Riders

By the last breath the four winds blow
Better raise your ears
The sound of hooves knock at your door
Lock up your wives and children now
Its time to wield the blade
For now you’ve got some company
The horsemen are drawing nearer
On leather steeds they ride
They’ve come to take your life
On through the dead of night
with the four horsemen ride
or choose your fate and die
--Metallica
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse


Chapter 1 In The Air Tonight

I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord.
I’ve been waiting for this moment
all my life, oh Lord.
-Phil Collins
In the Air Tonight


1630 Revello Drive
Early Evening


“Buffy, could you please take the trash to the street? We almost forgot last week and it’s already 8:30.” Joyce Summers called the reminder from an upstairs bedroom. “You know they’ll show up bright and early tomorrow.”

Buffy, sprawled next to her younger sister on their living room couch, avidly watching the Gilligan’s Island marathon on cable, pitched her voice to override the Skipper’s as she replied, “Sure mom, I’ll do it during the commercial break.”

Tearing herself away during a commercial about dancing breakfast food, Buffy easily hefted the trash barrel filled with a week’s worth of the usual unsavory debris and carried it to the curb. She didn’t mind helping her mom out since it was easier for her to carry out the heavy barrel, but when she set it down at the end of their driveway, the jutting plastic handle caught on the square bandage taped to her upper arm.

A Grannloche demon had sliced her forearm earlier with his studded tail, but that had been more than two hours ago. Stupid demon. She lifted a corner of the gauze and took a peek at the injury. Clean unblemished skin peeked back at her. Wincing at the sticky tape, she pulled the gauze pad from her arm and tossed it into the barrel. Still time to see if they get off the island. Chuckling, she strolled back into the house humming a song about seven stranded castaways.

When the kitchen door banged shut, a thin dark man stepped quickly around the cherry laurel hedge lining the driveway. Wearing latex gloves, he leaned over the trash barrel and snatched up the bloody square of gauze. Carefully he dropped the bandage into a plastic Ziploc and slipped the sealed bag into his coat pocket while a swift glance confirmed no one had noticed. Walking quickly, he returned to the white panel truck parked two houses away, gunned the motor and drove from the neighborhood.

******
Later that same evening…

“God, Buffy, can you slow down even just a little?” Dawn was having a hard time keeping up with her older sister.

Buffy snapped, “Your legs are longer than mine. You should be able to keep up.”

Dawn knew Buffy was mad because she had to walk with her to Janice’s house. She realized that she shouldn’t have argued in favor of watching that fourth Gilligan’s Island episode, so she sucked it up and tried to pick up the pace, but the soles of her shoes kept sinking into Restfield Cemetery’s soft, uneven ground.

“Look, I’m sorry I waited so long to leave, but I did agree to stop at Spike’s first, didn’t I?” She stumbled on a tree root. “So why are we going to Spike’s anyway? I thought you guys didn’t like hanging out with Spike.”

Buffy whirled around to face her sister. “I’m not going there to hang with him. I just need to find out if he’s heard anything about two dead people I found on patrol last night, then report back to Giles. Everyone’s waiting for me over there and now I’m late.”

Secretly Buffy was glad Dawn was with her, because she really didn’t like visiting Spike alone. He made her feel uncomfortable sometimes, ever since that spell Willow had cast went awry. Buffy had noticed that over the past few months she seemed to expend a lot of energy trying not to think about him. Stupid vampire.

She walked faster.

“Buffy, are you even listening to me?”

Buffy shook her head and zeroed in on the conversation. “What did you say?”

Dawn noticed how Buffy always seemed to zone out whenever Spike’s name came up. She smirked and repeated her question. “I asked why you needed to see Spike. Wasn’t it the usual? Vampires? Besides, why would Spike know anything anyway? With that chip in his head, he couldn’t have done it.”

Buffy slowed down and walked beside her sister. “No, it wasn’t vamps.” She remembered how the bodies had appeared, sprawled by the swing set at the park with their severed heads lying next to them. It was just too gruesome to mention to Dawn.
“Giles just wants me to ask Spike if he’s heard any rumors at Willy’s about something.”

A faint crackling noise to her left put Buffy on alert. Placing her hand on Dawn’s arm, she whispered. “Shhh, Dawnie, I hear something over by those trees.” She looked around, saw a large stone statue and pointed toward it. “Go wait over there behind that cherub and I’ll check it out.”

Buffy was relieved when Dawn nodded and quietly moved to stand behind the statue without argument. She hastened toward the stand of oaks where she’d first heard the noise. Walking past the first tree, her back erupted in the tingles that always warned her of a vampire’s proximity.

Cocking her head to try and pinpoint their location, she slid her stake out of the front pocket of her skirt. Before she could step between the trunks of the first two oaks, two young fledglings ran out. The first, a pimply faced teenager, made a grab for her skirt. Buffy lightly stepped back against the trunk of an oak tree.

“Oh no, you don’t, this is new.”

He made another grab, this time reaching for her arm. Buffy pushed away from the tree, plunging the stake into his chest. When the other vampire turned to run away, Buffy whirled around and staked him in the back. With both of them satisfactorily dusted and feeling no more tingles, she dropped her stake back into the pocket of her new skirt and walked back toward the statue.

“Dawnie, it’s safe to come out now.” What’s taking her so long? I swear Dawn would try the patience of a saint. Still grumbling, but starting to wonder why she hadn’t received any response yet from her sister, Buffy cautiously approached the statue. She walked past the last stone statue blocking her line of sight and realized suddenly that a leonine shaped demon was standing over Dawn’s prone body. Shocked, she rushed forward, yelling and shaking her hands in the air. “Hey, you jerk, leave her alone.” Oh my God, Dawnie. Has it hurt her?

Buffy frantically flailed her hands in the air. She had to make the eight foot tall steel-gray demon move away from her sister. Hearing another loud shout, the demon finally raised a horned head, deliberately sniffed the air, growled, and started lumbering toward her.

Buffy suddenly realized her stake was worthless against the huge demon and rapidly scanned the surrounding area, looking for anything that she could use as a weapon.

The demon, moving faster now, was nearly within striking distance. It stretched a long hairy arm and attempted to swipe her head. Buffy ducked, reached down and pried up a rectangular granite grave marker. I’m so sorry Arthur and Beatrice Whipple. She stood up, took aim as high as she could reach and flung the heavy marker. It sailed through the air and struck the demon hard in the middle of the stomach.

Making a hissing sound, the demon shook itself and continued to move forward while Buffy backed up warily. Well, that could have worked better.

The demon growled again, unsheathed curved talons from the end of both paws and made another lumbering attempt to lacerate her head. Buffy quickly stepped farther away from the long arms. She paused briefly, still searching for something else to use against it.

The growling demon, dull black eyes fixed on its prey, continued to lumber forward.

“Now, now, be a nice kitty cat demon and put those claws away.” Buffy, keeping a cautious eye on the talons continued moving steadily back until she brushed up against the side of the Peterson mausoleum.

“If you calm down and behave, I’ll buy you a big yarn ball, any color you want.”

The demon raised its paws for another attempt.

“Okay, not wanting the yarn ball. How about a really huge cat nip mouse instead?”

Spike, walking through the cemetery and thinking of the Slayer as he made his way back to his crypt, smiled to himself when he heard Buffy’s voice in the distance. Oh, the Slayer’s out early. I think I’ll watch her do her nasties. She always looks so gorgeous when she’s on the prowl. He’d always enjoyed watching her patrol and tried to watch her whenever he could although now for very different reasons. He changed direction and started cutting across the cemetery toward her voice. From the same direction, he heard a loud hissing growl. He sniffed the wind. What the hell is that?

Spike reached the clearing in time to watch Buffy fling the grave marker. Ignoring any pain it had felt from the marker, an enormous cat-like demon inched closer.

Only thing that marker did was piss the bloody thing off. Curious, he watched intently to see what else the Slayer had planned.

Buffy danced away from the sharp talons and leaped gracefully to the top of the mausoleum, which placed her at head height with the angry demon. The demon blinked stupidly and stopped moving, confused that its prey was suddenly at eye level. This bought another couple minutes.

When the Slayer jumped onto the mausoleum roof and rapidly scanned the ground around her, Spike realized she was weaponless. He started to walk toward her. He noticed the demon’s razor sharp talons shining in the moonlight and he began to run.

Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy saw a familiar black clad figure running toward her, yelling at the demon and waving his hands above his head.

The demon turned toward this new, smaller menace and growled.

Hoping that somehow Spike would pull a battle ax or a long sword out of his duster, Buffy watched as he reached into his side pocket. He pulled out a brown paper bag, took aim and pitched it at the demon. The bag arced, making contact with bumpy protrusions at the top of the demon’s brow. A glass bottle inside the bag shattered, raining wet brown paper, glass shards and an amber colored liquid all over its face and dripping into the demon’s eyes. It roared loudly and frantically began pawing at its eyes.

Spike, now in game face, took the opportunity afforded by the demon’s temporary blindness and leaped on its back where he hung on, reached down and bit it hard on the neck. The cat-like demon roared and began to spin tightly in a circle still pawing at its face, and now pawing also at the hurtful figure on its back. Spike ducked away from the flailing arms and dug into its sides with his feet. Using both hands, he reached forward and twisted its head sharply to the right. The neck broke with an audible snap. He lightly jumped down as the heavy body pitched forward and landed with a resounding thump.

Buffy didn’t wait to see the demon fall. As soon as she was sure that Spike had control of the situation, she jumped down from the mausoleum and quickly ran back to the prone body of her sister, still lying silently behind the Cherub statue.

Noticing Dawn for the first time, Spike grimaced and hurried over to join Buffy.

Kneeling at her sister's side, Buffy spoke softly. “We were arguing just before it happened. I didn't want to walk her to Janice's house.” She touched Dawn's arm tenderly. Oh Dawnie. You’ve just got to be okay.

Spike patted Buffy's shoulder awkwardly. “She's still alive, Slayer. I can hear her heart beatin’, although it’s much slower now than usual and she has an odd scent. I think we should take her to your Watcher. Maybe he can help her.” He reached down, picked Dawn up in his arms and carried her toward the cemetery exit. Buffy despondent and worried, walked beside him clutching Dawn's hand tightly within her own.

Chapter 2 Coal Gray Sky

The color of the sky as far
as I can see is coal gray.
Lift my head from the pillow
And then fall again.
-Like the Weather
10,000 Maniacs

Inside Giles’ apartment, everyone sat around silently waiting for Dawn to miraculously awaken. Shocked, no one had spoken since Spike and Buffy had walked in with the teenager. Spike had gently placed her on the couch, moved to the corner and sprawled in an arm chair. Buffy sat stiffly in another chair next to Dawn.

Giles straightened up from his examination of the motionless teen and spoke to the group. “There are no obvious injuries, but Dawn is apparently in some type of immobile magical stasis. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Pulling a handkerchief from his breast pocket, the Watcher began to polish his glasses. “Buffy, please explain what happened and try to describe the demon as completely as possible.”

Willow placed her hand on Buffy’s shoulder while Xander and Anya looked on grimly. Buffy didn’t answer her Watcher right away; her thoughts were still a world away, concentrated solely on her sister.

Spike watched the Slayer from under hooded eyes. He knew she was extremely upset over the fight she had had with her sister, and the subsequent demon attack He tried to buy her some time to gather her thoughts.

Looking up from his veiled perusal, Spike answered the Watcher’s question himself. “It was a huge furry demon, Rupert, at least seven or eight feet tall and it had a right nasty hissing growl.”

Nodding to show that he’d heard Spike, Giles silently beheld his Slayer and grew more concerned. Buffy still hadn’t moved or offered any details of the attack. He needed to snap her from this lethargy.

He spoke to her again, his voice stronger, edgier. “Buffy, did you hear the demon before you saw it? What happened out there?”

Her Watcher’s hardened voice finally broke through the shock. Buffy sat up straighter and shook her muddled head to clear it. Buffy frowned. “No, there were a couple fledglings in the woods and I went in to stake them, while Dawn waited alone behind that big stone Cherub at the north entrance. I didn’t hear the demon or even see it until it was leaning over her.” She stared down at her hands. “Other than my stake, I didn’t even have a weapon.”

Swallowing, she squared her shoulders and finally gave a full report. “Spike’s right, it was tall with steel-gray fur, curved talons and a sorta cat-like face. I threw a granite grave marker at its stomach and it just shrugged it off.”

She glanced at the vampire. “That's when Spike showed up and threw a bag with a bottle or something at its head. It had these bumpy lumps on its forehead and the glass broke. It started pawing at its eyes when the liquid in the bottle splashed on its face and that’s when Spike jumped on its back and broke its neck.”

Giles asked, “What did you throw at it? It would be helpful to know what caused the demon such discomfort.”

Spike chuckled. “A bottle of Jack Daniels. I was on my way home from the liquor shop when I heard all the noise. I saw the Slayer throw that soddin' huge grave marker and I watched it bounce off the beastie like it was armored, so that's when I ran up and pitched the bottle at its head.” He shrugged. “It’s all I had on me. Didn't expect to be needin’ a broadsword on a quick run to the shops. When the Jack slowed it down, I saw my chance.”

While the discussion continued around her, Willow reached over and began leafing through a second research book. Turning a page, she exclaimed. “Oh, I think I found it.” She held the book sideways so Buffy could see it. “Does this look like it?”

Buffy squinted at the small engraving. “Yeah, that's it. What is it?”

Giles leaned over the redhead and glanced at the picture while Willow read aloud. “It’s called a Cantilly demon.”

Anya stood up straighter. “Did you say Cantilly?”

“Have you heard of them before Anya?”

“They’re a sort of vicious demon bloodhound.” Anya replied. “Dark sorcerers sometimes use them to track and kill their enemies.”

“Oooh, listen to this.” Willow was still reading the text. “It says that Cantilly demons use their highly developed sense of smell to seek and kill their pray.” She nodded at Anya. “They’re very suggestible and easily manipulated into working for someone else. The person in charge uses a sample of the prey’s blood so the demon knows the target. Cantilly’s have the ability to locate their target by smelling and honing in on the live blood inside the intended victim. Once they find the victim, they knock them out with some sort of paralyzing touch.” Her eyes widened. “Then they use their talons to decapitate them.”

Giles gazed around at the group and spoke. “I believe the intended victim was not actually Dawn. Buffy, you were in the woods slaying vampires so the Cantilly located Dawn first. Since she was made from you and has the same blood, it naturally assumed it had located its intended target.

This was not your fault; obviously someone is trying to kill you.” He paused briefly. “We must find out who is using this tracker demon. We already know two things about them- the person or persons unknown have been here in Sunnydale for at least two days and it was probably the Cantilly demon that killed those two people last night. I imagine that the mystery person wanted assurance the demon would do the job correctly, so they were practice attempts.”

Tara shifted and spoke for the first time. “H-How awful. Those poor people.”

Standing behind Willow, Giles continued to read over her shoulder. “It says that if the Cantilly does not kill the victim then they awaken naturally from their stasis within ten to twelve hours. Dawn should awaken with no ill effects.”

Giles started to pace around the small apartment. “We need to concentrate our efforts on locating the demon and this will, no doubt, lead us to the person in control. We have the advantage at the moment, because obviously someone did not realize that Buffy and Dawn have the same blood and they believe they’ve either incapacitated or killed the slayer.” He stopped pacing. “Cantilly demons only have this ability during their nesting phase.

So, we’re looking for a location capable of housing up to twenty eggs. They live as mated pairs, so we’ll locate the demon’s mate tending the eggs. Willow, I think you and Tara should prepare to do a locater spell, perhaps we can get a location for Buffy and Spike.”

Spike sat up straighter in the chair and protested. “Wait a minute, I did my part and lost a good bottle of Jack for my efforts.” He was actually chuffed at the idea of spending time alone with the Slayer, but didn’t want anyone to figure that fact out and remove the possibility. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to try to get the price of a replacement bottle out of ol’ Rupert.

“Bollocks, I almost forgot.” While waiting to see the reaction to his hint about the bottle, Spike reached in his duster pocket, pulled out a small black cell phone, punched in a number and smiled in relief. “Thought I might ‘ave damaged my new toy.”

“Wait a minute, Spike has a cell phone?” Buffy, surprised, stared at the phone still in his hand. “How’d you get a phone?”

“I got it at Jerry’s liquors tonight; it’s a month long promotion from Jack Daniels. A free trial for good customers who buy a certain amount of their product, it’s good for three months including ten hours of free airtime.”

“Why am I not surprised that you bought enough booze in a month to qualify?”

He snickered. “Vampire constitution, pet. That bottle I chucked at the demon was the last one I needed to buy to get the phone.”

She turned to Giles. “Why does Spike have to go with me on this?” I’m not comfortable working so closely with him right now. I need to maintain some distance. Besides, it’s all my fault Dawn was hurt. “I can take on the demon, no problemo; I just need to weapon up.”

Giles shook his head. “I believe Spike will have an easier time surprising and killing the Cantilly. Vampires live on borrowed blood so having no live blood of his own; he is nearly invisible to the demon. This will give you an advantage when it’s time to destroy the eggs and the mate. I want you to go back to the cemetery and procure a portion of the demon’s skin so that we can do a locater spell.”

He turned to the vampire.

“Spike, the Council will pay you for your services. You have a unique quality needed for this and I want you to accompany the Slayer as back up until the person controlling the demon is apprehended. Please program my own phone number into your cell phone. I want to be able to contact you and I’ll need you two to check in with me as necessary.”

Spike protested vehemently. “I’m not wasting my minutes on you lot.”

Xander, watching the exchange, smirked at Spike. “Who are you gonna call anyway? You don’t have any friends.”

Giles sighed. “Oh very well, I will purchase some additional minutes for you with council funds. It is, after all, a business expense.” He wrote some numbers on a sheet of paper. “These are the numbers to input into the phone’s memory.”

“I haven’t actually had time to learn to use it.”

Willow spoke up. “Oh, I can help you with that; my mom’s got the same phone.”

Spike reached into the front pocket of his duster and pulled out a small book. “Could you put Clem’s cell number in for me?”

“Clem’s got a cell phone, too?”

“Yeah, so what?”

“Why do all the demons have cell phones and I don’t?” She appealed to Giles.
“Shouldn’t the Slayer have a phone, if all the demons do?”

“What are ya gonna do, Slayer? Call and invite ’em over for a slay date?”

Crossing her arms, Buffy glared at him and sat back down in the chair.

Willow finished programming the tiny phone and handed it back to Spike. He slipped it back into his duster pocket.

Buffy stood up, stretched and called out to her Watcher. “Giles, I’ll go out now and get the demon skin.”

Giles spoke to her from the kitchen. “Take Spike with you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Starting toward the door, Spike fell into step with her.
She looked at the vampire. “We need to find this Chantilly demon and kick its ass. Then we’ll find the boss and kick his ass because nobody messes with my sister.”

They opened the front door.

“Cantilly, Slayer, not Chantilly. It’s not the evil Big Bopper.”

“The big who?”

The door closed with a bang.

Giles wearily rubbed his face. “I just hope they don’t kill each other instead of the Cantilly.”

Chapter 3 I Hear It Coming

Sunspots cast a glare in my eyes
Sometimes I forget I’m alive.
I feel it coming and I’ve got
to get out of the way.
I hear it coming and
I can’t disobey.
-Nine Inch Nails
Sunspots

Willow patted at the still smoldering map, sighed and slumped back against the chair. “Well, that could’ve gone way better.” She glanced at the older man across the room. “Sorry Giles, I don’t know what went wrong.”

She appealed to the girl in the seat next to her. “Any ideas, Tara?”

Tara frowned. “I think it was something at the other end.”

“I expected something like that. If it’s a sorcerer controlling the Cantilly, he could cloak his whereabouts.” He smiled at Willow. “However, you girls did very well just to locate the general area.”

Giles walked over, leaned between the two women and traced his finger along the scorched map. “It appears to be out in the Nevada desert.” He murmured to himself. “He must be a very powerful sorcerer to be able to teleport himself and such a large beast so far.” A sudden thought struck him. “Unless…”

He looked around for Buffy. She was sitting down next to Dawn’s still body. Spike was slumped in the chair across the room watching them both. Walking over to her, Giles reached down and placed a hand on his charge’s shoulder. “Buffy, I promise you she will be fine in a few hours.” He motioned to Spike. “Right now, I have a job for you both. I need you to go to Willy’s.”

*******

Vampires and most demons are naturally nocturnal. At midnight, when other drinking establishments in Sunnydale were beginning to wind down, Willy’s was just hitting its stride. Every seat at the bar and every booth along the walls were occupied and the back room had a large-scale poker game in progress. Behind the scarred bar, Willy was pulling drinks as quickly as he could and his waitresses were bustling between the tables. The noise was on the level of a small scale rock concert. The smell was much worse.

Buffy and Spike briefly hesitated at the closed door. Buffy stopped and mentally prepared herself for the onslaught of noise and unique smells that marked a demon bar. She hated Willy’s, but it was a necessary stop on her circuit. She threw back her shoulders and as the Slayer, walked confidently into the bar.

Spike stopped for a different reason. He breathed deeply of the smells emanating from the bar and immediately knew who was within and what they were drinking. His enhanced hearing told him who was sitting in on the poker game in the back room, and what bets they had just placed. Spike enjoyed Willy’s and hung out there often. He threw back his shoulders, assumed the attitude of Master Vampire, and strutted through the door.

Together they made quite the pair. Everyone in the place immediately turned one or more eyes on the couple and they were both watched intently as they marched up to the bar and stopped in front of the proprietor.

To Buffy, Willy had always resembled a cross between a bright eyed twitchy ferret and a small, sleazy human male. Unluckily for Buffy, and luckily for Willy, he actually was human and that made him off limits to the Slayer. Willy, having never realized this, was immediately sycophantic in front of the Slayer and the vampire and walked quickly over to the blond couple.

He offered a nervous smile, nodded and swiped a grayed rag across the bar in front of them. “Good evening Slayer, Spike. What can I get for you? I’m running specials on a-b positive and all Pepsi products. Buy any one of them and get free nachos.”

Spike opened his mouth and Buffy elbowed him in the ribs. “We’re not here to drink, Willy. I want to know if you’ve seen any strangers, probably human, in the last two nights that were here visiting. They would have been driving a large truck.”

Willy stared at her. “This is the hellmouth. There are always strangers passing through.”

Spike rolled his eyes and stared menacingly into Willy’s face. “Willy, I believe the Slayer’s wondering about a stranger who might have been asking questions about her.”

Willy shrugged and stared pointedly at the empty glasses lined up on the bar.

“Slayer, I believe we should partake of an aperitif.”

Buffy cut her eyes toward Spike. “Huh?”

“He wants us to buy a drink.”

“Oh, fine. I’ll have a diet Pepsi, in the can, with a new straw.”

“I’ll have a shot of Jack, and her nachos.”

While Willy went to fetch the drinks, Spike spoke again. “It might be worthwhile if I check out the backroom. Somebody there might have seen or heard something.”

“Okay, but don’t get involved in the game. We’re here for info and that’s all. You don’t get to play cards on Giles’ dime, or on Giles’ kittens, or whatever.”

Spike took the shot from Willy’s hand, downed it, and grabbed the plate of nachos. “Come get me when you’re through grillin’ ol’ Willy here.”

Spike sauntered into the back room. He already knew two of the players; he’d heard them over the din. Slouching against the wall, he ate his nachos. “Evenin’ gents, who’s winnin’?”

“Spike, how’s it going?” Clem beamed at him. “I believe Ferdis is ahead at the moment. He just had a full house, won a pot with three long haired Himalayans.”

Adopting a hearty tone, Spike nodded at the puce colored demon. “Ferdis, mate, that’s uncommon luck.” He glanced at the demon’s basket. “Nice lookin’ ones, too.”

Ferdis, who disliked Spike a great deal, glared at him. “Are you here to get in the game vampire? If not, you’re disturbing the players.”

“No, actually came in to ask if anyone knows a bloke, not from around here, would’ve been hanging around last night, maybe night before last, and drives a big boxy truck.”

Nodding, Clem became excited. “Oh, yeah, I met him. He bought me a drink and some cheetos. Real nice guy and he’s got a really nice truck.”

Ferdis growled. “What’s it matter? You need to leave vampire, you’re bothering me. I can’t concentrate with you standing there.” He glanced across the table at the dealer. “I’ll take two.”

“Spike, why do you need to know about Teague? Does he owe you money?”

“Nah, nothing like that. Was just wondering if he was still around. Know someone who might want to rent his big truck. Could mean some decent dosh.”

Clem’s ears flopped lightly as he shook his head. “Oh, that’s a shame. I know he said he was driving back home this evening, and since he lives so far away, I’m sure he’s already left by now.”

Knowing that Clem would continue the conversation, Spike assumed an air of nonchalance. “Oh, that’s too bad. I didn’t realize he lived far away.”

Clem laid some cards down and looked at the dealer. “I’ll take three.” He turned back to Spike. “Well, I think that Nevada is pretty far, at least to me. I’ve never been any farther than my cousin’s place in Los Angeles.” He placed his cards on the table. “I fold.”

Ferdis won again and raked in his pot. Spike knew he was cheating. He decided not to say anything, but he peered at Ferdis out of the corner of his eye.

Ferdis, realizing that he’d been caught, growled. “Clem you need to keep your mind on the game. For the last time, either you’re in or you need to leave now, vampire.”

Spike stood up and smiled thinly at Ferdis. “I’m not lookin’ to play tonight, especially with your lucky streak. I’ve got other plans.” Waving at Clem, he headed for the door. “Later, mate.”

He met Buffy in the hall. “Well, Slayer, what did Willy say about our mystery man?”

“He drives a big white panel truck and he always parked in the shade. Willy didn’t know his whole name but said his last name was Teague. He was asking lots of questions about me two days ago.” She looked over at the vampire. “Did you find out anything at the poker game?”

“Yeah, found out he left earlier tonight to go back home to Nevada.”

Turning for the door, Buffy thought out loud. “He must have left right after the attack.”

She reached for the knob and turned it. “We need to tell Giles.”

Chapter 4 Distance In Your Eyes

Life is bigger
It’s bigger than you
And you are not me.
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes.
Oh no I’ve said too much
I set it up.
-REM
Losin’ my Religion

After hearing the information, Giles made a decision. “I believe that you should track this Teague to his home. It’s obvious that he kept the Cantilly in the truck when not needed. He will undoubtedly lead you to its mate and the eggs.” He looked at Spike. “Since this is in the desert, you’ll need to leave as soon as possible to arrive before sunup.”

Spike, sprawled in the easy chair, sat forward, looked at the Watcher and shook his head. “There’s a minor problem, Rupes. No way can I fit the Slayer, myself, provisions for a trip and weapons on my motorcycle. Not to mention the bike’s not exactly built for the desert.”

He sat back and watched Giles. “Gonna need a different set of wheels, something bigger that will handle sand.” Spike enjoyed bartering with the Watcher. Although chuffed at the thought of playing chauffeur for Buffy, it was true his motorcycle would never accommodate everything and he waited to see what Giles would do.

Giles called out to Xander standing in the kitchen with Anya. “Xander, we’ll need to borrow your truck.”

Xander hurried out, protesting loudly. “No way am I gonna let Captain Peroxide borrow my truck. I’ll drive Buffy myself.” He pointed a thumb at Spike. “He won’t even need to go along.”

“I’m sorry Xander, but there isn’t any other way; my car is a convertible. I also think that the 4 wheel drive may prove useful in the desert.”

“Xan, you’re human. The Cantilly demon will smell you so it’s too dangerous. Plus, you’ve got work tomorrow,” Buffy added.

Xander knew when he was beaten. He grumbled, “Well, maybe we’ll all get lucky and he’ll become one giant dust bunny in the hot desert sun.”

“Xander, really. Couldn’t you use some other analogy when you insult Spike?” Anya
glared at him from the kitchen.

Xander just couldn’t bring himself to hand the key over to Spike personally, so after removing it from his Star Trek key ring, he tossed it to Giles.

“Don’t worry Harris, promise to bring it back, and probably all in one piece.” Spike knew how much the whelp loved his truck and this was absolutely priceless, him playing chauffer for the Slayer and in Xander Harris’ pride and joy.

Walking over to Spike, Giles gave him a disapproving look, handed over the key and admonished, “Do be careful, Spike.” He turned back to Buffy and started making plans.
“You’ll need supplies, including food for yourself and some blood for Spike.”

Buffy continued to think out loud. “I’ll need to go home and pick up clothes and weapons.”

“Very well, you and Spike get your things together and I‘ll take care of the other supplies. You should be able to leave within the hour which will afford ample time to arrive before the sun rises.”

A short time later while Xander reluctantly explained how the four wheel drive worked to Spike, everyone else pitched in to load the supplies. They filled the truck bed with clothes, camping gear, first aid kit and cooler. Weapons were stashed in the back seat. It was nearly one o’clock in the morning by the time Buffy and Spike finally got underway. Buffy held Giles’ large atlas on her lap and Spike had his newly programmed cell phone and several packs of cigarettes stuck in the visor. Xander had ordered Spike twice not to smoke in the cab of the truck.

After leaving Sunnydale, they had picked up I-15 and they’d been driving on the interstate now for almost an hour, both of them on edge. Neither one had really spoken since their departure. Spike concentrated on his driving while Buffy stared out the passenger window.

Spike lit another cigarette. Buffy stirred, saw Spike smoking in the truck again and quietly snickered. She’d been staring out the window at the passing shapes in the darkness while her thoughts constantly cycled back to the Cantilly attack. Buffy berated herself for allowing Dawn to get hurt and kept wondering if she could have saved Dawn if only she’d been quicker, maybe killed the fledges a little faster. Her little sister had been attacked by a demon in her place and Buffy felt guilty and worried. What if Dawn never woke up? No one really understood how that whole key thing worked. Maybe her metabolism wouldn’t process the poison like a normal person. She could die.

Quietly listening to one of Harris’ better CDs, Spike blew his smoke out the window, away from the Slayer’s working set of lungs and then slid a glance in her direction.

She was still staring out the passenger window, lost in her thoughts. Spike wondered if she’d ever allow him to be privy to what went on in her head. He fervently hoped this trip would give the Slayer a chance to see him in another light, as someone who had something to offer her both professionally and personally.

Spike risked another glance. He just couldn’t help it. The wind from the open window gently blew the long strands of her blonde hair and he had the sudden urge to reach over and tuck those strands behind her ear. Controlling what would definitely be considered an irrational act; he clutched the steering wheel tighter and stomped down hard on the gas pedal.

Once he’d had that erotic dream about her, Spike couldn’t deny his feelings any longer and had finally admitted to himself that he was deeply in love with Buffy. A small flame had turned into a raging inferno and he just couldn’t get the Slayer out of his head.

Spike spent most of his time now lying in his crypt fantasizing about her. He’d even started showing up during her patrols. Occasionally she would allow him to tag along and help her, but that wasn’t nearly enough; Spike craved a real relationship.

Now, he couldn’t believe his luck. He’d been given the chance to spend time alone with her, without those annoying Scoobies or her Watcher. Being paid for the chance was icing on the cake; Spike would have agreed in a New York minute to do it for free.

Buffy finally stirred and interrupted his reverie. “I wonder how someone out in the middle of Nowhere, Nevada would even find out about the Slayer, much less want to kill me.”

“You’re jokin’ right? Your question really should be- why does someone who lives in Nevada make a special trip to Sunnyhell to kill the Slayer? What’s in it for him?”

Buffy looked askew at him. “You did.”

“No, I came to the Hellmouth to cure Dru, after she was hurt in Prague.” You ponce, you had to open your big mouth. Now she’s either thinkin’ about the Slayers you did or Drusilla.

To Spike’s great relief, Buffy didn’t pursue either. In fact, she surprised him with her reply. “You may be right. I hadn’t really thought about it that way.”

She took a deep breath. “Spike, I didn’t get the chance to thank you for killing the Cantilly.” She looked down at her hands and then over at him. “I was really happy to see you.” There, that wasn’t so hard.

Spike, rendered nearly speechless, answered gruffly, “No reason to thank me, Slayer. You know I’ve always got your back.”

Sliding around in the seat to face him, she suddenly grinned. “And covering my back should always include throwing huge bottles of liquor at demons.”

They laughed at the same time and the uneasy silence between them finally broke, replaced with a comfortable feeling of camaraderie that relieved them both.

A few minutes later, using a small flashlight, Buffy read Giles’ handwritten instructions and then compared them to the map. “Spike, you need to turn off at the next exit and go northeast on this smaller road.”

They had driven a few miles on the quiet two lane road when they heard a loud popping noise and the truck swerved sharply to the right. Spike fought to maintain control of the fishtailing truck, finally bringing it to a stop along the sandy shoulder.

