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Ring Around the Buffy - Conclusion by anaunthe
 
23. Rude Awakening
 
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23. Rude Awakening

Spike awoke naked in an unfamiliar room, Buffy curled around him but still unconscious. Surreptitiously, he tried to shift her so that she was no longer laying on top of him and he would be free to move quickly if he needed to. The distinct chink of metal on metal made him aware that one of his worst fears had been realized; Buffy had already been bound. How was she going to stake her new master if she was kept chained? But of course the wanker would probably release her once his thrall was in place. That was the thrill, wasn’t it? Having control over the Slayer to make her do whatever he wanted.

Becoming still again and continuing to feign sleep, Spike extended his senses to try to gain more information about their current situation. The faint rustling behind him, along with the distinct lack of a heartbeat, clued him in to the fact that they were no longer alone, and that the company wasn’t likely to be friendly.

‘Bugger.’ This wasn’t the plan. ‘Buffy?’ he tried, but he felt nothing through the bond. No, this wasn’t the plan at all. With diminishing hope, he tried to reach his only other ally.

‘Red? Can you hear me? This is not good. Buffy’s unresponsive, and Anton’s got her chained up. Least I think it’s Anton. I wasn’t exactly in any condition to see how the bidding wound up. You there Red? I could use some good news about now.’

‘Spike! Thank the goddess. I was beginning to get worried. Are you with Anton?’

Spike didn’t dare open his eyes and give away the fact that he was awake. But from what he could smell, it seemed an easy guess. ‘Ugly bugger’s here all right, bad hygiene and all. But the rest of it’s gone all ass backwards.’

‘Well, there’s good news and bad news about Anton. The good news is that I found out where he lives, and I’m waiting for you across the street with your car all gassed up and ready to go. The bad news is that Vegas is Anton’s permanent home, which means that he’s got the place crawling with his minions. Also means that he’s had time to dig in and make himself a lair. I hear he’s spent considerable money modifying the place to his specifications, including soundproofing and fireproofing. Security on the place is tighter than any casino, so don’t expect me to storm the place. But the good news is that it seems we’ve got an ace in the hole we didn’t know we had.’

‘Huh? Haven’t got time for cryptic, Red.’

‘It’s Giles. He’s here. Seems he had the same idea I did about the vampire glamour. Too bad neither of us knew about the other until after the auction, or we might have been able to come up with a better plan.’

‘Bugger. Now you tell me. Would have saved us a heck of a lot of bother if we’d had another option, Red.’ Of course things hadn’t worked out entirely unsatisfactorily, at least from his point of view.

Providing of course that they managed to get over the latest obstacle to their plan – namely the manacles that were meant to keep the Slayer subdued. It was probably useless to hope that Anton was stupid enough to use light-weight metal that the Slayer could break easily. The other vampire hadn’t lived as long as he had by being careless.

“No use playing possum any longer, William.” Without looking up, Spike recognized Anton’s nasal drawl. “I know you’re awake.”

‘Ta Red. Gotta go. Just get the car ready. We’ll be moving fast when we go.’ No point in not being optimistic.

“And I would appreciate it if you took your hands off my property.” Annoyed that he hadn’t gotten a response, Anton punctuated his words with a sharp kick to Spike’s ribs, forcing Spike to open his eyes as he glared at the older vamp. “You do realize that she is no longer yours, I hope. Cost me quite a bit more than I’d anticipated, but after all, what use is having money unless it can buy you what you want? I learned my lesson on that score a long time ago.”

Spike was thinking fast. At least they had gotten part of what they wanted. They were alone with Anton. Or almost alone. Now all they needed was Tara, and they could make their move.

Anton was still babbling. “You’ll find that the financial details have been taken care of – this gentlemen is here to ensure that all terms of the contract are completed satisfactorily. We wouldn’t want any cause for complaint.”

The Auctioneer’s tweedy assistant was shuffling by the door, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was. Spike knew that he needed to take the right tone with Anton, especially with a neutral witness present. Perhaps he could allay the other master vampire’s misgivings. Hopefully trick him in to unchaining Buffy.

“Anton – are you insinuating that I might try to get out of our deal?” Spike tried to sound like a voice of reason, although inside he was close to panic. “Why would I do that? You forget, I’ve already had the girl – repeatedly. She’s beginning to bore me.”

Spike nudged the Slayer’s unconscious form, frantically searching his mind for the barest hint of their connection. He couldn’t find it. Maybe because she was still out for the count, but maybe because Anton had already taken over the thrall. This was definitely something that they hadn’t anticipated. Their whole plan revolved around Buffy being able to break the demon’s thrall. Damn.

It was all his fault too. If the two of them hadn’t have gone at it on stage like bloody teenagers, Buffy never would have passed out. If she had never passed out, she would have been awake and aware when the claim passed hands. Since she hadn’t been aware when Anton took over the thrall, it would be harder for her to isolate his influence in her mind, and not inconsequentially, harder for her to break it.

