[A/N: I’m still not certain about how or where I’m going to break this up, but it is something that’s on my mind. So this is sort of a feed-back issue. . . .I guess. I’m pretty sure there will be enough interest. . . But then again, maybe I’m not sure. The Welsh translation is mine own, so all errors there belong to me. Title is from a song from Depeche Mode (and is in itself a paraphrase of a biblical quote) and the quotes are as attributed. Disclaimers are in full force and effect.]

Previously: Spike and Buffy are a couple, though neither one of them remembers when or how; Oz has remembered his fight with Angel; Faith has broken out of prison; and Angel has Dawn and Casey. This picks up immediately from the last installment.

Book Two. Chapter 39. Lambs for the slaughter


A mother's arms are strong when her child is in danger.
Dead Man Walking, 1995

Do not stand in a place of
danger trusting in miracles.
Arabian Proverb

I came to believe it not true that "the
coward dies a thousand deaths, the brave man
only one." I think it is the other way around:
It is the brave who die a thousand deaths.
For it is imagination, and not just conscience,
which doth make cowards of us all. Those
who do not know fear are not truly brave.
Leo Rosten


Death is everywhere
There are flies on the windscreen
For a start
Reminding us
We could be torn apart
Tonight

Death is everywhere
There are lambs for the slaughter
Waiting to die
And I can sense
The hours slipping by
Tonight Depeche Mode, Fly on the Windscreen from the album Black Celebration, 1986




They had no idea what the situation might be with Dawn and why she might be in trouble. None of them knew and, as they walked through the streets of downtown Sunnydale, none of them gave those ideas voice.

It didn’t take long for Buffy and Spike to outdistance Wesley, fear goading both of them onward.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Halfway between Los Angeles and Sunnydale, Faith’s nerves were so strung that she couldn’t continue driving without releasing some of the tension coursing through her. The music was blaring, her foot heavy on the pedal and it still didn’t ease the humming through her entire body. Spying the next exit on US 5, Faith cut across three lanes of traffic and headed for the off-ramp.

Knowing full well that she wouldn’t run into any demons, or if she did, they would be more of the peaceful kind, Faith headed for the first bar she found. More than one way to work off the tension. . . . .

Checking out her face in the review mirror, she grimaced. No makeup, stolen clothes yet she was still hotter than half the chicks out there. So what she wasn’t California-blond or tall and willowy. She had tits to make most men drool and an ass to please the rest. It was enough to get her in the door without having to pay the cover charge and more than enough to get her the first two rounds of drinks; if she had wanted to play, there were plenty of takers. She wasn’t there to play. None of the boys in the bar could scratch that itch anyway.

Nope. Nothing short of a real walk on the dark side would get rid of that one.

What she needed was something more physical.

She needed to slay.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Determined not to show him any weakness, knowing it could possibly be fatal, Dawn did not – refused – to give into the lassitude creeping through her. This isn’t Angel, her mind screamed, this is your own personal nightmare. With a more than credible imitation of her father’s growl, Dawn ground out “get away from him, Angel, he doesn’t. . . he’s not part of this.”

With a smirk, Angel ignored her, his fist connecting to the side of Casey’s head. “Gee, Dawnie, I think he’s part of this because he’s with you.”

“He doesn’t know!” The shriek had been building since he’d grabbed hold of her arm finally rang through the night, echoing off the buildings, coming back around to blast them.

Casey fell, blood spouting from his mouth and his head thunked heavily against the pavement. He groaned, rolling over, struggling to get back on his feet. Somehow Casey managed to get to all fours and he scrabbled away when Angel kicked him hard in the side, as Dawn tackled into Angel, throwing the vampire completely off balance and knocking him down.

He was up, springing to his feet before Dawn could get to Casey, and he grabbed her arm, pulling her toward him. The slap he delivered to her face nearly knocked her back and she fought to stay on her feet, giving Casey enough time to get to his.