Buffy peered at Spike from the floorboard where she was picking up objects that had fallen from the dashboard. “What happened?”

Spike was already opening the driver’s door. “We got a flat tire, dunno what caused it, probably picked up a nail.”

“Can I help?”

“No, it’s bloody dark out here, besides I’ve been changin’ tires since cars were invented. If you want, you can get out and stretch your legs; this should only take a few minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll get a soda from the cooler.”

Buffy leaned against the side of the truck drinking her diet Pepsi, idly playing with the beam of the flashlight, allowing it to wander aimlessly along the roadside. The sliver of crescent moon peeking over the tree line didn’t afford much light, but coupled with the flashlight, allowed her to make out the shapes of various cacti, sandy soil and other spiny plants that made up this portion of the desert southwest. Quickly bored, she squinted over at Spike’s activity.

The vampire had no such trouble using the ambient light; he’d left his flashlight in the truck’s cab and was using both hands to roll the spare tire.

It’s a good thing Spike’s a vampire, he can easily see well enough in this darkness to fix the tire. Buffy shook her head in amusement. Did I just say it’s a good thing Spike’s a vampire?

Spike, busy twisting the lug nuts without using the jack, noticed Buffy apparently having some sort of conversation with herself. He saw a brief smile cross her face and wished once again that he could ask her what she was thinking about without getting the slayer’s cold shoulder.

The opening strains of Good Day Sunshine harmonized by the Beatles floated out through the cab’s open window.

“I didn’t realize we’d left the radio on.”

“That’s not the radio pet, that’s Red’s little idea of a joke. It’s my cell phone. I asked her to change my ring tone to something a little less generic.” He dropped the jack and reached in the cab. “’Lo?” He listened briefly. “That’s great, Clem. Ta, mate.”

“That was Clem calling you? He sure got your number fast.” Buffy smirked. “Did you post it in some demon phone book or just on the bathroom wall in Willy’s?”

“No, Slayer, for your information, I called him before we left and gave it to him. You see, I asked him to try to get some more info.”

“What type of info?”

“Teague’s actual address in Nevada.”

Spike started the truck’s engine while Buffy searched the atlas for the town of Sunset, Nevada where Teague supposedly had a home. “Spike, this fits with the general location Giles gave us for the Cantilly. It seems to be the same area. Wow, this town looks really, really small.”

A road sign flashed by and she consulted the map in her lap again. “Okay, we’re only about a half hour from there.” She smiled at him. “That was smart, getting Clem to find Teague for us.”

A rare genuine smile graced Spike’s lips. “Yeah, good piece a luck, that. Nevada’s a bloody large state.”

“You’ve been really helpful Spike and I want you to know that it hasn’t gone unnoticed.” Buffy hesitated briefly and then continued. “It’s been really nice having someone to watch my back that I can actually trust not to get hurt. Especially now while I’m so worried about Dawn and this weird stasis thing.”

Buffy realized that she felt very comfortable talking to Spike about her sister. She knew that the vampire cared about Dawn; he and her sister had a close relationship. He was probably really worried about her, too.

Watching the road, he spoke quietly and confirmed her thoughts. “Yeah, I’m worried about the Niblet, too. But Slayer, you can’t let it distract you.” He tried for a smile. “‘Sides, Rupert’s moldy book said that she’ll wake up just fine and it won’t let him down. He just wouldn’t permit it.”

Buffy exhaled loudly. “Yeah, you’re right; I do need to stay focused.” She smiled briefly at his joke. “But if I do lose it, I know you’ll watch my back, ‘cause right now? We’re so being Batman and his trusty sidekick Robin.”

“That’s a fine analogy Slayer, but no way am I wearing soddin’ tights.”

Buffy giggled, while a sudden mental picture of Spike as Hamlet crossed her mind. I bet he’d look yummy. He does have a great butt. Amused at her own thoughts again, Buffy turned back to the window and relaxed.

His mood buoyant from their easy conversation, Spike returned his concentration to the road but the glimmer of possibility stood before him.

The couple drove passed and had to backtrack, but finally found the small worn sign that announced the town’s location. There wasn’t any actual town, just a few decrepit buildings that still stood and a lot of rubble. Sunset Nevada was a ghost town.

Driving slowly down the weed covered gravel road while trying to avoid the largest of the potholes, they located Teague’s address written on the side of an abandoned market. Wiping away enough grime to see inside the front window of the ramshackle building, the couple agreed that obviously Teague had given everyone in Sunnydale a fake address.

They decided to use the building for the rest of the night themselves, it would provide cover for the truck and they could sleep inside undisturbed. Carefully they drove around back and parked the truck. Walking back through the tall weeds, they tried the market’s worn door. It swung open easily on rotted hinges and the couple got their first view of the interior.

There were signs that other people had entered the ancient building previously, but no one had left anything recognizable. A couple of broken wooden cabinets nailed to the wall and a splintered counter that ran down the length of the large center room gave the only testament that this had actually been a store. Broken bottles, empty tin cans and refuse was piled haphazardly in the corners, but the thick undisturbed dust coating the majority of the market’s floor led them to the conclusion that no one had visited here for a very long time. It would definitely be safe to stay here.

The couple pulled the two sleeping bags and a few supplies out of the truck and dropped them in the center of the room. Buffy used Spike’s cell phone, called Giles and through the static, updated him. He reported that there was no change in the situation. Dawn was still immobile. Upset all over again about Dawn, Buffy crawled into her sleeping bag, turned toward the wall and closed her eyes.

Spike realized that she was upset and needed some privacy, so he walked outside, lit a cigarette and checked the truck one last time. Buffy was already asleep when he returned, deeply burrowed inside her sleeping bag. After a canvas of the two other rooms adjacent to theirs, Spike settled in his sleeping bag, facing the door. While trying to catch some brief sleep, he would stay vigilant and watch the Slayer’s back.

Chapter 5 A Vision Softly Came Creeping

Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again.
Because a vision softly came creeping
left its seeds while I was sleeping.
-Simon and Garfunkle
Sound of Silence

Buffy stood beside a triangular rock formation. The entrance to the cave yawned widely. Weaponless and alone, something still compelled her forward. She breached the entrance and glanced upward. The high curved ceiling was transformed by an otherworldly, incandescent glow. She heard scraping noises ahead. Resolutely, she followed the sounds through the honeycombed recesses.

She entered a large chamber and noticed an old, very dark skinned woman covered in animal skins kneeling on the stone floor. Hunched over, she was scratching the stone floor with a large hunting knife. A gnarled wooden staff lay beside her.

From other dreams Buffy recognized the First Slayer. She cautiously walked toward her. The woman stood up, halting her movement with an upraised hand. Staring intently at Buffy she used the staff to point mutely at the dusty ground where she had etched the crude silhouette of a man astride a large horse wearing a quiver of arrows and carrying a large curved bow. He held a large triangular shape in his hand.

The old woman raised the staff high, loudly tapping the rock above her head. Suddenly hundreds of worn playing cards fell from the ceiling. Glowing with the same phosphorescent light, they landed all around the dusty floor. Three cards dropped face down into the old woman’s outstretched palm. She passed the cards to Buffy. An unusual white, green and black hexagonal pattern flowed across the back of each playing card. Buffy turned the cards upright. The first card was the one eyed Jack of Spades, the second the Queen of Diamonds and lastly the Queen of Spades. The woman pointed to Buffy and then at the Queen of Spades.

Confused, she tried to raise a question, but was again motioned into silence. The old woman stared at Buffy and produced another playing card. It was the Joker. With a flourish, she paired it with the Queen of Spades.

As Buffy pocketed the cards, she heard the loud hissing growl of the Cantilly. She had begun the search for a suitable weapon when cold raindrops started to fall inside the cave.

The raindrops felt real. Wet, cold and very real.

“Slayer, wake up.”

Buffy opened her eyes and the dream cave dissolved. Spike was bending over her gently shaking her shoulder while fat raindrops plopped down on them and the center of the old market. She sat up and blinked her eyes. “What? Spike is that you?”

He stood back up. “Yeah, it’s me. We need to move, it’s started rainin’ and the roof has an enormous soddin’ hole right in the middle of it.”

She nodded groggily and slid out of her sleeping bag, while the rain began to fall harder through the rotted roof. She dragged the sleeping bag into the dry corner where Spike had already placed his. “How long have we been sleeping?”

His demon, always aware of the amount of time before sunrise, allowed the vampire to give her an accurate answer. “About three hours, although it’s so dark it doesn’t seem like it should be mornin’, but it’s about 4:00 or so. Sunrise will be in about three hours.

He raised an eyebrow. “I had a real hard time wakin’ you up, Slayer. Have you rested enough, or do you want to sleep some more? I could wake you later.”

“I was just really tired but I’m fine now.” Buffy decided not to confide in Spike about her dream, at least until she had a chance to think about it some more. “I know Giles expected us to wait until tonight, but how about we start now? I know the Cantilly must be in a cave somewhere around here.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right. A cave is dark, warm and quiet which makes it the perfect place to stash a huge demon and a bunch of eggs and no one’s gonna look in there for it.” He smirked. “Except us, that is.”

“How will we ever find the cave out here? We don’t have any idea where to start looking.”

“Now that’s where you’re wrong. Check out what I found last night in that old cabinet.”

Spike handed Buffy a torn and yellowed piece of paper.It was an old flyer advertising spelunking expeditions and short walking tours into someplace called Crystalline Cavern. The flyer proclaimed it as ‘having the most beautiful grotto ever discovered.’ Most of the old paper had been torn away long ago, but a picture of the main cave entrance was still intact. A man in what was probably a guide’s uniform eighty years ago smiled into the camera and gestured at the entrance. Behind his right shoulder, the top portion of a tall triangular rock formation could be seen.

Buffy finished reading the brochure and nodded. “Yeah, this looks like a good place to start.”

Spike and Buffy quickly grabbed their sleeping bags and stashed them in the truck. Spike picked up an ax from the back seat and Buffy picked up her sword. They had no idea how long it would take to hike to the cave in the pouring rain, so they decided to bring some provisions and dry clothes with them in their backpacks. In case they got stuck for the day, they grabbed the small cooler, too. It held a couple of drinks and two bags of blood. Spike’s duster provided some protection from the rain. Buffy rummaged around in the back of Xander’s cab and found the top portion of a rain suit. She was so much shorter; it covered almost to her knees.

They had already discussed their approach. Since the demon would probably charge Buffy as she destroyed the eggs, Spike would kill the Cantilly while it attempted to defend its nest. They reread the directions written on the flyer and trying to avoid the deepest puddles, the couple started down the narrow muddy path through the driving rain.

*******

Teague was pacing nervously outside the wooden office door. On the floor below he could hear the tinkling of piano keys and Verda’s voice warbling on the wooden stage. Murmuring voices and the clink of glasses accompanied these sounds. He attempted to shut out the noise from a typical Saturday night at the Diamond saloon, but even the hotel above him seemed to be noisier than usual and Teague, nervous already, was having trouble concentrating.

He needed more time to frame the words that would help explain some recent information from Sunnydale. His boss was not going to be pleased and he wished he could be somewhere else instead of delivering it in person.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked softly on the door.

A deep voice answered the knock. “Come in.”

Teague stepped into the office and faced his boss. “Hello, Mr. McGee.”

McGee leaned forward pushing a black Stetson away from his forehead. “What do you want Teague? I’m very busy right now.”

“Mr. McGee, I just received a message from an informant back in Sunnydale.” Teague
removed his hat and held it in both hands.

“Oh? What sort of message?”

Teague shifted from foot to foot. “Um, I found out that there was a slight problem after I left.”

McGee clasped his hands together and his voice became silky. “What type of problem?”

“Well, I found out that, umm, the Slayer wasn’t actually killed.”

McGee’s voice growled. “Oh?”

“Yes sir. I was told that she was driven back home by her companions. Evidently the Cantilly was unsuccessful in its attempt; the Slayer was only wounded and will recover.”

The silky voice was back. “And just who was in charge of this ‘unsuccessful attempt’?”
McGee’s shrewd black eyes took on a malevolent cast. “I believe that would have been you, Teague.”

“Sir, I trained the Cantilly just as I was supposed to do and dropped it off at a location where it could track the Slayer. Then I left to prepare my transport back here.” He cringed and clutched his hat tighter.

McGee shifted in his chair. “You left my Cantilly and went to do something else?”

“She acted real odd if I stayed with her while she tracked prey. A Cantilly is basically a solitary creature and she was happiest when on her own and she did make two kills successfully before going after the Slayer.”

“Did you even think for one minute that it might not be a good idea to leave a very expensive possession to roam around on its own? Why didn’t you just follow her at a distance, or at least place some sort of tracking device on it?” McGee shook his head. “What the hell happened?”

Teague lowered his eyes and replied “I’m not sure. The Cantilly had a solid trail to follow, but when I checked on it an hour later, it was already dead. I believe the Slayer killed it before she succumbed to the Cantilly’s poison.”

“That would be the Cantilly that I paid a small fortune for and is now dead?”

Teague took a step back from the desk. “After the Cantilly fell, I felt it was probably a smart idea to make myself scarce, so I left.” He tried to appease his boss. “I didn’t want to give anyone a trail to follow that would lead back to you.”

McGee steepled his hands together and placed his elbows on the maple desk. “So, basically, you’re telling me that while you were busy making sure you got away, you let my property be destroyed. You have no knowledge of whom or what did it, and didn’t bother to ascertain whether the Cantilly had completed its assignment.”

Teague flinched, he hated that silky voice. “Yes sir, I guess that’s the way it happened.
I’m sorry, sir. It will never happen again.”

McGee picked up a large cylindrical crystal from the desk. Dismissively, he waved his hand. “You can go, Teague.”

Letting out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding, Teague quietly closed the office door.

McGee played with the heavy crystal, turning it around in his hands. This was merely a minor setback. But Teague had become a liability that would have to be dealt with shortly.

Having made his decision, McGee set the crystal down softly on his desk, turning it to catch the beams of morning light shining brightly through his office window. He gazed at the pretty kaleidoscopic patterns cast on the office wall and smiled.

Chapter 6 The Great Destroyer

Say your name.
Try to speak as clearly as you can.
You know everything gets written down.
Nod your head.
Just in case they could be watching.
I hope they can not see
I am the great destroyer.
-Nine Inch Nails
The Great Destroyer

Rupert Giles leaned over Willow’s shoulder and stared down at the astrological pictures displayed on the laptop. He had never really cared for computers and if pressed on the subject, would readily admit to an innate aversion to them. He reread the email from England and stared again at the screen. Standing up straight, he removed his glasses and began to clean them while he thought about what he had just read.

Willow pushed away from the table and gazed at Tara seated next to her. Giles’ apartment was quiet early in the morning and they could both hear the squeaking of the Watcher’s handkerchief as he vigorously polished the lenses.

Tara sighed. Although she hadn’t known Giles as long as the others, she had soon caught on that the harder he rubbed the lenses, the worse the situation. Right now he was almost rubbing the lenses completely out of their frame. She knew that what she and Willow had discovered, coupled with his own information, had to be bad, really bad.

She glanced at Willow, a question in her eyes. Willow shrugged her shoulders in response, sighed also, and spoke up. “So, Giles, what we found is important, huh?”

Buffy’s Watcher placed his glasses back in their correct position on his aquiline nose. “Yes, Willow, it is indeed important. I can’t imagine why the Council has neglected to alert us to this, um, situation, although it is conceivable that they are unaware of the problem.”

She watched the emotions cross Gile’s face as he spoke. It didn’t really seem as though he was any more convinced of the Council’s ‘unawareness’ than she was.

Willow had never trusted the Watcher’s Council. Personally she thought they were a bunch of old men stuck in the nineteenth century who probably didn’t even own one decent computer between them. After all, they always had the Slayer to stop the most recent demon threat or the latest apocalypse. Being the Chosen One was extremely important, but Willow knew that someday it would probably get Buffy killed. When that happened, Quentin Travers and the other Council members would sigh and call the next Slayer, while shaking their heads at the unfortunate incident that ended with the inopportune demise of Ms. Summers.

Willow shuddered at her morbid thoughts but the Council never helped Buffy or the Scooby’s, so she didn’t know why she would expect anything different this time. They would be on their own as usual.

She was still lost in her thoughts, when Tara spoke up hesitantly. “So, Mr. Giles, w-w-what should we do now?”

“Well, I believe the first thing we must do is telephone Buffy. Even though the two things have nothing to do with each other, it’s important to keep the Slayer abreast of all current developments. As soon as she and Spike kill the Cantilly, she will be traveling back to Sunnydale and she should know of the problem before then.”

Giles began to issue orders. “Tara, I want you to call Xander and tell him and Anya to come over for a meeting as soon as possible this morning. Willow, I would like to confirm the findings as much as possible. Peruse the Hockney Moon Diaries. His discourses on astrological and magical portents are found in the unabridged second edition, which I believe is on the third shelf.”

He reached for his telephone. “I’ll attempt to reach Buffy.”

*****

Buffy and Spike had grimly slogged through the stiff underbrush, wet sand and pouring rain for almost an hour and finally reached the clearing with the cave entrance just before dawn. Buffy immediately recognized the rock formation as the one from her dream.

Spike’s phone abruptly started singing happily about sunshine. He ducked under the cave’s overhang, grabbed the phone before the chorus and grimaced. “When we get back, the very first thing, Red’s changing this.”

Buffy snickered. “Maybe you should go with that Concrete Blonds’ song. You know, the one titled ‘Bloodletting’? Or maybe, since you like punk, how about ‘London Calling’ by the Clash?”

“You’re just a bloody walking discography, aren’t ya Slayer? That’s amazin’ since the only thing you ever listen to are those horrible boy bands.”

He raised the phone to his ear and growled. “Yeah, yeah, I’m here. What is it?”

Buffy watched Spike’s facial expressions change as the conversation with Giles progressed. It always amazed her that Spike’s face was so expressive. He always seemed so much more alive than most of the people that she knew.

She chuckled when she heard him complaining about the rain.

Buffy couldn’t get over her mercurial feelings for Spike. In the past few weeks, she had gone from outright dislike to indifference and now, if she was actually honest with herself, she’d moved on to possible interest. Once they’d moved past the early initial strain between them, he had been an entertaining companion and she had laughed several times at his snarky comments and jokes. She’d always known that he had the same sense of humor as she did and she’d quickly realized how much fun he was to be around when that acerbic wit wasn’t directed at her. Buffy had heard Anya mention what a hottie Spike was and she agreed, having caught herself staring at him more than once lately.

Buffy also knew he could match her in strength and stamina, which had been proven over and over again during their earlier fights. Recently, Spike had begun to put all those strengths to better use and had begun to demonstrate how much help he could be to her.

Buffy was becoming more than a little bemused with herself when she realized that she had just mentally ticked off several fairly valid reasons to date Spike. There must be an apocalypse coming.

Spike clicked the small phone shut and placed it carefully inside his duster. He looked over at the Slayer standing near him and drawled, “We’re supposed to hurry this little endeavor up. It seems Red and Glinda have discovered somethin’ fairly nasty in some astrological signs and it’s due to occur in just under a fortnight.”

“Let me guess, does it rhyme with mockalypse?”

Spike snorted. “Is that the best you can do? Mockalypse? You’re losin’ yer touch, Summers, maybe you really do need more sleep.”

“Well, what about you? Is ‘fortnight’ even a real word?”

When they entered the cave, Spike stood back to allow Buffy to enter first. He watched as the gorgeous woman laughing and making up silly rhymes turned instantly into a beautiful deadly machine and as much as he loved the woman, Spike worshipped the Slayer. He would never get tired of watching the dual nature within her.

They walked silently through the antechamber of the cave and Buffy spoke in a low voice. “Can you hear or smell anything in here with us?”

Spike concentrated and shook his head. “There’s some sorta noise farther along, but the rock just dampens and absorbs the sound. What I do hear is banging all around in here, so I don’t have a clue where it’s comin’ from.” He looked over at Buffy with a glint in his eye. “But I can smell something, maybe a couple hundred yards down the left corridor.”

They both glided silently in the direction Spike had indicated. Speech was superfluous; they were both intent on the hunt.

The couple reached a large arched chamber and found about two dozen Cantilly eggs hanging from the rock wall. Round and shiny, they resembled large silver mylar balloons. Buffy took her sword and began to hack at the eggs where they attached to the wall with a tough rubbery membrane.

The eggs made a loud, harsh cracking noise as they fell to the rock floor and it wasn’t long before they both heard the enraged growl of the male Cantilly.

Spike turned toward the sound and prepared to slice with his ax when the Cantilly charged full speed through the tunnel. It was almost nine feet tall and livid. When it attempted to race past Spike, he struck at it with his ax. The ax wouldn’t cut through the incredibly tough hide. When he finally managed to slice through the skin, the Cantilly completely ignored the wound and kicked out, sending the vampire rocketing into a wall fifteen feet away.

The Cantilly flexed its talons and turned back to the other intruder destroying its nest.

Buffy, her back turned, was hacking at the last of the eggs, when she realized the Cantilly was already upon her. She turned around, but with nowhere to go, the Slayer stood her ground. The demon growled deeply and slashed at her with its claws. Pressed against the cave wall, she tried to roll out of the way. When she moved, one of its’ knife-edged talons raked deeply across her outstretched arm.

Spike had quickly bounded to his feet and back into the fight, leaping straight up ten feet to a rock ledge that hung above Buffy. With a loud roar, he vaulted from the rocky projection and swung his ax again. The neck must have been a Cantilly’s weak spot. The ax severed the head cleanly from its body, and the demon fell to the side of the chamber with a resounding crash that echoed loudly throughout the empty cavern.

Spike dropped the ax, jumped down and quickly ran back to Buffy. “Slayer, are you alright? Let me see your arm.”

Buffy pulled off the ruined raincoat and they both stared at the deep gash that ran across her entire forearm. It was bleeding profusely.

“Bollocks, Buffy.”

She grimaced. “Well, the good news is, I haven’t passed out. Must not have been enough venom to take down the real Slayer.”

Spike reached over and tore the sleeve from the useless coat and wrapped her arm. “We still need to clean out the wound.” He pointed to a flat rock in the corner. “Sit over there while I dig through our kit and bandage you proper.”

Spike gazed ruefully at his ruined ax. Although he had managed to behead it, the bloody demon’s hide had been almost as tough as metal. He stepped over the ax and started to dig in a backpack.

“Spike, I am perfectly able to walk out of here right now.” Having uttered the sentence, she suddenly felt slightly dizzy, she decided to take Spike’s advice and sit down briefly. “I just need a minute. Let me catch my breath and then we’ll get out of here.” Buffy peered at the odd shaped rock. “Hey, Spike, look at this; it’s got some sorta weird markings etched all over it.”

Spike looked down at the rock in question, and shrugged. “It’s a demon language talkin’about a blessed doorway, or some such rot.” He reached in their backpack, pulled out some antiseptic and gauze and started cleaning out Buffy’s arm, while she leaned back against the rough wall.

After bandaging it tightly, Spike stuck everything in the backpack, while Buffy flexed her fingers. The wound hurt, but it would heal soon and bonus, she could still use her hand.

“Spike, what else does it say on the rock?”

He peered closer at the tiny writing. “Slayer, these are the directions to open a portal to another dimension right here in this cave.”

“Can you open it?”

A puzzled expression clouded his aspect. “I don’t know, I’m certainly no expert at this stuff, but it doesn’t appear to take any special magicks. You’re just supposed to read this inscription aloud. Sorta like that doorway in Lord of the Rings.”

Buffy chuckled. “When you lived with Xander, I think you spent way too much time watching his movie collection.”

“It was a book first, pet.”

Spike shifted and asked suspiciously, “So Slayer, why do you want to go walkabout in another dimension? One you don’t know anythin’ about? Especially now, when you’re hurt and your Watcher wants us back. Just what aren’t you tellin’? You want my help; you need to share with the rest of the class.”

She pointed to a large indention in the wall where the Cantilly eggs had been attached. “Remember how hard I was to wake up this morning? I was having one of my all prophetic Slayer dreams and he was in it.”

Spike moved farther to the left and looked closely at the figure hidden from his previous vantage point by the protuberant rock ledge. It was the crude drawing of an archer seated astride a large horse riding through an arched doorway. The archer was holding something cylindrical in both hands.

He shrugged. “Yeah, so what about Robin Hood?”

Still feeling slightly dizzy, Buffy stood up and leaned against the wall shakily. “I think I’m supposed to stop him from doing something, or maybe help him do something.” She frowned. “That part wasn’t really clear”

Spike snorted. “The dream a bit short on specifics, eh Slayer?”

“That’s really all I know. Help me open the portal and I’ll tell you everything I remember about the dream while we go look for this guy. We’ll find him quick and Giles won’t even know that we’ve taken a detour.” She coaxed, “Didn’t Giles say we still had almost ‘a fortnight’ until the new big bad shows up?”

Spike gave in gracefully; after all, it wasn’t his decision to make. “Yeah, he did.” He nodded at the drawing. “This is your quest, Slayer; I’m just along for the ride, but I think you need to tell your Watcher what’s goin’ on. I know if you disappear, he’s gonna somehow blame it on me.”

He pulled out his cell phone and scowled. “But you won’t be tellin’ him using this phone. The soddin battery’s dead.”

He held the phone out to Buffy. There were no bars showing on the little picture of a battery. No one at home had thought to make sure the brand new phone was completely charged.

Buffy handed Spike back the useless phone, removed her cross necklace and placed it on the rock. “There, that’ll give anyone who would actually come looking an idea of where we went. We’ll pick it up when we come back; after all, we’re talking maybe a day, tops.”

Spike searched her face while he slipped a ring from his finger and placed it beside the necklace. “You know, this portal might lead to some sort of Hell dimension and there’s not even a guarantee that we can return the same way. The writin’ doesn’t say whether this is a one way trip.”

Buffy nodded her understanding, rose gracefully and picked up her sword.

Spike pocketed the knife and slung the backpack over his shoulder. “What ever happens, Slayer, I’ll watch your back.”

“I just hope this doesn’t involve magical rings, orcs or evil sorcerers.” Carefully he laced her fingers through his and began reading the incantation.

Chapter 7 Bad Moon Rising

I see the bad moon rising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightning
I see bad times today.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bad Moon Rising

Willow hung up the phone. “Mrs. Summers said Dawn woke up earlier and asked for French toast. She doesn’t remember anything about the Cantilly demon or falling asleep, she’s acting perfectly normal.”

“That’s wonderful news, Willow, I’m sure Buffy will be relieved to hear that. We’ll phone her later with the good news. In the meantime, I’d like you to explain what you and Tara have discovered, now that Anya and Xander have arrived.”

“Okay dokay.”

Tara slid the laptop around so everyone could see the monitor where four colored lines were boldly displayed, all converging at the same point.

Giles took his glasses off and wiped his face with a handkerchief. “Willow would you please begin?”

Willow stood up as though giving an oral school report. “It started when I needed to do some research for an astronomy and astrology compare and contrast paper. I chose the moon for my subject, so I researched moon and astrological positions throughout the solar system using noted historical events as markers.”

She paused to take a breath.

“I discovered that in astrology, Mars is supposed to have a negative effect on the Earth when it’s positioned between us and the sun and aligned with certain other constellations. The effect is magnified when the moon is between Mars and the Earth.

When I read this I thought it was really interesting, so I continued to research using the internet. That’s when I found a paper written by a professor at an eastern college, so I emailed her and received her research yesterday.”

She pointed to the laptop. “It seems that Professor Georgio has been doing a lot of
indepth research on the moon’s location in relation to other heavenly bodies and she’s discovered that certain horrific historical events have all occurred during one alignment in particular. The most recent example of that alignment was in 1870, prior to that it was in 1845 and I discovered the same alignment in 1343. Her list was much longer and had several even earlier dates, but I only needed a few for my paper.”

Xander held up his hand. “Okay, for the history impaired among us, just what horrible things happened on those dates? And second question, what do old horrors have to do with us? Don’t we usually deal in brand new horrors?”

“I l-l- looked the events up and can s-s-show you on the monitor here.” Tara reached over and double clicked the mouse. Her voice gained strength as she read from the screen. “1343 was the beginning of the pestilence known as the Black Death, 1845 was the Irish Potato Famine and 1870 is the year the Franco-Prussian War began.”

Willow picked up the narrative again. “These disasters all had serious repercussions that echoed throughout the world, but there’s actually more to this than just some really terrible events that happened to coincide with some planetary rotations. The events were actually caused by one of four someones, or I guess you could say four somethings.”

She clasped her hands together. “I found information in a couple of Gile’s books that linked these four beings and this particular planetary rotation. The legends all say that each time a different one of the four beings will be in control of the invoked chaos and that they’ll absorb power from the evil and despair. The more horrific the damage and evil they incur, the more power they obtain to continue the cycle.”

Taking a deep breath and then letting it out slowly, Willow continued. “The four have been known throughout the ages by the evil that they’ve caused- Pestilence, Famine and War. Death always works in conjunction with one of the others, although he can work alone, he’s the strongest.”

Xander held a hand up and stopped her again. “I want to make sure I get this. Will, it almost sounds like you’re talking about the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”

She nodded an affirmation.

“If I remember Vacation Bible School and my comic books correctly, you’re talking revelation type stuff.” He glanced around the table at the others. “I get it, death and destruction of Biblical proportion, but why us? I mean, shouldn’t we be alerting the Pope or a clergyman of our choice? You’re Jewish; shouldn’t you be reading the Talmud or something, not doing google searches and trading emails?”

Giles spoke for the first time. “Reading the portents, we believe that this time someone is planning to unleash all four of the horsemen at the same time and because of the Crystal of Namine, that person may very well succeed.”

Anya had been watching the exchange between Giles and Xander. “I was around for some of those ‘apocalyptic events’.” She made air quotes with both hands.

“You do realize that the four horsemen are actually incredibly powerful demon sorcerers that disappeared before they could spread their destruction any farther than the usual localized events?” She frowned. “Well, all but that war, it took on a life of its own.”

“Anyway, I heard about one of them, I think it was Famine, who was just getting off to a good start and poof, he was gone. It was rumored that he was somehow banished to another dimension. I didn’t really keep close tabs on them or anything, it was just a rumor.”

Anya smiled proudly. “But I did once know a really young vengeance demon that actually tried to date Pestilence, but she had to break it off. She couldn’t handle the smell.”

Giles peered over his glasses. “Quite. Can we move on?”

Anya smiled widely and nodded. “I’m finished.”

“Now, according to Hockney, a demon horseman was sent away by using the efforts of the Council and the Crystal of Namine. The Crystal was the only thing powerful enough to control them, and only while they acted independently. They were sent somewhere where they would be rendered basically powerless. Unfortunately changing the crystal’s locus proved too difficult for the Council, so the ultimate destination was not reset each time before use.”

Xander flinched. “You mean, all four of these really powerful ring wraith guys are together in the same place?”

Giles looked grim. “Yes, and the mechanism for releasing them back into our dimension, which had been thought lost, may soon be located and used again.”

“You mean the crystal thingy.”

“The Crystal of Namine was originally used for dimensional travel by a sect of very ancient demons, who subsequently died out in the 1300’s and the Watchers Council obtained it. They used it each time a horseman would manifest and begin his cycle of destruction. However it was stolen by a nefarious Watcher in 1870, about the time the last Horseman was banished. The Watcher was never apprehended nor the Crystal ever recovered.”

“How do we know where it is now?”

“We only just learned yesterday that a very powerful witch working with the Council has had a vision concerning it. She saw it buried somewhere underground and she also saw evidence that someone was trying to reach it.”

Before Xander could ask, Willow added, “Early this morning I received an email attachment from the Council’s witch that showed a drawing of the man in her vision standing next to a Cantilly demon. On a hunch, I took the picture to Clem and he confirmed the mystery man’s identity, it’s definitely Teague.”

Anya mused. “So if this guy Teague finds the crystal and uses it during the alignment, all four of the horsemen can return here, gain all their original power back plus some and be free to use it in our dimension. That’s not going to be pretty.”

Xander anxiously gazed around the room from one person to another, and finally settled on Willow. “How long have we got? Please tell me at least several years.”

“The next alignment happens in a little less than two weeks.”

Anya spoke up again. “So just call Buffy, she’s already got a head start; she’s after Teague already. She just doesn’t know the actual reason yet.” She appealed to Xander. “I know she can’t hurt humans, but the Horsemen are still demons and she’s supposed to take care of evil demons, right?”

He nodded.

“Okay, so she just takes the crystal away from this Teague and while she’s doing that, she and Spike punch out the demons and it will be case closed.” She wiped her hands in a cleaning motion.

