*** Can you believe I got another chapter out to you this soon?? Must be some black magick I got goin' ;) Things are about to get toasty for our favorite duo, and this is only the begining...***

Chapter Forty Two ~ Hot Hot Hot


“The first time I saw lightening strike
I saw it underground.
Six deep feet below the street
The sky came crashing down.
For a second that place was lost in space
Then everything went black.
I left that basement burning
And I never went back.

The second time I saw it strike
I saw it at sea.
It lit up all the fish like rain
And rained then down on me.
For a second that boat was still afloat
Then everything went black.
I left it underwater
And I never went back.

Hey hey hey
But I like it when that lightening comes
Hey hey hey
Yes I like it alot
Hey hey hey
Yes, I'm jumping like a jumping jack
Dancing screaming itching squealing fevered
Feeling hot hot hot…”

~ The Cure


Buffy was a little bit anxious about leaving the two of them alone together. But she figured that Spike was chipped and Riley was calm so it was probably okay. He also didn’t know they were together.

*Not that it’s any of his business.)

If he knew, she would never dream of risking it. He’d made his feelings about vampires all too clear over the last few months. Any notion that she was with Spike and he’d probably go all Norman Bates on her - look how he handled it when she was just patrolling! Buffy frowned worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

If Riley did start anything Spike was fast enough and smart enough to get himself outta there… right? It was only her need to see this done that propelled her to get the ring in the first place. She wanted closure - mostly for him. She wanted Riley to know that it was well and truly over. Then he could move on with his life, just like she had. Hell, maybe he’d find himself some nice little farm girl to go and make babies with. Buffy grimaced at the thought.

*Whatever works, as long as it’s not with ME.*

It seemed to take forever to make it to her room. Anxiety was creeping in about what they might be talking about, tying her stomach into knots. Dammit, she knew Spike could never keep his mouth shut… What was she thinking leaving him alone with Riley?? And come to think of it, wasn’t it kinda weird that Riley never even asked what they were doing together?

*Maybe he was just waiting to jump on Spike?!*

Panicky thoughts began filling her head; scenarios of helpless, chipped Spike at the mercy of an enraged Riley. She opened the door and made a dash for the night table, glad that Willow seemed to be at Tara’s once again. Now was definitely not the time for a confrontation, she had bigger fish to fry. She yanked open the nightstand drawer and stashed the ring in her front pocket. Good. Now she just had to get back, hopefully before Spike said the wrong thing and all hell broke loose…

*Better hurry up then…*

Buffy had barely left the building when she heard Spike scream.

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

“Have you tried calling Buffy again?” Angel asked, his impatience leaking through in his tone. He was worried, each moment that passed without a word from her made him more uneasy.

“Still no answer on her cell or at the dorm.” Cordelia replied.

“You think she’s at home?” He asked with little hope.

“Maybe…” she checked her watch; 5:30 a.m. “But it’s too early to call.”

“She could be at her fiancé’s…what’s his name again?” Fred piped up from the back seat.

“Riley.” Angel ground out. He really didn’t want to think about that; the happy couple wrapped in each other’s arms sleeping peacefully. He shoved the thought away.

“What about Faith?” Wes suggested.

“The service is off at her apartment again.” Cordelia shut her phone with an irritable little click.

“Dammit.” Angel smacked the steering wheel with his palm in frustration. “We’ll to have to call Giles.” The last thing he wanted to do was involve the Watcher. The man clearly disliked him – not that he could blame him. But it was unnerving dealing with people who suspected your every motivation.

“Let’s try her dorm room first.” Cordelia suggested. “She’s probably still asleep. I know that’s where I’d be…” she trailed off with a yawn and settled down into her seat.

“Right. Good call.” Angel relaxed, comfortable with this new plan of action. “We can start there and call in reinforcements later if we have to.”

With a little luck he could avoid Giles and the Scoobies all together.

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

Spike howled in agony as supernatural fire filled his insides; he was lit up now, light spilled from his open mouth and eye sockets, seeped from his pores. Riley grinned in vengeful pleasure twisting his hand in the air, turning up the heat.

