Chapter Thirty-one
Beneath Destiny's Ghost's Deck
"Spike?" Rachel repeated. Her green eyes darted to Sam. "You know a Spike?"
Before he could answer, Dawn shot bravely back at the redhead. "I know a Spike, and he'll come and whup your butt!"
"That's what you think, little girl," Ray replied. The brunette was pretty enough for a kid, but damn if she wasn't already getting on her nerves! "I haven't met a man yet who could actually beat me." Except for Nate. "Sam?" she asked, looking back to him again.
"Spike is one of my leaders," he told Ray, "and who you are," he continued, looking straight at Dawn, "I haven't a clue. What were you supposed to be doing when we came up on you? Did Spike tell you to go somewhere and you're disobeying his orders?"
Dawn's jaw set with anger even while Fred trembled in Rachel's hold. Her brown eyes blazed defiantly up at the two strangers. "If Spike is your Captain, why haven't I seen you before?" she demanded. "I know every one of Spike's men and women!" Her gaze turned to the redhead. "And let go of Fred!"
"I haven't heard her complain."
Sam glared at Dawn. "I signed on the last time Destiny's Ghost was in Tortuga. I'm a healer. Some of the people who are on the Ghost are Kyna, Bob, Trina and Trent Malloy, Carlos," he spat the last name at her.
"Look, little lady, this woman is getting kind of heavy, and I need to get her to the holding cell before she wakes up. I take it Spike is down there? Maybe we should all go down there and then Spike can see that you're disobeying his orders. I don't think he would take too kindly to that. I remember the last time some one disobeyed, Captain Kyna nearly made them walk the plank."
Red was beginning to creep up into Dawn's face, and she'd forgotten her fear of the strangers. She bristled at Kyna's name, and anger flashed over her face and eyes. "I don't give a damn what Kyna did or didn't do! She's tried to get Spike away from me before! It's never happened, and it's not going to happen! And even if you are part of their crew, Spike would still pick me over you!"
"Maybe I should just tell Spike that you think he's your man and that Kyna is not his woman? I wonder how he'd take to that?" Sam asked the girl. "Why, he's probably not even aware of how you feel. Now, if you'll just get out of the way and let me continue on my way . . . "
Fury flashed in Dawn's brown eyes, and she stepped around Fred and right up to Sam. "You think I'm scared of Kyna, is that it? You really think I'm afraid of Little Miss I've-Done-Everything-A-Thousand-Times-And-Spike-Is-Just-My-Whipped-Puppy!" It was then that the Summers temper took complete control of Dawn. "I'll give you something to take back to your damn Captain!" Her hand raised . . . then froze in mid-air before it could slap Sam.
Sam looked at the girl in disbelief. "You really don't want to be doing that," he ground out. Usually he had a lot of patience, but this girl had just stepped on his last nerve. He couldn't move the bit out of his path as long as he was holding on to the Werecreature nor could he orb as he didn't want them to know his special powers, so all he could do was look helplessly at the redhead, hoping that she had had enough too.
"You know," Ray told Sam almost as though she'd read his mind although she hadn't, "this one's nice and timid, but that little brunette is just a pain in the ass. If you're done with them, we can move on."
Dawn was still staring at her hand in disbelief. She wrapped her other hand around her frozen hand's wrist and tried to move it, but still it refused to budge!
Sam smiled at Ray. "Thank you. I believe I'll continue on now," he told her as he walked around Dawn and headed on in the direction of the holding cell.
At last, Fred found her voice. "C-C-Co-Cou . . . W-W-W-Wo-Wou-Would y-y-y-you p-p-p-pl-pl-please l-let go-go o-of m-me?"
Ray sighed and shook her head. "I swear, there are too many heterosexual women around tonight." With that, she let Fred go in Dawn's direction, released her telekinetic grip on Dawn's hand, and headed after Sam. "If what I've been picking up from down there is any kind of inclination as to what's actually happening, you're going to need my help."