Giles stared at her quizzically, shrugged and turned back to the rest of the group. “I spoke with Spike very early this morning and gave him a summons to return as soon as possible but this was before we’d received the email or the confirmation of Teague’s identity. Spike said that he and Buffy had located the Cantilly nest and were preparing to destroy it. However, I’ve been unsuccessful in reaching them since, I keep getting an out of area message for Spike’s cell phone.”

Chapter 8 All You Wanted
I’m Sinking Slowly
So hurry hold me
Your hand is all I have
To keep me hanging on
Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when
You are gone.
-Michelle Branch
All you Wanted


Buffy carefully picked her way around a spiny green barrel cactus. “Huh, imagine that. This hell dimension looks amazingly like the Nevada desert.” She stepped over a tarantula sitting on a low flat rock.

Wiping the dripping sweat from her face with the corner of her shirt, she turned back to look at Spike. He was cursing and wrenching his duster free from an offending Joshua tree. “Do you think this means a heavenly dimension would look like Alaska or maybe the North Pole? Are you absolutely sure you said the portal stuff right?”

He stopped next to her and examined his side pocket for a rip. “Yeah, I’m sure. The language was Devernish and I’ve been able to read and speak it for years. I’ve used a few Deverna Demons for heavy lifting in my time; they’re stronger and easier to get along with than Fyarls.”

“Well, I don’t know which is worse, the pouring rain before or this glaring sun and heat.” She glanced sideways at Spike. “I can guess which you’d choose. I suppose we aren’t really in Nevada, or you’d be Mr. Big Pile of Dust about now.” She glumly moved forward, dodging a large agave and another tarantula. Somewhere ahead she could hear what sounded like the hiss of another desert snake.

Spike shrugged and followed along behind her. “Yeah, couldn’t exactly stroll around like this in our own dimension.” He smirked. “Can’t wait to see if I freckle.”

He wrenched his coat from another long limbed cactus. “On the other hand, bein’ back in Sunnyhell has its perks. My coat wouldn’t be a target for every bloody barbed plant, for one.”

Spike had easily opened the portal using the words from the rock, but since Buffy had no real idea of where to find the mystery horseman; they’d made the decision to locate a town. After walking cross country for over an hour, they’d finally met up with a well trod road and started following it, theorizing that eventually it would lead to civilization. Their immediate goal was a rocky hill they could see ahead in the distance. Once at the summit, they would be able to see the surrounding desert and hopefully find some type of civilization.

The sun was at its zenith and it had become incredibly hot and sticky. Spike didn’t mind the heat, even refusing to remove his coat, but Buffy was ready to melt. She would have easily handed over her brand new skirt and matching blouse for some really cold water and something shady to sit under that was taller than sage brush. She had finally elected to abandon her sword and just keep her knife stashed in the band of her skirt. It was too hard to carry the sword, and the cooler when her throbbing arm felt like it was on fire. Buffy fervently hoped her Slayer healing kicked in soon; this was just too much to deal.

When the Slayer silently laid her sword down in the desert sand and continued walking, Spike quietly reached down, picked it up, slid it into his backpack and continued on behind Buffy. He was really starting to worry about the Slayer, it just wasn’t like her to leave a weapon behind and it was really hot for a human in this dimension. He guessed the temperature was at least 10 or 15 degrees higher than the real Nevada desert and they needed to find water soon. Even though he had dressed her arm, he could see Buffy was still favoring it, grimacing whenever her swollen forearm came into contact with anything. They would need to change the dressing again and Spike was afraid to see what lay under the bandage.

By early afternoon, the couple had finally reached the bottom of the hill and begun the steep climb when they heard a faraway noise that sounded like someone pounding on the road with several large jackhammers.

Buffy stopped, shaded her eyes and peered into the distance. “Any idea what that weird noise could be?”

Spike recognized the sound immediately. “It’s horses, Slayer. I think we should try to get to the top of the hill as fast as possible, I don’t know how far the sound would carry and from up there, we can check out the locals without ‘em seein’ us.”

They scrambled the rest of the way and had barely hidden behind the rocky outcropping at the crest when a group of a dozen riders came galloping into view.

Their horses seemed to be bred purposely for the desert climate, with lean bodies and small heads and the men astride them seemed comfortable, as if they rode often. The riders stopped at the bottom of the hill to confer, obviously trying to decide on a direction.

Spike watched them from his vantage point, noting the six shooter revolvers holstered and strapped to their legs. They appeared human and much like cowboys from the glory days of the American west. Every man in what was undoubtedly a posse wore an older version of blue jeans and boots and had a wide brimmed hat pulled low across his forehead to avoid the hot sun.

Spike and Buffy sat perfectly still, well hidden by several large boulders and sitting upwind, they were confident they couldn’t be detected by the men below.

Buffy quietly inched forward, stared through a crack between the boulders at the cowboys below and whispered. “Spike, I believe their leader’s the man from my dream.” He had a shiny sheriff’s badge pinned to his dark shirt that glinted in the afternoon sun.

“Yeah, he does look like the bloke from the cave.” He studied the man intently.

A large, deeply tanned man with a bandana that covered his face bandit style, he sat astride a massive black stallion. The horse had a unique appearance with its’ large head, thick flowing mane and tail and a long tapered body. The high strung horse fidgeted constantly, tossing its head with nervous energy. The rider sitting atop the powerful horse appeared different, too. Along with the gun strapped to his leg, he had a large compound bow resting nonchalantly on his shoulder and a quiver filled with arrows on his back. Suddenly the spirited horse reared, but the Sheriff easily reined in the big stallion, while continuing to stare around the immediate countryside. He seemed to be scrutinizing everything, almost as if trying to sense something.

Buffy’s slayer sense tingled.

The black rider suddenly searched the crest of the hill. Buffy slid farther back in the shadows created by the big boulders and glanced at Spike. Every muscle tense, he had unconsciously vamped, golden eyes glittered in the sun as he watched the man stare directly up at their hiding place.

The rider abruptly dropped his gaze, wheeled the beautiful horse to the east and gestured to the rest of his party. The men quickly followed his lead and galloped out of sight, kicking up a cloud of dust and sand that remained long after they disappeared.

Once the dust had settled and they were sure the men wouldn’t return, Spike and Buffy stood on the backside of the hill and gazed around the valley. They were relieved to see a river in the direction they were currently walking and away from the group of horsemen.

Buffy slumped back down against the boulder, taking advantage of the little patch of shade. “I guess I won’t be helping Sheriff Evil.” She popped the top on her last soda and took a long swallow.

Rummaging in their cooler, she pulled out the last bag of Spike’s blood. “Spike, do you want this now? I’m gonna ditch the cooler, the cold pack isn’t even slightly cool any more.” She reached in her backpack for the last of the beef jerky. They would need to find food sometime before tomorrow.

He nodded and reached for the bag of pig’s blood. “Yeah, I’ll finish it off; it’ll go bad in this heat pretty fast.” He slid back into game face briefly and nicked the corner of the bag with an incisor, drained the bag and grimaced. “This stuff is horrible when it’s cold, but I think it’s worse at desert temperature.”

Spike dropped the empty bag in the cooler and shifted to his human aspect again. “Slayer, that bloke was pure evil, but that was the best lookin’ horse I’ve ever seen.”

“We should follow him and try to find out what his evil plan is, ‘cause there’s always some plan. That’s what evil guys always do, they make plans.” Buffy picked up her can and finished the diet soda. “I guess this is the last sugary goodness I’ll see for awhile.” She set the can down and bit into the beef jerky, chewing audibly.

Reaching over, she handed the last piece to Spike. While they companionably finished their meal, he mused, “It’s really desolate out here. This road isn’t fit for anything mechanical and those men were wearing six shooters and carrying bedrolls like they were planning to camp out somewhere. I’m beginning to believe this dimension is fairly primitive, Slayer.”

“Yeah, it does have that whole ‘Little House on the Prairie’ vibe.”

“We’ve walked maybe eight or nine miles from that bloody portal and with the river the only water source around here, I’d guess we’ll be able to find your baddie again fairly easily. There can’t be too many places that would hold so many men and horses.”

Spike turned back to Buffy and raised an eyebrow. “My question is, what are you goin’ to do with him when we find him again?” He lit a cigarette. “This looks like it could take a bit of time to sort. Then there’s Teague and your Watcher. Old Rupes is gonna be sore for bein’ kept out of the loop and it’s not like I can use my toy here to reach out and touch someone.” He played with the small black phone, idly punching the buttons.

Buffy chewed her lip. “I know we should have kept hunting for Teague, but my dream felt so urgent and he can’t exactly kill me when I’m in a whole different dimension from him. Giles will understand about this, he always tells me a Slayer should follow her instincts and my instincts are screaming to go after this archer guy. My Slayer dreams are always important so I know that guy is important in some way. I’ll figure out what I’m supposed to do when we find him again.”

She rubbed her sore arm. “I sure wish we had that hover board that Michael Fox used. ‘cause this feels a lot like we’re in that movie, Back to the Future II.”

“It was Back to the Future III with the wild west, Slayer, not the second one. But, now, I wouldn’t mind that hover board either.” He put out his cigarette. “Even a horse would be nice at this point.”

“Maybe when we reach the river we’ll find other people, you know, normal people, not big evil guys on really pretty horses.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Spike stood up and reached his hand down to Buffy. She gave him a genuine smile. Wow, Spike’s got really nice manners. Add that to my reasons to date Spike list. “Thanks for everything you’ve done Spike.”

She scrambled to her feet. “I really like having you here watching my back and helping me.”

His smile mirrored hers as he watched her reach for her backpack.

Buffy brushed her arm against the rock formation and grimaced in pain.

Spike, more concerned then ever, gazed into her eyes. They appeared to shine a little too brightly. “Slayer, how do you really feel? That arm doesn’t seem any to be getting any better.”

“I’ll heal pretty soon. It really hurts but, hey, at least I didn’t pass out on you.” She reached down for her backpack again and her knees buckled.

Spike saw her eyes roll up and caught her before she hit the ground. “Bollocks, Buffy.”

Now that Buffy was in his arms, he could feel the heat rolling from her in waves; she was burning up with fever. Spike gently shifted Buffy, picked up the backpack, slung it over his shoulder and started gingerly working his way back down the hill. He knew the only way to get the fever lower would be the cold river water.

He sidestepped another cactus, stared down at the unconscious girl and drawled, “I have to say, Slayer, this quest is rapidly losin’ its allure.” He carefully shifted her unconscious body and resolutely hiked toward the river.

Chapter 9 Waiting For The Moment To Turn
20,000 miles to an oasis
20,000 years will I burn
20,000 chances I wasted
waiting for the moment to turn.
-REM
Texarkana

Verda was tired, she’d been on her feet all morning. The lunch rush was over now and she could sit down for a few minutes. Dan, the bartender would take care of the few men left in the saloon. She caught Dan’s eye and gestured toward the back. When she saw him nod, she quickly walked back through the kitchen and out the side door. Sitting down on a little stool under the big tree, she hiked her long dress up to her knees, kicked off her pointed boots and rubbed her aching feet.

When her feet stopped protesting, she reached in the little pouch she wore around her waist and pulled out some papers and loose tobacco. She rolled a cigarette, lit it, leaned back and contemplated the small town and its people. The squat saloon with its oddly shaped hotel on top, bank, general store, and the assay office on one side of the street competed with the blacksmith, the feed store and the jail on the other to comprise the entire main street of Sunset, Nevada.

A posse saddled up in front of the jail. She watched the new sheriff, Grip, mount that mean black stallion. He was the only person in town who had tamed Parnell’s wild stallion enough to get a saddle on it. The horse, Satan, was sure named right. Two weeks ago, Parnell had tried to mount the green horse; it had shied, threw him and broke his neck. It had been almost unbelievable, everyone standing out in the desert sun, Parnell laying there dead and no one stepping up to move the horse.

They were all afraid, until Grip had walked forward. He’d touched the horse once and led it away. The next day, he was riding it. Verda shook her head; they were two peas in a pod, the mean horse and the vicious stranger that McGee had recently chosen to be the new sheriff. Everyone in town was afraid of him, and some said he had a sort of second sight. Verda tried to stay as far away from him as possible.

She glanced up at the sun and decided she had just enough time to run home to her room to change before the miners would start rolling in for Granny’s homemade chicken and biscuits. No one could make a dinner sing like Granny, she was the best cook in the county and McGee paid her good coin to stick around and cook for everyone. Verda stood up and threw her cigarette into the sand.

The posse thundered away into the vast desert.

******

The sun sparkled on the river and the fish had moved toward the cooler water at the banks. Trout loved to hide in the shady reeds this time of day.

Kale was sitting cross legged on the bank of the river, the cane pole clutched tightly in his hands. He knew he had to wait patiently. To keep himself occupied, he watched something shining out on the desert plain steadily bobbing closer to the river. Having grown up around the river and the desert out country, he wasn’t the least alarmed. He knew whatever was crossing the desert, he would see long before it arrived and he could hide just like Defoe had taught him. After all, he was ten years old now and nearly grown, he could handle whatever came his way. Besides, he needed one more fish for the stewpot tonight.

Suddenly the pole jerked and Kale almost yelped with surprise. He started working the fish. He didn’t care about watching that bright spot in the desert anymore, all of his attention was focused on the fat river trout he was trying to land.

******

Spike, his hair shining in the sun, had walked steadily for two hours while carrying Buffy in his arms. The river that seemed so deceptively close from the hilltop had turned out to be much farther away.

In a bid to get there faster, he had opted to abandon the road, which wound around on its way to the river and instead struck out straight across the desert.

While he walked, Spike spent his time alternating between worry over Buffy and cursing the insanity of Cantilly demons and crazy slayer dreams. He had just added alternate dimensions to his rant while picking his way around yet another cactus when he heard the third snake.

When the first rattlesnake bit him Spike had been amused, after all he didn’t have to worry about poison. After the second, he’d become annoyed and somewhat irate. He heard the telltale rattle of the third, looked down and beheld a three foot snake stretched out, blocking his path. His patience with the desert and everything in it over, Spike lifted his Doc Marten and trod heavily on its head. It made a very satisfying crunch as he mashed the rattler into the hard packed sand. When he was content that the entire snake was mashed completely flat, he smirked, stepped across and continued resolutely toward the river.

He could smell the water; it couldn’t be too much farther to the riverbank. Listening to Buffy’s reedy heartbeat, he only hoped he wasn’t too late. She hadn’t fallen into the quiet stasis that had marked Dawn’s encounter, instead the Slayer’s already high fever continued to escalate and it was this that really worried Spike. He knew humans succumbed to high fevers all the time and Buffy was literally burning up; he could feel the heat emanating from her skin.

The fever wasn’t her only unusual symptom. Spike had to constantly hold her tightly against his chest. Buffy would occasionally struggle strongly against him before subsiding into fevered muttering. It was a good thing that he was as strong as she was, or he would have dropped her more than once by now.

Spike was also beginning to be concerned for himself. This trek across the desert was taking its toll on him as well. Having only drank that one small bag of pig’s blood, he could feel the hunger starting to surface and other than the cowboys they had watched from the hill, he hadn’t seen any other people or mammals. Spike knew that most animals in the desert came out to feed at night when it was cooler, but he knew he couldn’t leave Buffy alone long enough to hunt. She was just too vulnerable in this condition. He gazed at the small woman in his arms. Even ill, she was incredibly beautiful. He shifted her slight weight and sighed.

*******

Kale finally landed the fish; it was even bigger than the one Defoe caught last spring. He carefully placed it in the reed basket floating in the cold river water. Looking up he noticed a man with bright blonde hair making his way toward the riverbank, carrying a limp girl in his arms. Kale fought his natural inclination to holler hello, and instead did what he had been taught. He dove into the tall reeds growing next to the river and hid, watching quietly.

Spike finally reached the river. Taking off his duster, he laid Buffy gently down beside the bank and started rummaging in the backpack. He found her empty soda can from earlier and snorted. Trust the Slayer to refuse to litter, even in the wild country.

He walked down to the water. As he dipped the can in the cold water, he called out to the tall reeds. “Ya might as well come out; I know you’re hidin’ in there. I’m not goin’ to hurt you. Got all I can handle with her.” He chuckled. “Besides, next time you hide, you might want to take all your kit with you, just a friendly piece of advice.” He finished filling the can as the reeds rustled.

A small, slightly built tow headed boy of about eight crawled out. “I didn’t have enough time to put everything away. I know to do that. I was busy landing the biggest river trout in the entire county.” He spread his hands wide to illustrate the enormous size of the fish and grinned at Spike. “My name’s Kale.”

Spike chuckled at his exuberance over the fish and reevaluated his estimate of the young boy. Probably closer to ten or eleven and not dumb either. Taking the can of water, he walked back to Buffy, with the small boy following along.

Kale reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly dirty bandana. “Here, mister, you can use this for the water.” He held it out shyly to Spike. “That is, iffen you want to.”

Spike smiled at the boy. “Thanks, that’s kind of you, Kale. My name’s Spike.” Taking the bandana, he loosened Buffy’s shirt, poured some of the water on the bandana and started wiping down her face and wrists.

“So what’s wrong with her Mr. Spike? She don’t look too good, like maybe she’s got river fever or something”.

“Something nasty got a piece of her.”

Kale stood up. “Well, if it’s an animal bite, you need to bring her to Celeste. She can heal anything like that. She’ll be good as new in no time.” He pointed toward the road. “I live with her and Defoe on our farm. It’s only a little ways over that hill.” He started pulling out the basket of trout. “Besides, we’re gonna have fish stew for dinner, it’ll be right good, too.”

Spike made a split second decision. He liked the boy and he needed to get Buffy some place safe for the night. He shrugged and lifted her up into his arms again. “Lead on Kale.” He smiled down at the boy struggling to carry his fishing gear and the basket laden with the trout. Maybe they’d finally caught a break in the guise of this man-child.

“So, Kale, how do you make fish stew?”

Chapter 10 Don’t Let Me Down

If I had a love that was so true
Then I wouldn’t have to make do
with the half a love that I found
that is tearin’ me down to the ground.
Don’t let me down.
-Bad Company
Don’t Let Me Down

Rupert Giles was not a man who rattled easily. It was this trait, along with his strength of character that helped to make him a good Watcher. But a Watcher needs someone to watch, and this Watcher’s Slayer was long overdue. Rupert was fast passing concerned and was quickly on his way to rattled.

No one had heard from Buffy since early that morning when she had undertaken the mission to kill the Cantilly. It was not like her to forget to check in with him, especially when she’d been told it was extremely important to return home.

The thing that added to his worries was the oddity of Spike’s cell phone. Every time he tried to call, he heard a message saying that the phone was out of area. Giles knew the network was spotty in portions of the desert, but he had been able to reach them prior to their entering the cave. Therefore, he deduced something had happened to his Slayer and the vampire inside the cave. Continuing to pace within the confines of his small apartment, he made the decision to drive to Nevada himself. He was making provision for the drive when his doorbell rang.

Willow and Tara stood on his front step. Willow walked past Giles and entered the living room. “We couldn’t stay home; we’re both too worried about Buffy.” Tara gave him a slightly embarrassed but determined smile and followed her girlfriend through the door.

Willow turned around to Giles. “I want to do another locator spell, this time specifically on Buffy and Spike. She held up a pair of Buffy’s earrings. “She had these on yesterday, so I asked Mrs. Summers if I could borrow them. By the way, I told her Buffy was on another slayer related vision quest in the desert. I didn’t want her and Dawnie to worry.”

Tara held up a black tee shirt. “We w-w-went by Spike’s crypt and borrowed this shirt from his dirty l-l- laundry pile. It was on top, s-s-so he probably wore it recently.”

Willow grinned. “We even have a plan B.” She held up a ring of keys. “These are Xander’s spare set for the truck.”

“That’s an excellent idea, girls. I’ll help you set up.”

*****

Defoe heard Kale before he saw him. Standing in the barn, he was feeding the roan mare more hay. She’d dropped her foal four weeks ago and was still off her feed. He wanted to make sure they wouldn’t lose her. She was too expensive to replace and was the only horse Celeste felt secure enough to ride alone. Who could that boy be chattering to?

Wiping his hands on his jeans, he walked cautiously out of the barn to see Kale leading a pale man with strange blonde hair toward the house. He was carrying a woman and a heavy knapsack in his arms as easily as Defoe carried a basket of turnips. Is that the handle of a sword sticking out of his pack? Although the pale man was dressed a bit oddly, it was the woman who appeared totally out of place. She wasn’t even wearing enough clothing to be seemly. He called out sharply. “Kale, who you got there?”

The strange man wheeled around instantly. He sure was light on his feet. “My name’s Spike.” He nodded down at the woman. “This is Buffy.”

When he walked up to the couple, Defoe could smell the sick sweat emanating from the young woman and realized she was extremely ill. Unconscious, she was also very pale with two spots of bright color adorning her cheeks.

Kale spoke up. “I met Mr. Spike and Ms. Buffy at the river. He was trying to cool her down with the water.”

He looked anxiously at Defoe. “She’s been bit by something. I told him you and Celeste would take a look, that maybe we can help her.”

While Kale was explaining, Spike took the opportunity to assess the farmer. The older man was tall and brown haired with the weathered skin of someone who spends most of his time outdoors, but the most remarkable thing about him had to be the jagged scar that ran from his forehead right through his sightless left eye and down to his cheek. His good eye, a muddy brown color, was filled with suspicion.

“Well, we’ll see about that.” Defoe pointed at Buffy’s shorts and tee shirt. “What happened to her clothes? She ain’t exactly dressed decent. Is she some type of floozy? You met her, she got sick and now you’re tryin’ to just leave her here?”

Spike had learned long ago the need to blend in with the locals if you want to mingle with them. People are always suspicious of anyone different than themselves and if he wanted these people to help Buffy, he needed to allay their suspicions right away, so he thought quickly.

“The thing that bit her tore her clothes and then when the fever started climbing, I removed some of the rest to try and cool her. I didn’t know we’d run into anyone at the river and no, I wouldn’t leave her behind.”

He thought about the social morays of the time period and gave the only socially acceptable answer. He only hoped Buffy wouldn’t have a fit when she woke up and heard it. “She’s my wife.”

He appealed to the suspicious farmer. “Will you help her?’

Before Defoe could answer, the door to the house burst open as a woman rushed out. Her waist length red hair flowed down her back and her vivid green eyes flashed. She held her long dress up with thin delicate hands. She stopped in front of Defoe, stared at the farmer and tilted her head defiantly. He dropped his gaze. She turned to Spike.

“I heard you talking just now. My name is Celeste and of course we’ll try to help your wife. You were smart to head for the river.” She turned to the small boy shifting from one foot to the other. “You did exactly right, Kale, show them to the spare room.”

He obligingly started toward the house, chattering to Spike. “See, I told you it would be okay. Celeste and Defoe will take good care of her.”

Spike shifted Buffy close to his chest and started following the small boy again. He only hoped that would prove to be true. Spike was terribly afraid there wasn’t anything in this crazy Gunsmoke dimension that could overcome poison from the Cantilly and if they actually had something that could help, would it work quickly enough?

Chapter 11 Impossible if Possible

I’ve been waiting.
I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life
but its not quite right.
And the real, it’s impossible if possible
at who’s blind word so unclear but so unheard.
-Silver Sun Pickups
Lazy Eye

Spike anxiously paced around the little bedroom where he had placed Buffy. Celeste had looked her over, left and returned with a poultice for her fever and some cold water for them both. She hadn’t requested any explanation for the bandage on Buffy’s arm and Spike hadn’t offered one other than to say he wasn’t sure what had actually caused the wound.

When Celeste left the room, Spike could finally redress Buffy’s arm. When he removed the gauze, he was shocked at the wound’s condition. Her arm, bloated from her wrist to her elbow, had long thin fingers of red that spread across the entire arm and up into her shoulder.

Spike carefully cleaned the wound using medicine from their first aid kit and redressed it with clean bandages. Now there was nothing else he could do but wait and pace.

Buffy murmured in her delirium.

Spike took a cloth from the basin of cool water Celeste had provided and wiped Buffy’s face and brow. He spoke softly. “Come on Slayer, it’s time to rest so you can heal.” He wiped her neck and shoulders tenderly.

The Slayer murmured louder, moving restlessly on the bed. Spike could hear her heartbeat quicken and her pulse race. Her fever had begun to climb again. He realized he needed to keep her from thrashing and possibly hurting herself further. Used to taking care of Drusilla during her less lucid bouts, he knew what to do; he climbed in bed beside Buffy, reached over, grabbed her wrists and held on tightly while he spoke in a soothing voice. “Buffy, pet, everything’s fine, you just need to rest now. I’m here watching and I won’t let anythin’ hurt you.”

The fever continued to rise.

*****

The Diamond Saloon was winding down for the night. The miners from second shift had gone home to their wives and their beds. Third shift had left for the mine, walking into a night much lighter than the darkness where they would spend their next ten hours.

The only customers left for Verda to serve were the men from the posse. Having located and captured their prey, they came in, every man jack of ‘em except for one. Grip wasn’t with them. Verda found it comforting to know that she didn’t have to wait on the sheriff.

Sitting four foamy mugs of beer on the table, she smiled widely. “Well, boys, here’s your next round.” She handed the beer around and winked at fat Turner. He was known to be partial to her and he tipped well. “So, where’s the Sheriff tonight? He have a woman to bed?”

Turner belched. “Here ya go Verda, honey”. He threw her a coin for the beer and an extra for herself. “I dunno where he is. We was just about back to jail when he suddenly stopped, wheeled his horse around and started off agin.” He shook his head. “Ain’t no tellin’ with him, he kin be silent as the grave.” He leered at her blearily. “What about you? You got a man to bed tonight?”

Verda just smiled sweetly and sashayed away. She knew it wouldn’t be too long until Turner passed out and one of his friends carted him home. He was no trouble at all to handle. Not like the Sheriff. Now there was a man who was real trouble.

*****

The rider reined in the black horse and dropped lightly from its back. He had felt a powerful presence in the desert earlier and had placed a spell on the wound he had sensed. The powerful being’s anguish and pain would be very strong by now. This would enable him to locate the presence again.

He removed a small triangular crystal from his saddlebag. Carrying the crystal, he opened the wooden door to the empty mining office. This was his sanctuary during the late night hours, when he needed solitude and an escape from the primitive creatures of this dimension.

He closed the door and plunged the room into darkness, easily moving within the enclosed space. His vision extended beyond the concepts of darkness or light. Within this puny body, he could still control a little of his former power, but only at night beneath the moon.

The darkened office was perfect for his quest; he needed complete solitude to concentrate. Holding the crystal in his hand, he touched it while focusing on the pain. He would summon the powerful being and capture her power for himself. He stared into the crystal, opened his mind and called to her.

*****

Buffy stood on the windswept desert. Bright moonlight allowed her to watch the dust as it rose on the plain.

Tumbleweeds sailed past as the wind blew stronger. She paid no heed. Instinctively she knew the time had drawn near.

Her arm felt heavy. Looking down she realized she held her sword. The sharp blade gleamed in the reflected moonlight.

She gripped the hilt.

Her ears filled with the sound of beating hooves.

He had arrived.

Astride the enormous horse, the dark rider was magnificent.

Silently, she stared toward him.

“I have been waiting for you, Slayer.”

His voice was as she expected. Resonant, menacing, yet full of promise.

Her grasp shifted and tightened on the sword’s hilt.

She felt unafraid.

“I’ve been waiting for you, too.”

Hearing her voice, the horse shifted uneasily.

The rider appeared not to notice. His eyes were intent upon her. He had ridden here for her alone.

She knew this. She had felt his presence before. Now it was finally time for their dance.

“You’re mine Slayer. I have summoned and you have answered.”

His black clad arm stretched down from the horse. He reached toward her.

She took a deliberate step back. “No.”

She raised her sword.

He beckoned to her. “It is too late. You are mine. I have already claimed you.”

He pointed to her arm.

Her eyes shifted downward. The wound had worsened. Her arm from shoulder to wrist reddened. The wound gaped widely. Blood beaded and fell. It stained her skirt.

She watched transfixed. The crimson flow continued. It splashed over her bare feet and began to puddle around her. It crept sinuously across the sand. She stared at the relentlessly growing stain.

It was her blood. Powerful blood. Slayer blood.

The rider spoke insistently. “Come to me, Slayer. It is time. Take my hand.”

The moon vanished behind a cloud.

She took a hesitant step forward.

The desert wind howled.

Her arm grew heavy. The sword dropped to her side.

The next step was confident.

The dance was over.

Complete.

Her sword clattered to the ground.

The horse and rider surged forward.

Chapter 12 Disturb Me

Trouble me…Disturb me with
all your cares and worries.
Trouble me on the days when
you feel spent
Why let your shoulders bend
underneath this burden
When my back is sturdy and strong?
-10,000 Maniacs
Trouble Me

Buffy waited for his touch.

Suddenly, there was a blinding light.

She covered her eyes.

When she removed her hands, the horse and rider had vanished.

But he would come back for her.

He had claimed her.

And she had accepted.

The door to the mining office had opened abruptly and light shone into the darkened interior.

The rider, suddenly interrupted, lost his concentration. The moment was ruined. The Slayer and her power had slipped through his fingers. He jumped up with a roar and turned to see what had created the disturbance. The mining shift supervisor stood there with a lantern in his hand while three other men stood behind him. Two other miners carried a man obviously badly hurt.

The supervisor shifted his feet. “I’m sorry Sheriff. I noticed your horse outside. There wasn’t any light, so I thought you were patrolling around the mine on foot.” Moving away from the door, he motioned the men into the office. “Darish got hurt when some rock fell. We’ve sent for the doctor, but we need the first aid kit.”

Pocketing the crystal, Grip moved away and through the door. “It is no matter. I need to leave now, anyway.”

The rider glanced at the wounded man and knew he would not last the night. He could always perceive impending death.

Tonight’s failure was not important. He had located the woman and soon he would summon her again. He had sensed that deep within her, the woman yearned for a good death. Grabbing the reins he kicked his horse and galloped into the moon lit desert.

He would give the Slayer what she craved.

*****

Spike shifted away from the bright moonlight shining on the bed and tightened his hold on Buffy’s wrists. She was restlessly murmuring nonsense again and he could feel that her fever was higher than ever. Suddenly she tensed, her hands tightened into two fists and her eyes shot open.

A confused expression crossed her face as she whispered. “Spike?” She tried to shift and stared at her hands. “What’s going on?”

Spike realized she was finally awake and abruptly freed her wrists. As soon as her arms were free, Buffy sat up quickly and slid into Spike’s arms. “It was awful. He came for me and I wouldn’t fight.” Weakened from her illness and the encounter, she sobbed.

Spike, not sure what was happening, put his arms around her and held her tightly. He murmured to her, using one hand to awkwardly stroke her hair. “Now, now, luv, it was just a fever dream. You’re fine now. I’ve got you.” She burrowed deeper against him and Spike knew he would relive this night for months. Buffy was actually offering him the chance to comfort her.

Her crying ended as she shuddered and whispered. “It couldn’t have been a dream, it felt so real. That black rider guy came for me and he was really the grim reaper.” Her eyes widened. “Even though we were supposed to fight, I couldn’t do it.” Her voice was flat, hopeless. “I wanted him to take me. Oh God, Spike, I let death win.”

Spike’s concern increased. What was she saying? A dream about fighting death and allowing it to take her? Spike panicked. He knew every Slayer had a secret desire to find out what lay beyond this life. He just hadn’t realized it was so strong in Buffy already.

He tightened his hold on her. He would never let her succumb to that desire, not while he was here to provide support and comfort. He vowed that no matter the cost, he would keep her alive. She had to go on living.

Buffy felt Spike’s grip tighten. She realized her confession had affected Spike strongly and his extreme reaction comforted her. She didn’t know what had caused her to seek solace from the vampire; she only knew that he had provided it. It somehow felt right to be in his solid arms and to feel him stroke her hair. She felt safe from her own shortcomings.

She pulled back and searched Spike’s face. His blue eyes were full of concern and worry. He reached up and tucked a blonde strand behind her ear. “Buffy, it’s alright. Whatever happened, we’ll deal with it.”

She placed her hand on his. “Thank you.”

Her whisper of thanks galvanized Spike into action. He reached over her to the nightstand, picked up the cloth from the basin and wiped her tears away. He noticed that her fever had broken and he knew she needed to rest. There was plenty of time, it was hours until sunrise.

Buffy watched his earnest blue eyes as he carefully wiped the sweat and tears from her face. The cooling sensation of the water felt wonderful. She smiled slightly. “That feels really good, you’re a good nurse.”

Spike’s voice was gruff. “Yeah, well, had a bit of practice through the years, but that’s not important. What’s important is you lyin’ down and getting’ some rest. If you don’t, that fever could return. You need to give your Slayer constitution time to finish the healin’.”

“Before I sleep though, can you fill me in on our sitch? Where are we?”

