A:N: Thanks to everyone for reviewing: katana777, SpanishGirl, mendenbar, Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Cari7, Swagman, Sam, heartfallen, Lilith Lunatic and gopie.
Chapter Five
The Other Side
I'm over it
You see I'm falling in the vast abyss
Clouded by memories of the past
At last, I see
I hear it fading
I can't speak it
Or else you will dig my grave
We fear them finding
Always winding
Take my hand now
Be alive
You see I cannot be forsaken
Because I'm not the only one
We walk amongst you
Feeding, raping
Must we hide from everyone
I'm over it
Why can't we be together
Erase it
Sleeping so long
Taking off the mask
At last, I see
My fear is fading
I can't speak it
Or else you will dig my grave
We fear them finding
Always winding
Take my hand now
Be alive
You see I cannot be forsaken
Because I'm not the only one
We walk amongst you
Feeding, raping
Must we hide from everyone
You see I cannot be forsaken
Because I'm not the only one
We walk amongst you
Feeding, raping
Must we hide from everyone
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
She had turned into a room off to the right and silently shut the door. Her back pressed against the door to prevent them from entering if they had seen her go into the room. The footsteps of her pursuers went past the door and further into the library. She waited until they were distant before she limped out into the open. Her gaze spun around the large room of fiction, focusing on the nearby window, which she then began to hobble over to.
Grabbing a nearby cart she threw it at the window with what little strength she had left. The window didn't completely break; rather the cart simply got stuck in it. The sound of the glass shattering hadn't brought Spike or Gunn back to where she was though which made her plenty happy even though she knew it would. Knowing that they were too far in the library appeased her for the moment.
She smirked kicking the cart the rest of the way through the window despite the immense pain the flowed through her.
With all her attention directed towards making certain Spike and Gunn hadn't heard her, she hadn't realized that the rest of the glass shattering had caught the attention of someone else.
Connor grabbed her from behind before she tried to jump out of the shattered window. He couldn't let her get away that easily. Not after what had happened. Wrapping his arms around her they fell backwards, her body landing on his transferring blood to him.
She was so weak but she fought back despite it. Flipping so she had the upper hand by looking down upon him, she delivered a harsh punch to his face. What seemed like a harsh punch to her was nothing though. Her body was so drained from the loss of blood she barely had any strength to fight let alone stand.
He pushed up on her so she fell to the side smashing her head against a shelf. No remorse came from him as he moved to push her down while she lashed out at him. Nails dug into the flesh on his arm while he tried to pin her hands over her head.
Her breathing became level and she sighed softly. She rested her head on the floor. Her strength was gone. She couldn't help it. Her body hurt so much from all the pain that she had endured. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. She knew one thing for certain though.
That Connor wouldn't hurt her. No matter what had happened in his vicious past, or at least one of them, he wouldn't harm her.
After a moment passed, he began to realize something odd. She wasn't healing like any normal vampire would. Moving off of her he helped her to sit and leaned against the bookshelves.
"I thought you were a vampire," He stated taking his sweater off to press it against her flesh trying to stop the bleeding. "A vampire would of healed by now."
She shook her head weakly, blood dribbling down her chin. "I'm only part vampire."
"Part?" He questioned her in dismay. "I thought that was impossible."
"I thought a man born of two vampires was impossible and yet," She motioned to him with a groan as blood trickled from her mouth. "Here you are," She pushed his hand away from her with a sharp groan and began to try and stand. He shook his head trying to keep her down. She knocked his hand away with a growl. "I don't need your help."
She reached up and grasped onto a shelf to help stand. Connor refused to let her stand up alone and she didn't feel the urge to fight him off now.
Something was wrong. Something about what was happening was so wrong. She could help but be fearful of it, the presence. She knew that presence and she knew if she didn't get him out of there he'd been in trouble. As she stood she felt his hands holding her waist and she pushed him away.
"I said I don't need your help."
Connor didn't back off, instead he just moved up and held onto her so she didn't fall. "Did PMS suddenly strike you?"
"Yes Mara.." A new voice questioned them from the shadows.
Connor turned and saw another man, more than likely vampire, dressed in black from head to toe just staring at them intensely. His dark crimson eyes staring at them, beneath them was a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose.
"Do tell us what has made you arrogantly stupid in last twenty-four hours?"
Mara moved to stand on her own, her eyes glared at him. "Last twenty-four?" She questioned him with a smirk. "What made you so arrogantly idiotic that you did not realize long ago that I had began being so fucking stupid?"
"Well that explains a whole lot you stupid whore," He stated aggressively as he walked towards her but his eyes were focused on Connor. She hissed at him warning him not to come any closer to her or Connor. "Vaughn regrets not being able to return. Told me to tell you that he is planning on stopping by to finish you off in a few days."
He looked between her and Connor for a moment. "He would visit you sooner but your target has made his healing a little difficult. Tell me Mara, have you developed feelings for yet another pathetic target?"