"I'll be glad to have it. You know you still haven't told me your name, and thanks for the help back there."
Rachel smiled. "Don't worry about it. They were getting on my nerves too. You wouldn't happen to know of any homosexual women aboard this ship, would you?"
"I . . . don't know. It's been too long since I had contact with any women in that way. Sounds like there might be a few ahead, though. I'm not looking forward to what we'll be seeing in a minute. It's too quiet down here now after all that went on before." He wondered why the girl would not tell him her name.
Rachel picked up on Sam's wonderment. Recalling that he had already offered her his healing services, she figured it couldn't hurt to at least give him something to call her by. "You can call me Ray." She was about to speak again when a roar sounded from up ahead.
The Harlot's Deck
Autolycus had been about to descend below deck when he heard screams carried on the wind. Who was trapped out here, he wondered, and how had he missed them? He had thought he had been very thorough in his search on the deck. He headed toward the sound of the screams.
It can't be Elizabeth! It sounds like her! he kept arguing with himself, hoping that it wasn't Elizabeth because the person sounded as though they were being killed. As he got even closer and the voice became clearer, he changed it to, It had better not be Elizabeth!
Then he heard Donkey talking, and he knew Donkey was in trouble too. Why that beast could no more fight than Elizabeth could! He increased his pace, looking from dead body to dead body for a weapon as he still did not have one. Finally, he found a sword. Grasping it firmly in his hand, he continued quickly on his path.
He needed a way to come in that would surprise their attacker. He looked upward and saw a roof. He climbed on top of it and looked down. His heart pounced to his throat at what he saw on the other side. Elizabeth was covered in blood, and a strange female with a cat tail and long, sharp claws swiped at his beloved again!
He had to get down there, and he needed the element of surprise on his side! That was when he heard Donkey hollering at the bitch again. As she turned to look at Donkey, Autolycus slipped down behind her and tapped her on the shoulder with his sword. "Bitch, get off the woman!"
Never had Elizabeth been gladder to hear any one's voice before. Relief washed through her aching, bleeding body. Toly was there; he'd find a way to save her!
Catra turned to look behind her with a low hiss. The sound died in her throat, however, as her green eyes found themselves staring directly at the point of a sword. She hissed again, this time defensively, as she slowly backed away. Glowering at the mustached man, she demanded, "What's she to you? Your little piece?"
Eddie came up at that moment and walked over to stand by Elizabeth. "No!" he told the bitch. "She's my woman, and I'm gonna kick your sorry ass!" He turned slowly around, so as to get his feet into position, and then looked at Autolycus. "Good to see you. Do I have your permission?"
"Well, if she's a damn zoophile," Catra spat, "it's even better that I gut the little bitch!"
Autolycus ignored Catra and looked at Donkey. "By all means, my friend," he offered, "if you think you can!"
"Oh, I can! I can!" Eddie said as he took careful aim and his hooves flew backwards. Catra tried to avoid the blow, but his hooves caught the bitch in the middle and threw her quite a ways backward. The kick caused Eddie to fall to the deck on his stomach. "Ow!" he said. "That's definitely gonna be sore tomorrow!"
The Harlot's Hold
As the others had raced off, Ororo had not moved. She could sense Kurt somewhere nearby and knew that Wesley was still in her charge, but the smell and darkness in the hold were pulling their toll on her. Blood and death assailed her, taking her back to a time that seemed sometimes to be several lifetimes ago but now appeared to suck her back into them.
She was a child again with rubble and dead bodies pushing all around her, and the scream built in her throat even as the storm grew in rage and ferocity outside. She trembled, and the winds raised in the hold. Voices mulled all around her, but she could not hear them for the fear that clogged her brain. And then, as another howl came, her own voice joined in.
Wesley's eyes shot wide as Ororo screamed. He had realized several minutes ago that the woman was claustrophobic and had been trying his best to talk to her, but she had not answered him a single time. Now, as she screamed, he realized that she'd lost it and was most likely caught in her memories of whatever had happened to her to cause her fear.