Spike knew how stubborn the Slayer could be, so he pulled away and stretched out on the bed. “I promise I’ll fill you in, if you lie down and rest while I talk, okay?”

“Okay”

He was taken by surprise when she stretched out near him. He itched to touch her again but he opted not to risk it. “So, pet, what is the last thing you remember before wakin’ up here?”

Buffy wanted Spike to continue holding her. When she had awakened from the dream tonight and seen him leaning over her, she’d suddenly realized that she did had feelings for him, something had coalesced within her at that specific moment. She saw with complete clarity what type of man he was and how much she needed him. It had taken their reliance on each other to bring it to the forefront.

Buffy had an inkling that Spike felt the same way, but she knew that he would never make the first move. There was too much history between them, so it would be up to her to try. She’d just have to hope that he did feel the same way.

She slid closer, turned on her back and stared up at the painted pine ceiling. “The last thing I remember was standing on the top of the hill. How did I get here and where exactly is here? Is this a hotel or something?”

Spike stiffened when she moved and immediately relaxed again when she settled down next to him. He knew the Slayer wouldn’t really rest until she was comfortable with her surroundings, so he took a deep breath and told the entire story of carrying her to the river, meeting Kale and bringing her to the ranch. He even spilled about their
‘marriage.’ To his great relief, she merely chuckled at his improvisation.

Buffy grew serious, rolled on her side and placed her hand on his arm. “Spike, you carried me all that way to the river? Then sat up with me all night?” He’s the only one that would have been strong enough to do it. He saved my life. She searched his face. “I guess you were worried about keeping up your promise to watch my back.”

Spike, his eyes downcast, spoke quietly. “You were thrashin’ around and I didn’t want you to fall and hurt yourself even more.” Okay, mate, in for a penny, in for a pound. Here’s your chance to tell her. He raised his eyes and stared intently into hers. “I was worried about you, not my promise.” He took a deep unnecessary breath, let it out slowly and said quietly, “I was worried because I care about you.”

Spike held an unneeded breath. He had finally decided to open his heart and now he anxiously waited to see if Buffy would slice it to ribbons. Was it only her unusual weakness and the frightening dream that had driven her into his arms for comfort or could this be the catalyst for something that she’d already felt?

When she didn’t reply right away, his heart sank again. Carefully he lifted her hand from where it rested on his arm, but before he could move away, a strong hand stayed the movement. He glanced up to see Buffy smiling softly. “Thanks for being honest.”

She reached over and touched his face. “I care about you, too.” She smiled wryly. “When I realized it a few moments ago, I was pretty sure I’d be way too scared to ever admit it.” She laughed lightly. “Nervous much?”

Spike, buoyed by her statement, chuckled. “Well pet, we do both have such stellar relationship histories.” He had the sudden twin urges to spout torrents of poetry and kiss her breathless, but there was a time and place for everything and this wasn’t it for either. He settled for lifting and kissing the palm of her hand.

He searched her exhausted face. “Buffy, I think with everythin’ that’s gone on tonight, and you nowhere near one hundred percent, we should rest awhile before you tell your story.” Smiling softly at her, he added, “I think we could both use some time to digest what’s been said here.”

Buffy sighed. She knew that as much as she wanted to talk to Spike about the black rider, she was utterly exhausted. Rest would be the smart thing and Spike was right; they could both use some time to process this sudden shift in their relationship.

She closed her eyes. It could all wait until morning. The black rider wouldn’t come back tonight, but he would come for her again. When he had reached for her tonight, his mind had opened briefly and Buffy had seen an overwhelming lust for her power. It scared her how easily he had overpowered her need to save herself, how ready she’d been to go to him.

Gazing at the blond spooned against her, Buffy knew the next time she faced the rider; she wouldn’t have to do it alone. As she settled into sleep, Buffy’s final conscious thought was of the joker from a deck of glowing cards.

Chapter 13 Play Your Part

Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Lay down your money
And you play your part
-Bruce Springsteen
Hungry Heart

“Turn at the next sign.” Willow peered down at her map and squinted. “Tara, could you hold that flashlight closer?” It was hard to read her own handwriting with the convertible bouncing up and down on the old road.

“S-s-sure, no problem.” The blonde girl leaned over the seat, so she could guide the beam closer.

“That’s definitely it. Giles, turn left.”

After trying the locater spell again at Giles’ apartment, the three had quickly decided to make the trek to Nevada. The spell refused to work when using the items from Buffy and Spike, but had worked perfectly for Xander’s truck, so the trio decided to find the truck and figure the rest out later. They had thrown a few things in the small backseat and left as quickly as possible. After driving all night, they were only a few miles from the truck’s location, which had turned out to be a desert ghost town.

Giles slowed the convertible down while Willow and Tara sent forth a small bright blue light to locate the Chevy. The shiny little light led them to a ramshackle market where they discovered the truck hidden in the back lot. The two witches agreed to check out the truck while Giles scouted around the empty market.

“W-w-w-illow, what do you think happened?”

Willow rummaged through the things in the truck’s cab. “Well, it seems to me they never came back from the Cantilly nest. The rest of their stuff and the sleeping bags are still here, but I don’t see their backpacks, the cooler or the weapons.”

Giles returned from his reconnaissance. “The marks in the dust indicate that they slept in there only the once and there’s nothing inside that gives any indication where they went from there. Willow, I want you to try to do another locater spell, now that we’re closer. Use the remainder of the Cantilly skin. We’ll start by trying to locate the nest.”

*****

The early morning sunlight woke Spike. He opened his eyes and gazed over at Buffy. She was still deeply asleep, comfortably burrowed under the quilt. He listened to her heartbeat, assessing her. He decided that the Slayer sounded healthier and let out a relieved sigh. She was definitely on the mend. Now his world could become more normal, if loving the Slayer could ever be considered normal. I’m going to tell her soon just how much I do care, once she’s completely healed. Spike had no doubt that Buffy would soon be fit to track down the archer and then they could return home. He shook his head, bemused at the thought of looking forward to returning to the Hellmouth.

Spike stood up and stretched. Hearing a soft knock on the bedroom door, he opened it to reveal Celeste holding an armload of clothing. “How is she this morning?”

A tired smile crossed Spike’s face. “Much better, her fever broke last night.”

“Oh, that’s good. Here, I brought you both some clothes. There are a couple of dresses of mine that would probably fit Buffy and some old clothes of my husbands that will probably work for you. He was about your size.”

Spike took the offered items and placed them carefully on the chair. Glancing back at the Slayer’s sleeping form; he took Celeste gently by the arm and walked with her into the hall. Closing the door, he looked into her face. “You’ve been very kind.”

The woman shrugged. “I don’t like to see things, or people, wasted.” She smiled. “Would you like to join us for breakfast? You can bring some back to Buffy after she rests a bit more.”

“Thank you.”

After telling Spike that breakfast would be in half an hour, Celeste left to head back to the kitchen.

Spike sorted through the clothes, picking up a blue cotton shirt. He wondered what had happened to Celeste’s husband that had left her such a young widow.

*****

“Sir, Teague sent the mine foreman here with his weekly report.”

McGee looked up from his desk and motioned to the workman standing just outside the office. “Come in Davis.”

Davis walked confidently into his boss’s office. “Hello Mr. McGee, Sir. I have good news for you. We’ve uncovered the line that runs to the entrance of the antechamber and it should only be a matter of a week’s digging to breach the entrance.”

Once again McGee regretted his earlier action. He should never have placed the additional pieces of the crystal within the mine for safekeeping. Of course they would have been quite convenient and easy to reach if not for that damn cave in.

“I don’t want to wait another week. Tell Teague to hire on more men for the crews. It’s very important that I get in that room as soon as possible.”

“Yes sir.” The man closed the door behind him.

McGee smiled. It wouldn’t be long now. Once they breached the entrance, the crystals would be easily located. Then it was only the minor matter of putting them back together again. He lifted the large piece of crystal from his desk and ran a finger down the fine outer lines. His partner would be pleased indeed with today’s development.

Verda watched the foreman as he left McGee’s office. She slid farther back in the shadows behind the ornate velvet drapes next to McGee’s office door. It wouldn’t do for the foreman or God forbid, McGee himself to catch her snooping. She waited until she heard the man’s heavy tread on the stairs before quickly sliding out of the dark corner. Smoothing her dress down with her hands, she casually walked down the stairs, turning this new information over in her head.

*****

Spike arrived in the kitchen to discover that everyone ate breakfast together. Defoe, Kale and Celeste were already dishing up heaping plates of sausages, eggs, baked beans and fried potatoes and filling earthenware mugs with steaming black coffee. It smelled wonderful and Spike’s mouth was watering by the time he slid into the empty chair next to Kale. He had always loved people food, especially breakfast.

The boy smiled up at him through a mouthful of food. “Hey Mr. Spike, how’s Miss Buffy?”

Spike dumped some potatoes on his plate and returned the smile. “She’s actually doing much better.”

Celeste smiled and passed him the platter of sausages before handing over a mug of coffee to Defoe. “Defoe, this is the last of the sausage. You plan on doing for the old sow today? I want to have a pork roast for dinner since Verda’s coming to eat with us.”

Defoe nodded, swallowing his coffee. “Yeah, she’s finished feeding her young and it’s time. With the other pig, we should get enough meat to last through fall.”

Disgruntled, Kale spoke to the older man. “I though you were gonna help me work the east pasture today. It’s supposed to rain tomorrow and we need to finish. I can’t do it all by myself, the mare only works the plow for you. She won’t let anybody else use it with her.”

“Kale, I’ve only got two hands.”

Spike picked up the gist of the conversation and an idea popped into his head.

“Defoe, I would really like the chance to pay back some of your hospitality, so why don’t you let me butcher your pigs? I assure you that I won’t have any trouble. You can show me where your spring house is located and I’ll put everything up for you. Buffy needs to rest but she’s strong enough now to be left alone for awhile.”

“Why, that’s a wonderful idea. Defoe, you and Kale can plant the pasture and Spike can do the pigs.” Celeste turned to Spike. “I’ll be canning today, so I can run in and check on Buffy for you.”

Defoe shrugged. He didn’t really see a problem with Spike taking care of the pigs. He was obviously strong enough and it would make his day that much easier. “That’ll be fine by me. I really do need to get that pasture planted before it rains. We don’t get enough out here in the desert that we can afford to waste it.”

They agreed to meet in the barn after Spike took breakfast to Buffy. Defoe looked over at the slim man. “Are you sure you want to do this? Hog slaughtering can be real messy, all that blood.”

“Don’t worry about it. You won’t have to clean up anythin’ when I’m finished. I promise I’m very neat.”

After he finished his own breakfast, Spike filled a plate for Buffy. Carrying it in one hand, he pushed the bedroom door open with the other and found the Slayer awake. She was sitting up in bed; the morning sun streaming in the window highlighted her in gold. Spike gazed at her in wonder, she was so beautiful.

She smiled at him. “Ummm, Spike, that smells really great.”

He sat the plate on the nightstand. “I’m glad to see you’re gettin’ your appetite back, Slayer.”

Buffy held up her arm. “Yeah, and the wound finally closed. It’s almost completely healed.” She reached for the plate. “So what’s on the agenda?”

When he outlined his plans for the morning, Buffy grinned. “Trust you to find a way to eat and still make it seem like you’re doing them a favor.”

Spike snickered, “Well, can’t go around havin’ our hosts think we’re ungrateful for
their hospitality.”

While Buffy ate her breakfast, Spike walked back and forth from the kitchen, filling a large metal tub that sat in the corner with steaming hot water so Buffy could have a bath.

He finished filling the tub, stood up and turned back to her. “When I finish helping Defoe, I’ll be back and we can have our talk.”

Buffy slid out of bed and walked over to him. As he reached to take the empty plate from her hand, she touched his arm and murmured. “I’ll be waiting.”

Spike set the plate on the bed, took her outstretched hand and kissed it lightly. Gazing into her large hazel eyes, he said simply. “I will, too.”

Spike took the empty plate back to the kitchen and went out to the barn to meet with Defoe. After the farmer left for the field, Spike changed into game face, killed and drained the old sow and a large male. Licking his lips to get every drop of the fresh warm blood, he butchered the pigs. Spike chuckled as he licked the knife. I said I wouldn’t waste a drop.

Spike drank what he needed for the day and then filled two large glass jars he had ‘borrowed’ from Celeste’s canning supplies with the remainder of the blood. Sealing the jars, he carried the trimmed meat and the jars to the springhouse that was used to keep everything cold. He tucked the jars of blood in the cold water, behind some other containers.

Chapter 14 Dancing In The Dark

I get up in the evening and
I ain’t got nothing to say.
I come home in the morning
I go to bed feeling the same way.
I ain’t nothing but tired.
You can’t start a fire without a spark.
This gun’s for hire, even if we’re
just dancing in the dark.
-Bruce Springsteen
Dancing in the Dark



Buffy was just drying her hair with a towel she’d found when she heard a soft knock on the bedroom door. A red haired woman stood on the other side, a smile on her face, and holding a boar bristle hairbrush in her hand. After introducing herself and giving Buffy the brush, she returned to the kitchen to oversee her canning. Buffy emptied the tub and following the smells, walked into the kitchen.

“That smells wonderful.”

Celeste smiled and handed her a small bowl. “Here, you need to get your strength back.”

Buffy sat down at the table and picked up a spoon. It was the most delicious vegetable soup she’d ever eaten.

Before long, Celeste had Buffy washing glass jars and filling them before plunging them into the hot water bubbling on top of the cast iron stove. Buffy had liked Celeste immediately. She was easygoing and kind, taking care to notice when Buffy started to tire, instantly guiding her back to the table and chairs. She handed Buffy a mug of cold water and taking one for herself, she sat down at the table with her.

Buffy smiled shyly at the older woman. “Thank you for your hospitality, it was awfully kind of you to take in two strangers.” She touched the borrowed dress. “Strangers without even clothes on their backs.”

“I helped you because no one was there to help my husband when he died and I’ve always wondered if someone had been with him, if it would have made a difference.”
Celeste touched the sleeve of the long dress. “Besides it looks better on you than it ever did on me. I’m glad Spike can use Daniel’s old shirts. I hated to see them go to waste and Kale’s much too small for them.”

Buffy looked at the woman over the top of her mug. “I don’t mean to pry, but what happened to your husband? I mean, if you don’t mind talking about it.”

Celeste sighed. “No, it’s easier now; he’s been gone almost six months.” She leaned back in the chair. “He died in a mining accident.”

“I thought your husband and brother were both farmers?”

“No, my brother moved back to the family farm after the accident. He was a foreman at the McGee mine. My husband Daniel was a full time farmer who worked weekends at the mine. One Saturday evening an accident with the blasting powder occurred and caused a cave in. My husband was alone, surveying the tunnel ahead of the actual digging and the roof collapsed on him. Seven men died, including Daniel. Fourteen other men were hurt, including my brother Defoe, who lost his eye. After that, they closed off that particular tunnel, it was just too unstable to continue digging there.”

Buffy stiffened in the chair as her dream came rushing back to her. Somehow Celeste’s brother must be the one eyed jack, it was just too coincidental. When Celeste stood up to attend to her jars, Buffy pondered the implication.

******

Spike, after placing the food in the springhouse, had decided that he could definitely use a bath, too. The tub looked inviting and it had been over two days since he’d bathed.
Water temperature didn’t matter to him, so he stopped at the well outside and filled four large buckets with fresh water. He hauled the water into the bedroom and listened for Buffy’s location. He heard her talking with Celeste in the kitchen. She would be fine there with the kind hearted woman.

Spike couldn’t wait to remove the mud and pig smell from his skin and wash his hair. Shedding his clothes he slid into the clean water and sighed. He soaped his hair and then slid farther down under the water to the bottom of the deep tub. It felt wonderful. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation of being completely immersed in the cool water. Sometimes it was a bonus not having to breathe. He dozed lightly; it had been a long two days.

Buffy, beginning to tire, excused herself and walked back to the bedroom. She closed the door and toed her shoes off, leaving them by the bed. She dropped the heavy dress at the foot of the bed on the floor, laid across the quilt and immediately fell asleep.

Still under water, Spike heard the bedroom door open and close. Wondering who had walked in, he concentrated briefly and heard Buffy’s heartbeat within the small room. Her breathing was deep and regular and he realized she must have come back for a nap. Amused, he realized he had a dilemma. His towel, across the room on the chair, was inaccessible and his clothes were lying across the same chair. Should he just rise and quickly grab his towel? That would leave a wet trail across Celeste’s rag rug. He shook his head at himself. He had been in too much of a hurry to get in the water. What a ponce.

He sat up in the tub and risked a glance at Buffy lying on the bed. She was asleep across the bed in her chemise. Suddenly something broke inside Spike, he couldn’t pull his eyes away from her. He’d been nearly out of his mind with worry the entire time she’d been sick but seeing her glowing with health again, he realized he wanted her in a very primal way, he needed to show her just how much she really meant to him. But the realization that they had yet to define their relationship stopped him. And a couple of light kisses and oblique declarations of caring did not mean he could stroll around the room starkers. If anything, it would probably cause Buffy to run in the other direction. He rubbed his forehead and pondered his dilemma again.

Buffy woke when she heard a noise that sounded like water. She sat up when she realized that the noise wasn’t outside the house, it was in the bedroom. Shifting, she sleepily glanced at the corner of the room. Spike, an amused expression crossing his face, was sitting in their communal tub.

Buffy was confused and not completely awake. “Spike, what are you doing in the tub?”

His amused drawl cut through her fog. “It looks to me like I’m takin’ a bath.”

Spike’s in the tub? Oh my God, Spike’s naked in the bathtub. She tried to look anywhere but at the naked vampire. Oh, look at those abs. And wet Spike hair? Yum. She stood up quickly. “I’m so sorry, I’ll just leave and you can finish.”

“Buffy-“

“No, it’s alright; I’ll just wait in the kitchen.”

“But Slayer-“

“What?”

Spike pointed at her dress crumpled at the foot of their bed. “You aren’t exactly dressed for a visit, pet.”

She glanced at the dress on the floor and started giggling while Spike laughed with her. They certainly made a fine pair.

Buffy wiped her eyes. “I totally forgot that I needed that over my other clothes.” She looked back over at Spike. He was still chuckling, leaning back against the side of the tub. God, how does he do that? He’s so completely comfortable in his own skin. I wish I could be that way. Oh, God, I had to think about skin?

Spike pointed to the chair. “Could you throw me that towel?”

Buffy was suddenly conscious of an urge to pitch the towel right out the window. Mentally shaking her head at herself, she reached over, picked up the towel and walked over to the tub. She couldn’t resist the urge to glance when she handed it over. After all, she was only human, right?

Spike became even more amused. Buffy hadn’t tossed him the towel like he’d expected, instead she’d walked over and handed it to him. Then walked back and sat down in the chair. Well, well, well. Although obviously embarrassed, she hadn’t run from the room, instead, she’d snuck a peek.

“Slayer? Could you hand my clothes over to me? I’ll get dressed and we can have that talk you wanted last night.”

Buffy smiled briefly as she turned and reached down to pick up his clothes. Spike hadn’t seemed at all embarrassed when she’d handed him the towel. If anything, he’d been amused.

The vampire had always been proud of his body and with good reason. During Willow’s ‘will be done spell’ several months ago, Buffy had had the opportunity to run her hands all over the vampire. She still remembered the feel of his rock hard abs and his body was part of the reason she just couldn’t seem to get him out of her head, even after all these months.

She could feel the heightened sexual attraction buzzing between them and Buffy realized all she had to do was indicate her interest and the vampire would immediately have her down on the bed. It was way too soon for that, so she made a decision.

“Uh, Spike? “

“Yeah luv?”

“I think we need to have part of our discussion before I give you your clothes.”

“Really? Why would that be?” He sounded amused again.

“Because if I come over there before we talk, I’m not sure we’ll actually talk and I’m not really ready to stop talking, okay?”

Spike turned serious. “Buffy, toss me my clothes. Then go rest on the bed. I’ll finish dressing, pitch out this water and then we’ll have our chat.”

He hesitated briefly, and then continued. “There’s no need to play games here. You know how I feel. I want you but I also realize that it’s too soon for a physical relationship between us. You don’t have to worry, you’ll always be safe with me. When you’re ready, you just let me know. We’ll take this as slowly as you need it to be.”

He shifted, sending little ripples across the water. “Now, Slayer, toss me my kit and go finish your nap.”

Relieved, she followed his directions. Once again Spike had read her emotions and thoughts exactly. Now she was even surer of her decision to pursue a relationship with him.

Buffy laid down and rolled over away from the tub, closed her eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.

Spike finished getting dressed, tossed out the water and joined Buffy on the bed. When she didn’t immediately reawaken, he slid in close to her. They would discuss things later, right now they both needed the sleep.

As much as Spike had hated this dimension yesterday, he loved it that same amount or even more today, for it had offered him an enormous gift, the possibility of winning Buffy.

Spike placed his arm snuggly around Buffy’s waist and closed his eyes.

Chapter 15 Stand By Me

When the night has come
and the land is dark
And the moon is the
only light we’ll see.
No, I won’t be afraid
just as long as you
stand by me.
-Ben King
Stand by Me

The Cantilly and the eggs were dead, that much was malodorously obvious. Willow prodded the demon with the toe of her shoe. “Okay, they made it this far, ‘cause hey, smelly dead demon and demon spawn right here.”

She turned to Giles. He was thinking, wearing his frowny face. That particular expression always made Willow nervous.

“Oh, guys, l-l-l-look over here. I found something.”

Willow moved away from the pile of cracked eggs. “What is it Tara? Is it something about Buffy and Spike?”

“Y-y-yes, I think so.” She held up a cross on a thin chain. “Isn’t this Buffy’s? It was sitting on top of this rock, along with this ring.”

Willow took a closer look. The ring lying on Tara’s palm definitely matched one of the myriad of rings the vampire always wore but there was something else about the rock, something odd. “Giles come over here and look at this.”

Davernish was such a common demon language it took Giles only a few minutes to translate the rock. The trio now knew what had happened to Buffy and Spike. The Slayer and the vampire had chosen for whatever reason to use the portal incantation. When Giles discovered the drawing on the cave wall, they also understood a possible reason, somehow the fates had intervened and the Slayer was already on the trail of the four horsemen.

The trio knew they definitely had to travel through the portal, because the Slayer was still not aware of the entire situation. She would need the details they could provide and any other assistance they could render.

It was already so late they decided to sleep at the old market, gather up more supplies and travel through the portal first thing in the morning. Once they arrived in the other dimension, they would do another locater spell.

Giles pocketed the errant jewelry and the three headed slowly back to the entrance of the cave.

******

Buffy and Spike awoke at the same time. They were spooned together and neither wanted to move. Reluctantly, they pulled apart.

Buffy sat up first; she finally felt completely refreshed and healed. Spike was lying on his side, gazing up at her. His voice gruff with sleep, he searched her face and asked, “How do you feel, luv?”

She graced him with a slow smile. “Good.” She cast her eyes down shyly. “I slept better than I have for awhile.”

Spike matched her smile and responded tenderly. “Then we’ll just have to make it a habit.” He sat up and turned serious. “Now that we’re both rested, I think we should have our talk, before we get called for dinner. Tell me about your dream.”

Buffy took a deep breath, “It happened at night in the desert…”

By the time Buffy completed her story, Spike was deeply concerned. Not only had this dark rider been able to somehow tune into the Slayer’s location, but in her dream, he had managed to make her drop her sword just before their battle. Spike knew he could never let her face the demon alone; she would need him as backup. Spike was spoiling for a fight and he really wanted the wanker.

“I’ve sussed that he must be some sorta sorcerer, with thrall power.” He turned worried blue eyes to her. “We’ll need to fight him together, Slayer. I don’t like the way he played you. You’re gonna need backup.”

Buffy leaned against him. They were both sitting in the bed, their backs against the headboard. She clasped one of her warm hands together with his cool one. “That’s what I’m thinking, too. I figured you for the wild card spot in that whole card/dream extravaganza.”

“Yeah, I like that. I’ll be the wild card at your side.” He turned slightly so he could see her better. “Speaking of being at your side, I meant what I said earlier. It’s going to be up to you to say the word on our relationship. I’ve wanted this for a long time and I’ll play this any way you want. I just want the chance to show you how we can be together.”

Buffy smiled at him softly. “I understand how you feel and I’m starting to feel the same way. I just need some time to make sure we get off on the right foot with everyone else.” She grimaced. “Especially Giles, he’s not going to be too keen on my having another vampire boyfriend. It’s gonna take telling him just at the right moment.”

“Harris won’t like it either.”

“I’m not that worried about Xander. After all, he’s dating an ex vengeance demon, so he has no right to say anything to me.”

Spike ventured, “Your mum likes me, and so does the Bit.”

Buffy leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Yeah, well we Summers women have good taste.” She placed her hand lightly on his arm.

Spike saw the same hungry expression in her eyes that he knew was mirrored in his own. Suddenly he just couldn’t stand it any longer, reached over and pulled her close. Buffy reached up and placed her hands on his shoulders. Spike leaned in and kissed her long and hard.

Buffy responded to his kiss eagerly. Oh God, he’s such a great kisser. She realized that she was going to have to tell Giles soon. It was going to be blatantly obvious that there was something going on between them.

They both pulled back; Buffy for a much needed breath and Spike to regain his composure just as they heard a light knock on the door.

Kale called through the closed door. “Celeste says dinner is ready.”

******

Verda pushed her chair back and sighed. “I wish I ate like that everyday, Celeste. The pork roast was wonderful.”

“You know you’re welcome any time, Verda, I don’t get to see my sister-in-law nearly enough, but you should be thanking Spike for the roast, he butchered the sow.”

“I’d love to come out more often but you all live so far out and you know that Sunday is the only day the saloon is closed.” Verda smiled at the vampire and dipped her head.

Spike smiled in return. “You work in town at a saloon?”

Verda laughed. “I work at the only saloon.”

Celeste explained. “Verda sings on the stage and she has a very good voice.” She smiled at the other woman proudly. “Everyone calls her the Queen of the Diamond Saloon.”

Buffy, eating quietly with her head down suddenly perked up.

“I sing when Mr. McGee lets me. Lately I’ve mostly done waitress work; we’ve had so many miners in that I can’t leave the floor.”

Spike and Buffy exchanged a glance. He had caught the reference, too. Spike continued the conversation. “So, Mr. McGee’s your boss, pet?

“Nathaniel McGee is everybody’s boss. He owns the saloon and hotel, the diamond mine and the bank, damn near everything worth having in Sunset. He must have brought a lot of money with him when he emigrated here from England.”

She cut her eyes at Defoe. “I heard that McGee’s men have found that place he’s been so interested in. It sounds like they’ll be to it by the end of the week, maybe sooner. He’s hiring more men to dig.”

Spike and Buffy exchanged another quick look.

“What’s in there that McGee wants so badly? Has he found a vein of huge diamonds or something?” Buffy tried not to appear too interested and reached for salt.

Celeste snorted. “That mine is just McGee’s folly, a big ol’ money pit. I don’t think he’s ever gotten anything out of there. My husband always said there’s nothing there to mine and he would have known, he was their surveyor. Isn’t that true Defoe?”

“There’s never been diamonds mined here, nor silver or copper either. When I was foreman we never found anything, in fact there was talk of closing the mine, especially after the explosion last fall, but for some reason, now McGee has suddenly made the mine a top priority again. No one understands it.”

“Sunset sounds like such a nice town. Do you have much crime here? I assume you have a sheriff?”

Defoe nodded. “Crime’s way down since Grip showed up. He came to town about six months ago and he and McGee quickly became fast friends. They get on like a house on fire. McGee appointed him sheriff a couple months ago, after old Bill Tarry retired.

I heard he spends all his free time at the mine though. Maybe he’s planning on changing careers. It would be better for Sunset, no one likes him; he’s got a real nasty disposition. Him and that mean horse he rides belong together.”

Kale piped up. “He’s scary. One time I was fishing at the river and he rode up. He let that horse Satan drink from the river and when he left, some trout floated to the top.” He stared around the table. “They was all dead. I swear him and that horse killed those fish.”

“I agree with Kale, I’ve been around Grip a lot at the saloon and he is definitely the strangest and meanest man I’ve ever met. He scares me, too. When he stares at you, you’d swear he was looking right through you and sometimes he’ll know things that he really couldn’t, so lots of people say he has the sight.”

“Most of us thought McGee would give Teague the Sheriff job. After all, he’d been here longer, but instead McGee put Teague in charge of the mine. He’s the one pushing the foreman to excavate faster. I just hope they don’t get careless and cause another cave in.”

Buffy almost dropped her fork. “Has this Teague worked for Mr. McGee very long?”

“I think he’s been around for at least three or four years although it feels like less time, because he’s gone a lot. He takes long trips out of town for McGee and brings back things for him. You’ve seen him come back with various things haven’t you Verda?”

“Sometimes it’s really old books. I saw Teague give some to him that last time he went away.” She snickered. “I can’t for the life of me understand why, I’ve never seen McGee ever read anything.”

The conversation moved on to fishing and Buffy zoned out again but her head was still spinning. This was a lot of information all at once and she needed to think about everything that had been revealed. She bit into her slice of bread again and chewed thoughtfully.

Spike watched the play of emotions across her face. Finally he put down his fork and pushed back the wooden dining chair. “Buffy, you look tired again; I think I should help you back to our room. Would you excuse us?”

Celeste smiled at the couple. “Of course.”

Spike closed the bedroom door softly and turned to the blonde already moving to sit cross legged on the bed. “It’s too much of a coincidence; pet. Teague kept the Cantilly in the cave; he must have used the portal to go back and forth a lot.”

Buffy patted the quilt next to her. Spike sat down, reached over and slipped his hand into hers.

She smiled and tightened the clasp. “Yeah, I think he did, too. Now I’m starting to think it was probably on McGee’s orders. We’ve got to find a way to get closer to McGee without Teague seeing us. I think we’ve taken up enough of these nice people’s hospitality, don’t you? It’s time we met the rest of the town’s residents.”

Spike voice rumbled. “Yeah, pet, we could rent a nice room with a big bed at that hotel.” He ran a finger slowly down her arm and goose bumps erupted. “After all, we’ve been ‘married’ for a couple of days now and I really like sleeping next to you.”

Buffy turned into his embrace as Spike pulled her close and kissed her. When she pulled away for a needed breath, she was staring into blue eyes turned black with desire. Buffy gripped his arms tightly and took a deep breath.

Spike felt his control waning and forced himself to move away from her. He had promised to wait until Buffy was ready and he would bloody well do it, even though her scent and heat were making him nearly insane with desire. His demon was demanding her but Spike absolutely refused to allow his infamous impatience to mess things up. He forced his demon under control, abruptly stood and raked a hand through his hair. He walked over to the chair under the window and started searching through his duster.

Buffy watched the vampire as he stared impassively out the window, his cigarette still unlit in his hand. When Spike kissed her, she could feel all of her resolve disappear. Even though it had been her idea to wait, Buffy was already starting to question her own reasoning. She knew that her feelings ran deeper than she’d first wanted to admit.

She was the Slayer with an expiration date looming over her head, what was she waiting for anyway? The more Buffy thought about it, the more she realized that it didn’t matter how her Watcher and friends took the change in her and Spike’s relationship. She wanted Spike in her life.

“Spike?”

The vampire had lit his cigarette. Blowing the smoke out the open window, he turned. “Yeah luv?”

“The hotel room sounds like a wonderful idea.”

Surprise crossed his face. He threw the cigarette out the window and was at her side in two strides. Gathering her in his arms, he murmured. “Are you sure Buffy? I meant what I said; I will wait as long as you need.”

“Us together? Yeah, I’m definitely sure.”

She moved to stand up. “But right now, how about a moonlit stroll out in the desert? Defoe mentioned that even the mine is closed on Sunday and I want to get a look at it.”

“Always up for a spot of breakin’ and enterin’, luv.” He dug through the backpack and pulled out two knives. “The quicker we do our little recon, the faster we can pack and head into town.” He held up the knives and quirked an eyebrow. Buffy pointed to the one with the long thin blade.

Spike handed over her choice and slid the thicker knife into his boot. “Let’s go be heroes.”

Chapter 16 Hide The Face

In my eyes indisposed
can disguise, no one knows.
Hide the face, lies the snake.
Call my name through the cream
and I’ll hear you scream.
-Soundgarten
Black Hole Sun

Teague closed and locked the mining office door. A few days ago McGee had forced him to begin working at the mine and he was worried. It seemed that he was being pushed aside, no longer important. He didn’t know what to expect anymore and it was a frightening feeling.

He clicked the padlock back in place on the iron gate. He hated Sundays when he had to ride out here alone to check on the mine. There was never anyone else around, just him and them.

