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DANCE OF THE MATES




Chapter 20: ‘What the Hell Is Going On Here!’


A/N: This chapter is kind of all over the page…hope it makes sense, soon.


“Buffy,” Willow called from the bedroom door, softly, apparently too afraid of the bound Slayer to just waltz inside, again. This was odd, really, since it was Buffy who was trussed up like a Christmas Goose, not anyone else, right?

“Oh, just come in, Wills,” Buffy sighed in exasperation and nodded her head at her red haired friend. “You will anyway, whether I really want you to or not…”

Willow shuffled into the room, careful to keep her eyes off of Buffy. Buffy, on the other hand, continued to stare, hotly, at Willow.

“Wesley’s here,” Willow mumbled, never even looking at Buffy. “He downstairs, with Giles and Xander, waiting to come up and see you. “Can he?”

The red head finally looked at her ‘ex-best friend’ sadly.

‘She’ll lose it completely, before this mess is over,’ Buffy realized, eyeing Willow, almost, but not quite concerned.

“Of course,” Buffy blurted, eagerly, “hopefully he’s come with some back up and to talk some sense in you assholes!”

“Well, he is here to talk, that’s for sure,” Willow blushed brightly, but Giles wouldn’t let those guys, Gunn and Lindsey? I think that’s their names. He wouldn’t let them come inside,” she finished with a scowl.

“Bring him in!” Buffy cried, trying not to let the relief in her voice show. ‘If anyone can talk some sense into Giles? It’s old Wes, that’s for sure,’ Buffy reasoned to herself.

“I am here, Buffy,” Wesley Pryce hurried into the small room, a worried look on his handsome face.

“Are you all right, dear,” the young Watcher asked with concern. He gave Buffy a quick respectful ‘once over’ with his dark eyes. Just to check things out, tentively.

“No, I’m lousy,” Buffy groaned, feeling another pain hit her, right in the chest area. Especially right in her heart region.

“I know,” Wesley whispered in sympathy, “Spike’s not doing too well either, I’m afraid,” he added with a grimmace.

“Spike! What’s wrong with him?” Buffy cried in anguish, ignoring her fresh pain, again in the heart area.

“He’s feeling a bit peckish, dear,” Wesley shook his dark head sadly. “Much as I fear you are?”

“In the heart?” Buffy murmered, fearfully as another ‘sympathy’ pain overwhelmed her yet again.

“Yes,” Wesley sighed with a heavy heart himself. “Your mate is suffering, as you are, I fear. I tried to talk to Giles, make him understand, but…” Wesley’s voice trailed off, weakly.

“Oh, I understand,” Buffy hissed, suddenly feeling a little more power then she had before. “They’re assholes,” she growled, her green eyes filled with yellow fire.

“Yes, they are,” Wesley nodded in agreement as he patted Buffy’s little hand. “I’m not giving up, Buffy,” he assured the Slayer, “just taking a break and trying to figure out another course of action. One that is successful, I hope,” he finished with another sigh.

“There is the Riley Finn factor,” Wesley mumbled, under his breath.

“What? Who?” Buffy gasped in shock. “Riley? What about him?” she asked through narrowed eyes.

“Gunn and Lindsey,” Wesley stammered, “they caught Mr. Finn out, before school, I guess. Took him to Angel and Spike to use as a bargaining chip. With the others, I mean,” the young Watcher nervously shrugged his shoulders and avoided the Slayer’s green eyed gaze.

“Good for them!” Buffy cried, gleefully, completely shocking Wesley, well, kind of surprising him, mildly that is.

“They, Angel and Spike, thought that Finn would make a perfect patsy, or hostage, I should say,” Wesley rambled, excitedly. “I have not told Rupert or the others that we have this ace up our sleeve,” he continued in a conspiritory whisper. “However, I have told them that you are not the first Slayer to mate with a Master Vampire. It has happened, at least twice before, that we know of, anyway,” he added with a bright blush of his own.

“Get out of here!” Buffy giggled, for the first time in days. “You mean that a sister Slayer, or should I say ancestor Slayer of mine got jiggy with a Vampire?”

