Special mention to Crazy-Girl and Andy - you were spot on with the line in the last chapter ;) Kudos!
Chapter Eighteen
Part One
"Ahhh!!"
Willow slammed into a splintery pile of stacked boards and toppled to the damp ground. Biting back a grimace, she flipped onto her back and groped for the stake in her pocket. She heard the shouts of the others as they struggled to find their feet in the wake of the ambush.
"What? No friendly 'hello'?!" a fuming Annie announced from somewhere behind her, as she proceeded to smash an empty drinks crate over a snarling head.
A hand suddenly grasped Willow's ankle, startling her. With a yelp she kicked and fumbled backwards on the rough grit. A light rain had begun to fall in the last ten minutes or so, and appeared to have aided their attack party in sneaking up on the cautious kids. Oz had alerted them a second before the first one hurled out of the darkness.
The four of them had been sent to check out a newly abandoned warehouse in the east of the town. Giles wanted to know if the vampires had already moved in; they were supposed to gauge the area and activity. The Watcher was running himself ragged recently, almost frantic in his efforts to build up a map of the most populated areas; the Master's bases and operations.
Apparently, this place wasn't as abandoned as they'd hoped.
With a well aimed blow, Annie finished off her attacker and turned to rescue Mike from one that had thrown him to the ground and was currently delivering merciless kicks to his gut.
Oz barely managed to duck away from a black haired boy in a fitted Metallica t-shirt, who had backed him into the wall and lunged round his defences in a frenzied attempt to reach his neck. Breathing hard, he scooped up a rusty, metal rod from the cluttered alley to help him beat back their would-be killers.
A stunning young woman with black streaked blonde hair and a curvy figure, which was only enhanced by the skin fitting leather trousers and jacket she was clad in, caught Willow's arm in mid-strike and yanked harshly. With a cry of pain, the wood slipped from her loose fingers as the cold hand clamped around her wrist and twisted.
The svelte blonde smirked as she smoothly disarmed the helpless girl. It was so much more fun when they tried to fight back. In a sharp movement, her other hand flew to the fragile neck of the redhead and with a jerk she flung her sideways to hit into the wall. She crumpled at her feet. As she switched into game face with a low snarl, anticipating the imminent victory, she cocked her head and looked closer at the grimacing girl below her. Why did she look so familiar?
That hesitation turned out to be life-saving.
Ignoring the aching twinges in her wrist, Willow twisted on the ground and reached her good arm over to grasp the fallen stake. Her injured joint screamed in protest as she was forced to lean on it awkwardly, but she pushed on. She heard the sharp, agonised yell above her as she plunged the vicious point through the vampire's designer boot with as much force as she could muster. Seizing her chance, Willow kicked up and slammed her foot against the snarling blonde's shin. It was then a race to see who could rise to their feet first; that split second advantage was everything.
Annie could barely see what was happening around her and the hazy darkness didn't help with distinguishing friend from foe. Having turned Mike's tormentor to dust, she didn't even feel the one behind her until a strong hand grabbed a handful of her hair, making her cry out as her head was snapped back, exposing her throat dangerously. Forcing her eyes open just in time to see a set of razor fangs looming towards her neck, she acted on panicked instinct. Using the only leverage she had, she rammed her feet into the ground and threw her body back into her captor as hard as she could. She felt the grip on her head loosen in the instant she overbalanced them, and quickly braced herself as they both fell backwards and crashed into the ground.
Wrenching herself away from the vampire's writhing body and violently grasping hands, she skidded across the alleyway and fumbled in the shadows for the crossbow she had dropped. She flinched as glass shards cut into her fingers and damp dirt sank under her nails but she dug on through the filthy gutter regardless. She was sure she had dropped it around here! Annie battled to keep the rioting fear and anger under control, attempted to force the adrenaline into clear focus, but she couldn't block out the rumbling snarls and stifled yells that filled the night around them. It had to be here. Her silent pleas were finally answered as her scrambling hands fell upon the familiar shape of curved wood and sharp arrows amongst the slick, wet rubbish. Hauling the weapon into her grip and pressing her back against the warehouse wall, she cast a look about in the chaos for some hopeful sign that the fight was turning in their favour.
She caught sight of Oz's form as he suddenly moved into her vision and intercepted the same vamp that had nearly broken her neck. Her heart leapt into her throat but just as he managed to shove the demon away from him, she glimpsed the tip of a wooden blade protruding out its chest. She watched with a rush of vindicated satisfaction as with a look of dismay, the hollow body became nothing more than a shower of gritty dust upon the wet ground. She tried to catch Oz's eye in thanks, but he was already looking the other way, at something she couldn't see through the scuffle. Glancing to her other side, Annie felt a terrified rage storm her stomach as she spotted a sly vamp duck out of the fight and descend greedily on the weakened form of Mike. The trembling boy winced as he spat out blood, unwittingly spurring on the hungry vampire. Cowardly bastard, she fumed. Eyes blazing, she flung herself to her feet.