Teague heard a noise and jumped. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He was starting to get twitchy and that would never do. If McGee thought even for a minute that he was losing it… He shuddered at the thought. Looking around again, he still didn’t see anyone. Shrugging at his case of nerves, he headed for the main walk and his horse.

He walked briskly down the plank walkway and turned toward the palomino tied to the hitching post. He couldn’t wait to get out of here. He reached over to untie his horse and heard the slightest whisper in the darkness. The palomino snorted and moved uneasily. The hair on the back of his neck rose. He turned around and peered down the dark road. When he saw the shape appear, his eyes widened and his mouth opened in a silent plea.

The force from the compound bow drove the arrow into his stomach and lodged there. Teague slumped forward, his arms reaching around himself as if to hold in the life force that was already beginning to escape.

His body crumpled silently to the ground.

*******

The Slayer and the vampire hadn’t felt this free and unrestrained since entering the portal. The nearly full moon afforded plenty of light, the cool night air could be considered pleasant and they were finally doing something together that they both really enjoyed.

“Slayer, I still don’t see why you didn’t just leave the bloody thing behind? Everyone’s asleep, no one would have even noticed.” Spike’s impatience could be heard above the snick of his lighter.

The blonde was standing in the middle of the dark deserted road with her hands on her hips. Exasperated she replied. “What if someone did happen along, huh? How would I explain it then?”

“We could just say you’re a floozy, out to show me a good time.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, ‘cause that’s so gonna happen.” She reached down and grabbed the hem of her long brown dress. “I hate this one and I think Celeste doesn’t like it either. I’m just gonna hide it over here and pick it back up later.” With that pronouncement she pulled the dress over her head, bunched it up and hid it behind a boulder along the road to the ranch. Underneath she wore red leather pants and a white tank top.

Spike ran his tongue across his teeth and drawled. “Well, I have to admit, I fancy you more in those tight leather pants than that brown tent you were wearin’.” He leered. “There’s just somethin’ about leather. It molds so nicely to your---.”

“Spike!!” Buffy tried to act mad, giggled instead, and reached for his hand. “Come on, the night’s gonna end pretty quick.”

Spike looked her up and down one more time, his gaze lingering on Buffy’s ass. He licked his lips. “That would be a shame, because some things are meant to take all night.”

They had only traveled about a mile when a wooden sign reading the Diamond Mining Company appeared. The arrow pointed to a smaller road adjacent to the one they were on. Buffy wondered what it was about McGee. He named everything after Diamonds. Probably wishful thinking. If he names everything after them, maybe he’ll find some.

Spike stopped abruptly. “Slayer, I smell human blood up ahead.” His demon rose to the forefront. It had been so long since Spike had had warm human blood, his demon screamed to Go and Drink! Spike forced it back down, but the thought crossed his mind briefly that he’d really had to work hard lately to keep his demon in check, ever since they’d arrived in this dimension.

He and Buffy moved ahead cautiously until they saw the figure lying silently beside the hitching post. Buffy reached down but Spike’s hand shot out and held her. “Slayer, wait, he’s still alive, barely. Let me do this, there could be some sort of poison.”

Avoiding the dripping wound, he turned the man over. The stranger’s eyes shot open and he groaned.

“Easy there, mate.” Spike lifted the man’s head as Buffy moved into his line of sight.

Teague stared at the faces above him and tried to focus. He murmured, his papery thin voice barely registering. “Slayer, is it really you? He stared, trying harder to focus on the man holding him. “And the vampire, too?”

Buffy frowned. How could he know who I am? Unless... “You must be Teague.”

Teague nodded and blood bubbled from his mouth. “Yes. I’m sorry that I sent the Cantilly after you, but McGee made me. He’s held me bound to him and forced me to do his bidding back and forth between our dimension and this one.”

He coughed and blood spurted from his wound.

Spike reached for the arrow, but Teague quietly shook his head. “It’s no use, the wound is mortal.” He appealed to Buffy. “Slayer, I owe you a debt. I want you to have my horse and possessions to repay it.” He coughed again and winced. “You must be careful of McGee, though, he’s in league with the rider who shot this arrow.” His head began to loll and his eyes became cloudy.

Buffy leaned close to his mouth to hear his last whispered words. “McGee will soon unearth the crystals’ shards. You must stop him from reassembling the crystal.”

Teague gasped, shuddered and became still. His inert body began to shimmer. Spike and Buffy stepped quickly away from the body as a sudden green flash occurred and Teague’s body vanished. Nothing remained but the wet stain already disappearing into the sand.

Spike wiped his hands on his jeans. “Well, somebody sure knows how to tie up loose ends.” He reached in his duster and pulled out his lighter and cigarettes. “What now, pet?” He lit a cigarette. “Still fancy that mine recon?”

Buffy looked at the mine looming in the background. “Yeah, we better check it out, especially after Teague got all cryptic about crystal thingies.”

“Give us a minute, Slayer.” Spike walked over to the large palomino still standing quietly at the hitching post. He ran his hand down the golden mane and then patted it gently on the head as he murmured. “Easy there, Trigger. Let’s have a look at you.”

He touched the saddlebags slung across the saddle. “Slayer, these are heavy. I think you just got bequeathed a fair amount of ill gotten gains.” He checked the horse over again. “Not to mention a new mode of transportation.”

The couple kept the horse tied up and walked back to the main gate. Hoping they wouldn’t alert anyone to their clandestine visit, they left the padlock and heavy iron chain wrapped around the gate and vaulted over the fence. They kept to the shadows while they walked the properties’ perimeter.

Buffy stopped at the entrance to the mine. “Spike, I don’t think we have enough night left to cover the entire area together.” She pointed to the mine’s entrance tunnel. “You walk down the main tunnel and see if you can see or hear anything unusual and I’ll go check out the office. I’ll meet you by the gate in half an hour.”

Spike nodded and headed into the mine shaft.

Buffy, using a penlight she had taken earlier from their back pack, quietly slipped into the office and started searching the desk. She didn’t believe anything important would come from the search, but Giles always stressed being thorough.

She found several copies of the mine’s topography, color coordinated with the blast sites and tunnels. She pocketed one, walked outside and closed the door. Buffy wondered what was keeping the vampire; she didn’t see him anywhere around the gate. Mentally chastising Spike’s chronic tardiness, she started hiking into the mine.

The blond vampire, golden eyes gleaming in the darkness, deliberately moved into the deeper recesses of the mine. Cautiously skirting the debris left from various excavations, Spike attempted to locate the source of an unusual scent that emanated from deep within the left tunnel. The main tunnel had split into three separate shafts fifty feet from the entrance and there were several signs and a heavy wooden barrier that warned miners not to venture into this particular shaft due to the possibility of a cave in. Spike realized this was the dangerous tunnel Defoe had mentioned. Without the need to breath and little concern for a few fallen rocks, Spike vaulted lightly over the barriers and continued to track the faint scent.

He reached a bend in the tunnel and discovered his forward movement curiously impeded by an iron door. Bolted directly onto the rock face by means of heavy iron rings sunk deeply into the sides of the tunnel, the heavy door completely covered the narrow tunnel. Spike carefully brushed his hand across the smooth door and his fingers found a slight recess midway down the front. Shaking his head at the improbability of the door actually being unlocked, he gave a slight nudge. The door silently swung open. He could detect three faint heartbeats while the odd scent strongly assailed his nose. He silently glided into the room, keeping his back pressed against the wall.

Chapter 17 Bullet Hits The Bone

Help, I’m stepping into the twilight zone.
The place is a madhouse, feels like being cloned.
My beacon’s been moved under moon and star.
Where am I to go now that I’ve gone too far?
Soon you will come to know
when the bullet hits the bone.
-Golden Earring
Twilight Zone

Spike closed the door behind him, thankful that the old hinges remained silent, and slid further along the wall. His nostrils flared, the unusual scent was strongest here. He cautiously moved into what appeared to be a large cave that had been incorporated within the mine. He walked farther in, continuing to keep his back in contact with the rough wall; he didn’t want to be surprised by whoever had unlocked the door. He saw a smaller opening within the cave and the heartbeats he had detected and the confusing scent emanated from that location. Spike listened for indications that anyone realized he had breached the door. When he didn’t detect anything he continued forward, silently gliding to the other opening.

He looked up and noticed a faint glow emanating from the ceiling. Disconcerted, he recognized it as the one Buffy had described from her dream. Leaning flat against the wall, he slowly angled around the doorway and glanced inside.

Almost the entire room consisted of a rusty metal cage with thick iron bars that reached from floor to ceiling. Three men were imprisoned within the cage. Pinned against the back wall by an indefinable force, the men were unconscious, their breathing deep and regular. It was their scent that Spike had followed.

Someone had used powerful magicks to contain them. There were runes written in black ink on the floor in front of the door. Bunches of dried herbs, their sickly sweet scent cloying in the small room, were hanging around the outside perimeter of the cage and a large padlock hung from the massive gate.

A vivid otherworldly glow surrounded the men completely, pulsing slightly with each man’s breath. Three colors, white, green and black, swirled together then broke separately around them before fusing back together to begin the pattern over again.

Spike cautiously moved farther into the room, gingerly stepping around the runes. He distrusted magicks; there were always consequences with their use and he didn’t want to become closely acquainted with those consequences.

When he neared the cage, the man positioned in the middle slowly opened deep, red eyes and Spike realized that although they smelled human, all three prisoners were demons. That must be why their scent is so unusual.

Warily, he backed up.

Red eyes burned as the demon sought to ascertain who had breached the prison and awakened it. The demon’s face contorted with effort. “Vampire, why are you within these protected walls?” When it spoke, its voice was low, menacing, and without inflection.

Spike assumed an air of nonchalance. “Just out for a moonlight stroll.” He studied the cage. “You blokes seem to be in a spot of trouble.”

The demon summoned its strength again. “Release us vampire, and I will allow you to accompany us. There is much reason for you to consider my request.”

“Sorry, mate, I’m not really much for group activities.”

The demon persisted, its voice cajoling. “I have great power and I can offer you that which has been lost to you.”

Leaning against the doorway, he raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”

The demon’s eyes glowed brighter. “Your ability to hunt prey.” Its voice gathered strength and it grew more persuasive. “You are being denied your true nature and it is easily within my abilities to remove that which binds you.”

Spike remained outwardly passive, but inside his demon demanded freedom. It whispered how things would finally be back to normal, once the hated chip was removed. Spike struggled to control his demon and wrench his eyes away, but his gaze remained locked on the prisoner, and his control waned.

The prisoner continued to stare at Spike.

Spike took a step toward the cage and then another. It’ll be easy to break such an old lock. He stretched his hand toward the cage.

“Spike!!!!”

Buffy raced into the room and pushed him away from the cage. Spike fell to his knees, his hands on his head. With eye contact between himself and the vampire lost, the glow around the prisoner grew bright again. Its power spent, the demon slumped back into unconsciousness.

Buffy watched the demons warily as she reached down to help Spike stand up. Still in game face, his golden eyes looked confused and unfocused. Placing her arm around his waist, she helped the unsteady vampire out of the room and down the tunnel to the outside.

“Spike? Can you jump over the fence? We need to get out of here.” Buffy had helped the
vampire out of the mine, but she couldn’t lift him over the high barbed wire fence without hurting him. He had to do that himself, but she wasn’t sure that he could. Whatever that thing in the cage was, it had managed to completely sap his strength. The master vampire was weaker than a fledgling.

Spike lifted his head. “I’m fine Slayer; I can get over the bloody fence on my own.” Buffy shrugged and stepped aside. Immediately his legs buckled and Spike slumped back to the ground.

“Uh huh, I can see that.” She looked at the barbed wire fence again and then at the nearly unconscious vampire at her feet. “Okay, I guess our stealthy covert op is over.”

She snapped the gate lock, reached down and lifted Spike back to his feet. “Now would have been a good time for that hover board. Come on, Spike, let’s go get Trigger.”

*****

Although it was not yet dawn when Giles and the girls arrived back at the portal, they had been up for hours. Unsure of what they would need in the other dimension, they had filled their backpacks with a variety of supplies, food and weapons. Giles had used his cell phone and called Anya and Xander to alert them to their plan. Now there was nothing left to do but hold hands and perform the incantation.

“Well, that was certainly anti-climatic.” Giles said wryly as he watched the small door that had appeared in the rock wall slowly close behind them.

Willow and Tara were already setting up their location spell on a flat rock and didn’t answer, although Tara glanced over and smiled briefly. A few minutes later, they were finished.

“Well, the good news is, they are definitely in this dimension.” Willow looked up. “The bad news is that they’re at least several miles from here.”

Giles grimaced and glanced at the sky. “We should go soon, the sun’s coming up and it looks like it’s going to get warm rather quickly.”

He shouldered the largest of the backpacks. “Which direction Willow?”

She waved her hand at the vast, empty desert and shrugged. “Somewhere out that way.”

“Please lead on.”

Willow and Tara slung their backpacks over their shoulders.

Willow muttered. “I sure wish we didn’t have to walk. I hate sand.”

Tara patted her sympathetically on the arm.

Resolutely, the trio walked forward into the open desert.

*****

“There, there, Trigger, that’s a good horse.” Buffy patted the palomino on its neck, while shifting to try and find a more comfortable position. The saddle was definitely not made for a petite woman like herself. The leather was comfortably worn, but altogether too high and wide. It didn’t help that she had a barely conscious vampire leaning his body weight up against her back, but it definitely beat walking and trying to carry Spike at the same time. It suddenly occurred to Buffy that was exactly what Spike had done the previous day, and for a whole lot farther. She felt her heart lighten at the thought of what he’d done for her, of how much he’d cared. He was definitely the one.

“But now we’ve got you, Trigger, although I think we need to find you another name.”

Spike groaned and sat up straighter. Wincing, he cracked his eyes open and tried to look around. “Where are we?” Bloody hell, my head hurts.

“We’re nearly to that boulder where I hid my dress. How are you feeling?”

“Like I just spent the last two days on a bender at Willy’s, drinking the cheap stuff.” He ran his hand across his eyes and realized he was still vamped out. Shaking his head slightly he changed back to his human visage. “Bollocks, Slayer, what happened? I don’t even remember gettin’ on the bloody horse.”

Buffy’s mouth quirked. “That’s because I had to throw you up here like a really large sack of undead potatoes. What’s the last thing you remember?”

Spike thought for a moment. “I was tracking an unusual scent and I came across a big cage with some demons in it.”

“Anything else?”

Spike sat up the rest of the way. “Uh, I remember one of the demons woke up and started talking to me.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t really remember anything else. What happened?”

“Well, when I came in, you were just about to play doorman. I pulled you away and you collapsed. It was almost daylight, so I put you and me on Trigger here and left.”

Spike smiled even though it hurt his head. “I never thought of you as a horsewoman, Summers.”

“Actually one year my parents gave me some horseback riding lessons, but I didn’t really enjoy them. I like ice skating a whole lot better.” She patted the horse’s neck again. “I’m not sure I could’ve managed but Trigger here is really mellow.”

“Thanks for the help back there, Slayer.”

“I’m glad you’re alright. You had me worried.”

Spike thought back to the cave and what the demon in the cage had offered him. He was concerned about how the Slayer would react when she found out that there were demons here powerful enough to remove the chip.

Spike knew he hadn’t willingly started to open the cage; the demon prisoner definitely had a powerful thrall. He’d been with Dru long enough to recognize one when he ran across it.

This new wrinkle didn’t bode well, but Spike refused to let this bollocks up their new relationship. He would tell Buffy later when they were both fresh and could think this through. When he could discuss with a clear head why he’d almost freed some demons in return for the removal of the chip.

Exhausted, he leaned back against Buffy’s back, tightened his encircled arms around her waist and closed his eyes. He would need time to think, but more importantly right now he needed to rest and get his head to stop pounding.

******

McGee was furious. It was too damn early for anyone to be knocking on his office door. He wrenched it open and bellowed. “What the hell do you want?”

Davis stood there with his hat in his hands. “Sir, I’m sorry to bother you so early, but there was a break in at the mine.”

McGee was startled. That was the last thing he expected. “Was anything disturbed?”

“No sir, not that we can see.”

McGee motioned him back out the door. “You did the right thing Davis. I’ll send the
sheriff over later to check everything out. Now, you need to get back to the mine.”

Davis placed his hat back on his head. “Yes sir.”

“And Davis? I expect you to have reached the antechamber by tomorrow.”

Davis nodded. “We should have no problem reaching it by then.”

“Good. Do not open it; just notify me when you do.”

McGee shut the door, quickly strode back to his desk and picked up the heavy crystal. Stroking it, he muttered the incantation to summon the rider. Satisfied, McGee set the crystal down and settled his bulk into the desk chair. It would be necessary to check on the prisoners himself, he couldn’t allow the other demon anywhere near them. If there was anything he’d learned from his years on the Watchers Council, it was to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

McGee touched the crystal again. Everything was falling into place. One more day and the miners would reach the crystal fragments. He would collect the pieces and reunite them. It was unfortunate that the cave had collapsed when he had only sought to hide the additional pieces within it but that was of no importance now. Once he had the crystal of Namine whole again, he would control its power and the riders. Then he could return through the portal and the riders would protect him from the Council’s wrath.

A slight noise interrupted his musing. He looked up to see Grip standing in front of the desk.

The rider’s voice was low. “Why have you summoned me?”

“There was a break in at the mine last night.”

“I was at the mine during the night. I saw no one.” His eyes bored into McGee. “Are my fellow riders undisturbed?”

“No one would dare to venture down that tunnel. The miners are all afraid of it, ever since the blast we created killed all those men. It made the rest superstitious and afraid. I want you to check everything out, just in case. See if you can find out who was nosing around.”

“As you wish.”

“They will be through to the antechamber in one more day’s time.”

“It will only be a little over a week until the alignment. Even within this dimension, I can feel the planets’ movements.”

“We’ll be ready. I have all the ingredients to perform the spell that will reassemble the crystal.” McGee stroked the pointed crystal again. “Then we’ll both be free of this dimension.”

The demon stared at the former Watcher intently. “I have performed my portion of the bargain. I have kept your death at bay in exchange for help with the portal.”

“We have both done what was necessary for our continued survival. When I free your fellow riders using the crystal, I expect that they too will keep the bargain that we’ve struck.”

The demon’s eyes glowed red. “They took the blood oath. It is binding, unbreakable. When we return through the portal, the first thing we will do is destroy the Council of Watchers and their allies.”

McGee smiled. “Good, we’re both agreed.” He waved his hand. “Now, leave me.”

The rider inclined his head, turned and walked into the hall.

Chapter 18 Rules Have Changed

Wave goodbye to what you were
The rules have changed, the lines begin to blur
She makes you hard, it comes on strong
You finally find the place you belong.
-Nine Inch Nails
-With Teeth


“Extraordinary.” Giles stared at the sign before him proclaiming that they had reached the city limits of Sunset, Nevada. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He reached out and touched the wooden sign. It was real. Staring into the valley below, he realized that the town must be real, too.

Willow and Tara walked up and stood next to him on the road. They weren’t sure they could believe their eyes either. Below them lay what appeared to be a bustling western town, circa mid to late 1800’s.

“Giles, how could this be? We went through the portal. We’re not in Nevada; we’re not even in the United States. Jiminy, we’re not even in our own dimension.”

“It l-l-looks like something from one of those old w-w-western movies my dad and brother always watch.”

Giles murmured almost to himself. “The last rider was banished here in 1870. When the crystal was stolen and transported here, it must have changed this reality to match the one in which it was activated. The Council never really understood how it worked and it was obviously more powerful than they knew. Perhaps something went wrong.”

He rubbed his eyes and stared down into the valley again. Briskly, he turned back to the witches. “We’ve got a serious problem. We’ll never fit in down there looking as we do.”

Willow shaded her eyes and looked up at him. “Well, Tara and I could do a glamour spell; it’ll work temporarily, anyway. At least our clothes and outer appearance will match everyone else and it’s a fairly simple spell.”

“That’s a good idea Willow.” Giles backed away from the crest of the hill. “We need to find some place less conspicuous.”

An hour later no one would have recognized the distinguished western gentleman and his two young companions as anything other than citizens from the surrounding area.

“Good job, girls, I think we can feel comfortable walking into town now. I believe our first order of business should be to rent rooms in the local hotel, then we can decide how best to continue our search for Buffy and Spike.”

“I c-c--could feel them during the last locater spell. T-t-they aren’t too far now, w-within a couple miles of town.”

Willow nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think we’ll be able to find them pretty quickly. I just hope they’re okay.”

*****

Buffy woke to find Spike’s arm slung over her stomach, effectively pinning her to the bed. She reached over and poked him with her finger. “Spike, wake up.”

The vampire groaned and didn’t move but a sleep roughened voice whispered. “Need just a bit more, pet, I’m still knackered.”

She smiled at the cuteness of Spike, lying there with his tousled curls, but she still wanted to get up. Buffy poked him again. “You can sleep some more, just move your arm. I’m getting up to find some breakfast.”

They hadn’t eaten anything after returning early that morning for fear of waking the entire household. Spike had still been groggy and Buffy exhausted, so they had just lain across the quilt and fallen asleep. Now, several hours later, she was famished.

Spike didn’t respond again, just slid his arm away and rolled over.

Buffy got up, threw on the hated brown dress and went into the kitchen, where she discovered a note on the counter. Evidently she and Spike were alone in the house. Defoe was working in the far pasture and Kale and Celeste had ridden into town for supplies.

Grabbing a couple pieces of fruit from a clay bowl on the counter, she munched on apples while she walked to the spring house. Once there, she searched until she found Spike’s hidden cache of pig’s blood. Buffy knew that with everything the vampire had been through last night, he would need food. She shook the cold spring water from the jar, tucked it carefully under her arm and followed the narrow dirt path back to the ranch house.

Digging around in the kitchen, she found a small pan and heated the pig’s blood on the wood stove, along with several buckets of water. Buffy wanted another hot bath. Setting the last metal bucket on the stove, she vowed to never complain again about cleaning up the bathroom at home.

She managed to make the first trip back to the bedroom balancing two pails of hot water and a mug of blood without spilling anything. Buffy pushed the bedroom door open with her foot and carefully set the tall mug of blood on the bedside table. After she poured the two buckets of hot water into their bathtub, she walked over to the still slumbering vampire. She reached over, smoothed Spike’s hair back from his forehead and kissed him. “Wake up sleepyhead, I brought you breakfast.”

Spike opened one eye experimentally. His head had stopped pounding. He stretched and sniffed the air. Was that warm blood he smelled? He opened both eyes, sat up against the headboard and flashed a delighted smile. “Thank you, luv that was very thoughtful.”

Buffy smiled in return. “Drink up. After last night, you really need this.”

Spike took a long swallow of the warm pig’s blood and watched as Buffy made a few more trips back and forth with buckets of hot water. While he finished his breakfast, she filled the large tub nearly full with hot water.

During one of her trips a bold idea struck. Spike had declared that the next move was hers, so why shouldn’t she move this relationship forward? Wet Spike in the bath yesterday? That was an image she was still carrying around in her head. Oh yeah.

Dumping the last two buckets, she turned around to Spike. “Would you like to share the bath? The tub’s big enough.”

Spike was momentarily speechless. Had Buffy just asked him to join her? His mind filled with the vision of a naked Buffy in the tub. He raised an eyebrow.

She started to walk toward him. “No sense toting in more hot water when we could share.”

Spike moved from the bed over to her almost before she could complete the sentence. Gathering her into his arms, he gently stroked her hair and murmured. “If we get in that tub together, we won’t be going anywhere for quite awhile and I thought you wanted to go into town.”

He kissed her on the forehead and then leaned his head against hers while he anxiously awaited her response. Spike couldn’t believe he had hesitated, but he had to make absolutely sure Buffy wouldn’t regret her spontaneous offer later.

She spoke softly. “Town will still be there later this afternoon.” She ran her hand across his face.

Spike captured her hand and lightly kissed the palm. Buffy shivered from the sensation. He stepped back and started slowly unbuttoning the little pearl buttons on the front of her dress. His eyes, dark with want, stared into hers. “Then we’d better hurry, we wouldn’t want to have to heat more water.”

Buffy, her own voice husky with desire, replied, “That would be a real waste of our time.”

*****

The Sheriff had walked completely around the mine, but hadn’t found evidence of any disturbance except for the broken padlock. McGee would ride out later today, ostensibly to look over the mining operation but Grip knew that was only a ruse, he would really check on the other riders imprisoned within the mine.

The rider hated that the others were locked away, but had no control over it. When he’d been forced through the portal, the others were already imprisoned and he could do nothing for them. For many years he had been too weak from exposure to the crystal to do anything but hide and try to regain power.

He had been trapped in this dimension for over one hundred years, a mere instant to anyone with his long lifespan and his fellow riders had been trapped here even longer.

The ex-Watcher would have died long ago, his mortal lifespan complete, had not the rider used the power he still could control to push back death. Soon now the ex-Watcher would complete his portion of their agreement and they would all leave through the portal. At that point, the riders would fulfill the other portion of their bargain and destroy McGee’s enemies.

When the alignment allowed them to regain their powers, they would kill the ex-Watcher and take control of the crystal. The riders would have the ability to move from their own dimension to any of their choosing and they could continue their destiny of destruction forever.

He sent his mind out to the other riders trapped within their prison. They could each send thoughts to another, although Grip had made certain McGee was unaware of this ability.

His fellow rider, although still imprisoned within the tunnel, sent visions of the two visitors from the previous night. The first was of the Slayer and the second vision sent to him was of a half breed, a vampire.

The Slayer had prevented the vampire from opening the cage but it was of no importance, he planned to summon the woman tonight. He would have killed the Slayer the previous night, but he had had to kill Teague and he was too weak within this dimension to kill more than once in a night and still pull the victim’s power for his own. But with the Slayer’s power added to his, he would become much stronger.

His fellow rider sent additional thoughts concerning some type of mechanical restraint within the vampire and Grip could feel the vampire’s demon demanding its release. He could also sense power and strength within the half breed. It could make a strong ally, someone to help control the ex-Watcher until the alignment. He would consider removing the restraint.

****

Willow dumped the backpack on the floor and crossed the room. Groaning, she fell across the bed. “God, it feels so good to be out of the sun.”

Tara sat her backpack next to Willow’s. She dropped into the corner chair and kicked off her shoes. Reaching down, she massaged her aching feet. “D-Do you think Mr. Giles will let us rest some before we start searching for Buffy?”

Willow felt as if she were almost too tired to answer. “I told him that we needed a break. He suggested going down to the saloon and eating a late lunch, but I told him we were just too tired. He’s going to get something for us and bring it back here, so we at least have until he shows up.” She groaned again. “I think I’m actually too tired to take my shoes off.”

When the door of the hotel closed behind him, Giles had felt a frisson of excitement. He couldn’t wait to begin his explorations of the small downtown. He knew he’d never get another chance to observe a portion of living history like this again.

The academic within him gleefully rubbed his hands together and tried to mentally record everything around him. It was all so intriguing he just couldn’t help it and perhaps he’d find out some important information. One never knew where important details might be uncovered. Giles stepped briskly into the throng along the main street.

Chapter 19 Love Is A Banquet

Take me now baby, here as I am
Hold me close, try and understand.
Desire is hunger is the fire I breathe
Love is a banquet on which we feed.
-10,000 Maniacs
Because the Night

Buffy languidly played with a strand of Spike's hair. After their explorations in the water, they had subsequently moved to the bed. Two hours later, her head was lying on Spike’s arm as they lay facing each other. They were both completely sated and unable to summon either the energy or the will to move.

Buffy felt truly content and in her personal life she almost never had that kind of peace. It was such a rarity that while she lay there idly examining her emotions, she was truly amazed to realize what she felt. She’d never before been with anyone as caring and tender as Spike. He’d turned out to be an extremely skilled lover, insatiable-gotta love that vampire stamina- and thoroughly unselfish and giving. He hadn’t just taken her to bed; he’d made love to her, treating her as if she were a rare and precious jewel. No one, not even Angel, had ever treated her that way. It was an incredibly heady feeling. Could she possibly be in love already? Buffy was starting to think so.

Spike, lying beside her, had rolled over and was staring blankly up at the ceiling. Currently he had only succeeded in mustering the energy to run his hand lightly up and down Buffy’s side. He was completely worn out- Buffy’s bloody incredible in bed, must be that Slayer constitution- and more content then he could ever remember being in his entire undead life.

Being with Drusilla hadn’t been like this, there had always been the specter of Angelus hovering in the background of that relationship. Spike had finally gotten the chance to show Buffy just how much affection and love he could lavish on her and it was everything he’d always known it would be. It had been wondrous.

Spike nuzzled her hair and gently kissed the top of her head.

Buffy shifted a little and sighed.

But Spike worried that Buffy might be having second thoughts. What was that sigh? He’d completely opened himself up to her, but what if she hadn’t liked what she’d seen? He was still a vampire, a soulless demon, and she was the Slayer. Just because he’d thought everything had been incredible didn’t mean that she’d thought so, too. Maybe she’d begun to think this wasn’t going to work after all.

“Why are you sighing luv? Is everything alright? Are we still okay?” His voice held a slight note of anxiety.

Buffy searched his aspect and smiled softly. “Everything’s more than okay, it’s perfect.” She ran a finger lightly across his face and his mouth. He caught it between his lips and kissed it.

Buffy rolled onto her back, bit her lip and sighed again. She did have concerns that needed to be voiced. “Spike, no guy ever stays with me. They all leave, just like Angel did.”

Buffy sounded apprehensive. “This is almost too perfect, we’re too perfect. When we get back to Sunnydale, please tell me you’re not going to leave or go back to hating me.”

Spike kissed her cheek. “First of all, I haven’t hated you in a long time.” He chuckled. “Although I may have thought you were extremely annoyin’.”

Buffy snickered. “Mutual.”

“Secondly, Angel is a git. He left to give you a ‘normal life.’ Bloody hell, you’re the Slayer; normal isn’t ever goin’ to be in your vocabulary. Buffy, you’ve always needed someone who won’t tiptoe around tryin’ to make everythin’ ‘perfect’. You just need someone strong you can depend on to watch your back and I’m makin’ a vow to you that I’ll always be here for you.”

“You’ve already been doing that for me. You’ve been right there, watching my back, even before this trip. Yet you give me space to let me do what I feel needs to be done.” She rested her head on her arm and let out a deep breath. “It’s such a relief not to have to pretend to be less than I am. With you, it’s easy to just be me.”

Spike sat up on his elbows and looked down at her. “Buffy, do you have any idea how much I care about you? I mean really care about you? God, woman, do you even have any bloody idea at all how strong, how beautiful you are? I’m not talkin’ about just on the outside, either.”

He ran his eyes down her naked body and leered. “Although that’s not too bad either.”

Buffy chuckled and lightly smacked his arm. “Incorrigible, much?”

Spike’s expression sobered as he looked deeply into her large hazel eyes. He needed to make sure she understood. “You’re strong, carin’ and kind and you have to take care of everyone around you. Being the Slayer is a lonely job and I want to make it a lot less lonely. And just so that you completely understand, you need to know that I’ve had these deep feelings for quite a while now, just been afraid to tell you.”

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I never dared dream it could turn into something like this.” He suddenly grimaced. “Especially since I don’t have a get out of jail free card like Peaches. Him and his bloody soul.”

A frown crossed Buffy’s face. “Yeah, ‘cause the whole ‘soul thing’ worked out so well for me and Angel.” She placed her hand on top of his and continued.

“Spike, you’ve got to believe me when I tell you that this isn’t casual for me either. I care deeply about you, too. I’m not sure when my feelings changed so much, but now I’ve gotten the chance to see who you really are and I like that person very much. Look at how far you’ve come without having a soul. I don’t think that a soul would make you any different and frankly, it doesn’t matter to me. I want you exactly as you are right now.”

Buffy stared deeply into his eyes. She had to make sure he understood. “You’re the man who carried me all the way across a desert. The man who took care of me. The man who’ll still be by my side when I wake up tomorrow. Yeah, you’re a vampire. Trust me, I so get that. I mean, Slayer here. But that’s not all of who you are; it’s just another part of you, just like being the Slayer is another part of who I am.”

Buffy raised her hand and traced his sharp cheekbone. “We’re a lot alike and I can be help for you, too. I’ll be there when things get out of control. We’ll both have someone we can trust and lean on when we need extra strength.”

Spike listened to everything Buffy said with a growing sense of confidence. She really understood him as well as he understood her and he loved her even more for it.

Spike shifted so he could tenderly stroke her face. No matter what happened in the future, he would always be hers, he would be her willing slave. All he’d ever wanted was a chance to stand by her side.

Spike made another vow, this time to himself, that he would willingly dust before he would allow anything to hurt her.

