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Chapter 13







“Everything is happening so fast,” Buffy said in a soft voice. Her hand dropped to her lower stomach where her child with Spike now resided. “What if you decide this is all a big mistake?”







“Those pillocks really did a number on you, didn’t they, pet.” Spike came up behind Buffy. He put his arms around her, and he drew her back against his body. “When Red appeared to me, saying I had a soul mate, I was ecstatic. You’re not the only one to know rejection, Buffy.”







Buffy snorted in disbelief. Spike was as handsome as sin with a lean, buff body. His voice made her drip with anticipation just thinking about the nasty tidbits he would be whispering in her ear.







“Sad, but true.” Spike kissed Buffy’s cheek. “I wasn’t always this handsome and athletic.”







“I find that hard to believe.”







Spike stared out the window. “I was a mama’s boy when I was alive. I tended to wear my heart on my sleeve, and others loved to smash and stab at it. Finally, it happened one too many times, and I ended up turned in the stables during a party I was attending. My broken was easy pickings for Dru the first time I saw her.”



Buffy felt a shaft of protectiveness shoot through her. “Your sire,” she growled.







Spike nodded. He heard the jealousy in his mate’s voice, and he grinned to himself. “Then, she rejected me too. So, you see, Slayer, you’re not the only one afraid of bein’ tossed aside.”







Buffy turned in Spike’s arms. “I’d never do that. I…” she hesitated for a moment. “I love you.” Then, she bit her lip while she waited for his response.







“Love you too, Slayer.” Spike bent his head to kiss Buffy.







Across the mansion, Dolph paced the floor. He wanted to speak to the Slayer’s little sister, and for once in his short life he was nervous when it came to talking to a girl. Never before had a girl been as important as Dawn Summers.







“Hello, Randolph.” Dawn stepped out of her room. She wasn’t at all surprised to find the dark-skinned boy standing in the hallway.







“Hi, Dawn.” Dolph managed not to stammer. “You want to go for a walk before we eat?”







Dawn made a mental leap into the air. Dolph was interested in her. When the girls in school caught sight of him, they were going to be green with envy. Dawn smiled as she nodded her consent.







Dolph bowed, and he presented his arm to Dawn. “So, tell me everything about Dawn Marie Summers.”







“How did you know my middle name?”







“Rosie told me, of course. The girl is a font of knowledge.” Dolph shrugged. “I have no clue how she does it.”







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*







“So, which one of you studs is my new hubby?” Cordelia looked around at the men with a raised eyebrow.







“That would be me.” Roland raised his hand.







“Brilliant!” Wesley wrote Roland’s name on the fake marriage certificate with a flourish. “Mrs. Cordelia Rutilus.”







“That has a nice ring to it,” Roland chortled. “Now for a ring.” He patted his pockets until he found a lumpy pocket.







“This is just pretend,” Cordelia replied.







Roland pulled out a small black-velvet covered box.







“Is that what I think it is?” Raymond asked when he saw the box.







“Of course it is,” Roland scoffed. He knelt down in front of Cordelia, and he opened the box to expose an exquisite betrothal ring.







“It’s beautiful,” Cordelia cooed. In the back of her mind, she calculated the value of the ring. Old habits were hard to break after all. Pretend or not, this guy wasn’t doing anything cheaply.







Robin and Raymond rolled their eyes. Miss Cordelia Chase had better be careful or she’d end up engaged without knowing it.







“Marry me!” Roland held the ring out. “Become Mrs. Cordelia Rutilus.”







“You know this is just pretend don’t you?” Gunn laughed at the mushy look on Cordelia’s face.







“Shut up, Charles,” Cordelia snarled. She gazed at the ring, entranced by the stones. “What if I want you to be Roland Chase?” She put her hands on her hips.







Oz swept out of the back office. “Don’t put on that ring, Cordy, or you’ll have to marry him.”







Roland pouted at the werewolf’s words. He’d seen the twinkle in Cordelia’s eyes. He’d almost snatched her as his. “Taking all my fun away, aren’t you?” He stood up and directed his next comment to Cordelia. “Good ‘tude, dear heart. That can be part of our marital problems.”







“What the hell kind of ring is that?” Cordelia glared at her pseudo-husband. The value of the ring she had been presented with still had her a little dazzled, but Oz’s warnings meant that the ring was worth more than money.







“Standard Rutilus clan betrothal ring,” Raymond replied. “We all have them for when we meet the perfect woman for us.” He nudged Robin. Together the brothers showed Cordelia their rings.