Willow watched in horror as her opponent yanked the bloody stake out of her foot with a chilling hiss of fury. The seething hatred in her contorted features made Willow's already frantic heart hammer like a deranged animal in her chest. Tripping over her feet, she barely managed to dodge out of reach. This wasn't a game anymore -- this girl wanted to tear her limb from limb.
"Oi!" Annie yelled furiously, giving the vampire a split second to glance up at her before her boot collided into his face with a horrible crunch, sending him sprawling back into the alley. Bending down, she gave a strained smile to Mike's ashen face as her eyes anxiously scanned his neck. Just as she grasped his hand to pull him up, his eyes widened, his grip tightening on her fingers. A warning half-formed on his lips before she felt a hand close around her throat from behind and haul her away from him.
As quickly as she had been grabbed, a cry abruptly filled her ears, along with the hiss of burning flesh. She staggered as she was dropped. Catching her breath, Annie stared in morbid fascination as the vampire recoiled away, his lower face covered with smeared blood from his freshly smashed nose, one hand clutching his left wrist. Gleaming amber eyes looked up from his shaking palm and threw a venomous glare at the silver crucifix necklace that swung around Annie's neck.
She tensed and stepped back as the enraged vampire lunged towards her with a shuddering snarl. She'd barely raised the crossbow up to firing level before his weight slammed into her painfully, encasing her smaller body in brutal vice grip. Twisting her head away from his mouth as much as she could, she closed her eyes and squeezed her finger. The arrow shot through his unbeating heart at point blank range; not a second too soon.
Why can't things ever go according to plan? Willow cursed to herself as she ducked a flying fist that left an impressive dent in the warehouse wall behind her head. She wheeled round again to face the stylish vamp and dug the wooden cross out of her deep jacket pocket. Hastily thrusting it out before her, she watched as her opponent gave a low snarl as she was forced to back off a few steps.
Both breathing hard, the two girls stared at each other through the protective barrier of the crucifix. The blonde frowned again as she studied the redhead properly for the first time. "I know you," she said slowly.
The witch raised her eyebrows, an unsettled feeling churning in her stomach. She didn't like where this was going.
"Willow!"
She started as she heard Oz's voice, but she didn't dare move her gaze away from the volatile stand-off to search out his face. She felt her heart drop as she saw awful recognition dawn over the girl's twisted features.
"It can't be," she uttered, her eyes wide in stunned disbelief.
Willow gulped and tried to force her brain to work, but it seemed stuck in panic mode. In the blink of an eye the blonde's face hardened dangerously and she lurched forward. Startled, she almost dropped the cross. Gathering her senses just in time and with a few clumsy steps back, she managed to keep it raised. The vampire hissed as she was forced to retreat at the last second.
"What is this?!"
Willow gave a small, shaky smile despite the imminent threat of the situation. She couldn't help it. "It's -- complicated," she answered honestly.
Yellow eyes flashed over her shoulder for a second and the vampire scowled darkly as she took in the status of the alley. Stepping back with a grimace, she locked eyes with Willow again. "This isn't over." With that last parting promise, she turned and fled into the welcoming darkness.
Willow let out a deep breath and slowly lowered her trembling arm, still staring into the shadows where her enemy had vanished. She knew he was there even before she felt the gentle touch on her arm. Shaking the lingering threat out of her head, she turned to meet his worried gaze. "I'm okay," she assured with a tentative smile in response to his questioning eyes. She quickly took in his state, anxious to confirm the same. His jacket was ripped apart at a few seams and they all were all coated in dirt from scuffling about in the filthy alley, but other than being bashed and out of breath, neither of them looked too bad considering they'd just been fighting for their lives.
"I guess we won?" she wondered out loud, looking into the black night again with all the mistrust she felt that it would attack her again the second she turned her back on it. She felt Oz's voice close by, his reassuring presence at her side a shield of warmth against the darkness that threatened them. "Maybe," he conceded sceptically. "For now."
"Are the others all right?" She looked behind them along the narrow street to where the dark figure of Annie was leaning over a body on the ground. She felt her stomach turn uncomfortably. Sharing a panicked glance, they began to run over -- Willow suddenly dreading the answer to her own question.
"Mike!" she cried in horror as she dropped to her knees beside him. His eyes were tightly closed, as if he were concentrating very hard on not being sick; his arm that wasn't braced against the ground, wrapped tightly around his stomach. Willow desperately tried to see what external injuries he was suffering and panicked when she saw no apparent cause. "Michael?" She questioned again in a softer voice, gripping his shoulder as she tried to get him to look at her.