“You’re the first man that has ever tried to let me just be who I am, not what other people want me to be and that’s so rare in my life. I think we’re going to be really, really good for each other.”

She shifted back to her side. Brushing her finger lightly along his bare shoulder and down his alabaster chest, she watched him shudder and moan lightly.

Spike placed his hands on Buffy’s shoulders and gently pushed her back down on the bed. Leaning over her, he trailed tiny kisses and licks from the hollow at the base of her neck up to her ear. When she moaned, he whispered in her ear. “I think we’ve done enough talking, don’t you? Right now, luv, I think we should just be good to each other.”

Chapter 20 Please Can You Tell Me

I’m sinking slowly, so hurry hold me
Your hand is all I have
to keep me hanging on
Please can you tell me
so I can finally see
Where you go
when you are gone?
-Michelle Branch
-All You Wanted


The sun had started its inexorable slide by the time Buffy and Spike finally dressed.

“Incredible sex can sure mess up a time table.” Buffy was a little chagrined at how late it was. She glanced at the slanting light through the little window, grimaced and began to stuff things into their backpack faster.

Spike lit a cigarette and slid his lighter into a front pocket. Languidly he leaned back against the wall, exhaling the smoke out through the open window. Watching the Slayer try to beat the Guinness world record in speed packing, he smirked, “The sex was incredible, huh?”

Buffy shook her head at the typical male response. “Yeah, and if you ever want to have more, you’ll help pack.” Exasperated, she tugged again at the backpack’s straps. “How could there be no room? It’s not like we bought souvenirs.”

Spike pushed away from the wall. “Here Slayer, maybe there’s some room in these.”

He reached down and picked up the worn saddlebags. “What’s in here?”

Buffy finally latched the backpack. Lifting it, she placed it beside the door. “I don’t really know. When we got back last night, I was so busy helping this really loopy and exhausted vampire into bed, I just dropped them in that corner.” She glanced at them.

“Oooh, maybe there’s something in there that we can use.”

Spike dropped the saddlebags on the rag rug in front of the bed, sat down cross legged beside them and tugged open one side.

“Here are some things I bet we end up usin’ all the time.” Amused, Spike pulled out several small worn books and stacked them in front of Buffy. He continued to dig, pulling out things that had been wedged underneath the books.

Buffy shrugged, sat down and opened the other saddlebag.

Ten minutes later they were taking inventory of the small pile of belongings Teague had considered important enough to carry around with him. There were extra clothes, a comb, a worn leather wallet with some old fashioned silver dollar coins and some modern paper money, several poker chips, a small ornate silver pocket watch and fob, a bill of sale for his horse with the name Jackpot written in ink along the border, a set of car keys and the six small leather bound books.

Buffy sat straighter and blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Well, at least we can quit calling the horse Trigger. I like Jackpot a lot better, don’t you? That’s a great name for such a sweetie and he’s a really pretty horse, too.”

Spike, rifling through the wallet, rolled his eyes and spoke to the ceiling. “Bloody hell, she’s named it. Does this mean we have to keep it?” He stuffed the money in his coat pocket. “There’s probably enough dosh here to get us a hotel room and a few meals, although I can definitely say that Teague was not a wealthy man. This watch is the only thing of any real value.”

Spike briefly glanced at the watch. He’d owned one almost like it when he was still human. He stuffed it into the same pocket as the money.

He sat back and twirled the set of car keys on his finger. “I bet these fit the ignition of a white lorry stashed somewhere in our own dimension.” He mused. “I bet one of the witches could do a spell and find it.”

He glanced over at Buffy. She was leafing through one of the books, a disdainful look across her face. “What is it Slayer? He snickered. “Are the words too big for you?”

Buffy closed the book. “I don’t know. They’re all in some old foreign language.” She smirked and tossed the book to him. “You’re old and foreign, maybe you can read it.”

Spike chuckled and caught the book neatly. He tried to read the tiny print. “This is no language I’ve ever seen.”

Buffy’s brows knit together. “Where would Teague get these and why would he even want them?”

Spike stood up, reached down and helped Buffy up. “I dunno Slayer, but he thought they were important enough to drag around with him everywhere he went.”

Buffy opened the saddlebag. “I think we better hang on to them. Maybe someone will come along who can actually read them.”

She stuffed the books back in. “Come on Spike, we need to say our goodbyes. It’s time we got moving.”

They grabbed their things and headed out to the kitchen to thank their hosts for their many kindnesses.

*****

“Mmm, this is really good, Giles.” Willow crammed another hot biscuit in her mouth.

She glanced over at the woman beside her. Tara was busy scooping up a huge forkful of mashed potatoes and gravy.

“The saloon downstairs does seem to have very good food.” Giles bit into his last piece of fried chicken with gusto. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get back. I’m afraid I lost track of the time.”

Tara swallowed the potatoes. “We should do another l-l- location spell now.”

Giles, his mouth too full to speak, nodded.

Willow looked at her nearly empty plate and frowned. “This is just a little wiggy. We know that this dimension was rearranged, probably by the crystal of Namine, and yet it all seems so perfectly normal.”

She shrugged. “On the other hand, we’ve only been here for a few hours. Things could go oh so wrong later.”

Giles polished off his biscuit and wiped his hands. “I would guess that the people here wouldn’t realize anything is unusual, but the crystal seems to have set up a completely unchanging world. This society hasn’t advanced in any respect since 1870. I didn’t see anything from a more modern era anywhere within the town.”

Tara stacked Willow’s plate with hers. “Didn’t Hockney w-w-write that the crystal was
s-s-stolen by a Watcher?”

Giles nodded absentmindedly. “Yes, that’s correct. I believe I read that his name was Nathaniel McGee.” He suddenly sat upright. “Oh dear Lord.” Then he shook his head. “That can’t be correct; he’d be long dead by now.”

“What is it Giles?”

“The bartender downstairs in the saloon mentioned that the owner’s name was McGee.”

“You think maybe this McGee could be related to that other McGee? Maybe he’s a great, great, great grandson or something?”

“I suppose that could be possible, if this is indeed where he ended up. Right now the only trail we have to follow is Teague.”

He picked up the empty dishes. “Or it could be a complete coincidence. All of this is conjecture. Our first priority must be to find Buffy. Willow, you and Tara prepare your locater spell and I’ll return these dishes to the saloon.”

When Giles returned he found that Willow and Tara had been so impatient they had already worked the spell.

Willow sat up happily. “She’s close to us, maybe two or three miles from here.” She rubbed her eyes and suppressed a yawn. Tara reached over and rubbed her back briefly before falling back against the chair.

“Good.” Giles noticed for the first time how exhausted the young women appeared. This afternoon’s euphoria worn off, he realized that he was extremely tired, too. They had all three awakened before dawn and then trekked across the desert. It had been a long day.

“I think it would be foolhardy to attempt to walk through the desert in the dark, with no clear knowledge of what’s out there.” He stood up. “I propose an early night. We’ll meet first thing tomorrow morning and locate Buffy. Good night girls.”

Gratefully they chorused, “Good night Giles.”

******

Spike held the reins in one hand and his cigarette in the other. A bloke could get used to this slow pace again. When Spike had been alive, his family had owned several horses and he’d never really given any thought to them. They were merely a means of travel. Then cars had arrived and he’d completely pushed them from his mind. But now, sitting astride Jackpot- having seen the poker chips he knew Teague had probably won the animal- Spike realized that he actually enjoyed horseback riding. The moon was nearly full and he had Buffy’s warm body snuggled against his back, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. It was incredibly tranquil, but as loath as he was to break the spell, Spike still had to have that conversation he’d postponed earlier.

He pitched his cigarette, watching the flame arc before falling to the sandy ground.
Stretching his neck and shoulders, he cleared his throat. “Slayer, there’s something important that I need to tell you about last night.”

Buffy had been nearly asleep when Spike spoke. The rocking motion of the horse coupled with leaning against Spike’s cool back had relaxed her. Feeling his back stiffen and hearing the trepidation in Spike’s voice caused her to sit up. “What’s the sitch?”

Spike, suddenly bereft of Buffy’s warm arms, cursed at having been so abrupt. Undone again by his bloody impatience, there was nothing to do now but continue.

“Remember when you came in and I was about to open that cage?”

“Yeah, when I pulled you away, you seemed confused like you were in some sort of trance.”

At least she sounded concerned and not pissed off. Spike took that as a good sign and plunged on. “Well, just before that happened, one of the demons woke up and was talkin’ to me.”

Buffy nodded even though Spike couldn’t see it. “I remember you said that.”

Spike took a deep breath. “It offered me a deal. If I would open the cage and release the three of them, it would do something for me, something it knew that I wanted.”

Curiosity colored her voice. “What did it offer you?”

Spike voice went flat. “It would remove the chip.”

“Oh.”

Spike couldn’t tell what Buffy was thinking and he cursed himself again for starting this conversation without any way to see the Slayer’s face. He itched to see Buffy’s expression, but he curbed his impatience and waited. The ball was in her court.

Buffy sighed. This was so not how she wanted to have a conversation like this; in the dark with no way to see each other. This was the way her life always went. When things were going well, she could always guarantee something would come along and try to screw it up. Buffy could tell Spike was really upset by the rigid set of his shoulders, and he was still waiting on her response.

Buffy laid her hand on his shoulder and spoke softly. “If it happens, we’ll deal. We won’t let that come between us.”

“I’ve been having trouble keeping my demon under control since we got here.” He continued on in that same flat voice. “The prisoner must have had some way to read my thoughts and offered the bargain. Then I must have given up and let it take over totally.”

His shoulders hunched as he continued. “I can’t deny that I’ve wanted the chip out, but Buffy, that was before us. If it wasn’t for the bloody thing, we wouldn’t have had this chance. I don’t want to lose you.”

“If it happens, you won’t lose me.”

Astonishment colored his voice. “There’s no way that wouldn’t affect our relationship.”

Bitterness infused his next sentence. “Your Watcher would be first on board the ‘stake the vamp’ train, but he wouldn’t be the only one. He’ll expect me to start feeding again and attempt to kill you or some of the others. He’ll demand that you dust me. You’re the Slayer; it’ll be your job to do it.”

His voice broke. “I don’t ever want to cause you that much pain.”

Buffy stroked his shoulder and spoke softly. “Are you saying that you’d be doing things that would require staking? Because I just don’t see it, Spike, not even with these damn demons trying to run everything.”

She really needed to see his face. “Spike, could you stop? I think we need to finish this convo not on the move.”

“I think you’re right.” He pulled the reins and Jackpot promptly stopped.

Spike jumped down first and when he offered a hand to Buffy, she saw his bleak expression. She took his hand but refused to release it. With their hands still clasped, they walked over and sat on a flat boulder a few feet from the horse.

Finally seated where they could see each other, Buffy continued her line of reasoning.
“Spike, that chip wouldn’t stop you if you really wanted to do it. Hell, you could hire someone else. If you ever had any money that is.” She smiled briefly.

“Since we went through the portal, you’ve had chances to get rid of me, but instead, you walked for miles in the desert to try to save me. Are these the actions of a vampire that plans on killing the Slayer? I don’t think so and I never will, because I trust you.”

She placed each hand on the side of his face and lifted it. The anguish was so apparent in his face that her heart twisted for him. She dropped her hands and spoke quietly. “I hate the way everything always tries to play me and the people around me, especially the people I love.”

Spike considered everything that she’d just said. Buffy really did trust him, chip or no chip. Suddenly what she’d actually said really registered for the first time. “Pet, what did you just say to me?”

Buffy smiled at him. She’d already decided during their earlier conversation while still riding Jackpot that she needed to offer him something that would help anchor him, to help fight these feelings of despair and insecurity.

Buffy knew that she really did love Spike with all her heart; she just hadn’t had the courage to say it. She’d never been very good at talking about her deepest emotions, but now it had to be said. Spike needed to understand why she trusted him so completely.

“When? You mean about getting played?”

Spike shook his head and his eyes started to sparkle. “No, before that.”

Nonchalantly she crossed her ankles. “Oh, you mean the part about being in love with you?”

He smiled. “Yeah, that part.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Did you mean it?”

Buffy pretended to be insulted. “Oh, you think that I’d say something like that if I didn’t mean it?” She shook her head and teased him a bit. “I don’t think making you feel better would be at the top of my list of reasons to say something like that unless,” She paused dramatically, “I really meant it of course.” She giggled.

Spike pulled her in for a long, deep kiss. When she finally pulled away to breathe, he leaned his head against hers. “Oh God, Buffy, I’ve loved you for months.” She loves me!!

She leaned back and gazed at his gorgeous blue eyes. “What do you say we go find that hotel now? Suddenly I seem to really want a bed.” Wow, he’s loved me for months??

Spike murmured. “Don’t have to have a bed, could take you right here in the desert.” He pulled her close again.

Buffy’s breath hitched, but she took a deliberate step back and shook her head. “No, let’s go, it can’t be that far into town.” She tugged on his arm and laughed. “Besides, I really don’t want sand everywhere.”

Spike willingly allowed her to pull him toward their horse. He knew they had to get to town and now that all their feelings were out in the open, he could be patient and wait. Buffy was really his now and he would show her just what that meant. And when we get settled down in that hotel room....

Jackpot, waiting patiently, nosed among the desert plants for a tasty snack. When they approached he nickered a greeting.

“What a sweet horse, Spike. Did you hear that? He said hello to us.”

“Slayer, you can’t keep a horse tethered to that tree on Revello. He’s goin’ to have to stay here when we go back.”

“We could tie him to your crypt.”

“No bloody way.”

“He likes you a lot. I can tell.”

“No.”

Chapter 21 Green Is Your Last Hope

Violet flows from the wound in your chest.
Black is the hole in which you rest.
Your heart of gold was ripped in two
soaked in the sickness that is you.
Grey is the box that holds my head.
Yellow’s the wind when everyone’s dead.
Red is the dried blood on the rope
while green is your last hope.
-The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets
-Colour Me Green

The Diamond Saloon and Hotel turned out to be a nice place for people and horses. Spike left Jackpot stabled in a large, roomy stall eating the premium oats that the hotel provided for their four legged guests. Walking back from the stable, Spike grinned at the mental image of the horse tethered in Joyce’s front yard.

He opened the ornate glass door and strolled across the saloon’s polished wooden floor toward the hotel stairs. He was on the first step, twirling the key to his and Buffy’s room when he heard a voice call his name.

Turning around, he saw Verda walking toward him. “’Lo Verda. I’d forgotten that you work here.”

“You and Buffy left Celeste’s place? Well, you’ll like the hotel. McGee may be an ass, but the hotel is nice.” She moved closer and pitched her voice lower. “Something’s going on Spike. Remember how I told you that McGee was digging for something specific at the mine?” Verda waited until he nodded and then continued. “Well, some miners were in earlier from second shift and whatever it is, they’ll have it in their hands in two days time.

After dinner last night, Defoe and I talked. We both got the impression that for some reason you two were really interested in McGee and the mine, so I thought you should know about this.”

Spike smirked. “We were that bloody obvious?”

Verda shrugged. “I’m just good at reading people and so is Defoe.”

She touched his hand and a serious expression crossed her face. “Just be careful. McGee may be mean, but his sheriff is a whole different level of mean.”

“Where is the sheriff? I’d like to get a look at the wanker.”

Verda smiled thinly. “Well, then you’re in luck tonight. He just came in a few minutes ago to join the poker game we run in room 7. He does that, he’ll sit in for a few hours and then later, he’ll leave for somewhere else. It’s an open game and for the price of a few chips, anyone can join.”

When the vampire nodded his understanding, she turned to leave. “Watch your back, Spike.”

Spike was still thinking about the conversation with Verda as he walked down the hall toward his and Buffy’s room. He turned a corner in the hall, caught a familiar scent and slid close to the door. Within the room were two heartbeats and two very familiar scents. Red and her girlfriend deeply asleep and that meant Rupert must be here somewhere. The Watcher had finally shown up looking for his errant Slayer and with the two witches in tow.

Spike grimaced; he could only hope they’d left Harris at home. He thought about the ramifications of Buffy being reunited with her friends here instead of the Hellmouth. Would she tell them about the huge change in their relationship or try to hide it? Spike didn’t fancy meeting up with them, no matter which way the Slayer chose. He knew with the addition of her friends and the Watcher, things were going to be very different either way.

Spike walked into the room and tossed the hotel key on the roll top desk in the corner. He noticed Buffy, still damp from her bath, brushing her hair by the window. She set the brush down and held her arms out to him.

Spike’s breath caught as he gazed at the woman he loved sitting in the moon light. He crossed the room in one bound, picked her up in his arms, carried her to their bed and growled. “I love you and I have to have you right now. I can’t wait any longer.”

Buffy twined her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “I love you, too.” She murmured quietly against his neck. “We did finally make it to the hotel.”

Spike gently laid her down on the bed as she kissed him hungrily. This would not be slow and sweet, this would be hard and fast, they were both too aroused to wait. He growled again, deep in his throat. Buffy wrapped her legs around him and using her powerful leg muscles, pulled him down on top of her. They both wanted the physical confirmation of their love and they wanted it now.

******

A while later as the moon continued to shine through the hotel window; Buffy finished buttoning her long blue skirt and frowned. “This doesn’t sound like a really good idea, Spike. What if you lose?”

“Pet, I’ve been playing poker for over a hundred years and I think I can hold my own against a bunch of humans and a demon or two.” He pulled his black tee back over his head.

“Yeah? Well, I’ve seen you play poker and it’s not really that impressive. I remember a certain blond vamp who even managed to lose all the kittens out of his basket once.” Buffy buttoned her long sleeved shirt, tucked it into her skirt and cinched the belt.

“Lose them? The way I remember it, a certain blonde bint dumped ‘em out. Anyway, we’re not even playin’ for kittens; they use plain old money here.” Spike finished putting on his Doc Martens and shrugged into his duster.

Buffy pulled on her boots. “That’s my point. We don’t actually have any ‘plain old’ money. We have enough for this room and breakfast tomorrow. How will you even get in the game?”

Spike was way ahead of her. He’d known the stubborn chit wouldn’t go for his idea right away, so he’d been prepared. “I’ll use these.” He opened his palm and showed her the handful of chips they’d found among Teague’s possessions. “There’s enough here for my stake.”

Buffy smirked. “If all you need is a staking…”

He shook his head. He’d walked right into that one.

Spike dropped the chips into his pocket, turned to her and spoke seriously. “Slayer, you need info on the town, McGee and this black rider. I figure the poker game is the best place for it and since no one knows me, it’s our best chance.”

“I’m going to search McGee’s office while you’re upstairs.”

Spike wisely refrained from comment, realizing this was the closest he’d get to her actual agreement. He nodded and started for the door.

Buffy finished tying her blonde hair into a ponytail. “We’ll meet back down here in a couple hours.”

“Watch yourself, Slayer; there could be almost any kind of security set up in that office. It’ll probably be dangerous.”

“Not any more dangerous than the way you play poker.”

*****

Spike was actually an extremely accomplished poker player. Beside the fact that he had been playing the game for over one hundred years, he had a real knack for reading people.

What Buffy had seen at Willy’s before was almost an entirely different game being played-poker among the demon set. It was a given that this entailed cheating as much as possible without getting caught. The game was secondary to the cheating and the bluster.

Spike was determined to show Buffy that his was a worthwhile plan. He knew how much some humans liked to talk and he wanted to hear anything that spilled from their drunken mouths, so he had two goals for the evening. He would listen to everything said during the next few hours, but more importantly at first, he would need to parlay the few chips he was bringing with him into enough to have an excuse to remain.

The Sheriff had just ordered a drink when he saw the blond stranger walk in the door. He watched as the hotel staff smiled and pointed to a chair at another table. Acknowledging his fellow players, the stranger settled in to play.

The rider was not concerned; he had recognized the stranger from the images sent by his fellow demon. It was the vampire from the mine and since the vampire was not aware of his actual identity, the sheriff relaxed and scanned his hand again.

Luckily, Spike had begun his evening by winning a couple of pots early on which enabled him to continue playing and also afforded him the ability to buy rounds for the table. This endeared him to his fellow players and they started to chatter happily while Spike smiled, joked, and listened.

He had been playing for almost an hour, easily keeping one ear on the tables next to him and one on his fellow players. He’d found out a lot about the mine since the two men sitting to his left were both miners and he’d also learned a few things about the town itself and even a little about McGee. The Sheriff, Grip, was another matter altogether. None of the players would even return his comments or questions about the man, either saying ‘I don’t really know him well’ or shrugging their shoulders. Spike was frustrated. And after an hour of observing the demon and listening to his monosyllabic responses, he had only really learned one thing about him.

The Sheriff was a really bad loser. He grasped the mechanics of the game well enough, but one of the other players was on an incredible winning streak. When Spike had arrived, the Sheriff had been merely taciturn, but after losing several hands in a row, he had become mean spirited and surly. The humans at the table with him were becoming increasingly agitated and some had started preparing to leave.

Spike smirked to himself. This guy acted like any other typically mean demon on a losing streak. Then the winning player announced that he had to leave and the sheriff finally started to win.

A few moments later, Spike found his chance when the men at his table got up to leave for their shift. Spike stood up, looked around and shrugged good naturedly. He moved to sit at the table with the Sheriff, a couple of townies, and two others from his posse. “Hope you don’t mind me joinin’.”

The Sheriff stared at him and Spike’s vampiric reflexes enabled him to catch the minute red flash that quickly disappeared from the demon’s eye. “Are you sure you want to sit in? I bet your woman has a really powerful temper and if you stay out late, she’ll kill you.”

Spike realized that somehow the demon knew about him. Before he could frame a reply, one of the other men at the table smiled jovially and stuck out his hand. “Don’t mind the Sheriff, he’s just jokin’. Glad you could join us. My name’s Turner.”

Spike swallowed the nasty comeback he had been about to utter and sat down. He forced a smile and replied, “’Lo, name’s Spike.” He started stacking chips on the table in front of his new seat. “So, what are we playin’?”

*****

Buffy quickly opened the door to McGee’s office and slid inside. Softly closing it, she stood very still and listened. The sound of women chattering in Spanish floated toward her from further down the hall. There was a heavy curtain over the window in the office and as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the nearly total darkness, she stretched her arm and leg muscles. She had had to wait out in the hall, hiding behind some large velvet drapes for almost thirty minutes; neither she nor Spike had given any thought to the possibility of a night cleaning crew.

At almost the same moment that Buffy had figured out which office was the correct one, three women had appeared carrying cleaning supplies. Calling back and forth to each other in Spanish, they had begun to clean the various offices that were located on the same floor. Evidently, McGee was also a landlord and had rented space on this floor to several other businesses. Luckily for Buffy, the presence of the cleaning crew assured her that there would be no clever traps within the office. McGee seemed to be comfortably unafraid within his own private domain.

After Buffy was certain the women were finally moving down the stairs to the next floor, she began her search. Turning on her pen light, she started carefully rifling through the various desk drawers, but either McGee was exceptionally tidy or he really didn’t have any actual job. There were no loose papers or work of any type within them, just the usual office detritus, which in his case consisted mainly of pencils and blank paper.

Buffy snorted. McGee was turning out to be like a sort of lazy middle manager, delegating all the real work to others, whether human or demon.

Finally underneath yet another stack of blank paper in the very bottom drawer, she found his bank book and scanned it quickly. McGee had made regular deposits throughout the year, but in the last entry of the book, dated yesterday, he had withdrawn it all.

Sliding the bank book back under the paper, she ran the narrow beam of light across his desk. It was also exceptionally tidy. When the narrow light crossed the corner of the desk, Buffy knew she’d struck pay dirt. Sitting on the desk was a large cylindrical crystal and it looked exactly like the one in her dream. Leaving it for later, she reluctantly moved to the remainder of the office.

Remembering Verda’s comment about the books, she walked over to the large oak shelves on the other side of the office. Unfortunately Buffy couldn’t tell whether the titles were important or just average run of the mill books. It was too difficult to read the faded titles in the darkened office using only the narrow pen light.

Shrugging she returned to the desk, picked up the crystal and felt something almost like a slight electrical charge emanating from somewhere within it. Grimacing at the uncomfortable feeling, she carefully tucked the crystal under her arm and draped the corner of her long skirt over it. The effect was as if she were holding her skirt so that she could walk more easily. Opening the office door, she glanced back and forth down the hall. Seeing no one, she stepped into the hall and closed the door. Still cradling the crystal, she walked briskly back to the stairs.

******

“I’ll see that and raise you another dollar.” Spike leaned back and lit a cigarette. Under hooded eyes, he watched Turner, the fat Sheriff’s deputy trying to decide if his hand was good enough to stay. Spike watched his tell and knew he had nada, he would fold.

“I fold.” Turner dropped his cards face down, pushed away from the table and drained the last of his beer.

Spike stifled his grin and shifted to the other deputy, Carl. He was a better player and it had taken Spike nearly fifteen minutes to spot his tell. He probably had a decent hand; he was a very conservative player. This was the last pot of the night, with no limit, so Spike waited to see if he’d stay. It didn’t matter; Spike knew that between the two of them, he had the better hand.

He watched the cigarette smoke spiral toward the gas light fixture in the ceiling and patiently waited.

Carl exhaled a deep breath and dropped his cards on the table. “I’m out.”

That left Spike and the Sheriff still in the game. Spike and the other demon had gone back and forth for the last half hour. First one would win a game, then the other. Spike, realizing that Turner was the loose mouth of the bunch, had desperately tried to keep him in the game all night. He was a terrible poker player; he drank too much and never concentrated on the game. Spike had spent a large portion of the money he had taken from the men at the other table, trying to unobtrusively pump up anyone who sat in, especially Turner.

Finally the Sheriff had announced the last game of the night, and Spike was playing seriously. He carefully fed the pot and kept all the other players in until nearly the end.

Now he and the Sheriff, the final two players, watched each other intently across the largest pot anyone had seen in several weeks.

The high stakes game drew the remaining card players from around the room and everyone stood and watched as the two squared off across the table.

Spike patiently took another drag from his cigarette.

The Sheriff stared at Spike, his mouth curled in a sneer and he decisively pushed the remainder of his chips to the center of the table. “All in.”

Spike leaned forward, languidly pushing in the last of his chips. “Call you, mate.”

The entire room grew quiet.

The Sheriff turned his cards face up. He had a full house, kings over tens.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes riveted on Spike.

Spike laid his cards down and turned them over slowly one at a time. The queen of diamonds, queen of clubs, queen of hearts and finally, the queen of spades.

The room erupted in excited chatter.

The Sheriff’s mouth tightened and he leaned forward, across the large pile of chips. His eyes flashed red. His voice full of menace, he spoke so low only Spike’s enhanced hearing could catch it over the excited din.

“She is mine, vampire. There is nothing you can do to save her.”

Standing up abruptly, he turned and strode out of the room.

Spike leaned back in the chair and narrowed his eyes.
There’s one thing I can do. I can make bloody sure you die instead of her.

Chapter 22 Anything It’s Not

Please don’t make this
about anything its not.
I can’t be as sorry
as you think.
But I still love you more
than anyone else could.
-Snow Patrol
Make This Go On Forever

Buffy was waiting when Spike returned from the poker game. “Okay, you tell me about Spikey’s adventures at the poker game and I’ll tell you about Buffy’s adventures at the office.”

“Those sound like porn movie titles, luv.” He kissed her and walked to the small roll top desk under the window. “I’ve got some info about the mine and a bit about McGee.”

Spike had already decided not to worry Buffy by talking about the Sheriff, so he diverted her attention by dropping a heavy canvas sack on the desktop. “Oh, and I won a bit of dosh, too.”

Buffy laughed, delighted. Spike had done it after all, the vamp was nothing if not surprising. “Okay, you can keep me in the style that I plan to become accustomed to, I get it.”

She reached under the bed and pulled out the crystal. “But my new crystal beats your old sack of money any day.”

Spike strode over and took a closer look. “Was this in McGee’s office?”

“Yeah, and that was about the only thing, too. I sure wish Giles was here to figure out what this thing does.”

“Yeah, about Giles, there’s something I need to tell you.”

When Buffy heard that Willow and Tara were staying in the hotel, she insisted on being shown to their room and woke the witches without a qualm. After the initial delighted hugs were over, the first thing they did was give her Giles’ room number; the second was assure her that Dawn was fine, then they agreed to dress and meet again in fifteen minutes.

Buffy asked Spike to pick up some coffee from the saloon for everybody while she went to wake the Watcher. When Spike turned for the stairs, she called his name out softly.

“Spike?”

“Yeah, luv?”

Buffy walked over, touched his face and continued to speak softly. “I’m going to tell everyone about us in the morning, I just don’t want them distracted right now. There’s a lot to catch up on, especially with the crystal.” She caught his hand. “I’m not going to try to hide our relationship.”

“There is a lot to talk about, but I’m not sure pretendin’ anythin’ is different than it really is would be a good idea, even for just one night.”

“You’re probably right. I guess we’ll just have to play it by ear.”

She kissed him. “I’ll catch you back at the room.”

Before the Slayer could walk away, Spike said softly. “It’s bloody great news about the Niblet.”

Buffy smiled. “Yeah, it really is.” Her expression grew serious. “I’ll see you in a few minutes upstairs.”

Spike nodded and started down the stairs. Buffy was nervous about actually saying outright that they were a couple, and he was nervous, too. Neither Rupert nor the witches were stupid or unobservant and Spike knew that the minute they realized the blond couple were sharing a hotel room with only one bed, they would be suspicious. The moment they became suspicious, they would begin to watch for clues that supported their suspicions.

Spike realized that no matter how they tried to act, he and Buffy were fairly transparent, neither one of them very adept at hiding their feelings.

They didn’t have to worry about telling everyone; it would become obvious fairly quickly. It was actually how the trio reacted to the news that was the most important.

Spike knew that thoughts revolving around a pointed stick would probably figure prominently in Rupert’s initial reaction. Spike smirked. Later tonight, Rupes would probably wish the saloon carried valium, or at least extra strength Tylenol.

****

It took Giles a few moments to answer the door when Buffy knocked. He opened the door while still trying to adjust his glasses and blinked owlishly in the hall’s bright light. “What is it Willow?” He looked down at the woman standing there with a grin on her face.

“Good Lord. Buffy, is it really you?”

She reached out to give the shocked man a hug. “Yup, it’s really, truly me. One Slayer at your service.”

While her Watcher struggled to wake up and grasp the situation, Buffy moved past him into the room. “This looks exactly like the other rooms. You’d think they’d at least try for some variation, you know, kinda like Disney did. They’ve got each room decorated differently. When I was little we stayed in a room that had huge mouse ears all over the walls.” She shrugged. “Maybe it’s a western thing or maybe just another dimension thing.”

“Giles, we’re meeting upstairs in room seventeen in ten minutes and Spike went to get everyone coffee.” She looked amused. “I think you need it most of all, must be the age.” Still leaving the gaping Watcher standing there, she strolled to the door. “We’ve got lots to talk about; the sitch is a little confusing.” She closed the door.

Ten minutes later Spike, secretly amused, handed out coffee. He had drawn the whelp’s job. Bet they forgot where they were and tried to send him out for donuts later.

“Oooh, this coffee is really hot.” Willow leaned over her cup and blew. She leaned back against the couch, experimentally took another sip, and beamed. She was happy to see Buffy again and bonus, she wouldn’t be required to walk across the desert tomorrow. Being awakened in the wee hours of the morning? No biggie.

Used to sudden situations arising, everyone settled down remarkably fast. Buffy recited a carefully edited version of their stay. Giles brought the blonde couple up to speed on what the Scoobies had discovered.

After Willow completed her explanation of the four horsemen, Buffy leaned close and spoke to Spike. They had unconsciously sat down close to each other on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed. “So those demons in the mine are buddies of the dark horse guy.”

“Black Rider.” Spike frowned. “They must be able to communicate with each other somehow. That’s how the wanker sussed who I was.”

Spike had noticed the frown that had appeared on the Watcher’s face when he had sat down next to Buffy. When she leaned in toward him and made the comment about the demons, Giles had briefly stared at them both. Spike knew the next time they did something that Giles considered out of character; the Watcher would be certain. Not wishing to be the one who forced the issue, Spike focused his attention on the floor.

Tara showed Buffy the picture of Teague.

“Yeah, that’s the guy that died.” Buffy placed her hand gently on Spike’s thigh. “Where did you put the saddlebags? I want Giles to have a look at those books.”

Spike nodded, squeezed her hand and got up to get the saddlebags. Mentally slapping himself for his own faux paux, he tried to divert the Watcher’s attention. “Slayer, you should show your Watcher the crystal.”

Giles had watched the exchanges between Spike and Buffy since the meeting had first begun. They were behaving so much differently toward each other than before they had left Sunnydale, there was such an ease between them.

