Under your Spell by Marianne
Chapter 19
"Welcome to the estate of Lord Savos."
Spike fought to keep his expression impassive, as bitter and angry thoughts swirled around his brain. Bloody hell, Savos was the bastard who'd had him mojo'd, the one who'd given others complete control over him. The son of a bitch who'd forced him to dust his Dru.
Knowing any sign of weakness would be exploited, he decided to take the initiative. Dropping Dawn's arm he sauntered forward, examining his surroundings.
"All right, now I'm here, let's get a soddin' move on, eh?" Looking around he said casually, "Hmm, not as posh as I expected. I thought he'd be a bloke who liked his comfort."
They were in a small, unfurnished, stone room with a high vaulted ceiling.
"We are in the portal room at present; Savos' palace is above us. Eon gestured towards a long flight of stone steps
"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's get going." Spike managed a smirk.
He loped towards the stairs, but was stopped by two large vampire guards. Spike eyed them up and down disdainfully,
"Call off your pug uglies, Neon."
"It's Eon – E. O. N." The smaller vampire protested angrily.
Spike spun on his heel, his coat flying out, smacking against the guards. "All right mate, un-bunch your boxers. I thought you said that someone wanted to make me an offer. Haven't got all day you know, busy bloke, lots to do." He said blithely. "Come on, let's get on with it."
Eon was obviously not used to being spoken to in this fashion; he seemed to be struggling to contain his fury. He snapped his fingers, the two guards stepped aside and Spike climbed the stairs two a time.
When the portal had closed behind them, Dawn felt as though part of her had been amputated. Numbly, as she glanced back and forth between Spike and the other vampires, despair flooded her – and suddenly nothing seemed real. Disjointed thoughts swam through her mind, this must be, had to be, a terrible nightmare. This couldn't be happening. Spike would never hurt her, but the throbbing pain in her wrist told her different. She watched in horror as Spike climbed the stairs, leaving her behind. He was the only familiar thing in this terrible world, so with a wordless cry she scampered up the stairs after him – better the demon she knew.
She followed Spike through the door at the top of the stairs and gaped in amazement. They were standing in a vast cathedral-like hall, the ceiling of which, painted to represent a summer sky, soared high above them, supported by intricately carved marble pillars. Between each pillar, hung a large metal cage. The walls were covered with ancient looking tapestries, embroidered with hunting scenes. She then noticed that they'd attracted an audience, several dozen strangely clothed vampires were looking at them curiously. Eon strode forward and barked an order for them to disperse and, as they did so, Dawn saw at the end of the hall, there was a raised dais upon which a large, ornate chair was positioned.
Spike marched forward, but before he reached the platform, Eon grasped his arm, said "This way," and guided them to the left, towards large double doors in the wall next to the dais.
Eon snapped his fingers, one of the accompanying vampires opened the doors and Spike stepped in, closely followed by Dawn.
"You will wait here." Eon snapped and the door closed before Spike had a chance to protest. They both heard a key scrape in the lock.
The blonde vampire scanned the richly decorated and furnished room, until he saw another door which he rapidly walked towards. Opening it, he found a large well appointed bathroom.
"In here." He ordered Dawn and, without waiting to see if she'd obey, he walked in.
She slowly walked into the bathroom and watched as Spike stripped off his coat and turned the shower on.
"Close the door." He instructed and when she obeyed, he slumped against the wall.
Something inside Dawn broke and she felt rage overcoming her fear. Marching towards the vampire she began to hit and kick him as hard as she could. It was only when she was running out of energy, did she realise that he wasn't defending himself, just letting her strike him freely.
"Don't want to hurt you Bit." He said softly.
"Too frickin' late!" She screamed at him, lifting up her arm so that he could see the black and purple bruise that now encompassed her wrist. She saw his eyes widen as he caught sight of it, and then he looked her in the eye as he whispered "Bloody Hell."
"How? How could you do it to me?" she quavered.
"Did it to protect you, platelet."
"Oh yeah? Well who's gonna protect me against you?" Taking a deep breath to stop the tears that were threatening to overwhelm her again she said, her chin quivering "what happened to your chip?"
"Oh, bloody hell." He said again, rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair. "Glory took it out." He seemed to be having difficulty in meeting her gaze.
She looked at him incredulously, "When?"
He told her about his meeting with the hell-god and his bargain with her. "Didn't think she'd take it out straight away – thought she'd wait until she'd got her key. Course she didn't know that I wouldn't let that happen."
