[Reviews - 94]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 1887 times

- Text Size +




Chapter 21 Reptile Boy (Part 3 of 3)

A/N Thanks to everyone who's written reviews. It was good to know that people liked the lollipop, also made me realized something I hadn't explained yet. Thanks again.

"This is the place," Buffy announced to the others.

They spread out around the area where Buffy had found the necklace, looking for clues.

"Those super vampire senses of yours picking anything up?" asked Xander as his flashlight traced the cemetery lawn.

"Nothing but some god awful racket from some party," Spike said.

"It's probably the fraternity house, the college is just over the south wall," Willow said.

"The fraternity house?" Buffy asked, her eyes going wide. "You mean the one with the party that Cordelia invited me to?"

Willow gulped. "Yeah, that one."

"And if history has taught us anything," Xander said authoritatively, "It's that monster's always try and eat Cordelia."

"Except for the praying-mantis lady," said Willow.

"Or the Mummy," added Buffy.

"Right, okay, so monsters go after me too."

"And there was the big robot that dug Willow," Buffy continued.

"And the Master was always after Buffy," Willow went on.

"Alright already!" said Xander. "But we're all here and safe. So therefore. . ."

"Cordelia is in mortal peril," concluded Giles.

"You were going to a frat party?" Spike said accusingly to Buffy.

"I was invited, by a cute college guy I might add," Buffy said proudly, "But I didn't go," she added hurriedly, seeing the look on Spike's face.

"But you thought about it. Buffy do you know why college guys ask out high school girls?"

"If we don't hurry, I think Cordelia's going to find out," Giles interrupted.

They made their way out of the cemetery to the frat house. In front was a red sports care with a 'QUEEN C' license plate.

"Okay, since I was invited anyway, I'll go in and look around," Buffy told the others. "You guys look around for anything suspicious."

"You're not going in there alone." Spike said firmly.

"And you don't look like you belong at a frat party. I'll be fine, I'm the Slayer, they're college guys, what are they going to do to me?"

Before Spike could protest anymore, Buffy slipped away and made her way into the party.

Inside everything looked normal. But Buffy didn't see Cordelia anywhere. Just when she was about to start some serious snooping, she ran into Tom, the guy who'd asked her out earlier.

"Hey, you made it," he said.

"Yeah, my plans changed," she said, smiling. He handed her a drink, and without thinking she took it, and took a sip. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was sweet and fruity and she liked it. "So have you seen Cordelia? I was going to say hi but I don't see her anywhere."

"Why don't you finish your drink, and I'll go find her," Tom said helpfully. "I think she went upstairs. Be right back."

Buffy smiled and took another sip. She'd really have to find out what this drink was.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Her head still spinning, Buffy came to unsure of what had happened. As she opened her eyes, she realized that she was underground and chained to a wall. Next to her was Cordelia and another girl. Probably the one the bracelet had belonged to.

As Buffy watched, the guy named Richard took a sword and walked behind a kneeling man. Richard began to carve symbol on the man's back. Buffy couldn't be sure from her position, but she thought the kneeling man was Tom.

"Buffy? Where are we?" Cordelia asked.

"In the basement, far as I can tell."

"What's happening? What did they do to us?"

"I think they drugged us. Me at least. I'm guessing you didn't just let them chain you to a wall either."

"Why? What are they gonna do to us?"

"I don't know."

Cordelia began to cry. "I wanna go home."

"No one's going home," said the other girl, her voice filled with hopelesness. "Ever. Look, one of them's different than the others," she said indicating the kneeling man. "Nicer."

"Tom," Buffy said under her breath.

Richard finished carving the new symbol. The kneeling man got up and turned to the girls. It was Tom. Two of the other frat boys helped him put on a matching brown robe.

"He's the one to watch out for," whispered the girl.

Buffy shook her chains to test them and looked up to where they were anchored. Tom looked at her.

"She's last," he said.

"Last? For what?" asked the panicked Cordelia.

Tom walked over to a well in the center of the room and picked up a bag.

"Who's first?! Answer me! Who's first?!" Cordelia insisted, growing more and more hysterical.

Tom let three stones drop out of the bag and into his hand.

"Three stones," Buffy said looking at the other girls. "Three of us."

"Buffy. . ." begged Cordelia.

Buffy tried to reassure her. "Stay calm. We'll get outta this."

