For Carla. Your e-mail inspired this chapter my sweet, obrigada. P.S. – that’s the only Portuguese word I know – I hope I spelled it right.



I won runner up for Best New Author at the FL_AWARDS. What a wonderful feeling that is.




This fic has been nominated at Lost In Spike – YOU ALL ROCK




Chapter 14

“They’re at the crypt, luv. You have a plan?”

Holding his hand tighter, she turned slightly to look at him. “Apart from killing everything I see? Nope, not really.”

He couldn’t help himself, he laughed out loud at her comment. This was so like her, and if he was truthful, one of the reasons he loved her.

“We’ve fought worse, Spike. What we need is muscle, but we won’t get any from my so-called friends.” A black look formed on her face as she spoke. Her so-called friends had obviously sided with Giles and Xander, and she felt let down. After the heart to heart with Willow and Tara, she really thought they would have followed them.

Spike could sense her disappointment through the claim. Anger rose inside him as he thought of the number of times she had saved their sorry hides. When they got back from this apocalypse he would take her away from the hellmouth. Fuck her calling; a few months in Iceland would be just the break she needed. Pulling her towards him, he gently kissed her upturned mouth.

“We don’t need them, kitten.” He sounded confident, and she inwardly thanked him for that.

Smiling up at him from the cradle of his arms, she wondered how she had managed to live without him for the past three years. He was her life, and she was so proud of him.

For the first time in a long time, she felt real fear. If she lost him now she would be destroyed. Spike, sensing her distress, held her tighter to him. He didn’t care about anything else in this world except Buffy and her family, and he would do anything to protect them.

When he first started back to Sunnydale, he was willing to lay down his unlife to protect Dawn; but now he wanted nothing more than to survive this fight and be with the woman he loved forever. It was time to take charge.

“Right then, pet. Let’s get a move on and get this over with.” Kissing the top of her head, he pulled her into his full embrace. “I want to get home as quick as we can so I can show you how much you mean to me.”

Turning into his arms, she tightened her own around him. “I love you, Spike.”

“I know, goldilocks.” He kissed her briefly on the lips. “Now let’s go kill some beasties.”

Smiling up at him from the shelter of his arms, she smiled.

“Okay. But I get to kill the head honcho.”


##

Alone in the crypt, Clem started to panic. He knew Spike and Buffy would be on their way, but he didn’t know how many demons were outside waiting on them. Surely the Scoobies would be coming too, they wouldn’t leave Buffy to stand alone against a horde. At least he hoped not.

Lifting the cell phone from the coffee table, he hit the speed dial that would connect him with Dawn. She would tell him what was happening and help stop his fears. Nibblet wouldn’t lie to him.

Dawn didn’t answer. The phone rang and rang in his hand, but she didn’t answer. Closing the call, he quickly checked he had called the right number, and tried again. Panic and fear were rising inside him, and he didn’t know what to do. Had the demons already got her, he wondered in his agitated state.

His palms started to sweat, yet he felt cold and alone. His hearing picked up on the sounds of movement outside, and he was scared to look out. He had to warn Spike and tried his number on the cell.

This time he got an answer. Spike told him he and Buffy were on their way, and he thanked him for the warning but it wasn’t necessary. He and Buffy would take care of everything. As Spike closed the call, Clem stared at the cell screen for a few moments. It was then he realised that Spike said only he and Buffy were on their way. There was a demon army outside the crypt, and the Scoobies were letting his friend and Buffy walk into a trap.

He had to do something.

He continued to look at the phone for a few minutes longer. If the Scoobies were not willing to help, then who else could he call? Spike had been gone three years, and he had not kept in touch with anyone but Clem in all that time. Even if he still had friends close by, Clem was sure none of them would be willing to help.

Again and again he tried Dawn’s number. She was never without her cell, why did she not have it with her now? His panic rose with each attempt to contact her.