The Brit looked down at the floor, and he swallowed. It really was an awfully long way down . . . If he had not been in so much pain, and his throat had not been so hoarse, he himself might have screamed, but as it was, he prayed that some one would catch him when she dropped him, which she most assuredly would . . .
Judson's Cabin
Clark paused in mid-air. He had almost left the cabin completely behind, but still he felt himself pulled back. Faith needed him. The brash bitch who tried so hard to hide her heart but yet who had helped Lex to come to him so that they could be together needed help, and he was the only one there who could help her. He could go get Lex, who was always so much smarter than he was, but by the time he got back with him, it might be too late. Still, how he was supposed to get in there! he wondered frantically.
He had to try. Just one last time, he had to try. Then, if it didn't work, he'd let Lex deal with it, pray he could, and fly after their children. Flying quickly back to the cabin, Clark began to lower himself before the front of the cabin. As he descended, his left foot happened to brush against the door. His mouth fell open in shock as that simple touch finally crashed the door in!
Even as he wondered how in the world a simple push of his foot had finally opened the once-enchanted door, Clark flew into the room. "FAITH! DAWSON!" He stopped, his mouth still open to speak more, when he saw them kissing in the middle of the cabin.
Faith was naked, and Clark jerked his gaze away as nausea rolled in his stomach. The room was a complete mess, and there was some kind of black spot on the floor that had Faith's special sword sticking into it. Yet, other than that, there appeared to be no sign of any enemy.
Dawson continued kissing Faith, heedless of Clark being in the room, and Faith continued returning his lips' heated embrace, her tears slipping into their mouths. She tasted Dawson's tears, as well, as her hands roamed his body and her naked breasts pressed against his chest.
Clark could tell from the sounds they were making that Faith and Dawson were still at it. He coughed and kept his eyes adverted. Heat rose up in him, and he knew his face was pure red. "I, hum, didn't mean to interrupt . . . "
"Good," Faith muttered through kisses to Dawson. "Then don't."
"Hum, yeah . . . " Clark scratched the back of his head. He was completely confused, but it did appear that his help was no longer needed. "Just glad to see you two are okay. Yeah. I'm gonna go after the others now, but just so you know, it's snowing." He then fled the cabin.
Dawson ceased kissing Faith. "It's snowing? Figures." The meaning did not dawn upon him completely other than the fact that their love-time would have to be postponed. Right now, the only thing he wanted to do was make complete love to his beloved. His mind was dazed as he slowly released her, getting to his feet and offering her a hand.
Faith took Dawson's offered hand and entwined her fingers with his, but she made no movement to get to her feet. Instead, she looked again at the oily spot, her bedazzled mind finally beginning to figure out what had happened. "It was a spell. You killed him, but he left us with one final spell. He thought we'd do each other in."
"Never in a million years, not willingly," Dawson told her as he tugged gently at her hand.
"No," Faith agreed, looking back up to Dawson. The truth was finally dawning on her, but still she paid no heed to Clark's warning. "We saved each other." Her eyes searched his as she pulled his hand closer until it rested on her breast. "Dawson?"
"Yes, sweetheart?" he asked, his hand slowly caressing her breast.
"Fuck it," she spoke simply in reference to the snow and the danger it heralded.
Destiny's Ghost's Hold
The Werejaguar was not out for long. Shaking the remainder of her shock off, she released a fierce roar and ran again at the Weretiger.
Spike snatched the door open and was about to leap in when the jaguars leapt at him. He tried to shut the door, but the cats proved to be faster than the Vampire as they barreled out of the cell. One jaguar headed straight for him, and out of the corner of his eye, Spike saw Connor trying failingly to ward off the other one.
Connor wished desperately for a weapon of some kind. His eyes glanced hurriedly around but could spy nothing. It was then that he saw two people entering the hold. "WATCH OUT!" he yelled. "SAVAGE JAGUARS ON THE ATTACK!"