While Cordelia admired the other rings, Roland turned to Wesley and Oz. In a serious voice, he said, “I’ve read over the case notes. I’m sure my brothers and I can handle things.”







“That’s good,” Oz replied. “Because Wes, Gunn, and I are going to Sunnydale. Travers stepped up the attack on the Slayers.”







“Does the Council know about Travers’ attack?” Wesley looked concerned. “When I talked to my contact last time, they were as surprised as the rest of us that the Slayers could procreate.”







Oz shrugged. The Council wasn’t mentioned by the Sunnydale contingent.







Wesley handed Roland the marriage certificate. “I’ll make a few calls. Just give me a few minutes.” He went into the office that Oz had just vacated.







“So, what happens if you meet a woman you all want?” Cordelia asked. She hadn’t missed the interest in her by all three Rutilus brothers.







“Oh, they link together to make one ring.” Robin and Raymond used the rings to demonstrate Roland’s words.







“We need weapons, boss?” Gunn directed his question at Oz.







Oz nodded. “Travers hired mercs.”







The Rutilus brothers looked at each other at the mention of mercenaries. They worried a little about their family back in Sunnydale, but they were sure that their parents would protect their brother and sister.







“Gotcha.” Gunn returned Oz’s nod. “Good luck, Cordelia.” He left the room.







“We have twenty four hours to get our story straight.” Roland grinned at Cordelia. His teasing nature resumed now that the business was dealt with. “Let’s go, wifey poo.”







“Do not call me that.” Despite her protests, Cordelia went as willing as she could manage with the young man.







After Roland and Cordelia were gone, Oz turned to the remaining Rutilus brothers. “I’m pretty sure that Xander’s dead. Don’t tell Cordy until the case is solved.”







Robin nodded in understanding. “How did the sick fuck die?”







“Taken out like the mad dog he was, I hope,” Raymond muttered.







“Something like that.”







Wesley stepped out of the office. “The Council had no clue about Travers. He told them he was leaving on a family emergency.”







“Make his death look like a vacation accident.” Robin’s voice was ruthless.







“We’ll take it under advisement.” Oz nodded. “Ready to roll, Wes?”







Wesley gave a slight nod. He had called his lover while in the office to let her know he would be out of town for a few days.







“Did Lilah have a fit?” Oz raised an eyebrow.







Wesley felt his jaw drop. He didn’t think any of his friends knew he was dating the slightly evil Wolfram and Hart lawyer. “How did you know?”







Oz laid one finger on his nose. He inhaled deeply while he smirked at his friend. “The nose always knows.”







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*







Travers’ plane landed on the private tarmac. He snapped his briefcase closed. He had just spent the past few hours in Los Angeles getting his affairs in order. He expected the best outcome, but he was prepared for the worst. Plus, he needed to give the mercs time to get to Sunnydale.







Beta 2 was one soldier. There is no way a couple of Slayers and their puny group of humans can possibly take out fifty of the best mercenaries in the world, Travers thought with confidence while he exited the plane.







Parked by the hanger was a rental car with a chauffer ready to ferry Travers to his hotel. He was sure that the Council didn’t know what he was up to. He was positive that hey’d thank him later. Sometimes greatness couldn’t be acknowledged until after the fact.







What Travers didn’t count on was how much a phone call from Wesley Wyndam-Pryce would shake up the other Watchers. Little did the Head of the Council realize that while he checked into his hotel that a committee of his subordinates were on their way to Sunnydale too.







Quentin settled into his room. Then, he got on his phone again to one of the more experienced mercenaries now on his payroll.







“We’ve located the quarry, Mr. Travers,” the cold gravelly voice of Wolf Wilson rumbled across the phone line. “They’re hiding behind some pretty strong wards, but I think my mage can take down the magic without the civvie mercs knowing a thing.”







“Good. Excellent work, Wilson.” Travers sat down on the bed. “Maybe I should have hired you in the first place,” he muttered under his breath.







Wilson caught the other man’s words, but he wasn’t paid to think, only to act. So, he ignored the statement. “We’re posed to strike at dawn.”







“I can’t wait. This should be a walk in the park.” Travers reassured the mercenary and himself.







Wilson gave Travers the rendezvous address before he rang off. Then, Quentin decided to get some rest before he was supposed to meet the mercs.







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*







The car with the blackened windows pulled up outside the big building. The occupant stepped out into the shade.







“It’s good to be home!”





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