##

Back in the Magic Box a fierce argument was in progress. Dawn was screaming at Giles and Xander, while Joyce was talking quietly to Willow and Tara. Pandemonium reigned in the room as voices rose in anger.

Joyce held tightly to Willow’s hand as she spoke. “They are both going to die if we don’t help them, Willow. You do understand that?”

Willow turned tear-filled eyes to Joyce. “I don’t know what to do, Joyce? Giles and Xander won’t help and Tara and I can’t do it on our own.”

Staring directly into the red-headed witch’s eyes, Joyce smiled. “You are stronger than all of them Willow. You and Tara together are a force to be reckoned with.” Joyce took a deep breath before she continued. “One or both of them is going to die tonight Willow, and I can’t just sit here and let it happen without doing something. I don’t have superpowers like my daughter or you. I need you to help me.”

Tara squeezed her lover’s hand between her own. Trapped as she was between Joyce and Tara, Willow started to cry in earnest. Stroking Willow’s hair, Tara pulled her head towards her shoulder.

“We have to help her, sweetie. Even if it’s just a protection spell, we have to help Buffy and Spike.”

Lifting her head from Tara’s shoulder, Willow gave her a watery smile. “I know baby, but we need supplies and we don’t know where the demons will take them.”

Suddenly the seriousness of the situation hit Willow hard. “Oh Goddess, Tara. They’re out there alone with nothing to protect them. Why are we even talking about this, we need to get moving.”

Rising from her chair, Tara smiled her encouragement. “Come on, Willow. We’ll take everything we need from here and be on our way. I’ll use a transportation spell to get us to the crypt quickly, but we need to move now.”

Ignoring the sounds of the argument behind them, the two lovers made their way around the store gathering supplies.

Anya, ever the business-woman, noticed them and bristled. “Are you going to pay for that stuff?”

Fear for her friend’s safety made Willow angry. “Shut up, Anya. We’re going to help Buffy no matter what Giles and Xander think.”

Backing down, Anya just nodded her head. She did not like Xander’s attitude to Spike at all. If Buffy wanted to have orgasms with the vampire, it was none of their business.

Willow smiled an apology as she continued to gather the supplies she and Tara might need. Within minutes they had filled two bags, and were already in the process of chanting a transportation spell when Xander noticed they were no longer at the table.

“What the hell are you doing, Willow?” He screamed across the Magic Box. Turning to Anya, he asked her the same question. “What the hell are they doing, Anya?”

Rolling her eyes in exasperation at his clueless attitude, she told him. “They are going to help Buffy and Spike, Xander. And I don’t blame them one bit. You and Giles are so wrapped up in your hatred for Spike, that you’ve stopped seeing the full picture.” Standing up from the table, Anya moved towards the witches. “While you and Giles sit here and spit out bile, I’ll just go with Willow and Tara and help Buffy and Spike. I haven’t used magic for a long time, but I know demons better than any of you, and I know how to kill them.”

Xander, stung for something to say, merely opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. It occurred to him then that they had let Buffy walk out the door to almost certain death and all he was worried about was Spike’s claim. He really needed to help his friend.

“We’ll all go.” He rose from his chair, leaving a fuming Giles behind to deal with Dawn’s anger. The teen had berated them for almost thirty minutes, and they were losing valuable time. Walking to the weapons chest in the back of the room, he lifted various knives, swords and an axe. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Willow and Tara smiled at him. Anya had managed to get him to see reason, and although Willow did not really like her, she had to admire her loyalty to Buffy.

Dawn has stopped her tirade as she noticed that the Scoobies were gathering in force. She had been standing at the table while she screamed at Giles and Xander. Now, as the activity of the Scoobies caught her attention, she smiled a cold smile at Giles.

“You don’t call the shots anymore, Giles.” She taunted him with a smile. “They are all leaving to help her and Spike, and there is nothing you can do to stop them.”