Rupert Giles was no fool. He realized that life and death situations sometimes caused people to become much closer, however the relationship between his Slayer and the vampire seemed to be about so much more.

Giles was afraid that his suspicions would turn out to be accurate, knowing Buffy’s predilection for vampire boyfriends.

A few minutes later Buffy had placed her hand on Spike’s leg. When Spike winked and squeezed her hand in return before standing, Giles fears were confirmed. They were definitely sleeping together and in the only bed in the room. His heart plummeted but he strengthened his resolve and refrained from commenting, now was not the time.

Giles’ thoughts were interrupted when Buffy pulled the crystal from under the bed and placed it in the center of the floor. “It feels like it’s plugged in somewhere.”

Giles touched it gingerly. “Tara, would you please pull out the information that we brought on the Crystal of Namine? I don’t remember any mention of an electrical charge.”

Tara started rummaging through her backpack.

Willow moved closer to the crystal. “Giles, this is powerful. I can feel it.”

“If I am correct, I believe we have the core piece of the crystal.”

Buffy frowned. “There’s more than one piece of it? Why isn’t it called the Crystals of Namine?”

Giles stared at the picture they had brought with them and then back at the crystal. He pointed at the picture. “Yes, this is the portion in front of us. The crystal is actually much larger. There seem to be several pieces missing. They would attach here, above the base.”

“The miners at the poker game told me that they’re supposed to be diggin’ for diamonds. Supposedly McGee had some special survey done and he knows for a fact that they’ll find some in this one antechamber they’ve been tryin’ to get to for months. Defoe was foreman for several years and he swears there’s nothin’ in that mine and Celeste’s husband who was a surveyor told her the same thing so they must be diggin’ for the rest of the pieces.”

Willow grimaced. “It must have been hidden in pieces and he needs time to reassemble it.”

“M-m-maybe it got broken somehow. Was it supposed to be in pieces all along?”

Giles shook his head. “There is not enough information to be sure. We only have the Council witch’s vision to go on and the only mention of the crystal in my books was what we could find in the Hockney. He never mentioned whether it was necessary to assemble it or not.”

“I still wonder why Teague carried around those bloody books all over the place with him.”

“Teague carried books around? Spike, hand me one of them and let’s take a look.” When Spike handed one over, Giles looked at him intently. “Thank you Spike, You’ve certainly been quite a surprise tonight.”

Giles touched the worn cover. “Teague was a sorcerer in his own right which is why he could control the Cantilly, although he wasn’t powerful enough to save himself in the end.” He turned the pages of the book. “This appears to be a demon language; unfortunately this is no language that I’ve ever seen.”

After going through all six books, the only thing the group discovered was that all of the books seemed to be in the same undecipherable language.

Frustrated, Giles closed the last book and sat back down in the chair. “Well, we’re no worse off than before. Buffy, what other items did Teague have with him when he died? Was there anything else that might be of any value to us?”

Buffy, exhausted and tired of playing games, leaned against Spike. She’d already noticed the knowing looks that had passed between Tara and Willow and she was pretty sure Giles had figured out that she was in a relationship with Spike. Defiantly, she laced her fingers with his.

His eyes crinkled and he winked. It looked like he was past any more deception, too.

Buffy glanced over at Giles. His face was blank. She sighed. “Well, other than the really cool horse and those books, not much.”

Willow started to ask about the horse, when Spike suddenly sat up. “There is one other thing, pet.” He walked over to his duster, rummaged around in the pockets and pulled out the only other thing of value Teague had bequeathed to Buffy.

Holding it up for everyone to see, Teague’s silver pocket watch caught the light from the gas lamps as Spike slowly swung it back and forth.

Tara and Willow stopped slouching against each other and stared at it. Willow glanced quickly at Tara. She was staring intently at the watch as it continued to twirl, her face a study in concentration.

“Spike, could I see that a minute?” Willow spoke to her girlfriend. “You can feel it too.”

Tara nodded, her eyes never leaving the watch.

Spike handed it over to the red headed witch.

“This emanates power, it’s been charmed in some way.” She gently rubbed the intricate design with her finger. “It thrums.”

Everyone tensed as Buffy asked, “Willow, do you think it’s dangerous?”

Willow looked at Tara questioningly.

“No, it d-d-doesn’t feel as if it’s dangerous, but there’s something very powerful within it.”

Giles held out his hand. “May I see it?”

Willow reached across the little pile of books to hand the watch to Giles. The watch began to hum audibly and the pile of books glowed briefly.

Willow smiled broadly. “Oh, it’s a key.” She turned to Tara. “We were right. It’s not dangerous at all.”

Tara returned her smile. “T-T-Teague placed some type of cloaking spell on the books.”

The watch abruptly stopped humming. Giles carefully placed the watch on the floor next to him and picked up one of the books. He flipped quickly through the pages. Dropping it, he glanced through all six. “Teague was smarter than any of us thought.” Giles sat the last book down. “These are now in English and they all pertain to either the Crystal of Namine or the horsemen.

It appears that whenever McGee sent Teague through the portal for some reason; he’d locate and procure a book for himself. He may have planned to eventually escape from McGee and the horsemen.”

The Watcher finally allowed himself to smile. “These may hold the key to stopping both McGee and the horsemen.”

Chapter 23 Go Get Your Knife

Got get your knife, go get your knife
and come in.
Go get your knife, go get your knife
and lay down.
Go get your knife, now kiss me.
-Deftones
-Knife Party



Buffy yawned widely. After all, she was the Slayer; her job was to kill demons, not to read books with boring incomprehensible words written by demons with boring incomprehensible names.

After discovering that the books Teague left behind were now in English, Giles had declared a research party. They needed to find out as much as they could about the Crystal of Namine and the Four Horsemen as quickly as possible.

“Astounding.” Rupert had uttered that same word six times so far. Spike was keeping track. When the Watcher reached ten, Spike was going to throw the heavy ceramic ashtray at him.

Giles started to say something and Spike stood up. “Bloody hell.” Everyone looked up from their books except Buffy who hadn’t actually been reading hers. “I need a cigarette.”

Tara smiled shyly. “Spike, I w-w-wondered if you’d like some blood, too?”

Astonished, Spike asked, “What do you mean, pet?”

“W-W-We didn’t know w-what to expect when we came through the portal, so we brought all sorts of supplies. W-We’ve got several bags of blood in our cooler.”

Willow added, “I’ve even got my mom’s cell phone.”

“That was very thoughtful of you and actually, I could use something. I haven’t eaten since this morning.”

Tara reached in her backpack and tossed Spike the room key. “The c-c-cooler is next to the bed.”

Buffy slammed the book in her lap shut and jumped up. “Wait. I’ll go with you. I need to stretch my legs.”

“Buffy, before you go, I’d like to ask one question.”

“Sure Giles, what is it?”

“Where did you acquire this crystal?”

“Oh, I thought I told you guys. I picked it up in McGee’s office earlier this evening. It was sitting right on the corner of his desk.” She grinned. “I guess he never expected anyone to have the nerve to burgle his office.”

“I was afraid it was something like that.” Giles closed his own book. “The book that I’ve just read was written by the ancient demons that manufactured the crystal and used it extensively.

The core of the crystal has a homing beacon within it. The demons used the crystal for interdimensional travel and the beacon would allow them to find the crystal if it was lost or misplaced within a dimension. They could always locate it and go home so to speak.”

Confused, Buffy replied, “Okay, but we’re not traveling to another dimension right now.”

“Well, since it was sitting in plain sight, I would have to assume that the beacon within the crystal is still operational. When McGee returns to his office this morning, he’ll be able to perform a very minimal spell and discover the location of the crystal. He’ll quickly realize that his missing crystal is actually only two floors above his office.”

“There is a spell to disconnect the beacon. It’s in this book, but it’s complicated and takes at least an hour to set up and perform.” Willow held up the book she’d been reading.

“H-h-how long do we have until McGee shows up?”

“No bloody clue. We’ve never seen him. I don’t even know what the wanker looks like. But I’d bet he’ll show up in a couple hours, I’ve heard that he spends most of his time in his office.”

“Willow, if we help you set up, can you do the spell?”

Willow bit her lip. “I’m not sure but I can try. This demon language is hard to pronounce.”

“What do you need?”

Willow quickly flipped through the pages. “Um, it looks like just a few simple ingredients. It’s mostly a lot of verbal stuff. I’ll write down the ingredients and Tara can get them from my backpack, and pick up Spike’s blood, too.”

Once Tara retrieved the ingredients, it only took Willow twenty minutes to set up the spell. When she finished, she set the book down and said, “Okay, I’m going to start the incantation. Once I begin, I won’t be able to stop for the next hour or so.”

Willow picked up both the book and the crystal and moved into the circle she had drawn on the floor. Setting the crystal core on the floor, she began to chant.

Once everyone was assured she was fine, they picked up the books and quietly readied themselves for the move to Giles’ room where they would continue their research.

Tara sat down in the corner chair, having elected to remain with Willow in case of a problem.

Giles softly closed the door into the hall. “Spike, would you mind walking down to the saloon and picking up something for everyone to eat? I believe they’re open twenty four hours a day.”

“Sure.” At least the Watcher hadn’t requested donuts. He gazed at Buffy and his expression softened. “Be back in a tick, luv.” He handed Buffy the books and turned in the other direction toward the stairs.

When Spike disappeared around the corner, Buffy turned to see Giles watching her closely. “Spike certainly seems to have changed a great deal in a very short period of time, exceedingly unusual for a vampire.” His voice was filled with disapproval.

Buffy really didn’t want to have this conversation but she knew it couldn’t be avoided.
“Yeah, we’ve both changed a lot, vampire and Slayer. It’s been one of those weeks.”

“Buffy, I don’t appreciate that attitude. Please don’t be flip.” Giles’ mouth set in a line.

“I’m sorry Giles, it’s late and I’m tired.”

She started to move down the hall toward his room and he fell in step beside her. “I’m just surprised at how your relationship has evolved so suddenly.”

“We both think our ‘relationship’ has been evolving for months and neither one of us wanted to see it. When we left on this trip and were forced to rely on each other, we both realized that this is what we want.”

“Buffy, I can’t say that I’m happy about this. I really wanted more for you than another vampire, especially Spike.”

Buffy put her hand on Giles’ arm. “Giles, I’m really, truly happy for the first time in a long time. Spike and I are good together. He really cares about me. Please for my sake, give this a chance.”

She appealed to the older man. “I care about you, too and I don’t want this to drive a wedge between us.”

Giles gave in gracefully. After all, she was an adult and no matter what he thought, she still had the right to choose for herself. “It won’t.” He placed his key in the door lock. “If Spike acts like a git when we return to Sunnydale, I’ll just chain him up in the bathtub again.”

“If he acts like a git, whatever that is, I’ll do it for you.” She smiled at the man she loved like a father.

Still sitting in Buffy’s room, Tara shifted in her seat and looked up at Willow. She had intoned the incantation for almost forty five minutes and was nearly finished. Tara sighed, picked up her book and began to read the next chapter. After a few minutes, she abruptly stopped and stared down at the ancient text. She shivered and reread the passages again.

Motioning to Willow that she would return soon, Tara climbed the stairs two at a time. Why couldn’t they have picked this book up first? At the top of the stairs, she began to run.

“Tara, whatever is the matter?” Giles opened the door to find Tara completely out of breath. Shocked at how agitated the usually calm woman seemed, he opened the door wider and gestured her inside.

Tara held the book up. “We have a s-serious problem.” She looked over at Buffy and Spike. “Didn’t you say that the other three d-d-demons were imprisoned?”

Buffy nodded. “We only have to deal with the one big bad right now. I can take out the other three at any time.”

Tara took a deep breath and composed herself. She needed to be able to speak without stuttering, it was extremely important to get this out clearly. “This is the companion book to Willow’s. It explains about the remainder of the crystal’s powers and how to use them.”

She took another deep calming breath. “This chapter is on imprisoning enemies, which is what happened to the demons in the mine. The crystal was definitely involved from your explanation of the way they’re locked up and this book’s explanation of the way the crystal’s powers manifest. Either they were imprisoned when the Council used the crystal or McGee figured out how to do it.”

She stared intently at the other three to see if everyone understood. “That part really isn’t important. The important fact is that as long as the core of the Namine Crystal is not changed in any way, everything it has been used for stays exactly the same, also. That’s why the Council ended up sending all the demons to the same dimension; they had no instructions on how to change the core. This was a failsafe for the original owners. They would always be sent back to their previous location as long as they did nothing to the core in the interim.”

“Go on.” Giles watched her intently.

“As soon as anything having to do with its core is changed, the crystal becomes sort of blank, like a clock that has to be reset after a power blackout. You’ve lost all your original settings and have to start over.”

Tara watched the glimmer of understanding cross Giles’ face. “We’ve lost the previous settings by removing the beacon charm which is a portion of the core. Therefore it is now basically blank, awaiting a reset.”

“When we lost the settings, we released the other three demons.”

****

The swirling colors had separated and then stopped. The middle demon awoke from the magically induced slumber first and the other two demons soon followed. Something had happened in the world outside their prison. For the first time in years they were able to awaken completely without strain. The demons sent out a surprised message to their brother who walked the roads outside of the prison.

Even as the message was received and assurances sent that help was on its way, the demons pulled themselves away from the wall. Although very weak, they could walk freely within the cage. One of the demons reached through the bars for the rusty lock.

The rider had received the message from the other demons. Something had happened to the magical control on his fellow riders’ prison. He wheeled his horse around and set off for the mine. The other demons would still be weak until the moon rose again in the early evening. Pondering the reason for this sudden change in the plan, Grip spurred his horse.

Chapter 24 Don’t Fear The Reaper

All our times have come.
Here but now they’re gone.
Seasons don’t fear the reaper
nor do the wind, the sun or the rain.
We can be like they are.
Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper.
-Blue Oyster Cult
Don’t Fear The Reaper

McGee had decided to ride out to the mine as the sun rose so he could get a first hand look at how far the miners still had to excavate. He needed those pieces of the crystal.

When he rode through the gate, he noticed his entire shift of miners huddled around the entrance to the mine. They weren’t inside digging as they should have been; they were milling around outside. McGee pulled his horse up, swung down from the saddle and strode up to the foreman he had spied leaning by the side of the office, watching the crowd.

“Davis, what is going on? Why aren’t these men inside working? You know we have a
deadline.”

“They refuse to reenter the mine, sir.”

“Why the hell not?”

“About twenty minutes ago there was a tremor that originated in the closed east tunnel and then a large blast of very cold air. Everyone’s afraid the entire left side is going to come down.”

McGee felt a slight niggle of fear, compounded by confusion. “Did anyone see anything unusual?”

It was Davis’ turn to be confused. “Unusual, sir? In what way?”

“Never mind. How much farther do the miners need to dig to complete the access to the antechamber?”

“They finished the dig just before the tremor. The access to the antechamber has been completed. All that needs to be done to reach your diamonds is to blow a small hole through the rock wall dividing the chamber from the tunnel.” Davis shook his head. “But you won’t find one miner willing to set a blast after this morning, not even for double wages.”

“What about a small contingent of men with picks and shovels? Is that feasible? If so, how long would it take?”

Davis thought about the configuration of the tunnel they had just dug. “Yeah, that would probably work. You wouldn’t need more than a dozen men, anymore than that wouldn’t fit. If they would do it, probably wouldn’t take more than a couple hours to break through the rock”

“Call the men over, Davis. I have a proposition for them.”

The men filed over to hear what the big boss had to say. McGee offered triple wages to any man willing to dig through to the antechamber. He also offered to personally visit the site of the tremor and deem whether it was safe to venture into the mine. He would take
Davis and two volunteers with him.

The men murmured among themselves and finally two hardy souls stepped forward.
Everyone else watched as McGee, Davis and the two miners from first shift walked carefully into the mine.

McGee wasn’t worried about the tunnel. He and Grip had set the charges that had caused the original rock fall several months ago to keep the miners from digging near the imprisoned demons. The east tunnel was safe enough, but he was curious about the reason for the tremor and the blast of cold air. It sounded as if something had happened near the demons. He only hoped whatever had happened hadn’t allowed the demons to somehow escape.

He pushed past the warning sign and hurried down the tunnel with the other men walking carefully along behind him.

McGee, under the guise of a benevolent owner concerned for his employees’ safety first and foremost, ordered the men to wait at the end of the tunnel while he walked the rest of the way on his own. When he entered the cave, he realized that the impossible had happened. The cage was empty, the demons had escaped. The thought that the black rider had somehow double crossed him went through his mind. Now more than ever, he needed the rest of the crystal. He vowed not to leave the mine without the pieces in his hand, even if he had to ride herd over the miners himself for the remainder of the day.

Walking back to where the other three men waited, he made the thumbs up sign.

****

The Sheriff had hidden his fellow demons within his room at the back of the jail, admonishing them to remain quiet. They were extremely weak and welcomed the chance to rest and gain strength.

He sent his deputies out to the desert, ostensibly to hunt for a man wanted in another county. That would afford the demons complete privacy for the entire day. He had then gone to McGee’s office but the former Watcher was not there and neither was the Crystal of Namine. The rider deduced that McGee must have removed the crystal in order to double cross him. With this turn of events, he had been released from his blood oath. The rider set off hurriedly for the mine.

*****

After listening to Tara, Giles decided that until Willow completed the chant, it was too dangerous to do anything more with the crystal. They also needed to finish reading the books that concerned the four horsemen. Spike and Buffy hadn’t had any sleep and were exhausted, so Giles sent them back to their room. He would need his two strongest fighters later that night. He, Willow and Tara would continue the research and they would all meet up late in the afternoon.

****

The skeleton crew of miners broke through the barrier within an hour, spurred on by both the thought of triple wages and concern for their own safety; they finished much faster than anticipated.

Once the miners broke through the rock barrier, McGee sent everyone back to the entrance and entered the chamber alone. He quickly located the crystal fragments, pocketed them and returned to the entrance. He announced that everyone could have two days paid holiday as payment for working hard the past few weeks.

McGee mounted his horse and rode back toward his office. He needed to rebuild the crystal and regain control of the demons again.

****

The Sheriff arrived just after everyone had vacated the property, the mine and the grounds were completely empty. He quickly looked inside the mine but McGee had obviously already located and removed the crystal fragments. Confused and extremely angry, he was unsure where to locate McGee but he knew he could use the moon to locate him later, so he settled for returning to the jail. The Rider knew that he still needed the crystal to leave this dimension, so he would have to force the ex-Watcher into assisting. He could not kill him yet. He thought about this sudden turn of events and how best to deal with the traitorous human.

****

McGee sat slumped in his office chair and tried to think everything through. The crystal core was missing. When he arrived at his office and discovered the theft, he had immediately used the beacon charm but it hadn’t worked. Whoever had the core also had enough knowledge to remove the charm.

McGee still had the individual pieces from the mine but they were useless without the large core piece. He slammed his hand on the desk. He had jealously guarded ownership of the crystal for over one hundred years and it was nearly inconceivable that it was missing. There was only one logical answer, for some unknown reason, his partner had broken his blood oath and double crossed him. Grip must have stolen the crystal and set his fellow demons free. When had the demon gained enough knowledge to use the crystal? McGee realized that it didn’t matter. Either the demons would kill him now or robbed of his immortality, he would eventually die from the effects of his true age, still stuck within this dimension.

McGee placed his head in his hands. Either way he was a dead man.

Chapter 25 The Break And The Fall

And the wreck of you
is the death of you all.
And the wreck of you
is the break and the fall.
I’m the wreck of you
I’m the death of you all.
I’m the break and the fall.
-Soundgarten
The Wreck

Willow picked dejectedly at her food; she was too tired to eat. Setting her ice tea glass down, she looked at her dinner companions. Tara was desultorily poking at the plate in front of her. Only Giles was eating, although he was spending as much time watching the other diners in the saloon as he was actually eating.

“Giles, did you bring us down here just so you could soak up some more of the local color?”

Giles snapped his eyes back to the redhead in front of him. “What? No, no, of course not.” He had the grace to blush. “I just can’t help it, this is just so remarkable.”

“I read that once the crystal leaves this dimension, everything will begin to progress again. They’ll no longer be a society in stasis.” Tara reached over and chose a roll from the bread basket.

“I suppose that’s a good thing, although a world without smog, cell phones or cars hasn’t been so bad.” The vision of their trek across the desert flashed across Willow’s mind. “Well, they could use a couple of city transit buses.”

She laid her fork down. “Giles, without the rest of the crystal, we won’t be able to do anything. We can’t stop the riders or even get back to our own dimension.”

“I’ve been giving that very point some thought and I believe there is no alternative. We will have to have a talk with Mr. McGee.” Giles stirred his tea.

When Willow opened her mouth, he held up his hand. “Willow, there really is no alternative, we need the rest of the crystal. That is the one thing of paramount importance. We must stop the horsemen and the alignment is in a few days. We simply have no choice. Without the crystal completely reassembled we can’t send the horsemen to the hell dimension that Tara located.”

Willow looked gloomy again. “Yeah, I know. I just don’t think I’m gonna like that guy at all. He’s probably a real meanie.”

She finally smiled when she gazed at Tara. “That was really neat the way you found that list of dimensional addresses that the demons had visited and decoded them. I think that the hell dimension sounds a lot like the place where Buffy sent Angel that time.”

The three lapsed into silence again. Finally Tara spoke up. “Shouldn’t we g-g-get something for Buffy while we’re down here? We’re supposed to meet her and Spike in a little while.”

Giles signaled the waitress. “I’ll order a plate for her.”

As the waitress walked over, Willow asked “So, how will we find McGee? You know, so we can talk to him.”

The waitress spoke. “You’re asking about Mr. McGee? He’s in his office right now. I just took his dinner order so he’ll be there for at least the next hour.” She lifted her pencil. “Now, what else can I get for you folks?”

*****

The blond couple had awakened an hour before, made love and were still lying close together, savoring the chance to be alone.

Spike ran his finger gently down the fresh scar on Buffy’s arm and murmured, “The Cantilly left you quite the reminder, luv.”

“Only the worst ever leave a scar.”

“I thought I’d lost you.” He hugged her fiercely.

“But instead, you saved me.”

Spike kissed her even as the vision of red eyes gleaming from across a poker table crossed his mind. No Slayer, I haven’t saved you. Not yet.

*****

McGee had just finished eating his dinner when there was a knock on his office door. Frowning at the curious interruption, he was about to call out when the door opened and a pretty blonde woman walked inside, followed by a slim blond man in a long black leather coat.

The woman smiled. “Hello, Mr. McGee, we finally meet.” She seemed amused as she turned and spoke to the man who had stopped at her side. “He’s a lot younger looking than I thought he would be.”

The man smirked. “Some of us just age well.”

The woman grinned and turned back to face him again. “My name is Buffy Summers, Mr. McGee. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. I’m the one you tried to set the Cantilly on back in Sunnydale.” She frowned, “I’m still kinda upset about that, too.”

McGee stared at the petite blonde. “You’re the Slayer.”

The young man chuckled. “Chosen one, yada yada.” He smirked at McGee. “If anyone should know the drill, it’s you mate, bein’ an exWatcher and all.”

McGee was still wrapping his head around the fact that the Slayer was here in his office while he listened to the pale British man at her side. Who was he? Could he be her Watcher?

“Mr. McGee, I’m here to make you a little proposition. You give me the rest of the crystal thingies and I won’t let Spike here have you for dinner.”

McGee watched with growing horror as the young man’s face began to change. His forehead developed ridges as the facial bones slid. Gleaming yellow eyes stared intently at him as he aimed a toothy smile in McGee’s direction. Then with a slight shake of his head, his visage changed back to that of the smirking young man again.

McGee shuddered as he realized that the Slayer’s companion was in actuality a vampire. Absurdly he wondered if her Watcher knew that his Slayer was running around with a vampire at her side.

Suddenly he understood her request. “You’re the one that stole the core from my desk.”

The Slayer turned back to her companion again. McGee was beginning to find it infuriating the way the girl carried on a side conversation at the same time that she talked with him. It was very insulting and rude, but then anyone walking around with a vampire at her side was probably a little irrational.

He shuddered again as he decided that it was definitely not up to him to point that out.

Buffy pouted. “Spike, he accused me of being a thief.”

“I heard him pet. The thing is, I don’t think you can be a thief if you’re accused of takin’
somethin’ that’s already stolen.”

“That’s what I thought, too.” She smiled at the vampire and the vampire smiled tenderly? at her.

Buffy turned back to McGee once more. “So Mr. McGee, as I was saying, I need you to hand over the rest of the crystals.” She leaned forward conspiratorially. “You see I’ve got these demons that someone was trying to help. They think they’re going to get loose and run around doing all these bad things and I need to stop them.”

She shrugged. “It’s just something that I have to do.” Her voice hardened and McGee got his first glimpse of the steel core within the woman. “Now, where are they?”

*****

Willow and Tara sat on the floor, with the crystals spread before them. Spike stood at the hotel window and smoked a cigarette as he watched the Slayer argue with her Watcher.

“Buffy, was it absolutely necessary to bring him with you? I don’t quite understand your reasoning.”

Buffy glanced over to the portly man sitting in the corner chair. “I didn’t really know what else to do with him, Giles. If we’d left him in his office, I’m sure he would have run off to the demons and told them exactly who had possession of the crystal now. Besides he offered to share the spell that puts them all back together.”

“I tried to tell her that using anything from that bloke could turn out to be a bloody big mistake, but your Slayer is really stubborn, Rupert.”

Giles nodded slowly. “I can see the problem.” He walked over to the chair where the man was sitting. Buffy and Spike had walked in a few minutes earlier with McGee in tow. Buffy had unceremoniously pushed the man into the corner chair while Spike had carefully placed the six crystal fragments in front of Willow and Tara.

McGee shifted in the chair. While still in his office with the Slayer, he had immediately realized that without any chance of retrieving the core crystal himself, the best alternative was to throw in with the Slayer and her compatriots. He had offered the rebuilding spell in exchange for amnesty and safety from the horsemen.

McGee’s eyes narrowed as he thought about his choices. He was astute enough to realize that during any battle there are opportunities that suddenly present themselves and it might still be possible to slip away. Once the crystal was reset, it would be safe for him to use the portal and he could disappear. He still had his money and he’d still have the remainder of his natural lifespan. The present options were better than the choices he had had earlier that day.

Giles frowned at McGee sitting quietly in the chair. He had actually planned to set the horsemen free to wreck havoc. What was the man planning to do when the demons started their reign of terror? Giles shook his head at the imbecilic naiveté. The man actually expected the horsemen to leave him alive but it was not in their nature to do so. In fact, he would almost bet that this man would have been one of the first people killed.

Giles sighed. Buffy was right of course. They had to keep him here with them, or he could escape and return with the demons.

“Spike, would you please go up to my room and bring down the coil of rope from my pack?”

After he had handed the vampire his room key, Giles turned back to McGee. “Mr. McGee, you will be offered sanctuary in exchange for explaining the rebuilding spell to these two women. They have extensive experience in the use of Magicks.

However, you will not be allowed to utter a single incantation, nor will I allow you any freedom within this room. When Spike returns, you will be bound and you will only be allowed your freedom if the spell works and we’re in control of the fully functional Crystal of Namine. Do you understand the terms?”

“I understand and I won’t attempt to escape.”

“Please begin the explanation on how to reunite the crystal; unfortunately, time is an issue for us. As soon as the moon rises, we expect that the demons will try to locate the crystal, so we only have a few more hours in which to prepare.”

“First you will need the essence of Tyboret root to form a circle.” He indicated the leather bag lying beside the chair. “May I?”

“Tara will get out any needed supplies.” He gestured to the blonde witch.

“I understand.” He spoke to Tara. “Everything you need is within this bag. You’ll find the Tyboret root in the bottom left hand pocket.”

He turned to Willow. “It must be poured in a single unbroken circle starting from the left.”

She nodded and stood up.

Chapter 26 Call On Me

When the rain is falling
and you feel like a stranger
and the time is passing you by
It is a lovely time
and you want to fly.
Call on me
I’ll be by your side.
-Bad Company
Call on Me

Buffy was amused as she watched Spike tie the former Watcher to his chair. He’s enjoying that way too much. When he stood back up, she gestured for both he and Giles to meet her in the hall.

Buffy stood in the old fashioned hall and briefly reflected on the two men who had followed her without question.

Giles quietly waited against the far wall. One of his main strengths was an almost indefatigable capacity for understanding a problem and striving for a solution. His patience and intelligence shone from his eyes and he loved Buffy as if she were his own daughter. His Watcher’s path was well marked with a strong moral compass. He was her tower of strength, always sure of the right thing to do and he would do whatever she asked of him. Unquestionably.

Fidgeting and leaning forward on the balls of his feet stood Spike, her soul mate. The vampire’s impatience was legendary. Quick witted, brave and strong, he matched her in every way, instinctively he understood her need and love for the hunt. He loved her profoundly. His love was so strong that she’d only just begun to realize his depth of commitment. His path to the light was really just beginning, but Buffy had no doubt that he would achieve it, if only because he wanted her to be proud of loving him. He would do anything for her. Even die.

A sharp pang of sadness shot through her because tonight one or both of them might die and if they lived, it meant that she had probably died. As the Slayer, it was her job to make these types of decisions, but it still hurt.

She only hoped that if the unspeakable happened they would find it within themselves to comfort each other because the one thing that these two very different men had in common was their Slayer.

“We need to prepare for tonight. I’ve decided on a plan…”

*****

The posse returned empty handed from their search in the desert and the Sheriff had given them permission to go home. Once the last man had ridden off for either home or the saloon, the rider stood. He needed to be with the other demons now; the moon would be up soon. Tonight they would be united once again. They would gain strength from the full moon and from each other, just as it had been in the past before the hated Council had pulled them asunder. Working together, it would be impossible for anyone to stop them. They would once again glory in destruction and then become even stronger.

*****

Spike lit a cigarette. He and Giles were still standing in the empty hallway. After telling them her plan for tonight and brooking no arguments from either of them, the Slayer had strode away to change and pick up weapons.

Spike smoked and watched Rupert from under hooded eyes.

Giles removed his glasses and began studiously polishing them.

Spike searched the Watcher’s naked eyes, trying to gauge his thoughts. Rupert’s eyes were bleak. Spike figured they mirrored his own.

“Since the stubborn bint refused to listen to any other opinion earlier, what do you think of the Slayer’s plan?”

Giles frowned and his face creased with worry. “Well, I agree that we need to take the crystal out into the desert. Buffy’s right about getting it away from town before any innocents are hurt.”

Spike exhaled. “I get the first part where collateral damage might be a problem.” He balled his fists tightly. “I’m talkin’ ‘bout the second part, the actual plan that isn’t a plan, but bloody suicide for the Slayer.”

Giles grimaced. “It’s reasonably thought out, but I do see a couple of holes.”

Spike glared. “A couple of holes? Watcher, I think your Slayer’s done a nutter.” He took a deep breath and steadied himself. “Rupert you know as well as I do that if this all goes to hell, Buffy’s set herself up. She’ll die.” He straightened up. “There won’t be anything that we’ll be able to do about it.”

Rupert answered firmly. “We’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.” He put his handkerchief away and sighed. “Spike, if this doesn’t succeed, everyone dies. Not just in this dimension, but everywhere. We absolutely can not allow the horsemen to take the crystal and Buffy understands that.”

Spike threw his cigarette out the open window. “And I was really starting to enjoy the western ambiance.”

*****

Buffy slid the knife into her boot as the door opened. She’d deliberately taken her time getting everything together. She knew Spike wouldn’t let this go, so she’d waited here for him. She really needed him to understand.

Spike was across the room and hugging her almost before she could turn around. He beseeched her. “Buffy, don’t do it. The plan is bloody insanity.”

He pulled back and searched her face intently. “I won’t let you do this alone Slayer, it’s much too dangerous.”

Buffy sighed. “Spike, I have to do this alone.”

“But Slayer, remember your dream? What happened to me standin’ at your side?”

“Spike, the reason I can do this is because you are at my side.” Her expression implored him to understand. “Without you and Giles there wouldn’t be any chance at all for this to work.”

“I’ll be watching your back anyway.” His expression was fierce.

Buffy smiled at him softly. “I know. That’s what I’m counting on.”

She kissed him and linked her hand with his. “Come on, we’ve got people and the crystal to relocate. We’d better get going; the sun will be down in an hour.”

****

Willow carefully balanced the covered crystal as she carried it through the hotel, Tara at her side. Although the rebuilding spell had taken awhile to perform, it had worked perfectly, at least as far as she could tell. Until they actually tried to reset the crystal, they really wouldn’t know. And there was another niggling detail that really concerned both Willow and Tara. According to the information from one of Teague’s books, the crystal could take up to thirty minutes to set with a new dimensional address and that sounded like a lifetime.

