Chapter 12
It's warm out, the air is heavy and thick, pressing against me from all sides. Part of is the balmy night, part of it is the smoking rubble of our bar. I'm picking my way through what's left of the office. There used to be a desk in there but all that's left is the half burnt drawer and the blackened brick walls. Faith sighs and kicks the drawer out of the way. "Well, we got walls at least." I nod but eye them dubiously. I don't think Enzo could blow them down. Not really. We're not the three pigs and this isn't quite a fairy tale.
"The street is empty, no firefighters, no onlookers, not even mosquitos." But I know they're out there. I could feel them watching us as we pulled up. I'm pretty sure they're waiting to see if backup shows. Wood creaks ominously and I flick my eyes to Faith goes stock still for a moment then relaxes. She glances down and I nod. Avi and Gus are right below us in the cellar. "This whole dramatic entrance is so over rated." She chuckles at that but Faith's gone still again. This time a faint growl rumbles past her lips.
"Guess ya got what ya asked for." I can't smell anything yet. The smoke is making it hard for me to process anything else. Which now that I think about it was probably one of the reasons they burned the bar down. It's hard to know how many of them are out there. If you're a wolf. I however am not. My face shifts as I focus in on my hearing. A dozen heartbeats sound off like a drumline and I snort softly. "Wha?"
"There's only a handful. Boring." She smirks and starts for the door. I don't want to be backed in to a corner with that many bodies any more than she does so I follow her out. Also I just want to watch her ass. "Does something about this feel too…easy?" Most of the front of the bar is gone so it's easy to see the shadows parting as figures step in to the light of the lamp across the street from us. Only there are way more than a dozen of them. Crap.
"This excitin' enough for ya, B?" Somehow the pack has swelled in size. There are more here than defected to Faith's side. This can't be possible. How could we not sensed this many? How come I didn't hear their heartbeats? It dawns on me just as Faith mutters in irritation under her breath. "Fucking magic." Yeah. That. Enzo swaggers half dragging Xander along with him. He doesn't looks so great, our Xander. His patch is missing and he's pretty beat up. The way he's limping he might have a broken leg too.
"Eh, I bring your boy. Come out now, come see him die." Faith slides her blade free and steps out toward the middle of the street where they wait. Enzo gives Xander a rough shake, laughing as Xander curls in on himself, his bound hands clutching at his stomach as though it hurt just being shaken. Oh Enzo has to die. If not tonight then soon. A violent, bloody death. "Get a last look, you. I hope his screa..erk." Enzo drops to his knees, face going dark as he struggles for air after the savage nut kicking he just got. In an effort to grab his junk he lets go of Xander and that's all he was waiting for.
Xander flings a hand full of dust and shouts out an incantation I've never heard before. I've never seen him go ferret before. He's kind of private about it and I can see why. The change isn't instantaneous and it looks like it hurts. A lot. His body writhes and twists and in seconds he's skittering awkwardly across the street before the wolves can get him. Enzo recovers quicker than I expected and reaches out just in time to catch Xander's tail but Faith's knife whistles through the air with wicked accuracy. As far as wounds go it's not the worst he could suffer, being a werewolf and all but it forces him to let go of Xander. Enzo grasps the handle of the blade and waves it tauntingly in front of Faith. "This it? This all you got?"
He probably shouldn't have glanced over his shoulder to look at his back when he said that. He probably shouldn't have taken his eyes off Faith, even for a second. But he did. And she moved in a lightning fast lunge. Enzo is big enough and just fast enough to steady himself but it's like trying to steady yourself for an oncoming train. Faith body checks the wolf to the ground where they struggle, each striving for the upper hand. The pack starts closing in and while I'm perfectly comfortable killing a dozen or so, I'm not sure I want to try fifty or so at once. "Now would be a good time for backup…"
The floor shudders behind me and a giant hulking wolf thing bursts free of the trapdoor. I give her a look that clearly says now is not the time for showy entrances. "Stop messing around." Avi gives me a wounded look and huffs. Gus fills the space behind us like a solid reassuring wall and I grin. The wolves have stopped advancing, suddenly unsure what to do with the three of us while Enzo and Faith punch, kick, and bite each other. It's not nearly as sexy as when she does that with me but I don't hate seeing her kick his ass.
