Chapter Thirty-Four
Safe?
“This had better work,” said Buffy for about the tenth time as she waited with Angel and Brad in the alley behind the building where Spike was being held. “Why can’t we just go in and kill them all?”
Brad’s eyes widened a bit at that, still having trouble getting his head around the fact that the building was full of demons and that he was waiting with a vampire and a vampire slayer! He looked down at the axe in his hand. Would he be able to use it if he had to? Perhaps they’d been right? Perhaps he should have stayed at the hotel with Moira and Laura?
Angel sighed for about the tenth time, “Because Spike will be killed if anything happens before the auction is over. Look, George will be out as soon as he can and then we’ll go in.”
Buffy muttered under her breath but stayed where she was. They all moved further back into the shadows as a door swung open and all manner of demons strolled out.
“Christ,” murmured Brad as he saw the strange looking creatures calmly walk away, some grumbling about missing out on the purchase.
A few minutes later and George’s warty face peered around the door. Angel moved forwards so that he could see him and the demon beckoned them to come nearer.
“I just have to pay Nemol and then I can take Spike away.” He glanced up at Buffy, not quite meeting her eye. “He’ll be tied up, I’m afraid. Nemol would have been too suspicious if I hadn’t wanted it.” He hoped that the slayer would realise that it wasn’t his fault. The anger vibe she was giving off was making his warts hurt.
“It’s okay, George,” said Buffy, reassuring the little demon, “Without you we would never have found him in time or been able to buy him from Nemol. Not that he’ll enjoy the money for long,” she added coldly.
“This is the only exit, so unless he opens a portal, which I doubt, he’ll have to come out this door. So you will be able to catch him as he leaves.”
“No way, George, I’m coming with you. I won’t let Nemol see me. I have to get to Spike as soon as I can.”
“You can’t, Slayer. This place is full of wards. If you step inside they’ll alert Nemol and Spike will be killed. Once Nemol has left the building it will be safe for you to come in but not before.”
Buffy snarled in frustration. “Okay.”
George walked back to the door and Angel began to follow him. Buffy gripped his arm, “Where are you going? He’ll be killed.”
“I can go in, Buffy. Demon, remember?” Angel vamped up his face and couldn’t resist winking at Brad as he walked inside.
“Still can’t get used to seeing that,” muttered Brad.
"I'll come and find you once Nemol is out of the way. Just stay with Spike and keep him safe until I do," called Buffy.
Buffy and Brad resigned themselves to waiting at the door, both of them impatiently tapping a foot.
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Angel walked silently behind George, towering over the diminutive beast. Eventually George stopped at a door.
“This is where I am meeting Nemol,” he whispered, “I will pay him and then join you with Spike. The viewing room is down that way,” He pointed further down the corridor. “It’s the third or fourth door on the left.”
“I’ll find him,” replied Angel quietly, “Just make sure that you don’t screw up.” He bared his fangs to make George understand how serious he was.
“I won’t. Look, I came to you, remember? I’ll never forget Spike saving my life and now it’s my turn to save his.”
Angel put a hand gently on George’s shoulder and nodded. He’d never really doubted his integrity. He walked down the corridor as George went in to see Nemol.
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“Ah, George. I take it that you have the cash? I have a contact number for the under-bidder should you renege on the deal,” said Nemol as soon as he saw him.
“It’s all here,” said George, struggling to lift the large briefcase onto the desk. He tried not to shudder at the thought of the Polgara eagerly hoping that he wouldn’t pay up and that he’d get Spike. “I take it that you have secured him as I requested?”
“Yes I have and I’ve thrown in a little extra free of charge instead of the gag. I’m sure you’ll approve.”
George forced himself to speak, “Thank you.” He hoped his voice sounded as casual as he was trying to make it. His two hearts were beating so fast he thought he’d have at least one heart attack before the night was out. “So can I go and get my property now?”
Nemol looked up and smiled, “As soon as I count this. Take a seat George, it could take a while.”