Rachel took one look at the scene before them and quickly gave a mental suggestion to the two jaguars. Both slipped immediately into unconsciousness, and their bodies fell across their intended prey.
Spike pushed the jaguar off, leapt to his feet, and rushed back to where Zora was being attacked. The Werejaguar's claws and teeth seemed to be all over her body at once, and Spike hoped that Connor did not realize the manner of the attack for the boy's sake. Once again, he pulled the Werejaguar away from Zora. This time, he began to punch her with his fists, blow after blow raining against her and knocking her slowly but steadily backwards.
Sam realized that there was not going to be a chance of him getting the other Were in the cell with the crazed Werejaguar. They had to get the injured out of the cell and the bad ones back into it. He was not sure where to put his Were as he did not know if she was bad or good. Ray would just have to keep her knocked out.
Connor rushed in and was about to start picking Zora's locks. Even though he knew it was not the wise thing to do, he could not leave her in the cell with the others. As he set to work, however, the pick froze in his hand. "What the Hell!" he asked the air. "Why is the pick not working!" He tried to jiggle it, but it would not move at all. "Who's doing this!" he demanded, his eyes angrily sweeping the area.
Rachel waved at the boy, but her face and voice were serious as she spoke. "You can't let her get out of there. I know you don't want her to be hurt, but if you free her, she's more likely to hurt you than anything else." Almost as if to accentuate the redhead's observation, the Weretiger, who seemed to be pouring blood from every spot from her breasts down past the mid-section of her legs, swiped at Connor's groin.
"DAMN!" Connor exclaimed as he jumped back, one hand going protectively to his groin. "We can't just leave them all in here together! What can we do?"
"Were they all chained?" Rachel asked, her calm manner a distinct difference from the frantic men.
"Yes. That one broke her chains!" Connor told her. "We have more chains. We could rechain her. Some one needs to stay down here and watch her if Spike ever gets through fighting her."
"I HEARD THAT!" Spike yelled back. "ANY TIME ANY OF YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A BREAK, IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED!" He was barely holding his own as the Werejaguar had the strength of ten jaguars. He was cut and scratched and bleeding all over.
Rachel gave the blonde man a glance. "Depends," she called to him. "Who are you?"
"WHAT THE HELL DOES IT MATTER WHO I AM!" Spike thundered fiercely.
"That's Spike," Sam told her, the redhead's calmness easing his own nerves. "He's a heckuva good man."
"I usually let men do their own fighting . . . " Ray's voice trailed off, and she winked meaningfully at Sam. She was trying very hard to forget all that had been going wrong in her own life, and the situation with these three men who were so frenzied over something she could handle so easily seemed to be helping her . . . at least for now.
"I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE," Spike called to her, "BUT IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP, PLEASE DO! I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I CAN HOLD OUT AGAINST HER! TOO DAMN BAD ANGEL ISN'T HERE!"
"Very well," Rachel called to Spike just as the Werejaguar struck him hard across the chin, "but I'll require an introduction to all women aboard your ship later." Suddenly, the Werejaguar simply fell out.
Connor rushed forward to help Spike rechain the Werejaguar.
"You want to know the women on my ship?" Spike questioned while working on the Werejaguar's bonds and trying to calm his own nerves. "Well, there's Trina . . . " His mind searched rapidly for other women's names. He would not give up his Kyna as he did not know why the telepath wanted information on the women in his crew nor even who she was. "There's Willow, Kennedy, AndrAla . . . Mouse . . . "
"You can introduce them to me later," Rachel told him, "in person." She paused, watching as they rechained the dark-skinned beauty who had been the Werejaguar. "Or I could just let her wake back up."
"Make her sleep a good, long time," Spike hurriedly told her. "I don't mind introducing you to the women on the ship, but as far as I know, there are only two of them who like women." He had deduced that the redhead was a Lesbian. "They're involved with each other. I don't know how those kinds of things work."