Turning his head, Giles looked at the four young people standing on the upper level of the store. For the first time he noticed they were loaded with supplies and a bright light surrounded them. He knew enough magic to know that Tara had conjured a spell that would get them to the crypt quickly. Mutinously he turned back to the table as his voice resounded in the room.

“Go. All of you just go. You will too late by now, so why should I care. They will keep Buffy alive, and make for Spike. With any luck they will kill him before you get there.”

Four pairs of stunned eyes turned towards him. They had never heard him talk like this before. Even Xander, who hated Spike, was surprised by the venom in Giles’ voice. Taking the initiative, for once, he spoke for the group.

“Spike might not be our choice for a partner for Buffy, but we have to help her. We can’t let her die just so we feel better.” All the women in the room stared at him as he spoke. “Buffy’s our friend Giles, and right now she needs us to be there for her. We’ll deal with the claim thing when this is done.”

Turning to Willow and Tara, he shrugged and smiled. “Now ladies, don’t we have somewhere to be?”

Anya had never been so proud of her man. Even through his prejudice against the vampire, he was going to do the right thing. She leaned up and placed a loving kiss on his cheek.

A blinding light filled the room as the Scoobies disappeared.

Joyce turned angry eyes on Giles. “Call the Council now Giles, or I will. If Spike says he didn’t kill your father, then I believe him. Get the truth out of them tonight, or by God I will.”

##

Spike and Buffy were fighting for their lives. The more they killed, the more they had to fight. So far the couple had managed to keep the horde at bay, but they both knew it was useless. The demons were not trying to kill them; they were trying to wear them down.

And it was working.

On and on they fought them. They were both getting tired now, and their movements starting to get sluggish, and not all their moves were on target. Muscles in their arms and legs burned with the effort to keep fighting, but they knew they could not afford to stop.

Tears of frustration burned behind Buffy’s eyes as she killed yet another demon. She knew they would never win this fight; they were outnumbered on all sides. Part of her just wanted to give in and let them take her and Spike, but she knew that was their mission.

Inside the crypt, Clem was crying. He could hear the sound of the battle through the thick walls, but he was helpless. He was not a fighter and he knew Buffy and Spike did not need the distraction of trying to keep him safe.

It would be over soon, and his friends would be gone.

The battle raged on. Spike and Buffy were bleeding and badly bruised. Each manoeuvre hurt more than the last, but they were both determined not to give in.

The moon was bright in the darkness of the night. Full and round, its silver light radiated on the fight below. As if by unspoken command, the hordes stood still and stared up at its brightness.

Confused by their actions, Buffy and Spike lifted their eyes to the sky. It was at that moment they realised that tonight was the night of the Blood Red Moon. Already the bottom corner of the silver disc was beginning to turn pink.

Their respite was brief.

Looking quickly at one another, Buffy and Spike nodded in agreement. Through the claim, Spike had told her that now was their chance to run. If you can’t win, then retreat he silently told her. The couple put their bloody hands together, and braced themselves for flight.

Neither could move. They stood immobile, and Spike watched in alarm as Buffy’s eyes grew wide. Only their arms could move, their legs were frozen to the ground.

Paralysed they watched the demons part. Janson walked slowly towards them, his slow hand-clapping loud in the quiet of the night.

“You and your lover fought well slayer, I am pleased.”

“Glad you liked it.” She spat at him. “And just who the fuck are you?”

Janson smiled at her words, and raised a hand to beckon the demons behind him. “Bind them,” he commanded. “We only have a little time to complete the ritual.”

As they felt the chains surround them, Buffy opened her mouth to speak. “Hey, asshole. I asked a fucking question. Just who the fuck are you?”

Turning his attention to the slayer, Janson smiled showing his black teeth. “Why I am the one who is going to kill your mate, and then I’ll watch you die.”

Spike looked threateningly at the demon. “The slayer asked for a name, wanker. If I’m going to die, don’t you think she deserves that?”

