full 3/4 1/2   skin light dark       
 
 
seven
 
<<     >>
 
Chapter Seven

The sound of more blood bags hitting the floor awoke her and she started at the sound, blinking rapidly until she remembered where she was. She had no idea how much time had gone by since she’d followed Riley into the complex, but she was sure it wasn’t long enough for Willow to have become sufficiently worried that she would have called Giles. Her hands were still resting on Spike’s head, her fingers still entwined in his hair, when she realized that his eyes were open and staring at her. For the first time since she’d arrived, the beautiful blue eyes she was accustomed to seeing were gazing back at her and she smiled almost shyly.

“Feeling better?” she asked rhetorically, the already healing bruises and cuts telling her that he was.

“A mite,” he admitted. “Having such a soft pillow helps.” He winked at her and turned his head to nip the inside of her thigh.

“Obviously better!” she gasped, quickly pushing him off. “Go get the rest of the blood. We’ve got Initiative butt to kick.”

Grumbling about bossy bints, he easily walked to the new bags, draining them quickly and tossing them aside. He cautiously stretched his arms over his head, unintentionally giving the other cages a good view of his flat abs and muscular arms. Buffy caught the vengeance demon studying the vampire with undisguised interest and glared at her until the woman shrugged and laughed, finally looking away.

Getting to her feet herself, Buffy began her own stretching, flexing her arms and legs to be sure she was ready to assault the partially cracked wall. She pulled Spike closer and whispered in his ear to look up to the corner, smiling at his “Good job, Slayer,” when he saw the crack.

“So, what’s the plan?” He smiled at her indulgently and Buffy was struck with the difference between the way the vampire reveled in her strength while Riley clearly resented it. Obeying an impulse she couldn’t control, she rose on her toes and kissed him, backing away quickly before he could turn it into anything but what it was.

“And that was…?”

“That was because I’m glad you aren’t dusted…and because you…I…” She waved her arms around, unable to articulate exactly how glad she was to see him again. As he so often did, he seemed to read her thoughts, stepping closer and running a hand down her cheek.

“Me too, love,” he said quietly. “We get out of here, I’m gonna show you just how glad I am.”

Buffy blushed at the look in his eyes, saying firmly, “First things first. Are you ready?”

“Always, pet.”

She laughed and pointed at the wall, taking the hand he held out and allowing him to pull her back to the opposite side of the room.

“On three.”

She nodded and at “three” the two powerful blonds ran at the cracked wall, leaping into the air and hitting it feet first. The crack immediately ran all the way down to the opposite corner and they quickly began to kick the broken area until, with a shudder and the scream of an alarm, it collapsed into a pile of broken plastic.

While Buffy ran to the elf’s cage and released her, Spike was pounding on the console at one end, trying to figure out which button was the master override. He gave a triumphant shout as the doors slid open, releasing all the inmates. The alarm was still blaring and soldiers began dropping into the hallway, only to be overwhelmed by the frantic demons searching for a way out. From the other end, Riley and Maggie Walsh entered, the soldier going immediately to the console and hitting Spike with a taser.

Buffy’s shouted warning had allowed the vampire to dodge a direct hit and he was only temporarily stunned, resting on his hands and knees and shaking his head to clear it. When Riley’s foot drew back and he kicked the newly healed vampire in the ribs, Buffy turned her back on the escaping demons to begin her run toward the two Initiative commanding officers. She watched Spike shift into game face as he attempted to bring Riley down, only to see him fall to the floor, holding his head and writhing in pain. Her frustrated scream of “I wish he didn’t have that chip in his head!” caused Riley to turn toward her just in time to see Halfrek’s face shift and to hear her clearly articulated, “Wish granted”.

Buffy looked back and forth between the smiling vengeance demon and the rising vampire. A slow grin was spreading over Spike’s face as he got to his feet and moved toward the suddenly worried soldier. Spike picked the much larger man up with one hand and clutched Maggie Walsh with the other, baring his fangs as he spoke softly.

“You wanted to know what a master vampire is like, you ignorant git? “ He squeezed Riley’s throat just hard enough to make his point, then turned to Maggie and jerked his chin in Buffy’s direction. “An’ you wanted to know what something like me is afraid of? Take a good look, bitch. That’s a Slayer.”

Buffy stood in front of them, hands on hips, face flushed and eyes flashing. Angry power radiated off her body and both humans unconsciously shrank back from the eyes blazing at them.

“Open the doors,” she ordered Maggie, nodding to Spike when the woman shook her head “no”. He tossed Riley into the wall and used his other hand to bring Maggie’s body closer to his exposed fangs.

“You’ll be wantin’ to do as she asked,” he said mildly. “What with your little toy no longer in my head and you with no way to make me crawl just to amuse you, that little girl is the only thing standin’ between you a very painful death. If I were you, I’d be tryin’ to keep her happy.”

Fear warred with the outrage in the woman’s eyes, until Spike ran one fang down her throat just barely slicing her skin. With a quick nod, she pointed to the correct switch and Buffy’s hand slammed down on it, opening the heavy doors. As the released demons poured out, Spike looked at Halfrek and smiled.

“Thank you, luv.”

“You’re welcome, William,” she responded, smiling back flirtatiously.

Buffy glared back and forth between the smirking demon and the obviously puzzled vampire. “WILLIAM?”

Spike shrugged and shook his head. “Have no idea, pet. I don’t know any vengeance demons.”

Halfrek’s lip came out in a pout. “You’ve forgotten me already, William? I’m so disappointed in you.”

Spike stared at her intently; dawning recognition clear on his face. “Cecily?”

“Spike…” Buffy’s voice contained a warning that he knew instinctively it would be foolish to ignore.

“Well, luv,” he said to the woman who was batting her eyelashes at him, “much as we appreciate the help here, I think it’s time to find our way out of this place. We’ll catch up some other time, yeah?” His eyes clearly indicated he had no desire to continue the conversation and Halfrek shifted her gaze to the blond girl glaring at her. One look into the Slayer’s narrowed eyes and she decided that teasing William was not worth a fight with a jealous slayer. She nodded her head and followed the other released demons out the doors, turning when she got there and waving at Maggie and Riley before she disappeared before their eyes.

“I wonder why she didn’t do that before?” Buffy muttered, grabbing a still-surprised Maggie by the arm and yanking her toward the open doors.

“I imagine she was waiting for somebody to make a wish, pet,” the vampire answered. “Place like this? There had to be plenty of vibes callin’ to her.” He grabbed Riley off the floor, slapping the taser out of his hand without even looking at it, and asking hopefully, “We don’t need this one, do we, Slayer?”

“Bring him,” she snapped back, putting off for as long as possible the decision regarding what to do about the two evil humans and the vampire who had every right to want to kill them.

Spike growled rebelliously, but followed her to the doors, controlling Riley with a powerful grip on his right bicep.


 
<<     >>