Captain Kathleen "Kat" O'Hara's Cabin
"Captain," Bishop spoke as Captain's mews of explanation ended, "I'd never want you dead, ma'am, but if that China man moves, I'm gonna shoot him!"
Don't worry, baby, Chong couldn't help thinking as he watched Bishop's muscles in action. I'm not going anywhere. Still, he dared not speak a word aloud.
Bishop reached into his pocket, brought out a key, leaned down, and began to remove the chains. "I only put those on you to keep you from hurting others and possibly even yourself. Like I told you, you were completely out of your head. You tried to kill Ace! I know he's a pain in the ass, but still, I thought you were in love with him!" He moved back once the chains were off of her.
Captain had jumped to the floor while Bishop had been unchaining his mistress, but as Kat sat up, rubbing her wrists, the elderly tomcat sprang from the floor with the speed and agility of a young cat. He landed smoothly on her shoulder, and his ragged tail circled around her neck even as she muttered, "I di love him."
"Where the Hell is he, any way, an' what the heck's goin' on? What've I missed?" Her voice still sounded angry, and all the animals knew why even before she added, "An' din't gi tellin' me what I did whene'er I was under whate'er spell it was. Jest tell me this: Is the bitch dead?"
"Yes, ma'am, I do believe she is," Bishop told her. "If I'm not mistaking, I think she's the one who got thrown into the wheel." He had seen the bitch ripped from the deck and then thrown into the wheel. He had watched in relish, only regretting that he himself was unable to do her in.
"Very good," Kat nearly snapped. "Now where the Hell's Ace?" She got to her feet.
"Somebody miss me?" Ace said with one of his best grins, hope in his heart that she really had missed him and wasn't mad at him.
Kat's head turned quickly, her long, red hair flying around Captain, to look at the doorway as Ace made his way past her pachyderm guards. Her emerald eyes met his gaze from across the room, and she had to stop herself from running to him. "Always," she answered softly. Then, she hurried on. "Sorry about earlier, but why's it cold?"
"Bad news is coming, baby. The Devil himself is coming to devour us this very night." He chewed his words out almost as though he was chewing tobacco.
"Thank ya, Bishop, for taking care of the Captain, and who the Hell is that?" he asked, looking at the naked Chinese man who was still huddling on the floor. "Get him out of here! I don't want my lady to see a naked man unless it's me!" He grinned mischievously.
"Yes, sir," Bishop told him. "Get moving, China. He claims his name is Han Sel."
"It might be, but he's not the Hansel," Ace interjected.
Kat looked at Bishop and the Chinese man, who was slowly inching his way past the African. She held up a hand, and flames jumped from her fingertips. "If'n we find out that ye've done something tae the Hansel," she added, "it'll be me pleasure to burn yer dick straight off." She smiled, the flickering flames from her fingernails dancing in her emerald eyes. "Jest a fair warnin'."
Chong gulped and went a paler shade of yellow. "I -- hum -- I . . . I swear I didn't do anything to Hansel like that!" he blurted out.
"Thought you could talk better," Bishop muttered. "Now, you really want to tell us who you are, or shall Captain Kat get it out of you?"
Kat smiled sinisterly. "Ye knae I could really use something to take me frustrations out on." She stepped toward the Chinese man.
Destiny's Ghost's Deck
Crystal sighed to herself but made no sound aloud. Her energy was slowly beginning to return, but even as it returned, the snow and icy winds were increasing all around them. It was a miracle that she still lived, especially after what she had been rescued from this night, but as she did live, she had a responsibility that she could not ignore. As long as there was life left in her, she had to do whatever might be necessary to protect those she loved. Still, Lorne refused to put her down. She could sense Cindy and Elvira beside her beloved and knew, without looking, that Blue was hovering nearby in the air above their heads.
"Lorne," Crystal finally broke the silence, "you can put me down." Her ice blue eyes turned up into his red orbs, and her heart ached. "You can keep your hands on me," she told him, "just let me get to my feet. I think my legs are going to sleep." Her pain grew with each word she spoke.
