Two days passed, forty eight long hours, and finally, the night in question was upon them. The sun was nearly finished with its daily descent, giving way to the new moon that currently hung low in the dimly lit sky as the warriors headed out on their mission armed with a variety of weapons and magical ingredients.
Holding up the back of the line, Rupert glared at Buffy’s back as she took her place up front with his son. Distrust and loathing curdled in his stomach as he thought back to Wesley’s startling discovery after waking up early that morning. Still shaken from the find, the Watcher had recounted the morning’s activities as he slumped in his favored armchair in the Giles’s living room.
”It’s gone, Rupert! Everything we’ve worked so diligently at over the past two weeks was taken.” Wesley had announced, running his shaking hands through his disheveled hair. “I’ve no earthly idea how the thieves managed to gain entry, no bleeding clue! A vampire wouldn’t have permission to enter and a human would’ve had to get past my security system, it’s mind-boggling!”
Of course, while Wesley had sat in wonder and desperately tried to figure out what could have happened, the cogs in Rupert’s head had started up. A vampire could have easily made entrance to the apartment if they had already gained permission at an earlier date. Plus, he was quite sure that a stealthy creature of the night could very effortlessly move around the apartment without setting off the alarm system. These conclusions had instantly led Rupert to one suspect…Buffy. Unfortunately, Rupert knew that if he rallied against the Buffy, Spike would have turned against him; which infuriated him even further. Continuing on the journey to the abandoned warehouse that the ceremony was rumored to be held, Rupert kept his eyes trained on the traitor’s back the entire time.
Nervously, Fred shuffled forward with the rest of the gang. Her hands tightly were clutched around the small satchel filled with an assortment of magical needs. She was frightened beyond belief, afraid not only of the impending fight, but of the role she played. Since the spell to stop the portal from being opened had disappeared from Wesley’s apartment, they had had to scurry around to find something…any type of spell that might assist their fight if needed. Thankfully, Tara had spotted a dampening spell in one of Rupert’s old texts and hopefully, it would work. Designed only to draw strength from a being, it would at least assist in slowing down the powerful demon if she was released from her prison. Biting her lip, her mind raced wildly with all the possible ways she could manage to mess up the spell.
Angel marched beside his lifelong friend, Gunn, both armed to the hilt with matching swords and pockets laden with bottles of holy water. While he wore a brave mask, inside he quivered with fear. Fear of what was to come, fear of what he would have to do and fear that they might not make it out alive. Cutting his eyes to the left, he made contact with Charles and saw the understanding in his dark eyes. Realizing that he wasn’t alone in his fright, Angel clutched the leather wrapped handle with a clammy hand and marched on.
Rounding the corner of Beech St. and Harbor Dr. the abandoned shipping facility loomed ahead of them. Breaking off into groups, they entered the darkened warehouse and headed towards the basement where the ritual was supposed to occur. Spike and Buffy went in first, managing to take out a handful of guards before disappearing into the stairwell.
Wesley headed to an alcove, which was located just above the proposed ritual site according to the buildings blueprints, with Fred and Tara in tow. Assisting in lighting the appropriate candles for the spell, he helped lay out the ingredients and other items that Fred would need in order to perform the spell if it was called for. Thankfully, Tara had dabbled in a little witchcraft in her earlier days at college and had offered to stay with the very apprehensive Fred to help ground her during the magicks. Once the girls were settled in, he gathered his own weapons and headed towards the basement to join the others.
Rupert followed Angel and Gunn into the dank basement, surprised that they had only encountered a few well placed guards and not the swarm they had planned for. However, his mounting enthusiasm was quickly dashed when they entered the ritual site and was faced with what appeared to be close to fifty snarling demons that were ready and willing to feast on them. Raising their weapons, the trio waded into the masses and launched the fight of their lives.
Up above, supposedly safe from the danger below, Tara cried out in surprise as she was grabbed from behind. Struggling against her captor, she was dragged backwards into another room, while Fred was left to fend off her own attacker. Wiggling in the vampire’s arms, she struck out with her elbow and managed to land a painful blow to her chest, which was just enough to wrestle out of the hold. Turning to face the raven haired creature, Tara did just as Spike had shown her and swiftly staked the evil beast directly in her heart; sending waves of dust to the floor. Quickly, she hurried back into the hidden room just in time to see Fred tossed over the railing. With a shout of fury, Tara rushed the demon, plunging her stake into his back and striking his heart. Stepping through the cloud of dust, she leaned over the railing just in time to see Fred land on the stone floor with a thud.
Wesley fended off an approaching vampire, dusting him in passing, as he hurried to the site of the fallen novice witch who had unknowingly captured his heart. Terror had filled his veins, ice cold fear chilling him to the bone, when he had seen her plummet to the ground from the alcove that had been chosen for her to perform the needed spell; figuring the out of the way location would be safe. Thankfully, Wesley’s hopes had soared when he witnessed her crawl away from the bedlam in the main room and huddle in a nearby corner. Finally, he was with Fred and after a quick search for injuries, he was amazed that she had escaped the fall with only a few scrapes and bumps. Wrapping his arms around the trembling waif, Wesley placed a kiss to the crown of her head; crouched down in the darkened nook together they prayed for a miracle.
