Blood Calls
Disclaimer: The characters in this story that were originally featured on Buffy belong to Joss Whedon and Fox. The characters of Ann Grove and Gang Long belong to the author.
Chapter One - Chance and Happenstance
The building that the Cottonwood Creek Casino occupied was new and raw. The casino itself, while possessing lots of electronic bells and whistles, especially in the slot machines, was generally short on glamour. If Spike had cared about that, he would have found it unimpressive. As it was, it was just sort of boring.
Looking around, he noticed a young vampire he'd seen over at Willy's a couple of years ago, before he'd been barred. He couldn't remember the kid's name, but he wandered over and said hi.
"What's going on with the Slayer?" the boy asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Why is she over here bothering us?"
"She broke up with her boyfriend," Spike said. "She has a lot of free time. Maybe she likes the commute."
"She just staked a friend of mine."
"It's what she does, mate."
"She was different from what I've heard about her: She was looking for Eric, and only for Eric. She let me and another vampire go, just so she could get at him."
"What'd he do?"
"Well, that's just it, not a damn thing. He wasn't back from Stanford long enough to do anything that would get her pissed off at him, I mean his parents hardly let him out at all."
"You ought to consider moving," Spike told him.
"Can't."
"Stay wary, then."
The young vampire wandered over to the long line of slot machines. Spike returned to the roulette wheel, passing a man who wore the fringed leather jacket that marked him as a casino security guards. Gang Long had not waited for him, but had placed a cautious bet. He won.
"I think I understand this, Spike."
"Don't tell me you have a theory? People with theories go broke."
"Let me try," the boy insisted.
"Go ahead." It wasn't Spike's money the boy was spending. The boy picked the next four numbers. Spike, watching the quick exchange of glances between the croupier and the man in the jacket, decided to pull the kid out. He had no idea how good the ID Ann supplied really was, but he didn't want Gang Long, who didn't look his real age--1579 years--and barely the stated age--22years--on his ID, to be the test case, even if it was only with the IRS. Ann would be annoyed if anything happened to Gang Long, and besides, he liked the boy.
"Time to go," he told Gang Long
"No, no. I..."
"Yes. Come on. Ann said I should decide where we go and when we leave. We leave now."
"OK, but I know the next ten numbers."
Spike froze, thinking. Two to the tenth. If he started with a fifty dollar chip and kept the bet just on the dozen or the column, he'd get....staked, he suddenly realized. Even Gang Long couldn't foretell a completely random event. The boy had tapped into a rigged wheel. "You can try your theory again sometime. Now, we go."
"All right."
Spike didn't let anything delay their exit. He refused the free drink and got Gang Long into the Viper as quickly as he could without actually running, but he didn't relax until the car was moving.
"Listen," he started. "Do you know how some dragons get about money? Hoarding gold, jewels, like that?"
"Only European dragons do that, Spike; I'm a long."
"Humans get that way, too. And if you win too much, or what they think is too much, they can get angry at you. Back there, they might have killed us, just so they wouldn't have to pay you what you won. Especially since we weren't the ones who were supposed to win."
"It was the girl, the one alone."
"How could you tell that?"
"The way the croupier and she didn't look at each other."
>>>|||<<<
"So, how was your day?" Willow asked, sitting down across from Buffy and Anya. Xander, carrying beers, and Tara, carrying only water, crossed the floor of the Bronze and joined them.
"Even with Glory around, vampires keep coming. I got two at the old cemetery, but the third ran really well for someone who was so recently dead. Straight north, too."
"Isn't that Frat Row?"
"So embarrassing. I've been to parties at some of those places."
"And I," Xander said, "never realized how al fresco-y frat boys get when the temperature rises."
"What?" Tara asked.
"There were couples coupling in the graveyard," Buffy said. "Which was also embarrassing."
"You weren't the one who tripped over that one pair," Xander complained. "I did."
"I was the one she recognized, though," Buffy said.
"Outdoors is nice," Willow said.
"I don't know about a graveyard, though," Tara said
"A flowery field."
"Buggy," Spike said, arriving suddenly with Gang Long and making himself at home.
"I don't like bugs," Tara admitted. "Hi, Spike."
"Hi. And this time of year, the sprinklers come on most nights."
"Hey, Gang Long," Willow said. "You look good. What have you been up to?"
"Roulette," the boy said. "I won, but Spike made us leave. I want a lemon coke."
"Me, too," Willow said. "Anybody else?"
"No, thanks."
"Roulette?" Anya asked. "Is that where they pay you to put chips on squares?"
"More or less. We went to the new casino out in Sylvandale."
"Does Ann know you're taking Gang Long gambling?" Buffy asked, watching Gang Long in his black linen jeans and loose gray silk band collar shirt walk with Willow over to the counter. .
"Hell, yes. I wouldn't do anything with her boy she didn't know about."
Xander choked. "Her boy?"
"Ward, fosterling, alumnus, whatever. Not son and not lover."
"You sound sure of that," Buffy said.
"I asked."
"You have no tact whatsoever, do you?"