"Xander is here, somewhere. He's his furry little self and he's hurt." I don't have to say more, Avi turns tail and starts sniffing around intently for him. I might not like her all the time but I can't fault her loyalty to what's mine. "And Avi?" She turns her shaggy head toward me, her eyes gleaming through the dark. "Take him home. No matter what." She hesitates then drops her head in a wolfish nod before taking off toward the back of the building. "Gus?" He grunts and I smile up at him as I take his arm. "Make sure they don't get back up when you knock them down."
I know we're good but it's going to be a nasty fight. Faith has the upper hand but the pack definitely isn't about to play fair. There is a breathless moment before Gus and I break, each of us picking targets too close to Faith and Enzo. I'm faster than the werewolves but it won't be enough for long. There's a bite on my shoulder and I lean forward with a twist, flinging the large body over my shoulder. "Ow!" I look at the torn material of my shirt and sigh. "Hey! I liked this shirt!" I kick out and catch him right in the face. I duck a flying body even as I'm wrenching the werewolf's head to the side to expose his neck for a bite. It's not even a feeding bite, I'm just that pissed.
A vague memory of smooth dark skin and a Jamaican accent. An annoying pang of pain causes my heart to spasm and I take my irritation out on the next wolf I see. This time I'm not quite fast enough to duck and two bodies hit me at once, taking me down hard. For a second there is only the slashing of claws and the flashing of fangs as each wolf snaps at the air trying to bite my face off. A weight lifts off me as one wolf is yanked away in to the darkness with a surprised yip. I get my feet between me and the wolf and push off, sending it hurtling backward in to what's left of the front wall. It crumbles with the impact and I kick up to standing. Just in time to tackled right back down.
I kick out again but this wolf is smart enough to avoid it before jumping forward to attack my unprotected side. Teeth sink in to my forearm and I gasp in pain. Son of a bitch that hurts! My free hand reaches out blindly to look for anything around that I can use as a weapon but before my hand closes around a chunk of brick a piercing whistle rips the air. I lean back just enough to pull the wolf forward as the heavy axe blade sinks itself in to the wolf's head. I kick the body away but blink at the Scythe. My Scythe. I glance in the direction it came and frown. "You."
Kadee tries for a smiling shrug but has to lean back to evade a swiping paw. I watch her neatly twist, her grip on wolf tightening as she uses momentum to swing on to the wolf's back where she can snap its neck easily. She stands slowly and dusts off her hands. "You Watcher thought you'd want that." My Watcher? I hear the growl and react, reaching out to grip the oncoming wolf by the throat. I'm staring at Kadee trying to puzzle this out as I squeeze, harder and harder while it struggles in my grip, slowly dying. One more powerful squeeze and the light leaves the wolf's eyes. I drop the body and touch the handle of the Scythe.
Maybe I'm a little afraid I'll go up in poof of smoke like the bar. I don't have time to test the theory because Faith lets out a pained yelp and the scent of her blood fills the air. I turn and speed toward her but Enzo yanks her up by the knife stuck deep in her shoulder. It hurts her I know because for a second it looks like she's going to pass out. "STOP!" Everyone freezes as Enzo looks around. He's down a lot of wolves and if he pushes his luck there won't be any left. Including himself. I think he realizes this because he swears in French.
"If you kill her now, we'll end you and what's left of this pack." He knows it already but I want to be clear about this. I can see the little wheels turning in his brain as he decides what he's going to do. His choices are severely limited and I'm worried he may take this as an all or nothing moment. "We still have the full moon. If we all walk away now we can face each other tomorrow, the right way. The wolf way." He gives a slow nod and tosses Faith toward me with one hand. Our bodies collide and we fall back in a spray of blood as the knife digs deeper, the tip actually coming out the other side. A low howl echoes but it seems farther off. I look around but the wolves have started slinking away, back in to the shadows they came from.