The scent of blood was heavy in the air; the panting breaths of the humans, panic-filled and scared roused his bloodlust. “Can’t wait to get a taste of you, little girl. . . . can’t wait to get. . . . close to you.”

Angel’s snicker ended in a deep throated chuckle, raising the hairs on the back of Dawn’s neck. He stalked toward the two of them, his grin splitting his normally expressionless features and Dawn knew they had little chance of getting away from him. She might be able to survive. . . but Casey – Casey didn’t know about vampires and demons and he would . . . she wasn’t going to let him die along with her. She was about to grab his hand, when he fell to his knees beside her, his strength gone.

“Casey, get up, c’mon, get up!” Dawn wrapped her hands around his upper arm, pulling him vainly. She didn’t dare look down at him, afraid if she took her eyes off the vampire, he’d gut them both.

“Too late. He can’t go on. What will you do now?” She could feel the cool breath the vampire used to speak, his taller, broader form looming over her. “Gonna save the boy? Hhhmmm?”

Encircling her neck with his thick fingers, Angel once more lifted her off her feet, uncaring of her ineffectual kicking. “I’m feeling kind of thirsty. . . . and I know just the thing I need. Don’t you?“

His face morphed, fangs and brow ridges prominent. Unlike other victims, Dawn didn’t scream, refusing to give him the satisfaction. I’ve been here before. . . . he didn’t scare me then and I’m not gonna let him scare me now. Just have to hold on until Spike or Buffy gets here. Gotta give Casey a chance to get away.

Just have to hold on.

She knew, despite not knowing how or why she couldn’t remember, the code she’d punched into her cell phone was a message sent out to the scoobies and to Spike. All she had to do was just survive.

Unable to move her head, Dawn couldn’t see what Casey was doing behind her and she knew - hoped - her struggles gave him more time to escape. She kept clawing at Angel’s hands, her nails drawing his blood to the surface, but also serving to keep his fangs from sinking into her neck.

But the pressure of his fingers closing around her throat didn’t ease and now breathing was becoming an issue. Angel’s face loomed closer, fetid breath wafting over her face and Dawn’s vision began to swim. Panting heavily for air, she scratched at his fingers and the last thing she saw was Casey’s body slamming into Angel’s side before everything went black.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Spike started to outdistance her and for once Buffy didn’t put on a burst of speed just to prove she was better or faster or stronger than him. Instead, she called out, and before she knew it, he was back at her side.

“Kitten?”

“Promise me you’ll be careful.” Some sixth sense – or a remnant of a ragged memory – told her they’d been very close to losing each other in the misty recent past of lost memories.

His pace had slowed, matching hers and deftly switching his weapon from one hand to the other, Spike caught her left hand up, sweeping it toward his lips. Ghosting a kiss over the back, he said, “was about to tell you the same, love. Got our sprog there, don’t do anythin’ foolish, yeah?”

Without turning his head, Spike knew that mulish look came over her features, the one he almost hated. “Sunshine. Don’t want anything to hurt you. Couldn’t live with myself if it did.” He paused, waiting for the look to clear. When it appeared she was going to get more stubborn, Spike halted, then pulled her into his arms. “I love you. Don’t wanna lose you. Jus’ promise me you’ll be careful.”

She was poised to argue with him. She really was. But when Buffy glanced up at his features, all thought of confronting him fled. His eyes – wavering between feline amber and human blue stalled her words. The ferocity and depth of emotion was humbling. He felt so much. . . “my promise for yours,” was all she was capable for uttering.

“Already done, kitten.” He started off in the direction of Dawn’s last known location, his words resolute. “Time to rescue Niblet.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Casey plowed into Angel’s side, with as much force as his battered body would allow, his shoulder hitting the bigger man just under his upraised arm. The arm he had been using to slowly strangle Casey’s girlfriend.