>>>|||<<<
Chapter 2 -- Alarums and Excursions
The anonymous black car pulled up short of the front door of the Bronze. Two men got out. They located their scout and approached him.
"Identification?" the senior one asked.
"Blonde, five foot three, strong, first sighted in graveyard near Frat Row."
"It's her. What's this place?"
"The Bronze. It's for youngsters."
"You, Beck, up on the roof. Make sure she doesn't get away out the skylight."
The driver climbed up the packing crates along the side of the Bronze, grabbed the fire escape and gained the roof.
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Harmony wrestled the manhole cover open and climbed out to the street. The Bronze was only a block down and a block and a half over. She started down the street, her bracelets jingling nervously.
>>>|||<<<
The anonymous dark gray car pulled up just short of the back door of the Bronze. A man got out. He approached two men standing in the shadows in the rear alley.
"There. Hear her?"
"Even for a vampire, she's dense. High heels and charm bracelets?"
"Where'd she go?"
"In there."
"The Bronze. OK. Davison, you get up on the roof and make sure she doesn't get out the skylight. We go in and look."
>>>|||<<<
"Listen, Slayer, I was just wondering," Spike said.
"Don't," Buffy said.
"How you got here from over in Sylvandale before we did. I mean, I was driving the Viper, and nobody passed me. Have you got wheels now, or are the Witches moving you around?"
"What are you talking about?"
>>>|||<<<
Davison, arriving on the roof, moved quietly to the skylight. He looked about carefully, then started clockwise around the skylight, intending to look down in the one clear pane he could see in the other side.
>>>||<<<
Beck, gaining the roof, moved back toward the skylight. Reaching it, he checked the situation. Hearing nothing, he started counterclockwise around the skylight, heading for the one clear pane. He rose to his knees and readied his crossbow. A step in front of him made him look up.
>>>||<<<
Davison looked down. A man with a crossbow knelt by the skylight. Davison tried to step back. Beck started up, stumbled and grabbed for Davison. Davison, trying to point his own crossbow at Beck, stumbled. Beck gripped Davison, over-balanced, and pulled Davison through the skylight as they fell together down to the stage of the Bronze.
>>>|||<<<
"Spike, they're after me!"
"Go away, Harmony," Buffy said.
"Who this time?" Spike asked. "Not me, I've been busy. Not the Slayer, she's been here. Anybody else?"
"Hell, no," Xander said. "Buffy's right: Go away, Harmony."
"They've chased me from the graveyard over on Mission. I tried to lose them by cutting through the tunnels, but I think...."
Two men, struggling and fighting, fell through the skylight and landed on the stage.
The two men following Buffy, who had come in the front door, froze.
The two men following Harmony, who were dodging the pony kegs around the back door, froze.
Spike, Harmony and all the other vampires in the Bronze grew their fangs and got to their feet.
Beck's friends, just inside the beaded hanging by the front door, had a unencumbered view of at least ten vampires, all in full display--harsh-faced and fanged. They raised their crossbows.
Davison, losing his crossbow, pulled out his back-up gun and shot Beck.
One of Davison's friends kicked a pony keg, sending it bouncing and ringing down the side wall into the center floor of the Bronze.
The vampires, and everyone else, turned and looked at the new pair of men entering the Bronze.
Beck's friends, already spooked by all the vampires, shot at Davison.
Buffy bounced to her feet, grabbed the back of her chair and swung it at Beck's friends. "Harmony, you damned nuisance," she yelled, "somehow this is all your fault."
One of the anonymous vampires at the bar hit one of Beck's friends with his beer mug.
One of the pool players reversed her cue and slammed it across one of Davison's friends from behind.
"Tara--ah, can we get everyone out of here?" the young Witch asked her lover.
"No, I can't concentrate. It's too noisy."
Spike dived over the table, hit the floor, rolled over to the counter, and kicked Gang Long's feet out from under him. Gang Long landed beside Spike. Spike grabbed the boy's shoulder and pulled him around to face him. "Can you get us all out of here? Not the ones with guns, just us. Get all of us safe if you can."
"Yes," the boy said.
"If not safe, just get us all out of here."
"OK."
"Spike," Harmony said, leaping after him and grabbing his arm. "I said they were after me."
"Shut up, Harm."
Gang Long said something Spike couldn't understand, except for the phrase: "Wu Jing." The Bronze faded out and they all landed in darkness.
>>>|||<<<
Ann Grove's voice said: "Lights."
They sprawled in an untidy heap in Ann's foyer. She looked down at them all: Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, Buffy, Spike, Harmony, Gang Long and a girl she didn't know. "Welcome," she said.
"I'm going to be sick," Xander said.
Ann crossed to him, producing a small vial as she came. She held it under his nose.
"And that's the difference between a learned skill and an innate talent," Willow said.
"He's good," Tara agreed.
"He still makes Xander sick," Anya said.
"No, I think I'm OK," Xander said. "Thanks," he told Ann.
"Hi, Ann, we're back early." Spike said, getting to his feet
"So I see." Ann seemed more amused than alarmed.