George hitched himself up on a seat opposite Nemol’s desk, his feet dangling in the air.
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Angel opened the doors on the left cautiously as he went down the corridor. He found Spike behind the fourth one.
“Christ! Spike!” he exclaimed as he saw the bound figure of Spike lying on the floor. He ran over and knelt beside him.
Spike looked up at him blearily, “Angel,” he croaked.
“Are you hurt?” asked Angel, “I’ll get you out of these chains.”
Spike shook his head, “’kay,” he mumbled. “Or I will be now.”
His tongue was starting to feel strange again and he knew that soon he would be unable to speak at all. With a supreme effort his managed to say one more word.
“Collar…”
“Yes, it’s all right, Spike. I’ll get that thing off you too,” reassured Angel.
Spike tried to tell him, tried to explain about what the collar could do but he no longer could get the words out, just unintelligible noises. He closed his eyes in frustration.
“Hey Spike, look at me. Concentrate, stay awake,” urged Angel, concerned by Spike’s incoherence.
Spike immediately reopened his eyes and stared at Angel. Angel tried to break the chains holding Spike but couldn’t. They must have been forged in another dimension. He bit back a bellow of rage.
“Come on, George,” he muttered, glancing at the door. “I’m sorry Spike, but I can’t break them. George will be here soon and he’ll have the key.”
Spike stared at Angel. It was beginning to freak him out a little.
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Finally, Nemol put the last bank note down.
“That’s all in order,” he said, smiling a smile that George wanted to hit with a brick.
“So can I have the keys to his shackles and the Yenomi blood that you promised? I have a difficult journey ahead and I want to get going.”
“You’re very impatient,” complained Nemol. He usually enjoyed a drink or three with his client at their expense of course.
“I’m sorry,” replied George, “But I do need to get back to my home dimension as soon as possible.”
“Okay, okay,” sighed Nemol.
He picked up a box containing bags of the blood and a bunch of keys from a drawer in his desk. He put the keys in his pocket.
“Come on then. I’ll take you to him.”
George would have rather gone alone but one look at the box and he knew that his short little arms wouldn’t be able to carry it.
“Thank you,” he said, hoping that Angel would be able to get out of sight. If Nemol was killed inside the building who knew what might happen.
The small demon walked alongside Nemol to the fourth door on the left. Nemol put the box of blood down and opened the door. It revealed Spike securely bound, lying on his side with his eyes wide and staring towards the door.
“Here he is, I hope you enjoy him for many months. It was a shame that I didn’t get to customise him for you but I can understand why you would want to do it yourself. Very satisfying, eh?” Nemol grinned.
George felt a bit sick but forced a smile in return, “Exactly.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. Are you going to open a portal? This room does allow it without any consequences.”
“Yes, that’s how I’ll transport him,” George lied. He held out his hand and shook Nemol’s; “It’s been good doing business with you.”
Nemol smiled again, nodded and walked away. George stepped into the room.
“Angel?” he whispered.
The door moved slightly and Angel stepped out from behind it.
“I’m here. He’s done something to Spike. He can’t talk.”
George looked at Spike whose body was beginning to tremble.
“It will be temporary. I had hoped to avoid it by asking that he be gagged but Nemol threw it in for free.” He held out the keys that Nemol had given him before he left. “Let’s get him untied.”
Angel took the keys and unlocked the chains holding Spike. The only thing that they didn’t have a key for was the collar. But no matter, they could cut that off later. Spike muttered unintelligible words as his chains fell free. The words couldn’t be understood but the meaning was clear – relief. He rubbed his hands over his limbs and pushed himself up until he was sitting.
“Why is he staring at you like that?” asked George. Spike couldn’t seem to be able to take his eyes off Angel.
“I’m not sure. I guess he’s just pleased to see me.”
Spike was looking at Angel because he’d told him to and Nemol had used the drug that made him both mute and obedient. His mind was in turmoil as his trembling and the need for Yenomi blood increased. Soon the need for blood would overpower his wish to obey. He tried to resist looking for the blood, to behave properly, but he wasn’t sure how long he could keep it up.