"Xand?" I carefully brush the hair out of Faith's face and give her a gentle smile. He's fine. I'm more concerned about her though. "Get this thing outta me."
"Words I never thought you'd say for two hundred please." Faith laughs a little but it hurts her and she winces. Gus' steps make me look up at him. He's smeared with blood but I don't think any of it is actually his. "Did Avi get Xander away?" He gives me a nod and kneels waiting for me to order him to do something. I look back at Faith and the knife but I don't want to pull it out in case it starts bleeding more. "Sorry love, not yet."
She gives me an annoyed look but nods agreement. I'd have Gus carry her but I think that might piss her off more. "What's she doing here?" I look over my shoulder as I help Faith struggle to stand.
"Giles sent her." You could cut the silence with a butter knife. We both stare at Kadee who seems suddenly unsure of herself as she pulls the Scythe free and gives it a slight twirl.
"No shit?" No shit. I give a nod and she makes a soft hmm sound. Well we can't just leave her here when she kind of sorta came to our rescue. I don't exactly want to bring her back to the House but I can't see where we have any other choice.
"I can explain if you let me." Faith and I look at each other, telegraphing our thoughts with our eyes. I'm not sure it's the best idea but it's really our only option. I nod slowly and jerk my head in the direction of the truck. There is no way Gus will fit in the cab but he climbs easily in to the bed. I'm not exactly in the mood to let Faith out of my grip just yet so I make the executive decision and dig the keys out of Faith's jacket pocket.
"You can drive and if you give us even a hint of a reason not to trust you…" I don't really have a terrifying enough threat to use so I just leave the statement hanging. She nods sagely at that and hops in to the driver's side as I get Faith in to the truck. "Tonight is just full of surprises isn't it?" Faith grunts but I'm not sure how much of that is pain and how much of that is agreement. I'm betting it's a little bit of both.
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Getting in to the truck was a bitch. Getting out almost killed me. Danni is cluckin' over me like a hen as she checks out the blade. "Well are ya gonna…" I don't even get ta finish complaining before she yanks that shit right out. I feel like maybe I might puke. I'm just about to keel over when B steadies me, sliding under my other arm and holding me up.
"You were saying?" I give Danni a glare but she snorts at me. "Don't you be getting mad at me." She's right. I'm mad at myself for getting' stuck with my own knife. I wasn't expecting him to keep recovering from my hits so quick. I underestimated him. A mistake that won't happen again. The upside is that he probably thinks this proves he's stronger than me. Maybe it'll make him overconfident, sloppy. Gentle hands work at wrappin' my shoulder with a soft bandage. "You'll heal. Hm. Maybe faster than you should."
I nod at that and roll my shoulder checking it out. It hurts but she's right. I can already feel it healing. "Thanks D." She nods and looks at Buffy for permission to leave. B just nods and lets her go an' I hafta wonder if that little display is for the benefit of our guest. I turn my eyes to her and frown. I knew she felt off somehow. "So Giles sent ya. And you're not packin' a bomb?" Can't be too careful. He did want ta end us and everyone we care about the last time he was here.
"Not exactly no. More like an olive branch. A sharp one." Kadee rests the Scythe on a low table between us as I shrug in to a vest. Buffy doesn't bother lookin' at her or the weapon as she buttons me up. I can read the tension in her shoulders but I don't know what's buggin' her exactly. Not that she doesn't have a reason to be bugged. This is unexpected an' I'm not sure how much we can trust it. Kadee must sense the distrust because she clears her throat. "He didn't just change his mind overnight. After Satsu…" She stops and we both look up. Kadee clears her throat and pushes on. "After she died, Giles realized that maybe he was fighting for the wrong things. He's been through some stuff lately. Things that made him look harder at what's really happening in the world right now."
I didn't know. I mean. It's not like there's a Slayer newsletter an' even if there was it's not like I'd read it. But I always thought we'd know if Satsu got taken out. "How'd it happen?"