Spike turned to Buffy. Buffy took his hand and rose to her feet. "Hi, Ann," she said, wondering as she often did when she saw Ann, how Ann always looked so finished, no matter what she was wearing. Ann wore dark green linen jeans with a pistachio V-necked long-sleeved silk sweater, with the sleeves pushed up. Her long black hair was tied back with a green cord. The only jewelry Buffy had ever seen her wear was the single earring she wore tonight. She was barefoot and still was taller than everyone but Spike.
Harmony saw Buffy, squeaked, darted for the door.
"Freeze, Harmony," Ann ordered.
The strange girl was staring around with wide, panicky eyes.
"Why'd you bring her?" Spike asked Gang Long.
"You said, not the ones with guns, all of us. I was talking to her and she wasn't shooting at us and I didn't want to leave friends behind."
"It sounds as if you did exactly what you ought." Ann gently touched Gang Long's shoulder, then turned to the stranger, helping her to her feet. "Hi, I'm Ann Grove. You're safe. Who are you?"
"Dee Ferguson. I want to go home."
"Where's home?"
"1505 Sunnyside Drive, San Luis Obispo."
"Just a second." A large rolled map appeared in the air in front of Ann. She murmured, "1505 Sunnyside Drive." The map scrolled; a spot glowed, then faded. Ann nodded; the map rolled up completely, then disappeared. The girl's eyes grew wider yet. "I'm sure they'll be delighted to see you. You don't need to worry about tonight anymore," Ann said, and with one pale hand she waved the girl home.
"Come in and sit down, everyone. Can I offer you refreshments?"
"A Bloody Mary'd be nice," Spike said, following Ann into the living room.
"I never did get my lemon coke," Gang Long said.
"Could I have some of your wine?" Anya said.
A selection of drinks appeared on the low table in front of two sofas. "Now," Ann said gently, sitting down in a chair facing one of the sofas. "I want to know what's going on."
Spike took a healthy swallow of his Bloody Mary. "What I saw was this," he said, and spoke for nearly six minutes. While he spoke, he tossed his coat over one of the sofas and sat down. "And I left the Viper down there. Hell," he finished and drained his glass.
"Comments?" Ann asked.
"That was pretty good, Spike," Willow said.
"But they were looking different ways," Tara said.
"The ones from the front started shooting at the ones on the stage," Xander said.
"One of the ones on the stage shot the other on the stage, then shot back at the other ones," Willow insisted.
"So is anyone after you, Buffy?" Ann asked.
"I don't know. I mean, the Initiative is gone, the Council is sort of friends with me again, and the Knights of Byzantium don't use guns. I don't know that anybody is out for me like this."
"They were aiming at you," Spike said.
"They could have been shooting at Harmony," Buffy said.
"Interesting," Ann said. She walked out to Harmony, still in the foyer, and touched her forehead. "Come in and sit down, Harmony."
"I don't want to."
Ann ignored her and returned to her chair. Harmony entered the living room and sat on one end of one of the sofas. "So tell me, Harmony, who is trying to kill you?"
"Well, Buffy."
"Tonight," Ann said patiently. "The hired assassins. The men with guns. Who could have hired them?"
"Buffy?"
"Oh, sure. With what? My allowance?"
"Well, you certainly don't spend it on clothes."
"Who wants you dead, Harmony?" Ann asked.
"Nobody. Except for Buffy, everyone likes me."
There was a brief, but profound, silence, then: "Did you take the truth spell off the house?" Tara asked.
"No," Ann said, regarding Harmony with a sort of bemused disbelief. "She's telling what she thinks is the truth."
"Come on, Harm. Somebody must hate you. You once pissed me off so much I staked you," Spike pointed out.
"That was just a lovers' spat. Besides, I was wearing that ring."
Ann had been thinking. "Tara, I want you to stay here tonight. The rest of you are welcome to stay, too, of course. The pool's heated, there are plenty of suits in the downstairs bathroom, and the pantry's full. I'll be back before too long."
"Where are you going?" Tara asked.
"The Bronze. I want to look around." Ann froze Harmony again, then walked towards the door. She paused by Spike, who looked up at her.
"I'll go with you," Buffy offered.
"You may be a target. You stay."
"No."
Ann touched Spike's shoulder. They vanished.
"Hey!" Buffy yelled. "Willow, send me after her."
"Buffy," Tara said. "Willow can't. And if she could, it still wouldn't be safe. We're not as good as Ann."
"Why'd she leave me behind? Dammit, I'm the Slayer."
"It may not be Slayer business," Willow said.
"And even though she's not responsible for you the way she is for me, she knows Giles would get really upset if you got hurt," Tara said.
"All right, that's true. But why'd she take Spike?"
"She thinks he's clever," Anya said.
"That's nothing but low animal cunning," Xander said.
"No, Anya's right," Gang Long said. "Spike's clever. Anyway, Wu Jing likes him, too."
"I think I'll go swim," Anya said.
"Why not?" Xander agreed.
"I may as well," Buffy said.
>>>|||<<<
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