She gave a low hiss at his attempt at insulting her.
"Or have they gone past mere compassion to lust?" He looked back to Connor admiring his physique. "Perhaps you would allow me the pleasure of fighting the son of Angel?"
She continued to stare him down when he looked back to her, not willing to give him an answer or at least a straight one. His gaze turned back to Connor who stood a little bit in front of her as if to protect her. She looked at him confused briefly. Why was he doing this? She didn't want his help or need it. She needed to make sure he wasn't killed.
The vampire in front of them began to laugh sinisterly. "Do you need a human's protection Mara?"
"Piss off asshole," Connor told him with a growl. The vampire acted as though he was frightened then he laughed at him. "Get the hell out of here."
"Or what?" He sneered at him baring his teeth. "You gonna kill me?"
"You bet I will."
That statement made the vampire stop cold. Mara could see the fear in his eyes and this made her smile. "Don't lie, Duncan. You can only look upon him in fear."
"Fear?" He questioned taking another step forward. Though he moved as though he wasn't afraid she could hear the fear in his voice. "Fear of what?" He glared at Connor. "A man who is only a lowly pathetic piece of shit compared to us?"
"Oh I do hope Vaughn told you what this human could do to us?"
He began to laugh at them again. "A human? A threat to us? A threat to the Left Hand of the Deliver? You stupid fucked up bitch. How could you think he'd be any threat to us or anyone for that matter?"
Connor felt his anger rising inside of him. He had a chance to make this vampire shut the hell up. He wasn't sure if it would work but he had a feeling it had something to do with his origins. "A guy born of two vampires isn't a threat to you?"
His eyes became wide in horror and he looked to Mara for an explanation. "Did you forget something about Angel's son?"
"Would I?" She questioned him with a smirk. "You know me well Duncan. Do think I won't?"
"Then that shall be something I'll be forced to stop it." He told her with a smile.
His hand moved quickly to a gun that rested at his side. She shouted for Connor to run but instead he moved and grabbed his arm as the gun came out.
"Spike!" He exclaimed for help knowing full well that he wasn't about to go against a vampire of this age without being turn to shreds.
Connor swung Duncan around and smashed him into the shelf. Duncan cried out in a pain before he lashed out at Connor. He was laughing. Menacingly. He struck him with such force he sent Connor flying against the wall. His body cracked at the impact and he fell to the floor. His head collided with the floor cutting his cheek open.
Duncan smiled at the smell of the blood coming from him. Walking towards him he brought his foot up to connect with his gut, kicking him against the wall once again. The sound of Connor groaning in pain made him chuckle more.
Mara brought her fist across Duncan's face. He opened his jaws in a wide cry of annoyance revealing his long teeth to her. His body went to one side and as he fell he grabbed her knowing she was too weak to stop him. Pulling her into him, he brought his teeth down, deep into her shoulder, her screams made him dig deeper into her shoulder.
Her body was raked with pain as she fought to keep herself standing. Her eyes turned deep black in rage. She couldn't help anymore. She was too weak and soon all her strength would diminish. If she released the eclipses she wouldn't be able to stand.
Suddenly Duncan's mouth released her to allow her to crash to the ground. Pain seared his back then his sides. Connor's grip on the dagger was tight. He had grabbed it from Mara when she had been bitten and now delivered hard blows into Duncan's body. Over and over he stabbed the vampire. Blood spewing out from the stabs to splatter his face but he just kept stabbing him.
Something was wrong though. Why he wasn't turning to ash? Duncan stood tall bringing his fist around to knock Connor to the floor.
"You fucking bastard! You really think you can defeat me?" He hissed at Connor who leapt back to his feet. Duncan ignored him to look at Mara who struggled to rest on her knees. He smiled broadly at the site of all the blood on her body. "And you stupid little bitch!"
"I keep getting called that," She stated with a slight chuckle and weak shrug. "Why?"
He walked to her. Leaned down, grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled her up to look him in the face. "Maybe because that's all you are?"
He began to bring his fist back when Connor grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him backwards causing him to release Mara. The sudden jerk made him smash into a bookshelf while Connor moved to stand between him and Mara.
He stared at Connor and chuckled at him. "You're just as fucking stupid as she is."
"What are you doing here?" Connor asked him.
He smiled again looking back to Mara. "With blood as sweet as hers I would never allow Vaughn to drink from her."
"Get the hell out of here Duncan," Mara told him with a growl standing and leaning against the wall. "You'll only manage to get yourself killed and unlike Vaughn, I'd prefer not to kill you. But I will if I need too."
He looked over at Connor again. "Has the loss of your memory made you soft boy?" The vampire sneered edging Connor on, trying to get him more riled that he was. "You're helping out the bitch who was sent here to kill you!" Connor looked over to Mara briefly and she simply shrugged. "What?" Connor looked back to Duncan. "New memories of a farce make you so you can't kill anymore?"