The blow nearly knocked the teen out, head ringing and ears popping; Casey knew he heard something crunch hard on impact. He had no way of telling, though, if it had been his own bones or the sicko’s that gave under the pressure. Every inch of him was already in pain, one more body part screaming in agony didn’t matter. He barely kept to his feet, some instinct telling him their only chance lay in staying upright – no matter what happened. Casey’s knowledge and willpower didn’t help, because his legs crumpled and he would have fallen if not for the weak arms suddenly wrapped around his torso.

Dawn’s voice was husky, painful to hear, but in that moment, the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. Hope flared within him, bolstering his courage. “C’mon Casey, we gotta go.”

She slipped under his shoulder, propping him up, her desperation to get away easily communicated.

“Dawnie.” He knew what he wanted to say, but the words wouldn’t force themselves out.

“I know Casey.” She paused, then whispered, “me too. A lot.”

They had barely gone three steps when Angel’s dark form loomed in front of them.

“Thought I told you – you aren’t going anywhere.”

Dawn stiffened beside Casey, her back almost rigid beneath his arm. “Screw you. . . . Angelus. We got your message and hey, consider it already delivered. I’ll make sure Buffy gets it.”

“See, here’s where we differ.” Angel stepped closer, forcing the teens to give ground. “Your sister and her pet vampire stole something of mine. I’m just taking something back.”

From somewhere deep inside his broken body, Casey found a deeper well, a source – a part of himself he’d never known he possessed. While Dawn faltered beside him, blanching visibly at the words flung at them, Casey’s legs strengthened and his stance miraculously widened. Instead of continuing to cower in front of the psychotic man, he took a step forward, crowding him.

When Angel stepped back, more in surprise than anything else, Casey moved again. Shielding Dawn now, he waited, knowing this was the only thing he could do. Belying the words flung at him earlier, Casey knew the longer he stood his ground, the more man he was.

Angel growled at the defiance. Shaking off his human features, the vampire snarled, gnashing his teeth and stepped closer to the boy. Though he drew in a deep breath, Casey didn’t flinch, didn’t back down. Didn’t even look away when he whispered his girlfriend’s name, uttering the words he’d been unable to say moments before.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The air was calm, no wind, no sounds to disturb their hunt and yet their prey was eluding them. No sight nor sound, nor scent teased their preternatural sense of smell. . . it was as if the prey had disappeared, dissipated into thin air.

Expecting to find traces of their prey, the Huntsman had directed his spectral hounds in that direction, only to have them balking and howling their displeasure into the quiet night.

Younger, newer hounds were circling their elders, baying and yipping in question, while the alpha male sniffed the air, searching for some ephemeral trace of the betrayer. . . .

The red-eyed black hound caught the scent, hours old, of magicks gone awry, wielded by one without care or thought of consequences or compassion. . . . The hackles on his neck rose, and he bayed his find, echoing through the still, silent night, reverberating off the trees and brush around them.

The others fell in behind him as he loped off, ground eating strides lengthening as the scent grew stronger. His mate, the smaller sleeker red-spotted black hound raced behind him, then broke off, veering toward the right, her yowls of warning alerting the pack to her departure.

The Huntsman watched her go, a grim smile playing about his thin lips.

Each hound knew their place, each knew their task. One by one, they split off from the pack, until the alpha male was alone, his nose intent on the location of the traitor, while the others cut off all avenues of escape.

Time it is lads . . . . .

Ar hyn o bryd . . . o fewn hwn lle . . . . pechodau dcaw ateb dros. . . .


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Faith slammed back another shot of tequila – her fourth – realizing her idea to stop wasn’t working at all. Mission Viejo is not a happening place. Well, not the kind of place I’m looking for anyway.

Brushing off the attentive college boys who’d been supplying her with drinks, she headed for the door.

Not working. . . gotta get the hell outta here. Place is way too whitebread.

Without breaking stride, Faith elbowed her way through the wall of admirers and by the time she hit the bar’s main door, she was running.

Shit’s about to go down and what the fuck am I doing? I’m here all stupid like, trying to work off the nerves.

Not happening. Not gonna make the same mistakes all over again.