“Why of course, vampire.” Continuing to smile at the bound pair before him, he proudly spoke. “I am Jansen of Salano, and your lover is going to pay for killing my wife.”

##

Clem’s ear was pressed to the crypt door. He had heard the fighting stop and he wondered what was happening. Scared to open the door, he stood still listening to every word that was said. Hoping that either Spike or Buffy would manage to get the demon to tell them where he was taking them, he silently prayed they would think to ask him.

Jansen of Salano. Clem would remember that name till the day he left this world. He had never heard of Jansen, but he had heard of Salano. The place was a byword for torture in the demon world. This did not look good.

As he heard the demons leave carrying Buffy and Spike into the darkness, he wondered what to do. It was obvious by now that the Scoobies had decided not to help, so who would listen to him. As he stood confused about his next move, the crypt filled with light.

Turning quickly, he stared at the sight before him. Standing in the middle of the crypt stood the Scoobies. They looked a little disorientated, but they were here. His heart turned over in his chest – the cavalry had arrived.

And they were too late. Buffy and Spike were gone and not a trace of the battle was in sight.

Collapsing amongst the weapons, they started to get it together. Traces of blood could be seen on Tara’s nose, and Clem knew she had been the one to bring them here. Smiling at her, he immediately told them all he knew.

As he mentioned Jansen’s name, Anya jumped slightly in fright.

“Clem, are you sure he said he was Jansen of Salano?” she asked.

Nodding his head in confirmation, Clem repeated what he had heard.

Anya looked at the rest of the Scoobies, her concern clearly showing on her face. “Salano is in the fourth dimension. It’s a world where torture is the norm, and kindness a sign of weakness that must be destroyed. Jansen is one of the Kings of Salano, and he is all powerful.”

Xander, Willow and Tara stared at her as she continued to speak. “That’s why we couldn’t find him. He is beyond earth magic, and he is powerful in his own right. What I don’t understand is why he has come to kill the slayer.”

“He said that Buffy was going to pay for killing his wife.” Clem said quietly.

Anya stared at him. “Buffy killed his wife? When did that happen, Clem?”

“He didn’t say, Anya. All he said was that Buffy was going to pay.”

Hands clasped together, she thought about what Clem said. Anya looked at the floor. “Jansen enjoys torture, and he is good at what he does. If he intends to hurt Spike and make Buffy suffer, then that is what he will do.”

Willow started forward until she felt Tara hold her arms. Every instinct Willow possessed made her want to vent her frustration on Anya, but the ex-demon was only telling the truth.

“So,” she spat. “Because we couldn’t decide whether to help Buffy or not, she and Spike are now under this Jansen’s power?”

“Looks that way, Willow” Anya replied, her voice devoid of emotion. “No location spell will find him, and he will have cloaked his lair so well that we won’t be able to find Spike and Buffy until it’s too late.”

Tara had to use every ounce of strength she had to stop Willow from striking Anya. It was not Anya’s fault they were too late, but Willow needed someone to blame. Frustration and anger made Willow strong, and Tara noticed that her lover’s eyes were turning black.

As quickly as her anger had risen it subsided. Willow realised that this was not the time to deal with emotions; they had to find Buffy and Spike.

“We will find them Anya, and we won’t be too late.” Willow said confidently. “We will find them and get them out of there, if it’s the last thing we ever do.”

Gently she eased out of Tara’s arms, and turned to her supplies.

“Now, let’s get this show on the road shall we?”

##

In the depths of the lair, Buffy was leaning against the cold wall. The chains binding her were strong and she was weak from the fight and loss of blood. Determined not to let this Jansen prick get to her, she kept her eyes on Spike.

Across the room, the screams of her lover tortured her soul. His ordeal had begun as soon as they had been brought here, and his blood covered the floor. Paler than usual with the lack of blood, he was slowly losing consciousness. Symbols had been carved into his beautiful chest, and he currently hung from the ceiling to let gravity draw the blood from his body.