Tom and the others began some long boring ritual, but Buffy's attention was elsewhere. She was trying to figure out how to break free of her chains.

"There's something down there and he's gonna throw us down there with it," Cordelia said, nodding toward the well in the center of the room. It seemed to be the center of their ritual.

"I don't think so," reasoned Buffy.

"No?" Cordelia grasped onto the slim bit of hope. "Well, that's good! That, that's. . ."

"I don't think we go to it. I think it comes to us." Buffy finished.

Cordelia moaned. "Ooohhhhhhh! No!"

Tom looked up from the well and suddenly a giant snake-man rose out of it.

Cordelia screamed, "Oh, my God!"

Buffy started to yank harder on her chains, desperate to rip them from the ceiling.

"C'mon, Buffy! Oh, my God! Oh, c'mon! Oh!" Cordelia encouraged her.

The snake-man remained stationary and spreads its arms.

"For he shall rise from the depths, and we shall tremble before him," Tom intoned. "He who is the source of all we inherit and all we possess. Machida."

"Machida," chanted the others.

Tom continued the incantation, "And if he is pleased with our offerings, then our fortune shall increase."

"Machida. Let our fortunes increase."

"And on the tenth day of the tenth month he shall be enhungered. And we shall feed him," finished Tom.

Machida gazed over at the girls.

"Feed him?" whined Cordelia.

Machida rose up before her.

"Feed him?!" Cordelia said with renewed panic. "Oh, no!"

Machida closed in on Cordelia and she screamed.

"Hey, reptile boy!" yelled Buffy, trying to distract him.

"No woman speaks to him!" said an outraged Tom.

"You don't want her," Buffy continued ignoring Tom. "Look at her. She's all skin and bones. Half an hour later you'll be hungry."

Tom approached Buffy. "I told you to shut up!" He backhanded her and held up his sword. "You speak again and I'll cut your throat."

Then two brothers unchained Cordelia and held her. From upstairs there was a sudden crashing sound as if a fight was going on.

Tom looked up, "Something's going on upstairs. Go. Go!"

Several of the frat boys rushed upstairs to see what was going on. Buffy looked up at her chains again, then back at Machida.

"Feed, Dark Lord!" Tom commanded.

Machida rose above Cordelia, then moved in to take her from the brothers' grip. She screamed loudly and struggled. Buffy yanked hard at her chains one last time, and they finally broke loose from the ceiling. She quickly stepped over to Machida and punched him in the face. He pulled back away from them, holding the side of his face. Buffy started to fight with the brothers. Tom swung at her with his sword.

The basement door flew open, and Spike hurtled down the stairs.

"You bitch! I'll serve you to him in pieces." Tom yelled, not having seen Spike appear.

Spike tackled him to the ground, allowing Buffy to turn her attention to the giant snake about to eat Cordelia. She grabbed the sword Tom dropped when Spike knocked him over. Machida was so intent of Cordelia, he didn't even see Buffy charge him with the sword until it was too late and the sword was imbedded in his chest.

The snake-man screamed and then dove down the well it had come from.

"You did it!" Cordelia yelled happily. "You saved us!" she hugged Spike tightly. "I've never been so happy to see anyone in my whole..." she let go and turned to the others, who were making their way down the basement stairs. "You guys. I just... hate you guys! The weirdest things always happen when
you're around!" Then Cordelia turned on Tom. "And you! You're going to jail for fifteen thousand years!"

Once he was free of Cordelia's grip, Spike came over to help Buffy take off her chains.

"How'd you end up in these?" he asked.

"I think they drugged me."

Spike looked at her concerned. Then he sniffed her breath.

"You've been drinking!" he reprimanded.

"No I haven't," she insisted indignantly. "I mean I drank something, with the drugs, but it was sweat and fruity, I didn't have a beer or anything."

"Buffy, are you completely daft? All that sugar and sweetness is to hide the taste of the alcohol. I can't believe you just took a drink from someone without knowing what it was. You and your bloody sweet tooth."

"I thought you liked my sweet tooth," she said softly so only he could hear.

"Yeah. . . well. . . Let's just get you out of here okay?" he said more gently as he put his arm around her.

Still, Buffy had a feeling more lectures were going to follow, and there would be no more snuggling tonight.





You must login (register) to review.