Annie stood up as they arrived, her face hard with determination. "What happened?" Oz asked quietly as he came up next to her, eyes fixed on his friend's crumpled body, curled up against the metal wall of the warehouse. Her voice was tight as she answered. "One got a couple of good blows in before I reached him." The look in her eyes strongly suggested she thought dusting was too kind an end for the vampire in question.
Mike pried his eyes open and immediately saw Willow's concerned face. He gave a weak smile and tried to sit up. "It's not that bad, I promise. I'll just have some sore bruises, nothing I can't handle."
"But you could have broken ribs! Internal bleeding! I mean—"
"Will," Mike interrupted with a slightly pained expression.
"Sorry," she apologised. "I'm not helping am I?"
"Maybe just save the freaking out till I'm not in earshot. Or at least passed out," he tried to joke.
She managed a nervous grin but the worry didn't fade from her face as she helped him sit up against the wall. A violent spasm shot through her wrist with the movements, causing her to wince badly.
"Willow?"
She looked up to see Oz's face and knew her moment of silent pain hadn't gone unnoticed. She shook her head. "It's fine. It can wait," she told him in a firm voice.
Oz frowned but stayed silent. There was nothing but the soft patter of misty rain for the space of several deep breaths, quiet but steady as it slowly filled the murky puddles around the small group. When Annie suddenly spoke up, it startled everyone.
"Let's see what they were hiding then."
Without pausing to wait for a response, she purposefully stepped away to head over to the poorly barred entrance to the building. They clearly weren't the first to break in, she thought darkly.
Oz quickly caught up and grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop briefly. "What do you mean?"
She met his eyes with a defiant stare. "I'm going to do what we came to do," she informed him in a matter of fact tone before pulling her elbow free.
"Annie, wait!"
She was already inside when the urgent yell reached her ears, but she ignored it. Shoving her way through the accumulated clutter of years of storage, she strode briskly further into the beckoning darkness. She threw cursory glances left and right as she wandered through the warehouse corridors, but didn't pay much mind. Everything seemed empty; in a terrible mess, but pretty empty. Whatever this place was, it wasn't a living space. Despite their tendencies to dwell in the dingy underground and however fitting the sewers seemed to be to their vermin natures in her opinion, she'd learned that most vampires preferred to live in some degree of style and comfort; the Master especially. She set her jaw and twitched her fingers around the bow trigger in taught anticipation; she was more than ready for anything they had in store.
Oz hastily slipped into the building after her, a very bad feeling coiling in his gut. He picked up her footsteps immediately and cursed under his breath. He moved quickly, but more cautiously than his companion, as he followed her trail through the large interior. The relative darkness wasn't as much of a problem for him. He channelled away the edgy frustration and concentrated on finding Annie and getting her back out. Vampires had certainly been here, that was for sure, but all indications so far were that they hadn't lingered excessively. Even so, Oz didn't feel like pushing their already lousy luck tonight.
Stepping over a pile of crushed cardboard, he suddenly stopped; every muscle in his body tensing. His head jerked up and he stared away into the heart of the warehouse with a sinking heart. The bad feeling abruptly exploded into horrific realisation. He knew what she would find. Darting into a run, he sprinted ahead though he knew he couldn't stop her; that he would be too late.
He staggered heavily as he burst into the room, the smell hitting him like a swamping tidal wave; so overpowering that his eyes stung and it burned in the back of his throat. He wondered vaguely how he had failed to sense it sooner. There was so much. It took a moment to get his reeling head under control and bring himself to focus his gaze at the carnage.
They were scattered all about the large room, slumped amongst the discarded storage cages and tossed aside like empty and used shells. Lifeless, white eyes bulging out in terror, hanging limply from ravaged necks and ripped bodies. They had been all but torn apart in frenzied hunger; some had been hurled against the walls with such brutal strength that their spines had broken, leaving their snapped bodies collapsed in impossible positions upon the blood-soaked floor. Oz felt the horror seep inside him, clawing at his insides like clammy fingers, chilling his bones and dripping into his stomach like sick, black tar. It was suffocating. There were at least dozen of them, he assessed as his eyes flickered over the room. The attacks had been savage but uncoordinated. His gaze travelled to one of the smaller bodies that had been dropped in the far corner. Long brunette hair fell across her back and obscured her face in such a way that the little girl could have almost been sleeping, if not for the large, sticky, crimson puddle she lay in. He shut his eyes before forcing himself to look away. They hadn't stood a chance.
With controlled, shallow breaths to keep the stench of death at a bearable level, he approached the frozen figure that stood inside the room just a few steps ahead of him.