“Well, if you mean ‘mated’ by the term ‘jiggy’ then yes,” Wesley blushed again. “Once, almost two-hundred years ago, in Germany, or somewhere Slavic. Another time, way back when, well over a two thousand or so years ago. In Rome, it was,” Wesley murmered, deep in thought. “The ancient tomes claim that the Slayer was from the Julian line of ancestry.”

“Julian?” Buffy scrunched up her brows, trying to remember that ‘name’ in her head. “You mean like the calendar?” she asked, innocently.

Wesley had to laugh, well, chuckle, kind of at Buffy’s naivity. “Well, yes, sort of,” he smiled down at the poor little bound Slayer. “However, more the that? I mean Julian as in the ‘House of the first Caesars’ that is.”

“No way,” Buffy gasped again, truly intrigued by now. “You mean like Julius Caesar? The big guy? The great Emperor dude!” Her green eyes were round as saucers by this time.

“Yes,” Wesley laughed out loud, happy to see Buffy’s color return to her face, briefly anyway. “However,” he grew serious, “if you knew your history better, Buffy dearest? You would know that the name of ‘Julius’ was taken from the female line of the earliest of the Caesars. It began as ‘Julia’ and belonged to a few very formidible, truly great women of the family. Including Caeser’s Aunt Julia, the woman who groomed Julius himself.”

“Wow!” Buffy exclaimed, stunned at the implications here. “So you’re telling me that a Slayer, from thousands of years ago got cozy with a Master Vampire? A really big, bad vampire from the time of the Caesars?”

“So it would seem,” Wesley replied with a warm smile at the young girl. “It makes sense, really,” he continued, deep in thought. “Slayers are strong, beyond reason. Physically, emotionally and mentally. Just as Master Vampires are. Makes perfect sense that a Slayer chosen from one of the most monumental families in history would choose a mate from the enemy’s lineage. Political marriages have been a main stay of society for thousands of years. I’m not saying that these matches, the ancient one and the most recent,” Wes continued, “were totally political. Apparently, they were true love matches, based on passion with a little power thrown in for good measure. Much like you and your mate’s match? At least, that is what I gathered, correct?”

“Correct,” Buffy whispered, a little overwhelmed by all this political, passion play intrigue.

“Spike and I, we love each other, Wesley,” Buffy assured the young man.

“I know that Buffy,” Wesley sighed, “but where the Council is concerned? Most importantly, where Rupert Giles and your friends are concerned? The love and passion part are insignificant in this matter. However,” he continued, his expression brightening a little, “if I were to ‘push’ the positive aspects of the polictical or power issues of your match with William the Bloody?”

Buffy watched Wesley, carefully, finally, perhaps getting what the man was trying to tell her.

“If you make Giles see what’s ‘good’ about Spike and me? How truly phenomenal a match between us could be?” Buffy mumbled, verbalizing her thoughts. “Then he might relent and come to our side in the matter?” She began to smile, just a little at the thought of this new turn of events.

“Exactly!” Wesley gushed, happily. “And I do believe I can get Rupert to see things our way,” he nodded eagerly. “It’s this Rayne fellow that bothers me, though,” he added with a frown.

“Ethan Rayne is a fucking moron,” Buffy hissed, suddenly very angry and unhappy again.

“Buffy!” Wesley gasped at the vulgarity from the Warrior of the People.

“Well, he is,” Buffy pouted.

“Hey, Giles,” Buffy greeted the Watcher, hovering in the doorway of the bedroom. “Care to come in? Have a little history lesson via old Wes here?” The greeting would have been ‘nice’ if Buffy hadn’t used such a sarcastic tone.

“He’s already ‘enlightened’ me, Buffy,” Giles grumbled lowly, his own mouth twisted in a silly pout.

“Please, Rupert,” Wesley stood up from the bed and motioned for Giles to join them. “I think I have some information that may help change your attitude, as to our Slayer’s ‘marriage’ with William that is.”

“She’s ‘my’ Slayer, Pryce,” Giles grumbled, again, as he shuffled over closer to the bed and sat on the empty chair beside it.

