There were a few times in Buffy's life that she could think of when she'd been bound in chains. None of them were good. And usually she was rescued before the final plot was about to happen.
Well except for that one time with Spike.
She never could understand what made him think that chaining her up next to his ho of a Sire would be a good idea. No sane woman would ever consider it the most ideal romantic setting for a declaration of love. Of course one only had to look at the woman he had been with for a hundred and twenty years and bam there's the answer.
Right now thoughts of her vampire were the only thing keeping her sane. Not that she felt that her life was threatened. Nope not with the immortality clause that she'd been sporting for the last year. No she was worried about what they intended to do to her without the death. And she had to admit she was more then a little worried about Faith. She wasn't in the same situation.
It was hard for her to deal with the thought that people she cared about were going to die. She'd never dealt well with death be it someone on the fringes of their group like Jenny had been or people like Anya or Tara that she'd been close too. Let alone the kind of emotional shut down she found herself in when it was someone like her mom and Spike.
She'd be so lost without him in her life. Had been already. His second death nearly killed her inside. Sure her body no matter what would keep on living but her heart. They say you can't die from a broken heart Buffy was willing to bet that you could come damn close.
Such musings were doing little to get either her or Faith out of their current predicament. She was bound at the wrists by manacles the chains connecting them secure in the wall behind her. Faith was bound similarly and even with Slayer strength the steel was impossible to break. She had a feeling they weren't just ordinary chains.
They had been left alone once the demons had finished securing her. That had been quite a while ago. Now the anxiety was rushing in to take the place of her fading adrenaline.
"Any ideas?" The darker Slayer turned her head and her brown eyes met Buffy's.
"Um I have to say no. You?"
Faith shook her head side to side.
Buffy opened her mouth to speak again but stopped when someone walked into the room.
She turned her head to take a look at the newcomer and her mouth dropped open in surprise.
**********
The men were all silent as they rode in Spike's car. Angel Giles and Wood were all riding with him to the spot in the industrial area that Willow had found. None of them were willing to discuss what they thought was going to happen once they arrived at their destination and none of them were willing to think about the danger both Slayers were probably in.
Spike drove down the city streets not at the speed limit but not too fast either trying not to lose the car behind him. He checked his mirrors again seeing enough to catch the determined look on Xander's face as he drove. Willow sat beside him Spike knew concentrating on whatever she needed to gather whatever powers she may have to call upon.
He realized just how foolish this really was. Anyone who could effectively launch a world wide attack wasn't someone who didn't have an army guarding their front door. The odds were not in their favor. They were in a helpless situation and he was unsure how they were going to get out of this one.
It surprised him to realize that he was brooding. He wasn't the brooder in the family that was the poof's job. Determinedly he thrust all his distressing thoughts away. Right now he just needed to concentrate on getting his mate back.
****************
"You son of a bitch. How the hell did you get away?"
A slight chuckle only infuriated her further.
"It's amazing just how much chaos one can generate with just the right amount of magic." The lightly accented voice made her grit her teeth.
"I can't believe even you would stoop this low Ethan."
"Well that my dear would depend on your point of view. From my vantage point things are quite different."
In the years since she had seen Ethan Rayne he had changed little. A little gray in his hair maybe a few lines around his eyes but for the most part Giles' old buddy was still the same. His sure steps brought him into her personal space stopping only when they were separated by mere inches.
She gave him a hard glare refusing to let him intimidate her.
"Oh yeah and how's that?"
The slight chuckle grated on her nerves. "Come now my dear. Surely you see the predicament both of you are in."
She had no answer for that of course. The way both of them were bound and the fact that they were trapped in a building with hundreds of demons without any weapons. Well she knew that there wasn't a way out of this easily.
Ethan seemed to take her silence in stride though.
"But if I was you I wouldn't fret. There are big plans for you in the works young lady." He gave a slight nod in Faith's direction. "Luckily for your friend here the Master has decided to change her fate a bit."
"So what now you're just a lackey? Finally realize that your plans seem to go a bit kablooey?" She didn't know why she was taunting the sorcerer but she couldn't help it. Besides after watching Giles kick his ass more than once she was fairly certain she could take him. It was just more difficult since she was chained up.
The brief look of fury in the man's eyes told her she had struck close to home but he covered the emotion quickly.
"Let's just say that I've realized the importance of having powerful allies. Something I'm sure you know all about. Pity it won't help you much now." Neither girl responded verbally but shot him twin looks full of hate instead. "Now now no need to get all huffy ladies. Instead perhaps it was time we got started don't you think?"
Buffy didn't respond as she watched the door open behind him.
**********
Spike gathered with the others in the shade of an alley across the street from what should have been an abandoned hotel. So far they hadn't seen anyone coming or going through the front door but now that he was so close he could feel it. There were a very large number of demons in the area.
They had been standing around for quite a few minutes none of them talking.
What they needed was a plan. Unfortunately it looked like the others didn't have any ideas either.
"This is stupid." Xander blurted out making a super tense Willow jump a bit.
Spike gave him a shrug. "You got any better ideas Harris?"
"Well no." He replied sheepishly. "But standing out here isn't helping either."
"If we go in now the surprise would work in our favor." Wood added.
"Yeah for like thirty seconds." Angel said as he glanced back at the silent building. "There's got to be hundreds of demons in there."
"Unfortunately we seem to be out of choices." Giles took off his glasses and slipped them into his coat pocket. "Whatever they are planning is inconsequential we need to perform that ritual tonight. And we need Buffy to do so."
Willow pursed her lips together thoughtfully for a moment.
"Do you think that Spike and Angel could like just slip in being vamps and all? Do you think the guards would let them past?"
Spike looked seriously into Angel's eyes for a moment seeing the determination bleed into them.
"Would be suicide mate."
"Probably." Angel agreed.
Spike nodded in acknowledgement.
"We're in Red."
"And what are we going to do?" Xander asked not really wanting to run into the thick of things but not wanting to be left out of trying to rescue his friend.
"You and Wood here just be ready to rush in and pull Faith out. Peaches and me'll get to Buffy."
"I can still talk to you telepathically." Willow said hesitantly. "Maybe Giles and I can set up some kind of distraction."
"Of course Willow. Perhaps we should get started then?" Giles asked looking more like he wanted to rush in there in himself than stay behind.
"Last chance Rupert. You sure there isn't something else we should know about this thing we're supposed to do?"
"I regret that I'm just as much in the dark as you are about this Spike." Spike didn't need to look at the man to hear the trepidation for Buffy in his voice.
"Well after you." He gestured Angel forward for the short run to the front doors of the hotel.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you for the reviews I'm really glad you are still enjoying this one. Not much left too go so maybe this time I can finish this one. Thank you all for taking the time to read this.