Lorne allowed Crystal to stand on her feet. "Just don't try to run away on me. I can see the ideas flitting through your mind, darling. If he gets you, then the whole world is doomed. Promise me you won't run away."
"Lorne . . . " Crystal spoke his name slowly even as her long legs shifted and her hands rose to his green cheeks. She had already known that he thought he knew what she was thinking, but in truth, he did not and it was a good thing that he didn't. "You always make it sound so simple." The winds whipped her hair around her face, and snowflakes swirled in her blonde waves. She fought down her tears.
She knew that the others were afraid as she was, but their fears were vastly different. Lorne, Angel, and most of the rest still believed that, if Frostbite took her now, he would be able to take her power and add it to his own. Crys knew, however, that there had been a reason why her uncle had waited until her fourth birthday to make his move. Now all he wanted was to silence her and take his revenge on her, but he would gladly kill any one he found with her. "But it isn't."
"Life has never been simple, cupcake, and it's only the people who you love loving you back that makes it worth the while. We got away from him the last time, and we'll get away from him again. But we'll do it together." He kissed her on the forehead but still did not release his hold on her.
She leaned her forehead against his, careful to avoid his red horns, and gazed into his eyes. "It is those one loves who make life worth living," she agreed softly, "worth fighting for. I know we got away from him the last time, but it was a miracle we did. This night has already held too many miracles for another one to be able to happen." Her hands caressed his handsome face, and she allowed herself to relish his touch for one last time.
Destiny's Ghost's Deck
Across the ship, Angel had already been keeping an eye on Crys. He had expected her to run before now, but she seemed to be relaxing into Lorne. He knew better, but it wasn't as though he could run over there unless it was a true emergency as his hands were needed to get the ship ready.
He looked at Cordelia and smiled. She was cuddling baby Meesy close. He shook his head as he looked at her. "I just don't see how he could be a full grown cat and now a baby. It's so strange," he marveled, "and yet I know it's him!"
Cordelia had been watching Angel watching Crystal and Lorne, but each time he'd glanced her way, she'd made certain to cast her gaze to Meesy instead. "Angel, I don't understand a lot of the things that have been happening, but perhaps the Sorceresses will have an answer if we manage to get through this?"
"She's going to run," Angel told her, knowing full well that Cordelia had been watching him watch Crys. He hoped Cordy was not still thinking that he was interested in Crys except as his sister. "I don't know how to stop her. She thinks that if she goes to him, he'll leave us alone, but he won't. He will take the greatest pleasure in destroying us and making her watch, but how do I make her understand that?"
Cordelia was glad that Angel was at last letting her into his thoughts. She ran a foot over an object on the deck, something she'd spotted a while back and had pulled closer to her while he'd been working on the rigging. "I know she's going to run," she admitted, "and I can't really blame her. She's desperate to keep us all safe, and she's lying to herself. She's an Ice Elemental. That means she can control pretty much anything cold, right?"
"I guess. I've never known an Ice Elemental before," Angel told her.
"I think she's buying her time," Cordy said, her hazel eyes turning back to observe Lorne and Crystal. "She's trying to make Lorne think that she isn't going anywhere and trying to get back as much strength as she can before she makes her move. She's not stupid, Angel; we both know that. I think she wants to make sure you're busy elsewhere, Lorne and her animals aren't suspecting anything, and then . . . "
Cordelia shook her head. She really didn't know much at all about the Supernatural, and what she was about to say was a huge guess, one that she hoped Angel wouldn't find to be the dumbest thing he'd heard.
"And?" Angel prompted, his eyes never leaving Cordelia's face yet his senses tuned to Crys' every move.
Cordelia's eyes flicked back up to Angel's dark gaze. She nervously ran her tongue over her lips, then blurted out the image that had come to her earlier. "People, and I'm guessing Demons too, can only sustain a certain amount of cold. If they get too cold, they pass out. I think Crystal's going to knock Lorne, and her babies, out and then make a break for it."
