Summary: Yet another Halloween fic.

Disclaimer: I own... hmm. I own nothing. The bank owns any money I make, at the moment.

Feedback: Why not? It helps me write more and better...

Pre-fic Comments:

I'm surprised I haven't gotten any flames about this... maybe I'm not trying hard enough.

WARNING -- some sexual content in this. Don't read it if you're easily offended.

Telepathic speech is written using tildes, rather than speech marks. ~Like this.~

* * *

Willy's Alibi was packed. Nights like tonight, a dishonest demon got depressed going out. You couldn't tell the guests apart from the party favours, and no one wanted a pissed off black witch after them. In an attempt at joviality, the rat-like bartender had hung black cardboard bats from the ceiling and put a grinning pumpkin on a table.

So far, five bats had been ripped down and set alight on top of the hollow gourd.

The door slammed open, provoking an unintelligable mumble from a fledgeling vampire near it.

"Close the door behind you," Willy said without looking up from a beer he was pulling.

~Silence, human, before I use your soul to floss my teeth,~ the newcomer said, speaking directly into the bartender's mind.

Half the occupants were looking at the Marilith with stunned disbelief, planning how to get the hell out of the Hellmouth, while the other half were trying to figure out who the hell this snake chick was, and why the first half was so panicked.

"Who the hell is that skan--," a fledgeling vampire said, before his sire banged his head into the bar.

"Shaddup, before you get us both dusted," the sire hissed. "We're housecats, she's a Siberian Tiger, get my drift?"

The Marilith smiled. ~Congratulations, you've been conscripted. Go to the Seer, where I will give you further instruction. Get all your friends and fellow demons.~

Two demons rose from their table, weapons in hand, lethal intent clear. The Marilith pointed at them with two of her left arms, killing them instantly with crackling bolts of darkness.

A ghostly visage rose from both, screaming silently. They were visibly pulled towards the Marilith, who ate the two spirits with visible pleasure.

~Go. /Now./ I won't be so merciful to the next who disobeys me.~

* * *

At the Bronze, the incubus re-entered the club. The four humans staggered in behind him, exhausted. Their clothes were dishevelled, and silly grins painted their faces.

The rumours on the dance floor were ignited at the sight of the four girls in such a state, following behind the man in the demon costume who was now streaked with with some sort of fluid here and there. Saliva, some said. Something far more private of the girls, others said.

The Incubus' greatly increased aura of charm and charisma wrapped around the building. He had four minds subjugated to his own, under complete control. Time for more.

* * *

A sleek, black limousine pulled up outside the warehouse where the Marilith had established her base of operations. Currently, the snake demon was still out intimidating nests of lesser demons.

The Honourable Richard Wilkins the Third got out of the expensive vehicle, flanked by two vampire bodyguards. There was a disquieting amount of demons and vampires here; what on earth was Spike up to now?

Before he got within a meter of the building, Spike had left it to talk to him.

"Why, hello, Spike! So good to see you again," the Mayor said.

"Er, good to see ya," Spike said. He decided to delay the Mayor so that the Marilith could deal with him.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that burst of power that was here for a few hours?," the Mayor asked.

"Well, she'll be back soon, if you want to wait," Spike offered. "Dru's made some tea."

"Splendid," the Mayor said, following the British vampire into the warehouse. "I hope she's learnt to wash the crockery before and after -- good hygiene is so important, don't you think?"

"Dru, luv," Spike called out as they entered the main chamber, "Mayor Wilkins's come to visit!"

"Oh!," the child-like vampiress exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "The Wizard! We've going to see the Wizard!"

"Very good to see you again," Wilkins said, a smile on his face. He always had time for his constituents. "I understand you've made some tea?"

Spike's mind worked furiously. The Wizard, Dru'd called the Mayor. She's said something about a Wizard earlier, that the ponce would 'try and hurt us, and send us, and make us his own!' Normally singleminded focussed on self-preservation, the bleached vampire only had one blindspot. Dru's preservation overriding his own.

"Give him the special tea, ducks," Spike said, giving 'special' a twist that Angelus would have used. "None of the crap we give to the minions."

"Marvellous! Would you like some as well, Miss Edith?," Drusilla asked the space next to her. Turning to the Mayor conspiratorilly, she added, "Miss Edith would take all the tea and teamakers in China if you'd let her!"

"How charming," Wilkins said. "Did you have another visitor earlier?"

"Yes, yes, yes... the Lady came," Dru smiled, mind a million miles away.

A moan of passion rose from the silken sheets in the corner. Wilkins delicately ignored it, as well as the tang of blood and semen that drifted from there.

"Were there any other visitors?," Wilkins asked.

Drusilla nodded.

"The one from the ice and snow came as well, but she's not very lady like at all," the gaunt vampiress said with disapproval. "If she isn't a bad cat, she won't get any cream!"

* * *

Giles tried picking up the bust, in an attempt to throw it as far as possible from him. The aging man failed miserably. He put it down, carefully, on the table.

"Damn you, Ethan Rayne!"

"Why, so I am already."

* * *

Post-fic Comments:

I'm not sure where to take the Mayor's visit.