"Vampire." I nod but B hasn't moved a muscle. Satsu was somethin' to her once. Someone she needed in her human life. I'm not sure vampire Buffy knows how to deal with this. Her eyes glow pale yellow but she stays quiet. "She was investigating this man. Rumor had it he reached out to the magic community for a very specific kind of spell." She puts a picture on the table next to the Scythe and I growl. B reaches out slowly and slides the picture closer. Her voice is as bitter and hard as my growl.
"Eowain." Kadee blinks at us in surprise and opens her mouth but Buffy cuts her off. "What kind of spell?"
"The kind that would drain a wolf to death. Normally that wouldn't raise any red flags but the spell was specific to a wolf. Most of the magic users in the community wouldn't touch it for fear of the retribution." I'm gettin' a sick feelin' here. "She tracked him down in Prague, it was the last we heard from her. Her body turned up a week later."
I'll kill him. I was gonna anyway but now I'm really gonna kill him. We weren't on the same side anymore but Satsu was doin' what was right. She always tried to do what was right. She was a good slayer. "She find anything out?"
There's a short nod. "Sort of. She got a name of the magic user. Ethan Rayne." I can feel Buffy's temper flarin' an' I'm not sure I wanna soothe her. She deserves ta be angry.
"I thought he was dead." Huh. Goes to show what I know. I thought he was just locked up. Kadee shakes her head slightly.
"Not exactly. I don't know the details but we think his spirit survived where his body didn't." I don't even have ta ask it because B is on it.
"Are you sure that's really Ethan?" Kadee shrugs a little lettin' us know that she's not as sure as Giles seems ta be. "Right. Corporeal Ethan was enough of a pain in the ass but if he's incorporeal I'm not sure how we're supposed to stop him."
"We could maybe help with that." We turn at the sound of Willow's voice to see her and Oz bein' led in by Gus. Buffy twitches like part of her wants to run up and hug Red but she stays put. Oz gives a low whistle at my bandaged shoulder and rocks on his heels. Master of the understatement.
"Will…" There's some tense silence before Red makes the first move and hugs Buffy. B stands there a second not sure what to do with her arms before she hugs back a little stiffly. "You're here. Not planning any resouling spells are you?" It'd be funny if it weren't so fuckin' likely.
Red gives a slightly nervous laugh an' pulls back. It's gotta be weird for her. "No. You're fine just the way you are, Buffy." This time it's B who pulls Willow in to a hug a tight hug. It startles Red but she goes with it. This is turnin' in to a real girl moment so I roll my eyes an' glance at Oz. He shrugs as if he doesn't get it either. After a minute or two they stop with the lovefest an' get back to business. That's just fine by me. "When Giles told me it was Ethan I made some inquiries about a book that might help us. Lucky for us I found the book in Texas." I wanna believe that was coincidence but I don't believe in those. I look at Oz an' he raises his brows.
"I have a very expansive library." Buffy snorts at that an' turns her attention back to Willow.
"It's Ethan but I don't think he's entirely himself. I mean he wasn't exactly ethical or you know. Normal. But when the spirit is cleaved from the body like that…it changes things. To be honestly I'm not entirely sure he had the juice to survive like this for so long. Something has to be helping him, or maybe more like subsisting. Like a parasitic symbiosis."
I'm wonderin' if she's gonna get to the point any time soon here. "Spit it out already." She gives me a mildly annoyed look then shrugs.
"I'm pretty sure Eyghon is along for the ride. They both have the same goal at this point so I think they're sharing control."
Buffy sighs an' lets out an unhappy laugh. "Great. I always wondered when he'd come back. So what is their goal? Besides chaos and havoc."
"To find a host body." Couldn't they just hop in any old dead thing? I mean c'mon. What's so special they gotta come all the way out to NOLA. It's Oz who answers from his spot leaning against the wall. "I think he's planning on inhabiting the only host body that has the ability to sustain them without rotting. A wolf's body." Ama. They wanna set up shop in Ama's body after Enzo steals her power. There's a catch there somewhere. I can feel it even if I don't see it just yet.