"So now you don't have it any more, it means you can hurt me when you like?" She was working up her temper again.
"No Bit, it's not like that." He groaned, how was he going to explain this to an innocent young girl. "Look, when you turned up all helpless like. D'you think that if I told them not to hurt you 'cos you were my friend, they would've been all sympathetic, patted you on the head and told you to run off home? No pet, they'd have snapped your neck and feasted on you. I had to tell them you were mine and then act as if I didn't care a damn about you. To them, you're my property and until one or the other of them challenges me, you're safe. Well relatively safe."
Then Spike put his arm around her waist and guided her to an upholstered chair. Sitting her down, he knelt beside her. "Didn't plan any of this little Bit." He said quietly, "'m just playing this by ear." He sat back on his heels and watched her scrubbing at the tears that were still falling down her cheeks.
"Vamps are opportunistic and exploitative creatures; let's face it, I should know. If any one of them thinks you mean something to me, they'll use it against me." He sighed, "so you'll have to behave like you're my property."
Her chin came up at that,
"what, all yes master, no master. I don't think so!"
"Bit, it's a matter of life or death – you have to take this seriously. When we're on our own, we can let the pretence drop, but while anyone is looking at us, you have to act subservient. Speak only when spoken to and do what you're told." He sighed again, "I know it'll be hard – but what if you pretend you're in a play or a film and you're going for an Oscar?"
"What all Halle Berry? No – she gave a terrible acceptance speech." Dawn managed a faint smile.
"More like Bette Davis, or Gloria Swanson." He said facetiously.
"Who?" She looked blankly at him.
"Oh, come on Bit, you've heard of the glorious Gloria, surely." He said with mock annoyance.
"Bet they were stars a hundred years ago. You are so old."
"All right then – Lauren Bacall. She was a feisty, good looking bird, and she got her Oscar in '96."
"1896?" Asked Dawn innocently.
Spike had that curious tight feeling in his chest again, like when he was telling her that he thought of her as one of his family. He was proud of the way she was struggling to understand what had happened to her, the bond he felt was reinforced a hundred-fold. Then the tightness became almost unbearable, as he thought about what needed to happen next.
"Um, Bit, there's just one more thing."
Dawn, hearing hesitation in his voice for the first time, looked at him fearfully, "What is it?"
There was nothing for it, he'd have to dive straight in "I've got to give you my mark." His eyes darted about, unable to make eye contact with her.
"Mark?" she said curiously and then she realised what he meant. "You're gonna bite me?" Her voice ended in a squeak.
"If you don't bear my mark, you're easy game to any one of them. They'd know I was lying about you being mine. Promise it'll not hurt - much."
Dawn took a deep breath, then slowly pushed her hair back and tilted her head, "go on, then."
"Close your eyes." He instructed.
"Oh, come on! I've seen you all fangy before."
"Yeah, luv, but I don't think I can do it if you're looking at me." He had bitten and drained countless hundreds of humans in his unlife – without remorse or much thought at all, they had just been food. Now he was having trouble changing to vamp face. Spike winced, what an admission for a master vampire to have to make.
She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth.
Spike looked at his beloved "sister" and forced his gameface to the fore. He'd never done anything quite as difficult. His fangs slid into her neck and out again before she realised and he licked the wound carefully, firmly shutting out the part of him that screamed for her blood.
"That it?" She quavered, blinking in surprise – it had hardly hurt at all.
"That's it, my brave one." He shook off his demon visage and smiled at her.
Dawn put her hand to her neck, where she felt a small wound that had already stopped bleeding. "Wow….." but before she could say anything else, she saw Spike become ultra alert. He straightened, his nostrils flared and, growling softly under his breath, he quickly pulled off his shirt and dunked his head under the water in the shower.
He strode to the chair, pulled Dawn to her feet and shoved a towel into her hands.
"Dry my hair." He snarled as he flung himself down where she'd been sitting.
The bathroom door opened, Eon strode in and stared at them. The blonde, irritating vampire and his cow were staring back at him – the vampire had a self-satisfied smirk on his face and the human looked frightened. Eon frowned, he had had someone listening at the door, but they had been unable to hear anything of any interest, over the sound of running water. He sighed to himself, but said as instructed:
"He's ready to see you now."
A/N
You reviewers rock – you're the only reason this is till being written. (So it's your fault!)