"Looks like we missed the party," he commented quietly, no trace of ironic humour in his dark words. Annie made little sign of having heard him. Her whole body was stiff and rigid as her eyes continued to sweep over the scene, again and again, like she was helpless to break away.
"Come on, we should get back to the others," he said firmly, though he too couldn't stop his gaze from jumping back into the bloody shadows. His voice was forced as he spoke again, "There's nothing we can do now"
Annie moved to look at him like she wanted to argue the point, but Oz had already turned to leave. His light footsteps seemed to echo sharply in the dark tomb; little ripples that broke the eternal stillness of death's silence. Her heart was thudding painfully. They couldn't just leave them here! She felt the anger surge back before being washed away again by sheer despair. But they couldn't stay. They couldn't do anything. She heard him call her name from the open doorway behind her; a slight warning in his tone. Swallowing heavily, she cast one last look into the room before dragging her gaze away. Reluctantly, she turned to follow him back out.
o0o
The rain seemed to be stopping, Willow noticed as she spared a quick glance up into the cloudy night sky. She was still crouched protectively next to Mike; mind alert and body tensely wired as she tried to keep an eye out for trouble without leaving his side. She threw another look over her shoulder at the warehouse entrance, but there was no sign of them. Mike was drawing quiet, ragged breaths and seemed to be curling tighter into himself in an effort to control the pain. Willow rambled in a nervous stream of chatter, mainly to reassure him she was still there, but partly also to comfort herself in the dangerously deserted street.
"Willow?"
She shifted closer and met his dark chocolate eyes anxiously, "Yeah?"
There was a pause as he let his gaze drift over her face thoughtfully, as if she were a curious puzzle he was still trying to work out. "Thanks," he finally finished; voice soft and sincere.
She flashed him a small, tender smile and for one moment, the dingy alleyway didn't seem quite so threatening to them both. Raising her hand, Willow gently moved his damp hazel curls back from his forehead and frowned as she noticed the bruise that was spreading along his temple. She was a little alarmed when Mike suddenly shifted and groaned as he tried to push himself off the ground on shaky arms. She hastily sat up on her knees. "No, don't move," she ordered in dismay.
Mike slumped and gave her a funny look that was half amused and half annoyed. "I have to move some time," he pointed out.
"Yeah," she admitted reluctantly, "But not until you have to."
His eyes moved to something just behind her and Willow immediately tensed, good hand reaching for the cross on the ground next to her, before she heard his questioning voice.
"Find anything?"
Turning, she saw Oz and Annie approaching and quickly climbed to her feet to meet them. Her relief was soon overshadowed however by the dark look on their faces.
Oz shook his head once as he answered shortly. "Nothing we could help." Annie was unusually subdued and hung back a few steps, her jaw tight and eyes unsettled. Willow looked back and forth between them before her gaze flickered to the building that stood beside them all, and whatever horror hung within.
"Getting out of here might be a good plan," Oz announced, taking quiet charge of the situation. "Let's get to Giles's."
It was the first and safest place he could think of, and seemed the only logical course of action to the shaken boy. Besides, he thought as he moved to assist Willow in lifting Mike from the ground, they needed help and the Watcher needed to know about this. The mangled corpses flashed vividly in front of him again and he closed his eyes tightly in a bid to clear the image.
"Oz?"
He looked over to see Willow eyeing him with clear concern. For a moment he feared she had somehow gleaned the horrific memory from his pained eyes.
"What happened?" she asked him in a low voice so only they could hear.
He tried to give a reassuring smile but it may have come across more as a grimace. "Later," he promised quietly. He could see she had more questions but with a small nod, she put them aside. Oz didn't have that luxury as he was forced to watch the bloody scenes play over and over again through his mind. Gritting his teeth, he fought through them; it was only another nightmare to add to the extensive catalogue he had already learned to live with. It was getting pretty crowded in there, he thought grimly.
And so it was that the tattered band of fighters began to make their way back; Willow and Oz supporting Mike between them while a silently brooding Annie was more than willing to be look out. Indeed, she seemed almost disappointed when they failed to encounter any demonic foes in the short distance back to the hidden van, a few blocks over.
o0o
Willow glanced to her side at Oz, but his sight was fixed firmly on the empty road as he sped them through the well-known streets to the Watcher's apartment. His hands gripped tighter on the wheel as he pulled the van round a corner; his gaze dark and distant, still trapped back in that damned warehouse. Willow swallowed as she watched him, wishing she knew what to say to bring the light back into those intense and troubled eyes. She opened her mouth like she wanted to speak, but shut it again with a sad look. Biting her lip, she turned instead to direct her gaze out the window.
AN This is a split chapter because I thought it was getting a bit too long to be put all together, plus there are a few different parts to it. Reviews and feedback are always appreciated.