“Buffy,” Wesley began, his voice almost a scold, “is a young woman, Rupert. Her own woman and therefore, she should be treated as such. I just wish you would come to your senses man and see the positive aspects of this mating. With one of the strongest, most intelligent Master Vampires as a mate, Buffy will be more assured a ‘future’ for herself. William the Bloody, who apparently loves ‘your’ Slayer beyond reason, is the perfect mate and partner for Buffy. Even Angel agrees with this.”

“Hmph, Angelus!” Giles snorted in disgust. “There’s a bloody great judge of a mate for Buffy, I must say.” The older Watcher crossed his arms in anger and glared at the younger Watcher with a stubborn grimmace.

“I am in the room you know,” Buffy growled lowly at both of the Watchers. Suddenly, she cried out in anguish, her mouth twisted in pain and fear.

“Fuck!” Buffy screamed shrilly, unable to place her hands over the source of her physical pain, her chest.

“Buffy,” Giles leapt up from the chair and clasped his Slayer with his gentle hands. “My God, are you all right dear?” he cried, desperately.

“No!” Buffy cried back at him. “I won’t be all right until Spike and me are united, can’t I make you see that?”

“She is correct, Rupert,” Wesley confirmed Buffy’s statement. He hovered behind Giles, anxiously watching the little Slayer’s reactions.

“I, I only want what’s best for you, Buffy,” Giles stammered, his voice shaky with threatening tears. “Just wanted you to have a normal life, normal love and maybe even a family someday. Is that so wrong?” The older man could not bring himself to look into his Slayer’s lovely green eyes.

“I don’t ‘get’ normal, Giles, not ever,” Buffy hissed, still in pain, apparently. “I probably don’t even get a future life. Especially if you keep me from my mate,” she whimpered.

“Rayne claims he can break the spell, dear,” Giles murmered, more to himself then either Buffy or Wesley.

“Rayne’s a fucking liar!” Buffy hissed harshly. “He’s just using you, me and every one of us. For his own agenda, Giles, dammit! Why can’t you see that?”

“It’s true, Rupert,” Wesley said evenly, getting a bit frustrated himself, however. “I doubt if Ethan Rayne can break this spell and if I remember him? He ‘is’ in this for his own selfish motives. And, I am sure that they are evil motives as well,” the young, handsome Watcher nodded, a serious look on his face.

Ethan Rayne, Xander Harris and Willow took that opportune time to enter the bedroom.

“My ears are burning,” Rayne chuckled in a sadistic tone, “you aren’t talking about ‘me’ are you? Very rude Ripper. And you Wes? Come now, the ‘proper’ way you boys were raised? I’m shocked!”
The old wizard grinned, wickedly and sauntered up to the bed.

“Are you filling my collegues’ minds with little Slayer lies, Miss Summers?” Ethan smiled, but menacingly, down at Buffy.

“No,” Buffy replied, glibly, “just telling them the fucking truth, asshole.”

“Tell them, Wes,” Buffy blurted out, suddenly. “Tell them about the ‘ass’ up our, oh, I mean, ‘ace’ up our sleeves.”

“Angel and Spike have a ‘bargaining’ chip in their possession,” Wesley began, carefully. He sounded very diplomatic, at least Buffy thought so.

“What would that be?” Willow asked, warily.

“Riley Finn,” Wesley replied simply and held his breath.

“What!” Giles gasped. “You can’t be serious! How in the bloody hell did Angel and Spike get a hold of Finn?”

“Well, actually,” Wesley grinned, slightly, “it was Charles Gunn and Lindsey that acquired Mr. Finn. On the Sunnydale University campus, I believe,” he ended with a smug tone.

“This is just a power play!” Xander interjected, “just a way to make us feel pressured to hand Buffy over and…”

“They ‘will’ tear him apart, piece by piece,” Wesley interrupted the silly young man, Harris. “Finn that is. Angel will bring Angelus out to play with the boy. Make him pay, dearly, for aiding in this ridiculous farce of all of yours. One thing you must remember,” Wesley continued, his handsome face was deadly serious. “Angel puts ‘his’ family first, above anything else. William the Bloody is his family, just as Buffy now is.” Wes nodded down at the grinning Slayer, then gave her a wicked wink.

