Under your Spell by Marianne

Chapter 18

Spike crouched ready for the attack, assessing the crowd of vampires to see who would be first. There were about half a dozen of them and they seemed to be waiting for something, or someone. At last, a small figure detached from the shadows and approached him.

"My name is Eon, you are to come with us." He said without preamble.

"Not bloody likely!" Spike sneered, "Why the hell should I go with you?"

"You do not have a choice, since you are outnumbered - and we are armed." The other said reasonably.

Spike looked again at the others, who were crowding closer and he could see some grasping swords and some brandishing clubs.

"I don't think you know who you're talking to." Spike puffed up his chest. "I'm a master vampire and I own this town." It was a slight exaggeration, well, okay, it was an outright lie, but still not fully recovered from his fight with Glory, he knew he'd not stand a chance against so many. "I should clear off right now, if I were you."

Eon stirred impatiently, "I know exactly who you are – Spike, also known as William the Bloody. Now you can come willingly, or we will force you. Either way, you will accompany us."

Spike was wracking his brains for a plan, when there was a disturbance at the back of the group.

Dawn had been worrying about her vampire for most of the day. He was sleeping soundly every time she went to see him, so she retreated to the lounge and watched TV desultorily, waiting for him to wake up and come upstairs.

She almost missed him, he crept out so quietly. She just had time to scribble a quick note to her mom, who was busy in the kitchen, before she let herself out and began to follow him.

She wondered what he was doing, going out without a word to anyone. She had felt that there was something not quite right about him last night; he'd seemed so ill at ease. Now he was striding down the street, head bowed and his hands plunged in his coat pockets. He seemed to be oblivious to his surroundings, stalking along, appearing to be muttering under his breath. She grinned to herself, and tried to see how close she could get to him before he sensed her. He'd be mortified if she could creep close enough to tap him on the shoulder. She scurried along behind him trying to catch him up, when suddenly a bunch of vampires appeared from the shadows and surrounded him. Dawn shrank back putting her hand over her mouth to muffle a gasp, what was going on here?

There seemed to be a leader who was talking to Spike. Maybe these were the vamps that he played poker with – no that couldn't be right, this group looked menacing and threatening towards the blonde vamp. She crept a little closer, hoping to catch what they were saying, when her arms were grasped by two vampires who'd been waiting in the shadows. She cried out in fright.

"Spike!"

The whole group looked over to where she was being held and the leader snapped, "Get rid of her."

Spike's expression went from astonishment to fury in a split second. "She's mine." He said coldly

Dawn felt relieved – Spike would rescue her.

"Get over here!" He snarled at her, his golden eyes glittering in the moonlight.

The vamps holding her shoved her in the back and she staggered towards Spike. "You bloody stupid little cow!" His face was twisted with rage as he leaned forward, grasped her by the hair and pulled her down to her knees. "What have I told you about following me?"

She had never really been scared of him before, even when he had been trying to frighten her, much to his chagrin. Now he was looking at her with such contempt and fury, she realized that she didn't know this suddenly savage creature. She felt a cold wash of terror. What was wrong with him? Was it the effect of drinking Glory's blood?

Shivering with fear, she quavered, "Wwwhat?"

"Quiet!" He roared. "Sodding, bloody, stupid human." He turned towards Eon, who was looking at him consideringly, and said smoothly, "So, where were we?"

"Who is this?" The other vampire asked coldly.

"She's mine and that's all you need to know." Changing the subject quickly, he said, "If I go with you, what's in it for me?" He already realized that if they'd wanted him dust, he would have been killed long since.

This time Eon smiled with humour, "There is someone who has a proposition for you."

Shifting his hold on Dawn from her hair to her wrist, he hauled her to her feet.

"Right then, where to?"

After a limousine ride into the hills, they were escorted up a steep, rocky path. Spike's bruising hold was like a vice round Dawn's wrist, she could feel the bones grinding together. Whimpering with pain and fear she lurched along trying to keep up.

The path leveled out and another group of vampires materialized out of the gloom.

"It's ready my lord." One of them addressed Eon, who gestured for Spike to precede him. They stopped at what looked like a sheer cliff.

"What the hell? Don't feel like sodding mountain climbing." Spike grumbled with irritation.

Eon muttered a few words under his breath and suddenly in the cliff face they could see the entrance to a cave. "After you." He said coldly.

Stepping inside, dragging Dawn after him, Spike gaped at a shimmering, sparking disc, seemingly suspended in mid-air.

"Bloody hell, you didn't say anything about a portal." He swung round to face the other demon. "Which dimension does this go to?"

"You've come this far, you might as well finish the journey." Eon seemed to be enjoying the situation.

Gritting his teeth, Spike stepped through, feeling a sickening lurch as he did so. Dawn gasped as she was dragged through, the hairs on the back of her neck bristled and it felt as though her skin was crawling. The other vampires stepped quickly through and the portal snapped shut.

"Welcome to the estate of lord Savos." Eon said with a triumphant smile.

A/N Savos was the ancient vampire that had the spell cast on Spike at the beginning of this fic – it seems what goes around, comes around.

Thanks again to you reviewers, I'm indebted to you.

Marianne