If she didn’t break the thrall, Spike would have to take on Anton himself. That could be a risky proposition. Not only was Anton centuries older than he was, but if he had control over Buffy when Spike made his move… if Spike had to fight Buffy as well as Anton… if Anton could control her enough that he could force Buffy to fight against him- Spike didn't know what he would do. Die, most likely. And then who would rescue Buffy and Tara?

Spike tried to affect nonchalance as he stood and looked for his pants. “Besides, I have all your lovely lolly now, don’t I?” He looked to the auction official for confirmation, as if the money was the most important thing on his mind, and forced himself to smile when he saw his nod. “Well then, chit’s yours. I wish you joy of her – it’s been a bloody exhausting proposition – even if it did have its benefits.” It was probably the best acting job of his life. Her certainly hoped that Anton was convinced.

Spike leered and glanced over at the auction representative again. It was the same pencil pusher who’d followed them around all day. Maybe he’d be able to confirm Spike’s suspicions. “Transfer’s complete then?”

The myopic vampire nodded, then added, “The only remaining term of the sale is the…ah…witnessing of the consummation. Once all the terms of the contract have been duly fulfilled, I’ll be on my way.”

“How nice for you, then,” Spike snarked. Something about the tweedy little vampire just seemed off. There was something here that he wanted, something beyond doing his job, something that Spike didn’t understand. It seemed like the clipboard toting assistant had been hovering around Buffy all day. Spike didn’t trust him.

“We’ll complete the terms of the sale now,” Anton announced. “As soon as her majesty the Slayer wakes. I wouldn’t want her to sleep through such a momentous occasion. Of course Spike will stay, as the terms of the contract stipulate. As a representative of the auction house, you are welcome to stay also, if you wish.” It was apparent that Anton had taken the fledgling’s measure, and found it wanting. “You might prefer to remain outside; if you found the stage show unsettling, you’re bound to find what comes next…distasteful.”

“No, that’s quite all right,” the nervous vamp summoned his courage to take issue with what was clearly a request that he leave. The assistant had missed the actual auction, having been ordered by his supervisor to tend to some bookkeeping chores. But he’d never forgive himself if he allowed these two master vampires to remove him from the room now.

Standing up to Anton the spectacled vamp tried to think of thee best way to state his position. Something that the master would be forced to accept. “It’s my job to… verify that all terms of the contract have been carried out. And I won’t shirk my responsibilities.”

Anton was hardly listening, the fledgling forgotten as irrelevant as he cast a glance at the half-clothed master who had yet to fully relinquish his physical hold on his former possession.

Smiling to himself, Anton thought that his revenge was going to be even sweeter than he’d hoped it would be. Through a trick of his sires, William the Bloody had managed to escape Anton’s attentions once, more than a century ago, but Anton had never forgotten that he had been denied his prize. And he wasn’t the type to forgive and forget. Today was his long awaited opportunity to get even.

Judging by Spike’s protective stance over the prostrate Slayer it was obvious to Anton that Spike did not want to give up his rights to the little morsel. What a pleasure it was going to be to force Spike to watch while Anton played with the toy he had taken from the Aurelian.

The Slayer was now his, to do whatever he wished.

The thought of what he could do to the little Slayer pleased him, but not nearly as much as it pleased him to think how he would use her to torment to torture her former owner. Just as Anton had suspected, the younger vampire had become possessive of the little plaything. As he was forced to witness Anton touch the once proud Slayer, Spike’s envy and anger would grow. And there would be nothing Spike could do about it as he watched Anton play with the human, break her, and finally make her his own.

Then, when Anton was sure that the Slayer was under his complete control, then would come the greatest fun of all.

Anton would pretend to lose control of the little firebrand long enough to turn Spike’s former pet against him. Anton could almost imagine the look of surprise on Spike’s face as he allowed the little Slayer a small measure of revenge against her former captor. If he were feeling generous, if the little Slayer had pleased him, Anton might even allow her a few rare moments of freedom so that she could savor the kill, but it would be after the fact and brief. It would be a convenient lie to claim that the Slayer had acted on her own, but in reality it was far too dangerous to let any slave have so much taste of freedom. Let alone someone as dangerous as a Slayer. Besides, although it would be the little Slayer's hand that did the deed, he wanted it to be his mind that was the force behind the blow. Since circumstances necessitated that William be allowed to die quickly and easily, rather than keep him enslaved for decades like he would the pet Slayer, he needed William's death to be as personally satisfying as possible. William's dusting was all the revenge against the Aurelians he was likely to get. He wanted to be able to relive in his memory forever.

Ah yes, it was going to be sweet, when he patiently explained to the tweed-wearing button counter that the Slayer had regrettably slipped his control just long enough to dust one William the Bloody, former Slayer of Slayers.

 
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