“NO!”

Buffy shouted in panic, feeling the death of her lover as an imminent thing. Without a thought she launched herself at him, feet flying. Before Riley knew what hit him he was on the ground, bleeding from a large gash on the side of his head. It was her boot heel that did it, tearing his scalp open. Buffy stood over him shaking with rage.

“Stop this NOW.” She looked over at Spike and was relieved to see him whole, panting on his hands and knees, recovering.

Riley stood up, laying fingers gingerly to his wound.

“No. He has to die…then you’ll be free.”

“Free of what?”

“His thrall, his tricks! I can make this right, Buffy. Just let me.”

And he turned his magicks on Spike again. The vampire yowled in fresh torment as the fire ripped through him once more.

“Stop it, Riley! You’re killing him!”

Riley smiled with grim satisfaction.

“Not yet.”

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

Angel turned the car into the shelter of the underground parking garage. Morning was mere hours away, he wanted to be able to find cover quickly. He had them bring weapons and a few key magick books as well - given the severity of Cordelia’s vision it seemed wise to take precautions, even now.

They were just unloading their gear when an agonized cry pierced the quiet darkness.

“Did y’all hear that?” Fred asked, eyes wide.

They followed the sounds to the woods at the edge of campus. In a small clearing by the side trails, Riley was slowly murdering Spike.

On his back, the vampire writhed as lightning danced in his veins. Buffy shrieked and reached for her lover instinctively, only to be thrown back by electric shock when she made contact.

“Stop it, Riley! Stop it now!”

He never even looked her way, all his focus consumed by the torment of his enemy. Slowly he rose into the air, an electric green aura crackling all around him. Buffy leaped for him but was repelled by a simple wave of his hand. She rolled to the ground unharmed and quickly began hunting for a weapon.

*All I need is one big rock.*

She just wanted to knock him out, but if he lost a little brain matter oh well. Buffy was as close as she had ever been to wanting to kill another human being.

From the sidelines Angel’s team watched the spectacle.

“Is that the thing you saw in your vision?” Angel asked.

“No, that’s just some mage-guy.” Cordelia replied with a yawn. “He just looks witchy - not demony.”

Wes began flipping through a hefty leather tome, looking for answers.

“I think we should help now, don’t you?” Fred watched, aghast as Riley sent Spike another bolt of flaming green lightning.

“I dunno.” Angel shrugged noncommittally. “He’s just killing Spike…”

“Angel!” Fred gasped.

“Alright, fine.” He sighed. “If you really want to.”

Wesley scanned the pages of his magick book quickly.

“Fred, check Starhawk’s Grimoire – I think we can strip him of his power…at least temporarily. Look for the ‘Five Point Binding’.”

Fred pulled the equally thick book from the stack and began hunting down the spell in question. Meanwhile Gunn popped open the weapons bag preparing to jump into the fray. He selected a wicked looking double-sided battle axe and began testing it for balance and heft.

A particularly brilliant flash of lightning illuminated their spot by the trees and cued Buffy in on their presence. No thought spared for why they were here, she was simply relieved to have backup. In practical Slayer mode she went directly to Gunn – the man holding the weapon.

“I don’t know you, but you’re with Angel so I assume you’re here to help.”

It was a statement, not a question.

“Name’s Gunn – and yeah, you could say I’m part of the cavalry.”

“Got any more of those?” She pointed to the axe in his hand.

Gunn grinned and kneeled down to unfasten the snaps on the weapons bag, it fell open to reveal a shining array of maces, cudgels, axes and swords. Buffy thought she could probably find some Chinese throwing stars in there somewhere too.

“Whatcha need, Slayer?” He smiled, more than a little proud, gesturing to his display.

“Sword – a big one.”

“I like a girl who knows what she wants.” He dug in the large leather satchel until he found the Claymore he’d been looking for.

“This do?” He handed Buffy the deadly-looking blade. She grinned malevolently.

“Nicely. Thanks.”