Willow walked out the side door of the hotel, her breath caught and then she giggled. “Is this how we’re getting out to the desert?” She ran her eyes across the barouche carriage and its team of horses.

She noticed Buffy standing beside the beautiful carriage. “How did you ever get this?”

Buffy smiled and pointed toward Spike.

Spike grinned. “What good is winnin’ at poker if you never buy anything with the dosh?”

He jumped up lightly and reached down to gallantly offer her a hand. “Come on Red, this is your chance to enjoy bein a part of livin’ history.”

Willow carefully handed the crystal to Tara and lifted her skirt. Her eyes twinkled. “Does this mean that you’ve enjoyed being a part of the dead past?”

Spike barked a laugh as he helped her up.

Chapter 27 Wave Goodbye

Wave goodbye to what you were
The rules have changed
The lines begin to blur.
She makes you hard.
It comes on strong.
You finally found the
place you belong.
-Nine Inch Nails
With Teeth

Spike gently set the crystal on the wagon’s floor between the two benches. Concerned about damage during the trip, Buffy had instantly offered the brown dress as a cushion.

Tara folded the dress and carefully sat the three foot tall Crystal gently on the material. It would help soften any jolt from rough terrain and there was still enough material left from the voluminous dress to swaddle the sides. Tara and Willow meticulously tucked the cloth around both rebuilt fins. Sitting back to check their charges’ position one final time, the witches shared an amused smile. Their entire fate rested on something that resembled a plump 1950’s spaceship already positioned for flight on its launch pad. Willow could just imagine the comments Xander would have made.

Giles was unwilling to leave McGee alone, so he and the former Watcher sat quietly on one bench within the roomy carriage while Tara and Willow sat on the opposite bench tightly holding the crystal stable.

Buffy had insisted on riding Jackpot so by default that left Spike to drive the carriage. Sitting high atop the driver’s bench, Spike lifted the reins and encouraged the team of horses into motion. When the carriage began to move, Spike winked at Buffy and grinned rakishly.

Buffy grinned in return. She lightly touched Jackpot with her heels and sedately rode alongside the carriage as it swayed and bumped its way into the desert.

The sky had already begun to darken by the time they arrived at their location. Spike stopped the carriage, applied its brake and helped the witches down while Buffy tied her horse to the back of the carriage. She patted Jackpot on the head and reached into the carriage for her sword. Standing up, she looked around at the terrain and nodded with satisfaction. This is the perfect spot.

The Slayer had chosen to bring everyone out to the deepest, most curved portion of the river.

The witches and the Crystal of Namine were the critical components in Buffy’s plan. It was paramount that they have a way to send the demons to the hell dimension. But because they wouldn’t be able to use any other magicks while around the crystal during or even before the reset, Tara and Willow could not raise a barrier or even use small personal spells. The witches would be completely vulnerable to attack, so Buffy had made their defense her number one goal.

The river would act as an additional barrier. The demons would not be able to reach the witches from either side or from behind without expending a great deal of effort and making a lot of noise. Hopefully, that would cause the demons to attack from the front only.

Spike and Giles were the Slayer’s front defensive line. It would be up to them to keep the riders away from the witches until the reset was complete.

Pulling out several lanterns he had brought from town, Spike placed them in a semi circle just in front of the river bank. Willow and Tara sat within the lit circle, their backs to the river and the Crystal between them. Pulling out Teague’s book with the dimensional addresses, they prepared to begin the chant.

Buffy held up her hand. “Don’t start yet. There’s still one thing that needs to be done first.” She beckoned to McGee, up until now he had been standing quietly next to Giles.

He portly exWatcher walked to the Slayer and inquired, “Yes, Ms. Summers?”

Buffy waved at the crystal. “I need you to summon the demons. I want them to come here and away from the town.”

The Watcher took a deep breath and then nodded. “That’s the only thing that can be done before a dimensional reset. It won’t affect anything and it will only take a moment.”

Willow had already explained that to Buffy, so she nodded. “Do it.”

McGee walked over and ran his hand lightly down the crystal and muttered an incantation. Now his fate was entwined with theirs completely and all he could do was wait and hope the Slayer achieved her goal.

The crystal glowed briefly and then went dark. McGee swallowed hard, nodded at the Slayer and spoke. “It’s done Ms. Summers, they should be here shortly.”

Buffy gripped the hilt of her sword, walked past Giles and Spike and continued forward until she was several yards ahead of them. This was the part of the plan that had both men so uneasy.

Buffy planned to take on the black rider alone. She hoped that if she could stall or hopefully kill their leader, the other riders would be easier to force through the portal.

It was a calculated risk, but one she thought worth taking. Buffy only hoped that when the rider offered his brand of death again, she could hold out. Deep down inside, the Slayer had admitted to herself that there was a strong possibility she would accept again, or be forced to choose death. But if she couldn’t kill the riders except through dying, it would be an honorable death. A fair trade, one Slayer for all the people of this world and her own.

The orange harvest moon came out from behind the cloudbank and cast everything around Buffy in bright vivid relief.

The Slayer gripped her sword tightly and listened. It felt to her as if everything had begun to unwind in slow motion while making her hypersensitive to every nuance around her.

The desert wind blowing, the reeds swaying, the river lapping at its bank. The witches murmuring their slow and rhythmic chant. Giles notching his bow. The snick of Spike’s lighter. Her own strong and steady heart beat.

And from deep out in the desert, the drumming cadence of hoof beats.

Chapter 28 Offer Your Throat

On a hot summer night
would you offer your throat
to the wolf with the red roses?
Will he offer me his teeth? Yes.
Will he offer me his jaws? Yes.
Will he offer me his hunger? Yes.
Will he starve without me? Yes.
And does he love me? Yes.
Will you offer your throat to
the wolf with the red roses?
Yes.
-Meatloaf
You Took the Words
Right Out of My Mouth

Their animosity toward mankind drove the Horsemen into the little town; they lusted for its destruction. When the summons to the river came, the riders convulsed with rage. The traitorous Watcher had dared to call them with the stolen crystal.

Resentment toward the jailor pulled them away. They screamed of retribution for decades of imprisonment.

In one fluid motion, they wheeled around, changing course for the river. First, they would kill the traitor, their long despised enemy, and then they would revel in the complete destruction of the town.

When they grew closer to the river, their leader became aware of something else waiting there for him. It was her.

He grinned maniacally. This would be a good night. His fellow riders would slaughter the traitor and any others that stood in their way and seize the crystal, while he would yet capture what he craved and had been denied.

The bloodlust began to sing to him, a siren’s song of potency, strength and power. He moaned. Digging his spurs into its flanks, he goaded his horse forward. She was his and soon he would have her and her power. For all eternity.

*****

Spike watched the Slayer walk confidently past him with her head held high. He lit a cigarette and glanced over at Rupert. The Watcher, his face a study in concentration, was notching his compound bow. Spike exhaled and listened again briefly for the other Watcher. He didn’t trust him. McGee had done the summoning and then slid away into the reeds where Spike was keeping tabs on him through his heartbeat. It was beating very fast. More than a century of hunting humans had made Spike an expert on fear and he could tell the cowardly old man was petrified.

Spike pulled at his cigarette and shrugged to himself. Going up against ancient and powerful demons wasn’t everyone’s cuppa.

He turned his eyes forward again and beheld the Slayer, resplendent and alone in the bright moonlight with her sword. No, not everyone had it in them to go full out, fists and fangs and sod all else, but the Slayer would. She loved the dance.

With the toe of his boot, Spike mashed the cigarette into the sand as the sound of hoof beats grew louder.

Sliding into game face, he tightened the grip on his sword. He had vowed to watch the Slayer’s back but understood that his main priority was keeping Red and Glinda safe and the crystal out of the hands of the demons.

He shifted, quickly scanning behind him. The witches were still chanting. They were sitting completely still, within their own private world, their hands linked around the glowing crystal. The crystal itself was glowing so radiantly Spike had to shield his eyes.

The crystal’s brilliant illumination coupled with the full moon had given everyone and everything the look of an otherworldly impressionistic painting. High noon at the o.k. corral as done in magicks. Spike listened to their murmuring once more and turned around.

Leaning forward on the balls of his feet, he glanced to his left. Rupert, holding his compound bow, caught the look and nodded. Spike returned the nod, faced front again and squared his shoulders. The loud staccato of the hoof beats had stopped.

Spike raised his sword.

It was time to dance.

****

“Slayer.”

Buffy heard the word before she saw the horseman. It floated through the darkness seductively.

The hoof beats had stopped several yards from the river. The black rider came striding forward out of the dark desert with his three fellow demons following behind. Using the long knife he carried, he waved the other demons forward.

His eyes caressed her as he stopped a few feet away. He smiled.

The Slayer watched as the other demons melted away. They were superfluous. It was him that she had to face.

Buffy suddenly noticed that a mistral-like wind had kicked up the sand, blowing strongly across the desert. Coupled with the harvest moon, it brought her fever dream back in vivid detail. She strengthened her resolve. Tonight must end differently.

She raised her voice defiantly. “I’m the one that summoned you. We have unfinished business.”

His voice wove sinuously around her. “And I have answered your summons.”

Buffy watched tensely as the demon seemed to subtly change form. His face and body elongated, assuming a skeletal configuration. His crimson eyes burned into her. Buffy could see the hunger and longing. For her and her power.

He held out his hand to her, the fingers long and thin. “You know you are mine. Come to me.”

Buffy stood her ground and answered forcefully. “No.” She tried not to stare into those fathomless eyes, but there was no way to shut out the smooth, beguiling voice. It seemed all at once to flow around, over, and through her.

Buffy shook her head to clear it and clutched her sword tighter. She could hear the fighting behind her and the continued murmuring chant of the witches. She had to continue to hold him off, to keep him away from the others. While the black rider stayed focused on her, he wouldn’t join in the fray and the others would have their chance.

She strengthened her resolve, pointing her sword toward him. “I won’t give in to you this time.”

His resonant voice began to weave a story for her. He painted a picture of lush verdant forests and spoke of the eternal serenity of the ocean.

Buffy remained steadfast, her sword held out in front of her.

The voice reminded her of how it had been before she was called, the summer nights of her youth under bright twinkling stars, of the innocent pleasure and happiness. He assured her that when she rested, it would be as it was then. She just needed to be his and all that she secretly desired would be hers. Forever.

Buffy lowered the sword slightly and listened.

The rider stepped closer and continued to weave his web of words. He whispered to her of a place that waited for her, of how the warm earth would enfold her as a mother swaddled a child within a beloved blanket.

Buffy continued to listen and began to wonder. Finally she took a step closer.

His voice cajoled and promised. It would be a place of rest, a place of utter calm and peace, complete serenity. Everything forgiven and everyone loved. A mighty warrior’s final wish granted. Just for her. Only for her. All she had to do was go to him and let him take care of her.

Buffy smiled wistfully and longed. She inched another step closer to him. Her sword dropped to her side.

The rider stepped toward her and then stopped; he could only go so far. The Slayer would need to cross the final boundary on her own. Her power had to be relinquished to him willingly. He held out his hand as he had in her dream and summoned her the final time. His voice was resonant and full of tender offering. “Come to me Slayer, it is time and you are mine. I will give you that which you seek and you can finally rest. It is your right as a warrior of the people.”

Buffy considered his words. She began to walk to him.

****

Spike watched as the black rider and the other demons walked in from the desert. He saw the rider stop in front of the Slayer. The three other demons were all at least a foot taller than Spike and when they suddenly appeared right in front of him and blocked his view, Spike knew there was nothing that he could do for the Slayer now. He had his hands full at the moment. Bloody hell, they move as quickly as I do. He raised his sword and started to move cautiously and slowly to the side, away from Rupert and the witches and toward the open desert.

Giles watched as the demons moved incredibly fast toward Spike. He immediately realized his bow was useless, they were much too swift. Dropping it at his feet, he picked up the ax he’d laid by his feet in the sand. There was nothing they could do but fight hand to hand. With their speed and size, Giles knew that it was going to be difficult to stop them at all. Squaring his shoulders, he knew he needed to try and at least waylay one of them long enough for Spike to gain the advantage. The longer he could hold one off, the better chance Spike would have against the other two.

When one of the demons pulled away from Spike and suddenly stood right in front of him, Giles grimaced and swung his ax. And missed. The demon, far faster than he, had ducked back away from him. Rising up, the demon kicked him in the stomach. Giles bent over from the pain. Grunting, he straightened up, resolutely stepped forward, raised his ax and swung again.

Spike had drawn the two demons as far away from the witches as he dared without being obvious. Moving lightly between them, he sized them up. They were both taller and heavier than him.

Although they matched him in speed, he was the more experienced fighter. It was patently obvious that neither demon was used to fighting hand to hand. Spike figured they had other powers like that thrall they drew upon within their own dimension. Here they were just stronger and faster demons stuck within a larger almost human form and that was a weakness Spike hoped to exploit. He figured if things continued as they were, he had a chance. He was light on his feet; he’d handle anything they could toss at him. He had to.

But it was difficult to keep his eyes on both of them at once. Slicing across with his sword, he managed to slightly wound one of them in the side, but the cut didn’t even slow the demon down. Spike whirled around to face the second demon. It was approaching Spike with a long knife held in its hand.

He’d be able to handle anything except for one thing.

“Vampire.”

Spike heard the seductive voice. Bloody hell, he definitely didn’t need that right now. He already knew he couldn’t look in the demons’ eyes. He’d just have to find some way to ignore their voices, too. He took a powerful swing with his sword toward the demon that had spoken.

The demon moved smoothly away. It spoke again and sounded more confused than persuasive. “Why do you fight for humans when I could help you hunt again?”

Before Spike could formulate an answer, he got kicked hard in the knee by the other demon. Wincing, he gave up on the discourse and concentrated on swinging his sword toward the second demon. Gotta stop listening. They’re already getting me off my game. The first demon took the opportunity, aimed and delivered a strong punch to Spike’s mouth. He felt his lip split. Shrugging it off, he aimed for the first demon again.

“It’s because I bloody well don’t like you gits,” Spike said loudly as he connected with a well aimed kick into the demon’s own knee.

The demon fell onto one knee. Before it could rise Spike kicked it under the chin. The powerful kick forced the demon’s head to snap back, driving it flat on its back. Before Spike could drive home the killing blow, he felt the other demon’s fist connect hard with the side of his head. He staggered sideways and dropped his sword. The demon kicked it away. Growling, Spike spun around. His yellow eyes gleamed as his own demon demanded revenge.

Spike and the rider slowly circled each other.

The rider’s red eyes glowed and his voice cajoled. “Let me help you.” He held onto the sharp knife. “If you allow me to place my hands on your brow, I can remove your restraint easily. Then you will be free.”

Spike shook off the voice once again although it was more difficult this time. “Told you, not goin’ to happen.”

“I could make you powerful again. You could join us, or not. It would be your choice.”

With the demon’s words concerning choices tumbling around in his head, Spike shook him off once again. My choice is to help Buffy.

Willing himself not to falter, Spike quickly danced forward, kicked out with his leg and connected with the demon’s arm that held the knife. The demon winced and dropped the knife into the sand. Spike moved forward and balled his fists. The demon, unsure of what was happening, tried to move to the left. Spike anticipated the movement and quickly drove toward the demon’s face. Each alternating punch punctuated his words. “I-have-made-my-choice-and-it’s-not-you!!”

With the final powerful blow, the demon screamed, fell to its knees and shook its head, trying to clear its vision. Spike connected a hard kick that drove the demon from its knees to the ground. It lay there temporarily stunned. Spike licked the blood away from his split lip and hurriedly turned toward the second demon, but it was too late.

He had lost track of it. During Spike’s assault, the other rider had recovered from the earlier blow and moved swiftly away from the area. Spike looked around him and then over at Rupert. He was still standing and swinging his ax at the third demon. Spike knew the Watcher couldn’t hold out forever. He had been wounded already; Spike could smell his blood.

Wheeling around, Spike hurriedly ran toward the witches searching frantically for the missing demon. Suddenly he heard a loud scream in the reeds that ended abruptly. The demon had circumvented the witches and gone straight for his old nemesis. Cut his throat from the sound and smell of it.

Spike stopped at the witches’ circle. They’d stopped chanting and were struggling to move the crystal away from the riverbank.

Spike stepped forward and spoke urgently. “Where does it need to go?”

Willow, exhaustion etched on her face, nodded toward the desert in front of her. “It seems to have become slippery during the spell somehow or maybe we’re just tired, but we need to move it away from the riverbank and onto solid ground.”

Spike picked the crystal up for the women, carried it away from the riverbank and set it down at the edge of the flat desert. Willow pointed to Giles a few yards away still grappling with the demon. “I can direct the beam but no one else can be near. It’ll pull in everything within direct proximity.”

“How close?”

“I’m totally guessing here, maybe two or three feet in diameter.”

“Hurry and aim it at that wanker lyin’ on the ground over there, he’s startin’ to get up. I’ve got to track the one that got the old Watcher, and then I can pull Rupert away.”

Willow immediately started murmuring an incantation while running her hands along the crystal. Spike hated to leave the two women alone again, but with the second rider still free, he didn’t dare remain. He looked at Tara’s face, quickly assessing the blonde. She looked tired but determined. Good. He knew housed within the quiet witch was a strength that people often overlooked.

“Here, Glinda, just in case.” Spike reached into his boot and handed Tara his short serrated knife. He watched as she carefully tucked it into the high waistband at the back of her skirt. “You two stay with the crystal. Don’t try to move any closer.” When she nodded firmly, he turned around and waded into the head-high reeds. He had to find that other rider. Fast.

******

Giles tried to catch his breath. Bugger all that hurt. During one of its assaults the demon had managed to plunge its knife into the Watcher’s side. Giles figured from the way it felt when he tried to catch a deep breath; it had struck close to his lung. Shaking off the acute pain again, he hefted the ax. The demon held its long knife out in front and lunged forward again. Giles stepped quickly away from the knife. Gathering his strength he swung the ax and finally managed to connect it deeply within the demon’s upper thigh. It screamed and viciously drove forward, favoring the leg. Giles quickly backed up and tried to catch his breath again.

Warily watching the knife, Giles moved forward and swung the ax again. He missed. He took a ragged breath, pulled back and tried to assess his opponent. The demon had slowed down. Its leg was bleeding heavily and it was having trouble putting any weight down on it, but it still drove forward. When it quickly swung its knife at his stomach again, the Watcher realized that the rider had no intention of stopping; it thirsted for the power and the pain too much.

Giles knew this would end soon, one way or the other and tried to think of a plan. Behind the demon’s back, Spike lifted the crystal and moved it forward. Giles cautiously avoided the demon’s knife again as he watched the activity out of the corner of his eye. He watched Willow aim the crystal at the demon groggily getting to its feet.

Suddenly there was a swift pulse of brilliant light and the demon quietly and utterly vanished, sent to the hell dimension. The crystal worked.

Giles had managed to move in such a way that insured the demon had its back to the witches when the silent beam discharged. Now Giles knew what he had to do. The demon raised its knife again as the Watcher summoned every last ounce of will left and slowly inched backward. When the demon finally realized that his prey was moving backward instead of forward, it prepared to hobble toward him. But before it could completely compensate for the unexpected change in direction, Giles turned and ignoring the excruciating pain in his side, ran as quickly as he could away from the demon.

Willow had been watching the struggle closely and suddenly realized what Giles had planned. When she saw him begin to inch away, she turned and aimed the beam. When he bolted far enough away from the demon, she turned it on. Unable to move as quickly as the Watcher, the rider vanished as quietly and completely as its fellow demon. Willow turned off the beam and high fived Tara. They turned back in time to see Giles turn pale and collapse heavily on the sand.

Chapter 29 How Deep Do You Believe

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you want to change it?
-Nine Inch Nails
The Hand That Feeds

Spike cursed his stupidity. The rider had circled back around and he’d let it. He stopped and listened for its distinctive heartbeat. Grimly he pushed through the reeds as quickly as he could. The demon was definitely headed straight back to the witches.

When Giles had fallen in the sand, Tara and Willow left the Crystal of Namine and ran to help him. Willow lifted his head and placed her soft leather bag under it while Tara tried to ascertain how badly the Watcher was hurt. They never heard the demon until it was standing right behind them.

“Bring them back.” The voice was deep, menacing, malevolent and right beside them.

Startled, they both looked up at the same time. Uh oh. Willow answered while she quickly tried to think of something to do. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The demon snarled. “You have used the crystal. Bring back the others or die.”

Willow and Tara knew they needed to stall for time until Spike returned. Willow grimaced, sure that he would have a few choice words for them both. By leaving the crystal, they had done exactly what the vampire had cautioned them against. Now they had made themselves completely vulnerable.

She swallowed and lied swiftly. “I’m not really sure how to bring someone back; I’ve only been working with this for one day. It will take me quite awhile to reset it.”

The demon growled. “Do it and if you take more than five minutes, I will kill the other witch. Perhaps then you can do it faster to save yourself.”

Tara gripped the knife tightly behind her back. She knew she had to help Willow stall for time, so she gathered her courage while her girlfriend and the demon argued. She drew in a sharp breath and watched closely, biding her time. Now. When the demon turned to look fully at Willow, Tara launched herself forward, driving the knife with her momentum. But the demon, much faster then she’d expected, stepped quickly to the side and raised his arm defensively. The knife, instead of landing in the middle of his chest, embedded deeply in his left arm. He grabbed Tara with his right, lifted her up and then dropped her hard to the ground. The rider grimaced, pulled out the knife and let it fall as he snarled, “Attempt something like that again and you will feel so much pain you will beg to die.” He raised his own longer knife and aimed it toward Willow’s throat. She backed up warily.

Tara struggled back to her feet and Willow glanced over sympathetically. Tara had tried her best, but the demon was just too much for either of them to handle without using magiks and it was much too dangerous to attempt any spells this close to the crystal.

Spike cursed fluently again. He’d cautiously followed the demon’s scent and heartbeat through the reeds and back toward the open desert. Once he had arrived at the outer edge of the reeds, just before the open desert, he caught not only the demon’s scent but that of the two witches as well. They were all three together. Spike sucked in an unneeded breath. The women had been caught. Now it would be impossible to force the demon through the portal, no one else but the witches knew how to use the crystal.

Looking over the landscape, Spike wished for some cloud cover. Now would be a good time for the harvest moon to disappear. Even without the crystal, there was too much light to sneak up on the demon from behind and Spike no longer had a weapon. He dug around in his duster, took stock and grimaced. Nothing. He tried to think of a plan.

The demon was obviously trying to coerce the witches into releasing its fellow demons. Spike watched as the blonde witch made her gutsy stand and although it failed, the attempted attack had caused the demon to move. He now stood a little farther away at the edge of the group while the witches leaned against each other closer to the fallen Watcher. Spike saw Rupert’s ax lying forgotten in the sand beside him and an idea struck.

He reached in his duster again and his hand closed on the only thing in his pocket other than his lighter and cigarettes. He smirked. It might just work, if Red and Glinda played it right. Hoping the witches caught on quickly he headed out into the open.

The rider was furious. His leader was still trying to suck the power from the Slayer and his fellow two riders had been removed to another dimension. He was about to kill the blonde bitch when a voice behind him spoke up.

“Hey ladies, what’s the git want you to do for ‘em?”

Willow breathed a shaky sigh of relief. Spike, no longer in game face, was standing there looking as cocky as usual, leaning back on his heels with his hand in his duster. She and Tara shared a questioning look while they tried to ascertain what Spike had planned. Wide eyed, they both watched him closely for a cue.

Spike raised an eyebrow and then nonchalantly cut his eyes to the ax.

The women subtly glided a step back, away from the ax.

“Come near me half breed and I will kill the witches. The demon stared furiously at Spike and moved a few steps closer. “But first I will kill you.”

Willow and Tara cautiously slid back another step.

All its attention and hatred focused on the vampire, the demon shifted, raised its knife and took several steps forward.

The witches were finally far enough away. Spike stared at the demon and snarled. “No, I don’t bloody think you’ll kill anyone.” He pulled his hand out of his duster pocket and the sound of the Beatles loudly shattered the quiet.

The demon, startled, backed away hurriedly. “I hear strange demonic voices! What kind of evil magick is that?”

Willow and Tara realized that was their cue and screamed. “Oh no!! Look out!! He’s got a dangerous cell phone!”

Spike launched the phone toward the demon, dropped, rolled and came up with Giles’ ax in his hand.

The demon flinched away from contact with the noisy supposed weapon.

Spike took the opportunity to raise the ax. “Yeah, it’s the very worst possible type of evil, too. It’s called an annoyin’ cell phone.” When the phone landed on the sand and nothing else occurred, the demon turned its attention back to Spike. Too late.

Spike swung the ax powerfully, neatly severing the demon’s head from its neck.

Nonchalantly dropping the bloody ax, Spike picked up his phone and gently wiped the sand away.

Turning off the ring tone, he growled, “When we get back, Red, you’re goin’ to change this bloody song, you owe me now.” He pocketed the phone and smirked at Willow. “But, since I nicked your mum’s battery from your backpack yesterday, I guess we’re really even.”

Giles groaned and opened his eyes and the women dropped back to his side.

“Not too much blood, that’s a good sign.” He placed his hand briefly on the older man’s arm, stood up and scanned the horizon.

Spike had suddenly realized that the Slayer was still unaccounted for. He shifted, looked out toward the open desert and saw Buffy, her sword at her side, walking toward the demon. Just like her dream and I’m supposed to be watchin’ her back. Spike started to run.

The rider held out his hand. “Come to me Slayer. You are mine. Let us finish this.”

Buffy had finally made her decision. She dropped her sword to her side and started forward toward the rider.

The demon was elated; a few more steps and all that power would be his. He waited impatiently for her to cross the last few feet; his fingers itched to touch her.

Buffy walked slowly and deliberately toward the black rider. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a black clad figure running from the edge of the desert toward her. Her mind flashed back to the Cantilly fight in the graveyard and irreverently she wondered if Spike had another bottle with him. But this time it wouldn’t matter; Buffy had a weapon and a plan and she would not allow herself to be defeated again. She was the Slayer and she had made her decision.

Squaring her shoulders, Buffy took a deliberate step forward and powerfully swung her sword, slicing it across the demon’s chest. Surprise and confusion flared in the demon’s eyes as he staggered backward and dropped his knife in the sand. He found his footing and his eyes flashed as he angrily reached for her. He had to touch her now. He could still control her. Her power would still be his.

But Buffy gracefully danced away from his reach and then swung again, catching him once more across the chest.

The rider screamed in frustration and anger. He reached down and grabbed his knife. Angrily, he moved quickly toward her. “Slayer, you are mine.”

“You just don’t know how to take no for an answer and that’s a very bad habit, even for a demon.”

Buffy tilted her chin up defiantly and finally stared in the rider’s eyes. “I’m the Slayer and what you need to understand is that no one owns me. The power is mine and I’m not letting anyone else have it. Not now, not ever.”

Spike ran across the open desert toward the two fighters. He worriedly watched Buffy until he saw her slash the demon across the chest for the first time. There was no reason to hurry; the Slayer had everything under control and this was her fight. Spike slowed down to enjoy the show. She’s always such poetry in motion.

Although bleeding heavily, the maddened demon raised his knife and ran toward her. Buffy danced lightly away. The rider quickly turned back and slashed again.

Gracefully avoiding the knife, Buffy lifted her sword. “Sorry, but it’s time for you to, wait how did you put it? Oh yeah, you get to be covered in a warm blanket of earth, or something like that. And hey, I get a warrior’s wish after all. I get to wish you dead and then do it, too. A Warrior Bonus.” With a powerful thrust, Buffy ran the sword straight through the black rider and then up, nearly splitting him in two. The demon collapsed to the sand.

Spike strolled up, lifted his foot and nudged the dead rider. “It sure took you long enough to finish off the one demon, Slayer.” He smirked.

“Well, I had to keep him occupied until you finally got around to finishing off the minions, didn’t I?”

Spike just shook his head amused. She is so bloody annoyin’ and so incredibly amazing. I can’t help lovin’ her.

He looked down again at the dead demon with Buffy’s sword still stuck in its chest. Shaking his head again, he reached down and pulled out the sword. Leaning over the dead body, he wiped the blood on the dead demon’s sleeve.

Standing up again, he offered her the clean sword. “Here, Slayer, it seems like I’m forever tryin’ to keep track of your sword for you.”

Buffy took the sword and grinned. He is such an absolute smartass. God, I love this guy.

Spike clasped her warm hand in his cool one as they turned and started back toward the witches.

“You know there’s a thing called a scabbard for your sword, pet. It would make things a whole lot easier. I wouldn’t have to follow you around picking it up. You should talk your Watcher into buying you one.” He smirked. “You might even find one cheap on the internet.”

Buffy looked over at him and asked innocently. “But if you’re not gonna follow me around picking up my sword, Spike, what will you do for fun?”

Spike stopped, pulled her close and kissed her breathless. When they finally moved apart, he murmured in her ear. “I’m sure I’ll think of somethin’.”

Her carefree laughter bubbled up.

Spike silently vowed to make sure Buffy sounded that way as much as possible in the future because watching her back now meant a whole lot more to him than just being there during a fight.

He put his arm around her waist. Farther ahead they watched Giles, supported by the witches, stand up on his feet.

“Well, you did it Slayer, you saved the world.”

“I did something else just as important.”

Spike looked at the powerful woman standing beside him. “And what was that luv?”

“I saved myself.”

*******


Epilogue


Sunnydale
One Week Later

“Here you go, pet, one frosty cold diet Pepsi.” Spike placed the can and a glass of cracked ice in front of Buffy and slid into the seat next to her.

The Bronze, even very early on Saturday night, was already packed and the blonde couple had been lucky to grab a small corner table.

Buffy leaned over and lightly kissed him. “Thanks.”

The band announced a ten minute break and exited the stage.

Buffy poured her Pepsi over the ice. “I saw Giles earlier today.”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “How’s he doin’?”

“Much better. He’s starting to complain about sitting still, but the doctor told him to stay off his feet for a couple more days.”

Spike pulled a piece from his blooming onion. It was deep fried perfectly. “Well, it’s only been a week and that was a nasty wound.” He smirked. “I bet he wishes he had your Slayer healin’ ‘bout now.”

Buffy pouted. “Yeah, it’s been a whole week and I still wish…”

“You’re not goin’ to start that all over again, are you?”

“But Spike…”

“Slayer, I told you there’s just no way you could keep that horse. What were you plannin’ on doin’ with it? Ride it over here to the Bronze or maybe out on patrol?”

He took a swallow of his beer and set the bottle down. “Besides, Kale was so excited when you gave it to him; you saw the look on the kid’s face, that was a dream come true.”

Buffy smiled. “Yeah, that was awesome.” She swirled the Pepsi in her glass. “But you were the one that made a real difference, Spike, by giving Celeste the rest of your poker money.”

Spike shrugged. “Wanted a chance to give ‘em somethin’ in return for all they did for us.”

The band, back on stage, started to play a slow ballad.

“Come on Spike, let’s dance.”

“Sure, luv.”

The couple joined the other dancers on the crowded floor, content within each other’s arms. Buffy had just snuggled tighter against Spike when she felt someone tap her shoulder. “Willow?”

“Hi Buffy.” Willow’s anxious face came into view. “I’m sorry, but Giles called. He needs you right away; a group of biker demons just rode into town.”

Buffy sighed. “I’ll be right there, I just need to run home and pick up weapons.”
She looked at Spike. “Coming with?”

“Always up for a spot of violence, luv. Besides you’ll need me to watch your back.” At the utterance of the phrase, they both grinned.

Holding hands, they worked their way through the crush of people.

“You know Spike; I’ll bet there’ll be a couple motorcycles left once we kill
the demons. My mom would probably let me have one of them.”

“You don’t drive.”

“I could learn. After all you have a bike, how hard can it be? Hey,
you could teach me.”

“No bloody way. You’ll get yourself killed ridin’ one of those.”

“You ride one.”

“I’m already dead.”

“I can’t have a horse and I can’t get a motorcycle either? This so isn’t fair.
I’m the Slayer; I should have my own transportation.”

“Get a bloody bicycle.”

“Hey Buster, do you have any idea how hard it is to ride a bicycle in boots with four inch heels while carrying a sword?”

“Suddenly, you’re carryin’ your own sword?”

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Giles bought me a scabbard. Nice. Hand tooled.

“Where’d Rupes find it?”

“Ordered it online.”

“Bet he got a good price, too.”

Buffy Anne Summers, Vampire Slayer extraordinaire and William the Bloody a.k.a Spike, her Master Vampire lover and backup, hold hands as they saunter through the door of the brightly lit Bronze and slip fluidly into the night shadows where, even on foot, they manage to save the denizens of Sunnydale. Again.

The End