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banner by dawnofme


Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to Carol for all her hard work betaing this fic :)

italics denotes thoughts
“We’ve got something!” shouted Willow as she ran into the library, “It’s not much but it’s more than we had!”

Buffy leapt up.

“What is it?”

“We’ve had the seers and psychics, from as many of the covens we deal with as possible, searching for anything that might be connected with Spike.”

“Yeah, Will, get to the point,” said Buffy, knowing she was being rude but just anxious to hear what it was.

Willow took no notice of her tone. She knew her friend well enough not to take offence.

“The coven near Leicester got a reading. It was very weak but they’re sure it was Spike.

“Is he….?” interrupted Buffy.

“Alive? They think so. It was pretty fleeting but they’ve managed to pinpoint where it originated and that was just outside an old manor house in the village of Ashby Folville. The impression was that a cloaking spell faltered a little and just gave them that glimpse.”

“Just what we’ve been waiting for,” said Buffy.

“Just one more thing, Buff. I’m sorry but the reading indicated that he was moving north away from there as it faded again.”

“I don’t care! It’s more than we’ve had up to now! We may get something if we go there and see for ourselves. I can’t take any more of this sitting and waiting crap.”

“Look, Buffy it’s the middle of the night,” said Giles, “You’ve barely slept since he was taken. At least get a couple of hours sleep.”

“There’s no point, Giles. I can’t rest not knowing what’s happening to him and if the Immortal is behind it, it’s only because of me that he’s been taken,” said Buffy. “I’m going, Giles, even if I go alone. Dawnie can look after Joy. She can do a better job than me at the moment.”

Dawn had moved into Giles’ apartment after the news about Spike and had happily stepped in to look after Joy as Buffy’s despair just kept upsetting the baby. Dawn and Joy were the only two who’d gone to bed, the others researching the Immortal for clues where he might be.

“Least it proves he was in England, or was up to that point.” said Willow. “No way you’re going anywhere alone.”

In the end it was agreed that Buffy and Willow should head off, leaving the men to research. Willow’s skills as a witch could come in useful when they got to the manor.

They arrived at the house just as day was breaking. They’d called in to speak with the witch who’d gotten the reading and she was certain of the location. She was also certain that it was then on the move northwards and she was pretty sure that Spike was alive.

Buffy got out of the car almost before Willow stopped it. They didn’t need to be cautious as the family who owned the house used it only in the summer months. It was now at the end of September and it had been empty for almost a month, which is probably why it had been used.

Willow tried to read the place psychically but everything just bounced back.

“That’s some major mo-jo they’ve got going. I can’t even get through when I’m right here!” said Willow.

“Come on, let’s go take a look,” said Buffy.

Willow was pleased they’d brought some weapons - the place looked decidedly creepy.

They walked up the gravel drive and soon came upon two bare patches where a car had sped off, kicking gravel from under its spinning wheels.

Willow touched the marks.

“He was definitely in this car, Buffy. This is where the cloak must have been weak - the transfer between house and car,” said Willow, not adding that she got the distinct impression Spike was hurt.

“Look, there’s a door.” Buffy pointed to the small door nearby.

She tried to open it but it was locked so she kicked it down, slayer power coming in very handy. Willow pulled out a flashlight and the pair cautiously went down the steep stone steps even though they were pretty sure no one was still there.

At the bottom of the steps was a narrow corridor with a couple of thick wooden doors on either side. One was open. They stepped inside, noses wrinkling as the smell of vomit hit them.

“Oh God,” said Buffy quietly as she saw the chains hanging on the wall. A pool of vomit lay slightly to one side of the chains and as Buffy went to have a closer look she saw a few drops of blood on the stone floor.

“Oh, Spike! Where have they taken you?”

ooooooooooooo

At almost exactly the same time the vampire pulled their car into a garage that was attached to another big country house, this one much further north in the Yorkshire village of Ganthorpe.

“That was cutting it a bit too close for comfort,” said Bill as he got out of the car.

Even with the tinted windows they’d have been in trouble if they’d been much longer. Gordy went round to the trunk, but Bill called for him to leave Spike where he was for now and to check that everything was ready.

Spike was feeling decidedly unwell after being flung about all over the place for the past hour or so after leaving the relative smoothness of the motorway and going too fast on the twisty hilly roads leading to the village. He groaned when he heard the exchange. He punched the lid of the trunk in frustration.

He didn’t have too long to wait.

“Christ, you stink!” said Gordy as he hauled Spike out of the car.

“Yeah, well, last place didn’t offer much in the way of washing facilities. Hope this one’s better,” said Spike.

He was rewarded with a hefty push from Bill.