Across the room, Angel and Gunn fought together, figuring there was strength in numbers. However, what they hadn’t counted on was the fact that the vampires in the room outnumbered the humans by at least five to one. Keeping their backs to the wall, they fought off the demons one by one; dusting as many as they could and severely injuring the ones that they couldn’t by using the short bladed swords Rupert had provided them with. Mercilessly, they tore throw droves of mindless minions, scattering their ashes to the ground to mingle with the puddles of borrowed blood that seeped from their injured bodies.
Armed with an antique mace, Rupert swarmed the masses, mutilating the lumbering demons with the spiked weapon in attempts of slowing them down. At this point, it was imperative to burst through front line of vampires and assist Spike in stopping the sacrifice; making sure that the portal was never opened and remained nothing but a chalk outline on the floor. With an animalistic roar, he plowed through his attackers, taking out chunks of their cold flesh and splattering the surroundings with garish bloody markings. Feeling more alive than he had in years, the irony of the situation wasn’t lost on the former Watcher as the possibility of death and end of the world loomed in the immediate future.
Pushing past the minions, Spike stalked across the room towards his intended target…Willow. Standing on the opposite side of the altar where her willing sacrifice was laid out dressed in ceremonial clothing, her black robe and flame red hair flowed around her body contrasted sharply against her surroundings. Noticing Spike for the first time, her lip curled in a vicious snarl as she pushed away from the marble slab and headed in his direction. Squaring up for the fight, Spike reared back with the scythe and sarcastically announced, “So sorry to ruin your lil’ party.”
“How nice of you to come out and play with us tonight, Slayer…I was wondering if you would be at my tea party, but no crumpets for you, naughty boy. It’s very rude to show up late!” Willow replied with a smile as she clapped her hands together with the glee of a young child who was about to open her birthday presents. “You’re too late, don’t you see? Silly boy jumping in to save the world when there’s nothing left to save. Gumdrops and roses won’t make me happy, only the present of blood will suffice. I’ll bathe in the wine and dance in the moonlight while my new Mommy rips your friends to pieces!”
“You’re off your nutter, crazy bint.” Spike remarked, fully understanding for the first time that Buffy had been completely honest about the mental stability of her sire. As the loony vampire twirled in her spot, glee written all over her face, he charged and was rewarded with a knife to the side. As the pain seared through his body, Spike realized that while the petite vampire might be legally insane, she was still a ferocious fighter and would be harder to take down than he had originally thought. Pushing aside the pain, he struck back with the scythe, but failed to connect in the correct location and only managed to graze her velvet dress across the middle.
With feline grace, she attacked; fangs and talons bared, Willow growled in frustration as her attempts were blocked. Growling, she tackled the Slayer, momentarily stunning them both and she smiled triumphantly as the Slayer’s precious weapon clattered to the floor and out of arms reach. “Aw, poor little Slayer lost his trusty weapon…sucks to be you!”
“Not bloody likely, bitch!’ Spike growled as he used his legs to toss the snarling vampire off to the side, giving him just enough space to regain his footing. “Don’t need that to take you down.” Striking out, he punched Willow square in the face and said, “Got plenty of stakes for that!” Seemingly pulling out said object out of thin air, he slammed it into her chest and waited for her to dust. Sadly, she had flinched just before impact and had managed to take the sliver of wood just above the right breast, just shy of the heart. Amazed, all he could do was glare at the smiling bitch as she smugly pulled the object from her chest and tossed it to the ground. “Fuck.” He muttered, jumping back into the fight with a solid kick to the side of her head. Momentarily stunning her, Spike followed up with a punch to the face and smiled at the satisfying sound of crunching bone. Circling the bloodied, growling vamp, they danced together as he slowly made his way towards the scythe.
Focused intently on the fight between her sire and lover, Buffy barely noticed as Faith slid from the table and into the floor. Turning her head back to the altar, she cursed and sprinted forward; effectively slicing off the head of an approaching vampire. “Faith?” She hollered as she searched the candle lit area for signs of life. When the brunette stood up from behind the marble slab, Buffy cringed at the expression on her face; seething hatred mixed with the heartbreaking tears of a jilted lover. Their eyes locked and everything around them drowned out, the clink of blades striking their targets, flesh hitting flesh and the cries of war no longer apparent, leaving behind a standoff between two former lovers.
Suddenly, Faith’s hand shot out and Buffy watched in horror as she plucked the ceremonial dagger from the marble slab and held it threateningly against her chest. From the corner of her eye she could see that Spike was still very much entangled in a vicious struggle with Willow and obviously hadn’t noticed the looming danger that Faith was now presenting the with. Laying down her sword, she held her hands up in surrender to show the trembling brunette that she wasn’t going to harm her. “Don’t…please, Faith…just put the knife down.” She begged; her voice shaking with fear as her previous lover stepped into the center of the chalk drawn pentagram on the dusty floor. “You don’t have to do this, please think about what you’re about to do…to cause.” Cautiously, she took a step forward, planning on rushing Faith before she had a chance to draw blood, but was forced to a halt by the sight of blood seeping through the white silken material above her heart.