Tires squealing and heart pounding in time to the music blaring, Faith roared onto the highway, this time focused and determined to ignore her internal distractions.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Giving his hand one last squeeze, Dawn let go, then stepped behind him.

The growl erupted from the vampire standing before them sounded low and menacing, breaking through the night. Neither teen flinched, neither one moved. Almost slowly, Angel drew back his hand, preparing to strike the boy in front of him, when Casey once more did the unexpected.

He laughed.

As his laughter rang in counterpoint to the vampire’s snarls, Casey added his voice. “You’re nothing but a bully. Gotta beat on little girls and guys smaller than you. Don’t you ever fight against someone your own size?”

Angel reeled back as if struck, shifting out of game face. The human’s response was so unexpected – as unexpected as the punch the boy threw at his nose.

This time, there was no mistaking what broke on whom.

Blood streaming from his broken nose, Angel roared his anger at the heavens, then turned amber eyes on the two. Wasting no more of his energy on words, Angel smacked an open hand across the boy’s face, grinning as another cut was opened up under his left eye. Not giving him any more chances to recover his bravado, Angel raked his hand down the side of Casey’s neck, opening a fairly shallow cut on his rib cage from collar bone to navel. Dawn screamed, flying at Angel in a desperate attempt to distract the vampire, but he just batted her away, knocking her across a park bench.

As incredible as it seemed, Casey stood his ground, even attempted to fight back. Dawn scrambled to her feet, trying to get between the two males when Angel’s claws ripped open her jacket and shirt, baring a breast. Angel grabbed her then, his hand encircling the fleshy globe. “When his blood is spilled, Dawnie, I’m gonna take you over his dying flesh and make you suck me off. Gonna strip you bare and fuck you raw.”

Casey moved then, his hands clasped together in a double fish and he swung at Angel’s jaw, once more knocking him away from Dawn.

With a growl, Angel whirled on the boy and before Dawn could gather herself to help him, Angel dug his fingers deeply into Casey’s throat and ripped.

Screams filled the night, in one long continuous howl, pain and despair marking the dark skies.

From two sides, blond blurs raced toward the frozen figures, converging on the tall vampire and his victims.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Spike heard the sounds of fighting before she did and he raced forward, leaving Buffy behind.

He pulled up short when Casey’s double fist rocked the vampire, then sprang into a sprint, desperate to reach them before Angel could move in on the boy.

But he was too late.

Casey’s life’s blood was already covering Dawn when Spike ran up and tapped the side of Angel’s head with his fist.

Dawn was screaming.

Buffy’s ears recognized that sound and she streaked toward her sister, her brain not registering the presence of two people now battling Angel.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Kirsten knew she was too late to save Casey. Dammit. Should have come sooner. Dammit.

Putting on an inhuman burst of speed, Kirsten slammed into Angel’s back as Spike unleashed a blow that sent the other vampire ass over teacup, rolling back over Kirsten’s bowed back.

Dawn, galvanized by Casey’s body hitting the ground, dropped to her knees and crawled forward.

“Casey. Oh my god. . . Casey. Please don’t die. . . . please. . . Oh please, don’t.” Tears fell onto the gaping wound at his throat, as Buffy leaned over her sister, trying to pull her away from her boyfriend’s body.

The fight between the other three intensified and Angel, not holding back, lifted Kirsten off the ground and heaved her in the air, toward a tree. Using her own momentum, Kirsten unfurled her legs, ran up the tree trunk, pushed off, back flipping up and over the two vampires.

Spike goggled at her for a few precious seconds, then bore the brunt of Angel’s reminder of their fight.

“C’mon boy, this the best you’ve got?” Angel tried taunting him, but Spike grim-facedly ignored him.

Wesley ran into the small park, his eyes focused on where Dawn and Buffy were huddled over the battered form of Dawn’s boyfriend. The growls of the two master vampires were increasing in volume, the force of their blows growing stronger.

Spike swiped a hand over his split lip, his eyes steady on Angel as the older vampire advanced on him, and he grinned in anticipation. “C’mon gramps, not fighting little kiddies now, got the real thing.”