“Shut up! I’ve told you before about trying to be funny,” said Bill.

“Oh, I’m sure you’re going to like this place a whole lot better,” said Gordy with a grin that made Spike’s blood run cold.

They went from the garage through corridors of what must have once been servants’ quarters until they came to another door. This one looked brand new and Spike didn’t think this could be a good thing. The door opened to reveal steps going down into darkness for what seemed like forever.

“What is it with you guys and holes in the ground?” Spike couldn’t resist, “Just so bleeding predictable.”

Gordy shoved him hard, and he fell down the stairs that mercifully didn’t go on forever but stopped after about ten feet. Spike grunted as he hit the wall at the bottom. A flick of a switch and the whole area was bathed in light. Before he could get up Gordy grabbed him by the back of his shirt and dragged him along the ground. He flung him onto an area that was lined with white tiles - both floor and walls, the space being about six feet square.

“Get undressed,” ordered Bill.

“What? If you think I’m……..” his words ending in a splutter as Gordy aimed a powerful hose at him. The water was freezing cold and under enough pressure to push him back against the wall, struggling to stay standing.

When it was turned off Bill once again said,

“Get undressed.”

Spike reluctantly did so. As soon as he was naked Gordy unleashed the water again making sure he was thoroughly soaked all over. The water was turned off and Spike stood there shivering, feeling totally pathetic and not a little afraid of his future.

“Put these on.” Bill threw a pair of shorts at him.

Spike caught them and put them on gratefully even though they were soaking wet, leaning against the wall when putting his right leg through them as he was sure his leg wouldn’t take all his weight.

“This way,” Bill ordered, inclining his head to show he wanted him to go to the left. There wasn’t much, or rather anything, Spike could do but follow Bill with Gordy walking close behind, unable to resist giving Spike a push every now and then.

Another door opened to reveal a cavernous room, the sight of which made Spike stop dead. Gordy walked into him.

“Oh fuck, I’m so not gonna come out of here.”

Bill looked back at him obviously delighted at the effect the room was having on Spike.

“Welcome to the Hotel of Pain,” he said, waving his hand. “I really hope you don’t enjoy your stay!”

Behind Spike Gordy sniggered then pushed him into the room.

“Just like to point out a few features the boss had fitted,” said Gordy, “No windows so we can work all night and all day if need be. The walls are soundproofed just in case although the nearest neighbours are a mile away.”

It wasn’t the walls or the lack of windows that had Spike’s attention, it was the stuff hung on the walls and the apparatus sitting in the middle of the room. It looked like a 21st century torture chamber and that was exactly what it was.

“The rest of the stuff you’ll probably get to know intimately if the boss lets you live long enough,” continued Gordy.

He pushed Spike sharply in his back.

“Oh and here’s your suite, sir. Don’t drink all the mini bar at once,” Gordy laughed at his own joke as he opened the door to what looked like a large box.

Spike was thrust inside and the door slammed shut. Gordy opened a hatch on the door and winked at Spike before closing it and leaving Spike to try to look at his surroundings, but it was impossible as he was in total darkness.

The ceiling was so low he couldn’t stand erect and he could easily touch the walls in all directions without moving. He guessed it must be about three feet square and about four and a half feet high. It made the room at the last place seem like a posh hotel. The walls and floor were sandpaper rough. The only other thing in the room was a little wooden hatch in one back corner, its use when he lifted it tentatively becoming obvious from the stench it emitted.

The reason for his drenching became apparent. The room was as cold as a refrigerator. He shivered violently as his body temperature began to drop.

“Well, least I’ve got a loo. Yay! Bonus!”

He let himself slide down the wall, not heeding the grazes being made on his back. He hugged his knees to his chest, thoughts drifting towards the acceptance that he’d never see Buffy or Joy again.

Ooooooooooooo

Buffy and Willow got back in the car, neither knowing what to say or do.

“If it’s the Immortal he always has vamps as his henchmen,” said Buffy, “so they’d have had to get to wherever they were taking him to before dawn. So if we take their travel time from when Clarissa got the reading and add the fact they were heading north, that’s narrowing down the search area a bit.”

“Yes, but how do we know how far north they went? It could have been a mile or two hundred, we just don’t know,” said Willow dispiritedly.

“Well, I vote we go north and perhaps stay up there in case. There’s no point in going back to London. I’m not going back until I can take Joy to her father,” said Buffy, turning on the engine and pointing the car northwards.

They decided to travel to a place called Sherburn in Elmet just inside the county of North Yorkshire. A particularly powerful seer was attached to the coven there so it seemed a logical place to stop.

to be continued...





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