“Why should I, B? Huh? Come on; give me one fucking reason why I shouldn’t just end it all right now?” Faith growled out in anger. “Like you even fucking care what happens to me…you’re too damned busy with him to want me anymore! God, he kills your kind and yet…you’re still with him. Is that all I needed to have done to get you to love me?” Her voice quaked with emotion as she eased back onto the center most spot on the drawing and waited for the answer she so desperately craved; her heart breaking into millions of pieces when she realized it would never come.
“Faith, I’m sorry I can’t give you what you want.” Buffy whispered sadly. “I can’t take your life, that’s not the answer to your life that you think you need. I know you won’t believe me when I say this, but you deserve better than what I can give you. Dying can’t…no, it won’t fill that hole inside yourself and neither will being with me, not when you deserve to be with someone that loves you.”
“Oh, that’s rich! Like you love him?!” She shrieked, pressing the blade harder against the supple flesh of her chest; warmth seeped down her skin, past her quivering stomach and into the braided silver band cinched around her waist. Shaking her head with despair, Faith realized with one final look deep into Buffy’s eyes that she would never be granted her wish; that an eternity with her love would never be fulfilled. Laughing bitterly, a sadistic smile spread across her face as her decision was made. “Guess I’m gonna have to go with an old saying, B. ‘Course you know I was always fond of the dramatics! If I can’t have you…no one else can.”
“Faith! No!” Buffy shouted. Time seemed to slow as the erratic female ceremoniously blew a kiss in the direction of her former lover; Buffy propelled herself forward with unnatural speed, but still wasn’t fast enough as the blade disappeared into Faith’s heart and blood poured forth from the self inflicted wound. “NO!” Buffy shouted as Faith sank to the floor.
Intensely immersed in the fight with Willow, Spike scarcely heard the confrontation between Buffy and Faith. The sounds of their voices had filtered in on occasion, but his interests had lain elsewhere and now they were all going to suffer because of it.
However, as soon as the first drop of blood hit the diagram, a low level rumbling filled the makeshift temple and captured his attention. Turning his head for a brief second, his shoulders sank with realization and terror coursed through his veins when he saw Faith tumble to the ground; dagger firmly planted in her chest and a bright bloom of blood staining the silken gown she had adorned for the ceremony.
As the sacrificial being laid motionless, slowly bleeding to death, Willow rejoiced in her success and used the diversion to escape from her struggle with the Slayer. Slinking into the shadows, the redheaded vampire slipped away unnoticed and scampered away from danger; sadistically pleased with the outcome of the night’s events.
Chaos became more prevalent as Faith’s blood pooled around her fallen body and seeped into the chalk markings on the ground. Walls crumbled and the floor cracked, screams from the rooms occupants combined with the breakage and filled the room with thunderous noise. Remaining vamps scattered like cockroaches, leaving the only the so called heroes standing helplessly in the apex of the pandemonium. Spike, however, paid them no notice.
His mind was filled with a haze, foggy with delusion as if the past hour had been spent drinking instead of fighting for the safety of the world. Spike struggled mentally, brow marred with confusion, as he desperately tried to make sense of the world around him. The darkened temple shook as the end of the world slowly approached, candles clattered to the ground, spilling their hot wax across the dust covered floor and pebbles from the crumbling walls joined into the mix. None of this mattered to Spike as he stood motionless in the center of the breaking room, for his attentions were focused solely on his love. He could sense her presence as the space between them grew smaller, her shape growing clearer with each step and finally she was within grasp. Reaching out, Spike enveloped Buffy in his shaking arms, their gaze never faltered and he felt safe as he stared into her golden eyes. His mind never registered the danger, not even when presented with her demon visage; which was why his azure orbs twinkled with moisture as her fangs sank deep into his neck.
“Buffy?” Spike whispered hoarsely, his hands grasping fruitlessly at her arms in a futile attempt to stop the attack. Clutching the cold flesh of her biceps, he dug his nails deeply into her arms and felt rivulets of blood seep down his shaking fingers. Her grasp on his rapidly weakening body strengthened as his powerful blood filled her veins and Spike’s legs dangled lifelessly when she lifted him from the ground. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he slipped from her strengthened hold, his body drooped as she lowered him to the ground. Lying prone on the cold stone floor, he forced his eyes partially open and gazed up at the vampire and uttered one final word before slipping into unconsciousness, “Why?”
TBC....and remember, there is a method to my madness!
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Well, here it is...the big fight. Now, I know that the added warning of Character Death had some of you worried, but please, stick it out. As always, thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and please, be kind...let me know what you think of this one. I'm uber nervous about it. And, Sotia...please stop banging your head against the desk...it's not good for you! LoL! Thanks again!!!