Chapter 14
Giles dropped Xander off and arrived home himself without incident. Facts as they were, Giles could perform his own disinvite; Xander didn’t need one. Both man and student were safe for the night, barring no unforeseen circumstances.
The unforeseen circumstances, however, occurred far from both Xander and Giles. In fact, as the trio of witches, two human and one vampire, arrived to Willow’s home, they saw a very disconcerting sight. Angelus had just slipped out the door to Willow’s room as they came to the side of the house, laughing madly.
“Hey up there! We seeeee youuuuu!” Ellie called.
Angelus didn’t respond. Taking one look at the three witches, he knew he was outmatched. He made to sprint away when he was stopped by unseen bonds.
“What the fuck is this!?” he yelled.
“Oh just the same lil’ trick you saw Buffy in the other night. Shame you fell for it so easily. I woulda expected more constitution from someone of your...advanced age.” Ellie replied with a grin.
Not entirely comfortable baiting Angelus, Jenny whispered to Ellie, “You might want to let him go, I’ve read he’s very volatile.”
“Oh I know that sugar, I just can’t help it. Love to see the old man suffer. ‘Specially after what he did to Mummy. What say we have some fun yeah?” Giggling, Ellie began to make him dance, flopping his limbs this way and that. Angelus growled and thrashed all the while, finally shouting menacingly, “You’ll pay for this you little upstart! I’m sure you’ve heard the stories, I can make you beg for death for weeks...then wait ‘til you beg a little more.”
“Oh of that I have no doubt, grandpappy, but you see, I just can’t help myself!” Ellie replied.
This went on for many moments as Ellie humiliated and enraged the vampire. The bonds began to loosen as Ellie tired. Sensing his victory and retribution close at hand, he struggled harder and harder while the bonds loosened more and more.
Ellie had forgotten how taxing a ritual as difficult as the one she had earlier performed was. Used to large stores of strength, she wasn’t prepared for him to break free so easily. Jenny and Willow had caught on to her draining power with their own senses; they felt it gush out of the young vampire in large waves. Fearing for their lives once Angelus broke free, they began to back away towards the safety of Willow’s home. A barred door would hold him for a few moments, long enough to call for help or perform the disinvite.
Jenny and Willow made a mad dash for the house as the bonds broke and Ellie collapsed to her knees. While Ellie had trained in physical combat with her brother ad nauseum, in her weakened state she wouldn’t last but a few minutes against a fully enraged Angelus. Resigning herself to defeat, she hung her head in shame. She should have listened to Jenny! How could she have given in to her own childish impulses?
When Angelus felt the bonds release, he wasted no time in charging the weakened vampire. With no foolish compunctions towards fair fighting like pathetic little ‘Willy-boy,’ he had no trouble beginning to gain his revenge. Backhanding her, her knees gave out as she fell limply to the ground, dazed. Almost displeased at her lack of response, he quickly began beating her black and blue. Satisfied that she wouldn’t retaliate, he carefully began breaking bones, some in several places, beginning with her toes. He had found over the years that breaking bones at specific points caused more pain than others. Working his way upward, he used all his knowledge to cause maximum torment. Having remained silent through the beating, as the first bone broke, Ellie began to wail and scream. Enjoying her pained cries and whimpers, Angelus merely slowed down his pace. Good torture couldn’t be rushed. Not exactly the ideal place to do it, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers.
xxx
Having barricaded themselves in Willow’s room, the two women were terrified by the anguished screams they heard from outside. Equally frightened by the crudely drawn picture of her fish, who were now strung sickeningly atop the aquarium, Willow finally shook herself out of her stupor. Rushing to the phone, she dialed Buffy.
“C’mon, c’mon!” she whispered impatiently, waiting for someone to answer. Luckily, Buffy’s voice came through one ring later.
“Hello?”
“BUFFY! It’s Will! You have to hurry, Angelus was here and there was taunting and now he’s got Ellie!”
“Oh God,” was the pained reply.
As the line ‘clicked’ closed, Willow nodded to Jenny, who was murmuring the disinvite as the phone call was made. Completing her incantation, Jenny sighed loudly. “We’re safe for now, Willow.”
Breathing her own sigh of relief, Willow finally relaxed, sagging tiredly to her bed. Jenny followed soon after. Embracing each other in comfort, they jerked at each sound coming from the street below.
The screams had yet to cease.
xxx
Buffy tore out of the house, not caring that she used the front door so late at night. Slamming it behind her, she had no doubt woken her mother. That was a subject that she’d broach at another time. Dashing down the street, she made it about two blocks before she crashed into a dark object.
“Oi you silly bint! Watch it!”
“Spike, oh God, we have to hurry, no time to explain, but Angelus has Ellie!” she said, breathless.
“That stupid chit!” he mumbled, shifting to game-face.
Grabbing Buffy forcefully by the arm, he practically drug her behind him, tracking Ellie’s scent.
xxx
Sensing her Childe’s pain, Dru roared. Using her superior agility, she made it to the scene as Angelus began on Ellie’s arms. Moving without thought, Drusilla deftly removed the stake from its makeshift ties and slung it with all her might. Traveling the half-block-long distance quickly, it embedded itself deep within Angelus’ heart. Dru continued to her Childe, hoping to calm her, help her, ANYTHING to make her pain lessen.
xxx
After dusting, Angelus came to consciousness in a small dark room. He began to snap and snarl, thrashing once again in bonds, this time of a decidedly physical nature.
Sighing softly, a figure in a tacky suit and fedora said, “Well boyo, you’ve really screwed this one up.”
Neither were quite sure who he was referring to.
[Reviews - 41]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 871 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Ok guys, this one was a toughie. There WILL be some torture in this, so PLEASE read at your own risk. For the overview, we check in on our witch trio, Angelus does something naughty, and most of the gang is brought together again by something terrible and sad. No character deaths...but it was still hard to write.
Chapter End Notes:
Ty again for reading, and I hope you can take the time to review. :)