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Nemol walked to the exit door. If George wouldn’t drink with him then he’d go to a demon bar for a few just as soon as he’d deposited his cash in a safe place. He put his hand in to his pocket and his finger touched something metal. Curious, he pulled it out; it was the tool for the collar. He hesitated; it must have fallen off the bunch of keys he’d given to George. But it wouldn’t be needed since he was being taken through a portal. It was only activated by going out of that particular threshold physically.
“No matter.” He smiled to himself as he pushed open the door to the alley. He felt the static in the air as the wards were deactivated, then he felt pain as a tiny fist slammed into his face. He fell to the ground, dropping the briefcase and the piece of metal.
Brad couldn’t believe how quickly Buffy had moved or how strong she was. He ran forward and picked up the case full of cash.
“You bastard, I’m going to enjoy killing you for what you did to Spike,” snarled Buffy, her face contorted with rage.
“Too late,” smirked Nemol, not quite realising how serious his situation was, “His owner will have taken him out of this dimension by now. You’ll never find him.”
Buffy kicked him in the ribs; he slammed into the wall opposite with a sickening crunch.
“We bought him, you idiot. He’ll be out here with us just as soon as I kill you. But I need you to suffer first.”
She kicked him between the legs hoping that since he was half human that he’d be as vulnerable there as a man. She smiled when he screamed in pain clutching himself.
“He’s dead,” Nemol managed to gasp.
Buffy grabbed him, hauled him to his feet and punched him again, sending him flying back across the alley. As Buffy moved in for the kill Brad’s blood ran cold as he remembered Laura’s dream vision. ‘Just when we think Spike is safe – he’s not.’
“Christ! He must have booby trapped something!”
He raced into the building, dropping the briefcase just inside the door. He flung open every door that he passed.
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Spike was beginning to lose the battle between obedience and looking for the blood.
“Why aren’t they giving me any? George bought me and Nemol promised that he’d give my owner some.”
Spike’s mind could no longer work out why Angel was there at all, it was consumed by the need for blood. The tremors went up another notch, as did the pain in his gut.
“What’s wrong with him, George?” asked Angel.
He wanted to get Spike out of this place and was regretting agreeing to wait until Buffy came before they left. But Buffy hadn’t wanted him moved until Nemol was dead. She was certain that Nemol was the key to the danger that Laura foreseen.
“He must be nearly due some Yenomi blood,” replied George, “It’s highly addictive. That’s what’s in the box Nemol gave me.”
They were both startled when Spike suddenly got to his feet.
“My God, Spike. You can stand,” said Angel
Spike glanced at him and them walked a couple of steps towards the door.
“He’s walking,” gasped Angel looking at George who shrugged.
“I don’t know what he’s done. I didn’t really listen to the sales pitch.”
Spike saw the box that he’d heard George say contained the blood. It was just outside of the door. He took a couple more steps forwards then he backed up clawing at his collar. He repeated this a couple of times before Angel put a hand on his arm.
“Hey Spike, just calm down a bit, okay? We’ll get you home soon.”
Spike looked at him and clawed at his collar again, his fingernails drawing blood.
“You’re hurting yourself,” said Angel, taking hold of his hands.
Spike calmed down for a moment. He pointed to the blood but Angel thought that he wanted to leave.
“Soon, it will be soon,” he said.
Spike doubled over as a spasm of pain ripped through his guts. Spike knew it wasn’t going to be soon enough.
“I think we’re going to have to give him some blood, Angel. This isn’t the time to try to wean him off it,” said George, “I’ll get some.”
George waddled to the doorway and opened the box. He’d just lifted a bag out when Spike punched Angel and dived for the blood.
tbc
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BANNER BY DAWNOFME
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BANNER BY DAWNOFMEAuthor's Chapter Notes:
thanks as ever to my super beta Carol:)
Thanks also to all readers and reviewers! :)
Thanks also to all readers and reviewers! :)