Chapter 6

The doors opened and Angel, followed by Buffy, walked out into the ring. Ignoring the gathered crowd, they walked over to stand where they were told to wait. Angel was watching Jack while Buffy was watching the doors, waiting for the demons' to come through. Both were calm and confident.

During the day they'd talked, had smoochies and had come up with a pretty sound strategy. Fight and don't die. Buffy thought it was a very well thought out strategy. Besides, it's not like I have Giles to plan for me. My plans work out better anyway. Usually.

The two demons' entered the ring and Buffy watched them take their places. They looked confidant too. Suckers. They were fighting against Angel; a vampire with a soul, the legendary Angelus, and herself; a Vampire Slayer. They were going down.

The demons made threatening movements and Buffy's eyes widened incredibly. Did they think they were scary? They obviously hadn't met a PMSing Slayer in a dark graveyard. She flexed her fingers, then her neck and finally stretched tall, undoing any kinks in her back. Once she was loose and ready she smiled and waves to the demons, who snarled back at her. She rolled her eyes. Whatever.

Angel was still staring at Jack and Buffy watched him curiously. She'd never seen him like this; angry, confined, murderous. Okay, maybe that last one is in my head. There was something hiding under the surface though, she could feel it. Angel wanted revenge for everything they had done and everything that had been done to her. It was kinda sweet in a caveman sort of way.

Jack lent forward and picked up the mike. The whole room was instantly silent and all eyes were on him. He explained what was happening and introduced the new line up. The two demons across from her were a Numbas and a Pintos. Which was which, Buffy didn't know.

He told, no, ordered, the "contestants" to get into positions and the demons surged forward together as he yelled 'fight'.

The smaller one came for Buffy, not that she was complaining. It was the more heavily built of the two demons and after a while, Buffy realised its strategy seemed to be; body slam her or sit on her. Eh, she made a disgusted sound. Squashed slayer; so not appealing. She kept having to scramble back to avoid its meaty feet when it tried to stamp on her and get out of its way when it tried to body slam her.

Angel wasn't faring any better. The demon he was fighting didn't look like much and really, it wasn't. It was its damned speed that was getting him. The bastard was fast. It seemed to pop up from nowhere and punch him, then disappear just a quickly before he had a chance to retaliate. He felt his face change to that of the demon inside him and it gave him an extra edge. He was slightly faster, his senses were heightened and reflexes had improved considerably. The demon popped up in front of him and went to punch him. Angel grabbed its fragile looking hand and squeezed. The demons eyes widened and Angel felt a small flicker of satisfaction. He quickly glanced over to Buffy and, satisfied that she was okay, returned his attention to the demon in front of him. He bent the demons arm back slowly, then punched his open hand into its chest, throwing it almost halfway across the room.

Buffy saw the demon go flying out of the corner of her eyes and smirked as she realised Angel was severely pissed off and showing it. The demon she was fighting still seemed content to try and sit on her and Buffy was finding it completely unchallenging. Five minutes later, she'd had enough and sent a spinning kick to its midsection, tumbling it back onto the ground. It got to its feet slowly and, with an angry look in its eyes, it lumbered towards her again.

She punched it in the face then went to walk around to its back, intending to trip it up. Before she made a move, however, the demons arms locked around her like a vice and began to squeeze. By that time, Buffy realised that the demon had been playing with her, waiting for her to let her guard down and become lax in her defence. Iot was a lot faster and stronger than she'd realised. She struggled as its arms tightened considerably and her ribs began to creak. Realising she could in fact die in the next few moments, she leaned forward then reared back with every bit of strength she possessed and rammed the back of her head into its face. She heard bones crack and the demon let go of her to grab a hold of its aching face. Spots swam in her vision but she stood shakily and twirled, lashing out at the demon in a hard kick aimed at it's neck, breaking it instantly.

The demon fell heavily and Buffy followed it, falling on her butt, shaking her head to clear the pink and purple spots. Uh oh. I don't think my head should be doing that. Buffy rubbed her eyes and stared at the demon, sighing in relief as the dots began to clear. She looked up to check on Angel and winced as he took a particularly nasty blow to the head and went down.

'Angel,' she yelled and got up quickly, running to make sure he was okay. She knelt down beside him as he started to get up. 'Are you okay?'

'Fine,' he said angrily. He'd seen what the demon was doing to Buffy but had been unable to go over and help her. Now that he saw she was okay, he looked at the demon with renewed energy. Growling, he reached for it as it directed its next attack towards Buffy.

She moved back out of the way, sensing he needed to do this himself. If it looked bad, she'd step in of course. Pride or no pride. Buffy stood there, in the middle of the ring, and watched her vampire ex-boyfriend in awe. He moved gracefully, kicking and punching the demon, turning it into a bloody mess. He dodged the demons next few attacks and delivered a perfectly executed uppercut, breaking the demons jaw. It howled in pain and Angel reached up and grabbed its head in his massive hands. Twisting sharply to the right, he snapped the demons neck, then let it fall to the ground in a bloody heap.

Angel stood there for a few moments, panting harshly, with his fingers clenched tightly, willing himself to calm down. He felt Buffy come up beside him and he tried turn away from her, still ashamed of his demons face. A light touch on his shoulder made him pause and before he knew it, Buffy swung him back around to face her.

Buffy saw the shame in his eyes before he's turned and she decided to nip this behaviour I the bud before it progressed any further. Lifting her hands slowly to his ridged face, she placed her hands on his cheeks, resting her thumbs on the bridge of his nose and looked him in the eyes. 'We've been through this before, Angel,' she said softly, soothingly. 'I don't care what face you wear. It's all you. You once told me you'd love me even if I was covered in slime. Did you think a few ridges and a set of fangs would change the way I feel about you? It didn't then… it doesn't now.'

Angel looked into her eyes and felt sheepish. Of course she loved him no matter what. He felt the same way about her. He leaned forward and kissed her softly, tenderly. She was the most amazing person he'd ever met.

Buffy met his kiss hungrily and pulled him closer. She couldn't help but think that maybe Faith had been onto something when she said the Slaying made her horny. Or maybe it was just fighting with Angel.

They broke apart as the guards came up to them. Jack was blathering on about something on the mike as they were escorted to the gates and lead back to the holding area. They walked the whole way hand in hand.

The demons' were silent as the two lovers entered the room. Buffy raised her eyebrows and looked at those who had gathered near the door. 'What cha doing?'

'You mean you are not upset about this?' a demon to Buffy's left asked her, a puzzled look on its face.

'About what?' she returned cautiously.

'About what Jack said over the mike. While the two of you were standing out there,' he pointed in the direction of the ring.

Buffy shook her head, not understanding.

The demon came closer to them. 'You and your lover are to be the main attraction tomorrow night. The lawyer chick talked him into it.'

Buffy froze at the mention of Lilah. 'What's going on?' she asked harshly.

'You and the vampire are to fight to the death tomorrow night. Against each other.'

What did you think of this chap? Thanks to those who have reviewed.

There is only two more chaps to go!

Ambs