Chapter 10:
Xander yawned, throwing a side glance at the clock and found himself horrified to see that it was almost morning. Had they really spent the largest part of the night over the dusty books? He really needed to get himself a life.
"Okay, now that we've officially come up with nothing ...," he began, intending to deliver a speech about how they all deserved to go home for some sleep now, especially seeing as the superpeople among them had already done so. Except Ashley that was, who was sitting sullen in a corner after a no doubt thorough chewing out by that lovely English woman Mrs. Post. Or maybe she had fallen asleep in that chair, it was hard to say without being too obvious about staring in her direction.
"I found something," Willow interrupted him, managing to look excited even when sleep was very much overdue. Everyone turned to look at her, Ashley starting and blinking the sleep from her eyes.
"The glove?" Giles moved to stand behind her.
"Yeah, it says here that the Glove of Mynhegon was taken to Sunnydale by one Frederick Hautpmann. It was buried with him when he died."
"The Hauptmann crypt is at Restfield Cemetery," Xander said, spending a moment being depressed about the fact that he knew the town's many cemeteries almost inside out by now.
"We will go there immediately," Post said, looking over at Ashley. "There is no telling whether Lagos might not already have found out about its location."
"I'll call Buffy and Angela and we'll ..."
"I don't think that is necessary," Post interrupted Willow. "I am sure Ashley will be able to handle things."
The white-haired Slayer visibly perked up at those words. "Sure I can. Just leave it to me."
"Mrs. Post, considering the power levels Lagos will have access to should he gain the glove, I would think it only prudent to make use of all forces available to us."
For a moment the two Watchers were engaged in a staring contest, then Post relented.
"Very well. If you must call your Slayer and that vampire. Ashley and I will leave for that crypt immediately, though. We do not have time to waste."
They were halfway out the door when Giles called them back. "Unless I'm mistaken you do not know how to get there."
Post glared at him, but the situation was defused when Xander stood up. "I'll show them the way. You just let the Buffster and Angela know where we're going, okay?"
Giles did not seem completely comfortable with that arrangement, but finally nodded.
#
By the time the ringing of the phone finally managed to penetrate past the veil of sleep Buffy had realized two things. The first was that she was sleeping cuddled against a cold, cold body, which strangely did not make her feel cold in return, though. The second was the memory that she had planned to move away from said body before it woke.
The latter proved to be impossible, though.
"Yes?" Angela had already picked up the phone. "Giles? What ...? I understand. Yes, we'll be there as quickly as possible."
The click of the phone being put down again finally forced Buffy to open her eyes and scoot away from Angela, even as she turned to look at her. The vampire was studying her with a strange look in her eyes, hovering somewhere between happiness and anger.
"Sorry, I ...," Buffy began, at the same time wondering why she thought she had to explain herself. She loved Angela and Angela loved her, was that not the case? So why should she feel ashamed for deciding to sleep in the same bed?
"That was Giles," Angela interrupted, clearly not wanting to talk about their sleeping arrangements or anything related to it at this moment. "They found the location of the glove. Ashley and Post are on their way to Restfield. The Hauptmann crypt."
Buffy nodded, knowing that their talk was only postponed, nothing else. They both rose, still fully dressed from yesterday, and went out the door. It was already growing light toward the east, Buffy noticed, meaning they did not have a lot of time before the sun rose and forced Angela into hiding.
Well, maybe they would just find the glove and destroy it before this Lagos guy ever got his hands on it. Things had to be easy at least occasionally, right?
#
Ashley, Xander, and Mrs. Post had barely reached the crypt when the growl of a demon caused all of them to start. A huge, orange-skinned monstrosity was coming toward them, at least eight feet tall, armed with a huge battle axe held in its clawed hands.
"Lagos, I presume?" Xander inched back, the stake he carried in his hand suddenly looking very small.
"Ashley, destroy him if you can! I will deal with the glove."
The Slayer nodded and sprang into action even as her Watched ducked inside the crypt. Lagos did not even seem to see her, his eyes firmly fixed on the crypt entrance. Leaping into the air she hit him with a flying thrust kick right into his chest.
He did not even budge and Ashley made hard contact with the ground.
"Not good," she murmured, flipping back to her feet. Now Lagos was looking at her and he did not look very pleased.
The battle was joined a moment later, the demon lashing out at her, Ashley using her greater speed to duck these no doubt crippling blows he was dishing out. When she saw an opening she lashed out with all her strength, but her blows seemed to make little impact on his huge frame. She needed a weapon, she realized, using her fists and feet would avail her little against this foe.
The only weapon in reach was Lagos' own giant axe, though, and he was busily swinging it against her right now.
That was when her luck took a turn for the worse and she stumbled over a rock, falling on her back. The demon raised his axe over his head for a downward strike.
TO BE CONTINUED