Kirsten hovered just beyond the two, watching them both warily, her hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword Spike had dropped. She was positioned between the vampires and the others, almost like a secondary line of defense in case Angel got past Spike. Angel took a wild swing at Spike, who ducked out of the path of his fist and then himself struck back at Angel. The distinctive sound of Spike’s chuckle filled the air when Angel roared out in pain as his back hit the tree.

“Spike?”

The sound of Buffy’s voice distracted him and the blond vampire turned away from his elder, his eyes searching out his mate.

“Spike, Dawnie’s bleeding. . . “

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Wesley checked Casey for any sign of life as Buffy cradled Dawn from behind. Catching the slayer’s eye, the former watcher shook his head. The noise of the fight occurring behind them was distant, almost unreal, as if the area around Casey’s body were encased in a bubble. Dawn was on her knees, one hand shaking Casey’s shoulder, the other running through his matted hair. Sobs caught in her throat, a chant of the boy’s name streaming from her mouth. From behind, Buffy had one arm wrapped around Dawn at the shoulder, holding her up and away from all the blood.

“No. . . . no. . . please. . . Casey, please get up.” Dawn raised wild eyes toward Wesley, grief swimming alongside her own pain. She stared at him, unwillingly finding the truth written on his face. “No! Not dead. . . no! No! Not dead!”

Fighting free of her sister’s hold, Dawn threw herself at Casey’s body, laying her head next to the gaping neck wound. “Please live. . . please. . . . please Casey.”

Tears spilling down her own cheeks, Buffy pulled Dawn up, holding her against her chest, running hands over her shaking body. Dawn collapsed against her, tears and blood staining her clothing. “Shhhhhh, Dawnie, I’ve got you.”

Incoherent mumblings interspersed with shuddering sobs wrenched themselves from Dawn’s abused throat. Wesley shared another look with Buffy, after which he got to his feet, his cell phone out before he was ten feet away.

The fight raged on and Buffy watched with a detached eye as neither vampire gained an edge. There was a small blonde girl watching them also, something Buffy found very strange. She couldn’t see her face full-on, but something about the girl’s profile struck a chord within the slayer.

Wesley’s hand touched her shoulder and Buffy glanced up to look at him. “Ambulance is on it’s way.”

She was about to speak when Dawn’s shudders increased, her entire body shaking. Trying to hold her close, Buffy struggled with her sister’s longer limbs, unable to get control. The furrows on Dawn’s face and breast started bleeding more heavily and Buffy instinctually called out for her mate. “Spike?”

There was a pause, and without looking toward where Spike battled Angel, she knew she had her vampire’s attention. “Spike, Dawnie’s bleeding.”

The not so distant wail of sirens bounced off the air and Buffy stiffened. This was not good. One handed, she shook Dawn, “c’mon you, cops are coming. Casey. . . c’mon, Dawnie, get to your feet.”

Beyond answering, grief and pain both white hot, Dawn sobbed harder, the tremors increasing. Giving one last cry, she slumped forward, limp and unconscious.

“Spike!”


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His name sounded in the air – this time there was no way of ignoring the fear and concern in Buffy’s voice. The sound of it gave Angel the break he’d been waiting for, Spike’s attention diverted.

When the younger vampire turned his head, Angel slid back into the shadows, escaping one more time.

“Spike! Oh god!”

The rising panic flooded through him and Spike whirled on his heel, moving toward where his girls were. Two steps had him facing the unknown blond girl and grabbing hold of her wrist, Spike dragged her after him. “C’mon you. Need some answers.”

He didn’t ease his hold on her until they reached Buffy and Dawn. “Buffy?”

“She’s hurt. . . bleeding. . . Casey’s. . . “ tears choked her, forcing her to silence.

“Boy’s gone. Nothing to be done for him.” Leaning down, Spike gathered the teenager into his arms. “Need to get Platelet here to hospital.”




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