answered.
"We have to get the girls out of there!" Buffy exclaimed.
"Why don't you just get the girls out without them noticing you?" Anya suggested.
"Yeah, that would work. Right?" Willow asked, unsure.
"Yes, that would work," Natalie responded.
"OK. Spike, Natalie, let's go. The rest of you stay here," Buffy commanded, heading to the door.
"Buffy, don't try to fight them," Giles warned. "Just get the girls out. We'll worry about the demons later."
"Don't worry. We'll only fight them if they get in our way until the girls get out and then we'll leave. Promise," Buffy said and the trio left, heading for The Bronze.
"This is where they are?" Natalie asked, looking down at the doormat. "Under that...doormat?"
"Yep, pretty much," Buffy told her, taking off the doormat and opening the trap door. "Go ahead. It's safe."
Natalie jumped down into the sewer. Spike and Buffy followed her.
After a few minutes, they reached the wooden door again and Buffy opened it. They stepped into the chamber, leaving the door open.
"So, they're under here? Tricky guys, they are," Spike said, looking for another trap door or something similar to it.
"Yeah, and a pain in my--Here it is!" Buffy saw a handle covered up by dirt and brushed it off. "Remember, we're just here for the girls. If the demons get in our way, Natalie and I will keep them busy while Spike gets them out. Let's go."
Buffy opened the trap door and they climbed down a ladder leading down to the other chamber. There was a short passage, and then they found themselves in the chamber, demon-free. They spotted the girls.
"There they are. And there's Dawn. She's OK. Thank God!" Buffy whispered.
"Joanna, look! It's our sisters and Spike." Dawn nudged Joanna with her elbow and Joanna looked up, spotting them.
"Oh, you're right. Spike is kinda hot," Natalie agreed with Dawn from an earlier discussion that they'd had.
"Girls know best." They smiled at each other.
The trio made their way over to the girls and started to untie them. Buffy untied Dawn and they hugged.
"Oh, I was so worried about you!" Buffy said to Dawn.
"I knew you'd come," Dawn smiled.
Joanna and Natalie embraced just as Spike untied the last girl. Alexa, the first girl taken captive, fainted and Spike picked her up.
"We better go before we get company," Spike advised.
"Too late." Joanna pointed at something and everyone turned to see a group of at least a dozen Klakarec demons standing ten feet in front of them. The other girls screamed.
"Spike, get them out. Now!" Buffy yelled.
"Right. Come on. Let's go!" Spike led the girls toward the passage and stood aside until they were all through and followed them.
"Dawn, follow Spike," Buffy commanded.
"Let me stay!" Dawn pleaded.
"We can help you," Joanna added.
"No, Joanna. Go!" Natalie said.
"Both of you, now," Buffy said sternly and the girls obeyed, running toward the passage as the Klakarec demons attacked.
The two slayers managed to knock them all out, but more appeared.
"Go!" Buffy screamed and Natalie ran for the passage with Buffy close behind her. The demons followed.
They didn't look back. When they reached the end of the passage, they quickly climbed up the ladder and ran out of the first chamber and into the sewer.
"They're gaining on us!" Natalie yelled back to Buffy.
"Just keep running!" Buffy responded.
They reached the hole and Natalie jumped up and grabbed the edge of it, pulling herself through. Buffy followed her and made it out just as the demons reached the hole, but backed away when the sun hit them. Buffy pulled the trap door over the hole and put the doormat back over that. Buffy stood up and gave a sigh of relief.
"Let's go. Spike should be halfway back to Giles' with the girls by now." Buffy and Natalie headed toward Giles.
THE END OF CHAPTER 14
This chapter was pretty good, I though. Review please! Thank you Lady Meldalosse for the lovely review. Be sure to check out my poem that I posted a few days ago called 'The Vampire & The Slayer.'