"That's enough Duncan," She hissed at him, her arms wrapped around her body. The wounds still weren't healing, her skin was pale almost gray in coloring.
"That's enough from you Mara!" He retorted to her, looking at her, his eyes burned red at the thought of her betrayal. "You are nothing to us anymore, only another creature that has sealed its fucked up little fate that when the sun doesn't rise anymore you'll be dead as well!" He looked back to Connor who stood his fists still clinching the dagger tightly. "I do so wonder what a mortal born of two vampires tastes like though."
Duncan lunged for him.
Connor spun out of the way, the dagger spun around in his hand and out of the hilt came a stake that he thrust deep into the vampire's chest. The dagger cut his hand as well but he could cart less. The cry that exploded from Duncan was loud and painful to listen to.
Duncan looked at Connor, his eyes wide in horror as he slowly began to fade to ashes.
"To taste my blood first you have to find it," He hissed in his ear as the vampire disappeared.
Connor's gaze turned to Mara, who leaned again the wall watching the sight unfold before her. She shook her head at him looking out towards the window. She moved slowly to lean against the shattered frame, her eyes wide in horror at what she saw happen. He stared at her as she shuddered and shook. Tears began to form in her eyes but she whipped them away quickly.
"Hey," He began walking over to her. "Are you alright?"
"Don't ask questions of me," She told him with a growl glaring at him. Her eyes full of hurt towards what had happened. She grabbed the dagger that Connor still head in his hand.
A hurt that Connor didn't understand, Duncan had tried to kill her and him. Why would she feel sadness to the loss?
"He was my brother," She told him softly her gaze drifting behind Connor to another man. "I won't answer any questions from anyone."
"How the hell do you not expect us to ask questions?" Angel asked her as he walked over to where they stood. "Two of my friends who were dead are suddenly very much alive, breathing and not transparent or walk through able."
She smirked at him with a chuckle then felt her smile fade when her gaze fell on Doyle as he walked up behind Angel. She gave a sigh leaning her head back against the shattered window frame. Her cheek connected with some glass and she began to bleed even more. She didn't flinch though, it was like she didn't feel it which Connor felt disturbing.
Spike and Gunn came around the corner. Connor looked at them with a scowl. "Where the hell were you two?"
"This place is huge," Spike insisted with a growl his gaze went to Mara. "You didn't kill her? Why not?"
"You don't have any need to know things that don't concern you," Mara voiced in with a growl towards Angel, her focus on her alone.
"We don't do we?" Angel hissed to her walking up to her.
His hand moved to grip her throat tightly and slammed her already mangled body into the broken window. Glass stuck into her back and she gave a weak cry of pain from the shards digging into her back. She was getting tired of being used as a punching tool. Her body was weak enough as it is and she didn't act as though that she felt anything.
"We don't do we?" He hissed again and she glared at him as he lifted her in the air. The glass stayed attached to the window frame and as her body slid up the glass cut deeper into her flesh. "We don't do we?"
Still she didn't answer instead she spit blood into his face. She stared down at him gritting her teeth to keep from crying out in pain.
"I'd like an answer to my question," Angel told her slamming her against the window frame again this time uttering a scream. "Now."
"What are you going to do if I don't?" She sneered. "Kill me. That would be one hell of a dumb ass idea."
"Start explaining then."
She was reluctant but knew they needed to be told. She shut her eyes breathing slowly as she began to explain. "Doyle can see the things I need to know. Wesley knows things that need to be known," She opened her eyes to look at Connor who gripped his hand tightly trying to stop the bleeding. "Connor is the key," She looked back to Angel. "The rest of you all have your little fucked up parts to play. So why don't you piss off and let me go."
Spike shouted: "Oh what the bloody hell makes you think we're just going to let you go?"
"Because the urge to kill you still hasn't faded yet Spike."
"You harlot!"
"You stupid ass hole."
Angel released her letting her slump in an agonizing scream. She could feel the pain plan as day now. "Okay I need to know how the hell you really know each other."
"With out me then."
With those final words she allowed herself to fall to the side and out the window. Angel shouted at her to stop and reached for her but before anyone could reach her she had fallen from the second story to collide with the ground. They all moved to the window to see her land with a loud thud but almost relatively nicely.
The only other sound to be heard over the rain was her screaming a painful dammit.
"Did you die?" Spike screamed down at her. "Cause that'd be excellent!"
"Piss off!" She screamed back up at him. She coughed, blood squirting out of her mouth and onto the ground. She looked back up at them and flipped them the bird. She didn't look long though in only a moment she turned and began to run towards a motorcycle got on it and kicked it into high gear.
Everyone turned and looked at Spike who shrugged. "What?"
"So.." Doyle began looking around at Gunn and Connor and he extended his hand. "I'm Doyle."
A:N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed; katana777, SpanishGirl, mendenbar, Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Cari7, Swagman, Sam, heartfallen, Lilith Lunatic and gopie. Thanks to everyone for reading and continue the reviews. I'll update as soon as I can.