“My employer, Angel, will do anything he must to secure William’s mate, Buffy, back to his Grandchilde. No human laws, or human soul will ever come before that. Or stop Angel from that intent.” Wesley finished with a warning look at the humans present and shrugged his fine shoulders.

“Riley knows the pitfalls,” Xander mumbled in the background, “knew what all this might entail. He’ll take the punishment from those sick fucks, like a real man and…”

Again, Xander was cut off, but this time by Buffy, first.

“Harris,” Buffy hissed as she shot deadly glares at Xander, “if you ever call my mate, your superior, anything like fuck, blond menace, peroxide boy or evil undead thing, again? When I’m out of here? I’ll rip ‘your’ body limb from limb and see how you like it!”

“Angel happens to be my friend, besides my employer, Mr. Harris,” Wesley Pryce sputtered, indignantly. “I do not want to hear his name slandered or him called anything but Angel. Is that clear, boy?” The young Watcher matched Buffy’s ferocious glare with one of his own.

“Okay, okay,” Xander backed up and down, simotaneously. “I won’t be calling either of the Deadboys bad names. I get it,” he grumbled and kicked the dresser with his right foot.

“Ouch!” Xander cried in pain.

“This is ridiculous,” Rayne sighed loudly and strode to the bedside. “Ripper,” he grunted, exasperated beyond anything. “Just call the police and inform them that a young man is being held against his will, it’s that simple, really. You always did make things so bloody difficult, Rupert.”

“Oh, that’ll just be great,” Buffy chuckled, finally saying something again. “Send Sunnydale’s finest over to save Riley Finn so they can find out that old Giles here is holding ‘me’ hostage? That’s gonna’ be just great front page news, eh Wes?”

“Doubtful,” Wesley replied, dryly. His smirk was noticed by everyone in the room.

“Then let the boy die,” Ethan Rayne shrugged, indifferently. “A mere loss, compared to the losing of the greatest Slayer that ever walked the face of the earth, right?” Rayne smiled, manevolently, at Buffy and Wes. “Besides,” the evil genious continued, “I’m near the spell to break the claim and…”

“See here, Rayne,” Giles began, quite fed up with everything by now. “All human life is important and while I wish Buffy would come back to us, on her own accord and such, I can’t have a young man’s life torn from him because…”

“Besides,” Buffy broke in, maliciously, “you know damn well, Rayne, that there is ‘no’ way to break the claim. Especially if neither me or my Will don’t want it broken. Don’t you?” She grinned, smugly, noticing that Ethan looked very, very uncomfortable at that very moment.

“You little bitch,” Ethan began in a harsh, angry voice. “You think you and your fucking vampire lover can take on me and win? Just because you spread those long, lovely legs of yours and…”

A loud noise, much like the slamming of a huge, oaken front door, disrupted the ‘conversation’ that was going on in the bedroom.

Before anyone in the room could make a move, a very flushed, very enraged ‘mother’ made her appearance in the bedroom’s doorway. A virtual ‘mama lion’ in the guise of Joyce Summers stood, glowering in the doorway, anger radiating from her body.

“Just what the hell is going on here? And why the hell is my baby being held hostage in this God damned prison!” Joyce roared so loudly, that the rafters of the Giles’ house shook in fear.


A/N: Whew! I really wanted to begin the freeing of Buffy process in this chapter, but couldn’t quite pull it off. Plot wise that is. Too many loose ends to deal with first.

I’ll give you a heads up on the next chapter: Ethan is not going down without a fight. Joyce is not going, period, without her daughter. Xander is not going to get out of this, totally intact and Willow is not going to the Homecoming dance with Oz this year.

Angel is not going to go totally Angelus on us. And of course, Spike and Buffy are not going to give up their mutual claim on each other! As for Riley? Well, we’ll have to read the next chapter and find out, eh? Hehehehehe!

Thanks for reading, please review. Luv, Spuf





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