She looked back upon the torturous scene. The smell of barbequing flesh and singed hair was sickening. Spike was literally smoking, slow-cooking from the inside out like a roasting pig, writhing in agony with each fiery bolt. The sight made her burn with rage. Riley was going to pay for this with the beating of a life time.

“Can you back me up here? Do something to distract him maybe?”

Wes rose from his place at the magick bag, satchel of herbs in hand.

“I believe we can, Buffy. There’s a particular incantation I have in mind. It should strip him of his power – if only temporarily.”

Buffy’s eyes never left Riley.

“How long?”

Wes adjusted his glasses nervously.

“It’s not precise I’m afraid – it could be anywhere from five minutes to five hours.”

Her hands tightened around the sword hilt, knuckles white.

“Five minutes is all I need.”

Fred flapped her hands, bouncing like an excited chicken.

“I found it! I found it!”

They rushed over to her seat on the grass. Wes took the heavy book from her, trading it for the small leather bag in his hand.

“Oh well done, Fred! This is it indeed.” He patted her back awkwardly and she beamed at him. He turned to Buffy in full Watcher mode;

“We are at the ready, Slayer – on your word.”

Buffy’s brow furrowed with purpose as she advanced on her enemy. Fortunately, Riley was so preoccupied with exacting his revenge that he didn’t see her until she was almost upon him.

“Now, Wesley!”

Wes recited the incantation while Fred threw the herbs, getting as close to Riley as she dared.

Suddenly the mage found himself on the ground again, he tried to manifest his former power but it fizzled out, like a dying car battery. His fingers would spark, but no lightning came. He looked up again just in time to see Buffy coming at him with a Highland broadsword, pure fury in her eyes. She turned swooping it in an elegant arc over her head and stopped short just at his throat.

“Now that’s just pretty.” Gunn admired from the sidelines.

She pressed the blade closer to his aorta.

“Got your attention now?”

“Buffy don’t do this. I don’t want to fight with you.” He pleaded. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Oh, well - that’s really too bad ‘cause I damn well wanna hurt YOU.”

Riley hadn’t forgotten any of his Initiative training, he rolled quickly to the side and then tumbled under the blade. A back handspring had him up and in a fighting stance in under a minute.

“Fancy.” She acknowledged. “Won’t do you any good though.”

“Why not?” He asked, nonplussed.

“Cause I am SO kicking your ass.” And she jumped in full throttle, blade flashing, arms a blur of motion as she moved with fluid grace, almost dancing as she fought.

Riley had never seen her like this before; all the times they’d sparred together he thought she’d been giving him her all.

Apparently she’d been holding back.

A lot.

Years of military training had in no way prepared him to reckon with an extremely pissed off Slayer at full power. She swung a blade half her size as if it weighed nothing at all. He ducked and wove as fast as his body would allow, scanning the area around him frantically for anything remotely resembling a weapon.

Tired of this frantic game of cat and mouse Buffy planted the sword like a staff and used it as a fulcrum. At maximum strength she swung both feet into his chest and watched with great delight as he flew almost 20 feet to land with a hearty thud.

Before he could even stand again, she was on him. Grabbing him by his shirt collar she pulled him up just enough to get in a solid punch.

“This is for Spike.”

Thwap!

She backhanded him with her closed fist.

“And THIS is for me.”

Buffy planted her fist squarely in his face and knocked him out cold. She popped him once more for good measure – just to be sure he was really down. Dropping his limp body to the ground she stood, smiling with deep personal satisfaction. She dusted her hands off on her jeans and shouldered the broadsword, sauntering casually toward the group.

“Thanks for the back up, Guys. I couldn’t have -”

Behind her a rumbling started, like thunder, like an earthquake.

*Damn…*

She turned to see Riley, in all his ugly, black mojo glory hovering a full 3 feet off the ground. Bathed in sickly green light he glowed in the darkness like a deranged firefly.

“I told you I didn’t want to hurt you, Buffy.”

His smile chilled her to the bone.

“But I will.”



*** How do I manage to leave you at a cliffie every time? It's a gift really... Stay tuned, Kiddies - next week; the reckoning.
xoxox Rosie***