"Do you think it would do any good, Cordelia, if you talked to her, woman to woman? I believe you're right. She will knock Lorne out. He seems to be getting slightly sluggish now." He finished the line he had been working on and cast a quick gaze around at the rest of the ship. "Ship's ready," he told her. "Let's both go over there."
Cordelia lingered where she was sitting on a barrel. "Angel, I honestly don't think that any one could talk Crystal out of what she's planning to do. Not me. Not you. Not Lorne or even her babies. But," she hesitated before concluding, "I do have an idea."
"I'll try anything once, Cordelia, if it'll stop her from sacrificing herself. What's your idea?"
"Vampires are stronger and faster than nearly any other species except, maybe, for Weres." As she was talking, Cordelia resumed running her foot over the object on the floor and then, her eyes dropping from Angel's to the deck's, she used her foot to push the board toward him.
"What? I should knock her out?" Angel asked incredulously. He had been noticing that Cordelia had been playing with the board, but he didn't know why.
"I knew you weren't going to like it, Angel," Cordelia spoke honestly, "but think about it." She lifted her head and looked at him with a single eyebrow arched in question. "How is she going to run anywhere if she's unconscious?"
"What if I hurt her?" he questioned, concern showing in his voice. "I don't know my own strength sometimes. If I hit her too hard, I could kill her."
Cordelia kept Angel's gaze persistently. "It would hurt her," she admitted, "but it shouldn't kill her. You have more control over yourself than that, Angel, and if it's going to be done, it's going to have to be done fast, before she has the first idea what's coming. Otherwise, she's bound to knock you out. I imagine even Vampires have a level of cold that they can't resist. She's been running from him for years. She knows what she's doing."
"Yes, we do," Angel admitted thoughtfully. "Thankfully, I've never reached that cold. It doesn't really kill us, but it slows us down to the point that we're barely moving. I'll do it, Cordelia," he said determinedly, keeping his voice's level so that only she could hear him, "as soon as she makes a move."
Destiny's Ghost's Hold
Sam had chained the woman he was carrying and had moved over to stand before Zora so that he could assess the damage that had been inflicted on her. He did not get within her reach. "When she changes back," he told Connor, who was still watching her intently but who was also out of her reach, "she will heal herself. I don't know how that works. I just know it does."
Spike walked forward. "Everybody out of the cage in case some of them wake up."
"What about Vang?" Connor queried. "He doesn't change."
"I'll check him out," Sam assured Connor and looked back at Vang, who had completely fallen under the spell of the full moon and was now growling, hissing, spitting, and pulling at his chains, "tomorrow."
Rachel looked back to the young male. "You said that they were all chained. Did that include those two?" She pointed a finger at the unconscious jaguars.
"Nope," Spike answered for Connor. He walked over, picked up a jaguar, returned to the cage, and chained it as well. Connor attempted to pick up the other jaguar but could not lift it. He then started to drag it, but Spike returned and picked it up as though it didn't weigh anything. He chained it, as well. "I have also checked all the chains. No one should be able to get out of them again." He locked the cell door.
"You should have chained those two already," Ray advised the men. "They probably unlocked their mistress' chains. I have a friend whose pet's able to do that," she explained, "and if you noticed, the Werejaguars' chains weren't broken, just open."
"That's true," Connor said. "I noticed that. I never thought cats could be that intelligent."
Rachel's green eyes met the boy's blue eyes. "Not all cats are," she told him. "Just the queens." In truth, she had not had a lot of experience with cats, but she figured that the gender difference in the feline species must surely be the same as in all other species. Women were always smarter in Rachel's book.
Connor looked at the woman. "How come you hate guys so much?" he asked innocently.
Ray smiled. "Oh, I don't hate them. Not all of them, at least. I've just had my fill of the male gender tonight." She glanced over at Sam. "Not you."