Jansen was laughing at every scream he managed to get from Spike. It had taken an hour before Spike let his agony out. He had taunted the demon torturing him, and Jansen had increased his ministrations as a result. So far he had cut him, burned him with torches, painted him with holy water and rubbed him with a cross.

Buffy could feel every bit of pain through the claim. He had tried to block it from her, but he was too far gone now to stop it. Her body was twisting in time with his, but she kept her mouth closed.

She would not let Jansen win.

##

Tara and Willow were sitting cross-legged in the protective circle they had drawn around themselves. Black candles burned high, their scent filling the room. Anya was chanting outside the circle, and Xander was sitting on the sofa beside Clem.

“We need the G-man, Clem.”

Clem turned towards the young man beside him. “No, we don’t. He wants Spike dead no matter what it will do to Buffy. Even if he knew anything Xander, he would point us in the wrong direction just for spite.”

Xander let his head drop into his hands. “You’re right, Clem. He won’t help us with this.”

Putting a floppy-skinned arm around Xander’s shoulders, he spoke quietly. He did not want to disturb the witches. “We don’t need him. The girls will find her Xander, and then we will get them out of there.”

Turning tortured tear-filled eyes on Clem, Xander smiled a weak smile. “It’s all my fault, Clem. I didn’t want to help, and we stayed too long at the Magic Box. I agreed with Giles all the way. It was Anya that persuaded me I was an idiot and that we had to help.”

“Anya was right, Xander. You have a hell of a woman there, don’t ever let her go.”

Xander opened his mouth to speak, but the light from the candles burst into a high flame. Quickly his eyes were drawn to the sight of Willow floating in the air, her eyes shining black in the candlelight. Anya’s head was thrown back, words he did not understand pouring from her mouth. Tara had risen from her place on the floor, her eyes closed as she continued the incantation.

Suddenly a light broke over the sarcophagus at the edge of the crypt. As if a large screen TV had appeared out of nowhere, the Scoobies and Clem could see inside Jansen’s lair. With perfect clarity they could see Spike hanging from the ceiling. Buffy was bound to the wall, her eyes staring at their torturer as her mate’s wounds bled out on the floor.

A feeling of nausea rose in Xander’s throat. Spike was almost unrecognisable due to the number of injuries on his body. If it had not been for the peroxide hair, he would not have believed it was Spike. Clem made a noise beside him, and Xander looked at him.

“Spike’s lost too much blood. If we don’t get him out of there soon, he’ll dust.”

Xander could think of nothing to say, and his eyes strayed back to the vision above the sarcophagus. They might be able to see what was going on, but they still didn’t know where the hell they were.

The scene in the vision changed. Now they could see the entrance to the lair. Xander knew exactly where they were. They were in the caves near the beach, and they needed to get there fast.

As quickly as it appeared, the vision disappeared. It had done its job, now they had to move. Willow slowly descended to the floor, and the candles returned to their normal flame. Turning her head slowly towards Xander, she looked him in the eye.

“Did you see where they are, Xander?” she asked, her voice eerily calm.

It took a few seconds before he could answer her. Her eyes were still black, and there were streaks of black in her hair. Black lines radiated on her face, and she looked ready to kill. Shaking his head to clear it, he nodded a response.

Willow merely nodded back to him as she bent to pick up her supplies.

“Time to go” she told the occupants of the crypt.

##

Buffy didn’t know how much more of this Spike could take. She could feel his life ebb away through the claim, and she could not stop the tears filling her eyes. They had just found each other, and now they would be separated forever. Even the claim was ebbing away.

For the first time in her life, Buffy prayed. She prayed to God, to Allah, to anyone who would listen.

Their torturer had been right. Watching Spike die like this was killing her, and she didn’t want to live without him.

It was then she heard it; the soft whispers of voices, and the clink of weapons.