Sam gave her a half-smile. He liked the woman despite her temper and her strange ways. "Do you really think they need to be watched?" he questioned her. "I want a chance to look at your back and do what I can for you."
"The others first," Rachel reminded Sam. She could feel the Vampire trying to get a look at her injuries and moved so that her back faced away from all three men. "But no, I don't think they'll need to be watched now. Like I said, the jaguars freed their mistress. Now that their butts are caught too, we shouldn't have any more problems. Out of them, at least," she added. "Which reminds me." Her green eyes moved back to Spike. "Do you know why it's snowing?"
"Yes," he told her, "and we'd best be getting our butts out of here. Do you know why?"
"I do," Rachel returned, "and you need to get your ship moving as soon as Kitty gets back."
"Where is Kitty?" Spike asked.
"Where she always is," Rachel replied with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. "Doing the right thing. She ran after the others."
"We'll get moving just as soon as all the others have returned, not just your Kitty. We've got a lot of people still over there."
Connor kept looking back, not wanting to leave Zora but knowing that there was no other way. She definitely was not anything he could recognize now. Despite it all, he knew he loved her.
Rachel let Spike and Sam head up before them, then looked back to the boy. She knew the thoughts that were running through his mind and reached out, placing a surprisingly-gentle hand on his shoulder. "If we make it through this," she tried to reassure him, "it'll be all right. She'll be back to herself in the morning, but you don't want to be with her tonight."
"I want to be with her, but I'm afraid," Connor told her, wondering why he felt that he could admit anything to her and that she would understand.
Rachel nodded in understanding. "You can be with her," she told him, "just not tonight. At least you'll have the days with her. Some would-be couples don't even get that. Now let's go, kid."
Connor didn't think he was a kid, but he didn't want to argue with her. Maybe he was a kid compared to what she had done. After all, he was new at this. He hurried to catch up with Spike, and Rachel followed behind the men, her sigh as she thought again of Kitty echoing in the hold. The door slammed shut behind her.
The Harlot's Hold
No sooner than Jack got the gag off of Cole's mouth than Cole called to the man who had been asking for Prue. "PRUE'S OVER HERE, JUST INSIDE THE CELL!" He stuck the pick in and jiggled one more time, and the door finally popped open.
As the door swung open, it was as though it was the straw that broke the camel's back as the entire floor in the cell let go, and the people and animals began to fall through. Their screams and roars mingled with Ororo's. As the others fell downwards into the darkness, 'Ro sped upwards, her winds ripping at the ceiling of the hold.
When Brendan's Werewolf form had heard the name of his mate, the wolf had looked toward the cell. His glistening eyes had spotted her immediately, and her fear had torn at the heart that it had nearly forgotten it had until she had reminded him of it and that Brendan would have never believed the beast could possibly possess. When the floor dropped through, her silent scream nearly ripped him apart.
Simultaneously, he tore free from his chains with a fierce howl and raced straight for the door. He plunged into the backs of the men who stood there, tossing them forward straight into the hole and bringing a thundering yell of "JACK!" from Will, who had been just out of the Werewolf's reach. Will fell to his knees, yelling Jack's name repeatedly as he tried in vain to reach his beloved.
The Werewolf noticed none of that, however, nor did he bother to take notice of the two men who fell into the abyss below. Instead, his eyes sought out Prue. Swiftly, he grabbed her, catching her with one hand and the bars of the cell with his other.
Jack did not have a clue what had run into him, knocking the breath out of him. All he knew was that he was falling. He reckoned Hell was calling for him. He saw its greedy mouth, snapping and snarling below him, and heard Will's voice growing farther and farther away. What a Hell of a way to go! he couldn't help thinking.
Cole was trying desperately to catch himself and Jack. His powers were not kicking in, and he realized that Jack must not have taken off his collar yet. All he could see was a lot of hungry mouths snapping and snarling. They plunged downward into the swirling, bloody water . . .
To Be Continued . . .