Jansen had dismissed his minions to enjoy themselves in Sunnydale while he held the slayer captive. The only sounds that had been heard in the last hours had been Spike’s screams and her sobs.

It was hard to hear just what it could be. She was sure that it wasn’t the sound of minions; they would not dare come back while their master was having so much fun. Had someone come to help them?

As the Scoobies approached the chamber, Willow leading them further into the caves, their eyes watched her closely. Since leaving the crypt, the blackness that had surrounded her appearance seemed to increase. By now her hair was completely black, and the lines on her face and neck were more pronounced. Only Anya and Tara knew what this meant, and they hoped they would be able to bring her back from the abyss.

Spike’s screams and Buffy sobs led them to the chamber. Stopping outside, Willow gathered her inner strength. Even with the blackness around her, she knew that the killing of Jansen was Buffy’s right.

Legs apart, black hair tickling her face, Willow lifted her arms into the air.

“Adeperio”

Suddenly the door opened wide, its heavy weight banging loudly against the wall. Slowly Willow lowered her arms to her sides, and she turned her open palms towards the chamber doorway. Rising from the floor, she floated into the room.

Jansen, taken aback at being disturbed, stared at the witch floating towards him. At first he laughed manically as he wondered just what power a human witch would have over him.

“Strictum”

Flying back against the wall, Jansen stood frozen. His eyes grew wide in fear. This human witch was the most powerful he had ever seen, and he knew his life was over.

Still floating in the air, Willow turned towards Buffy.

“Liberatio”

Immediately the chains binding Buffy dropped away. Looking around her for a weapon, she suddenly found one thrust into her hands by Xander. Giving him a tight smile of gratitude, she walked slowly towards Jansen.

“You really thought you could kill me, did you?” Anger made her voice heavy, and her intention was written clearly in her eyes. “Better than you have tried that mister, and they are all dead.”

Lifting the sword high in both hands, she thrust sideways aiming for Jansen’s neck.

She did not miss.

As the demon King’s head rolled across the floor, Buffy did not even look at it. Instead she turned pleading eyes on Willow. Nodding her head in understanding, Willow repeated the word that would free Spike from his bindings. As he fell to the floor, Buffy ran forward to catch him.

Tears fell down her face in a steady stream. She was not sure how she would be able to save him without sacrificing herself. He needed so much blood to heal and she only had so much to give.

Willow could sense her friend’s distress, and knew how she could help. Slowly she descended to the floor, and closed her eyes.

“Caedes” she whispered into the quiet room.

Packets of blood floated through the air. More blood than they would ever need, but what the hell. Catching a packet as it floated by, Buffy used her sword to open it. Carefully she fed the blood mouthful my mouthful to Spike.

It took an hour. An hour of constantly feeding him, and ten packets of blood. He was not fully healed, but at least they could move him now. Buffy knew that once he had a taste of her slayer blood, he would be almost back to full strength.

And when she shared her blood with him, there would not be an audience.

Lifting her lover from the floor of the chamber, she held him tightly in her arms.

“Let’s go home, Spike” she whispered in his ear. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Spike was starting to take in his surroundings. While he had drunk the blood, all his demon wanted to do was slake its thirst. Now he was coming back to earth, and for the first time he noticed the witches standing next to the whelp and his girlfriend. He knew in the back of his mind that they had saved them, but he was too beat up to care.

Now he was standing up, using his mate for support. She was holding him tenderly and he could feel her love through the claim. As they walked out of the chamber, he kicked at Jansen’s severed head.

“So pet, you killed the big bad for me.”

Smiling up at her mate, she replied. “Told you I would.”

Holding her close to his side, Spike bent his head to her ear. “That you did, pet. That you did.”







##

Sorry for the long delay. To all the loyal readers who e-mailed and gave me hell for not updating, I apologise. To everyone else, I thank you for your patience, and I promise the last chapter will be up very soon.

Gillypod x x x