*Crack*

Buffy's head slammed back against the tree, making her see stars for a moment. There was blood in her mouth from where he'd backhanded her. "Ow."

Her muttered pain wasn't quiet enough for him not to notice. "Had enough yet?" His voice was laced with a cruel amusement.

She was back on her feet in a moment, her injuries ignored and her anger stewing. *Damn vampire hearing.* "Not really," Buffy panted. She was still having trouble catching her breath after the collision with the tree. The blow had knocked the wind out of her worse than she'd expected.

His smile was cold. "You should have stayed down." He rushed at her with no further preamble.

The move was so unlike his usual for his fights that Buffy was caught off balance. He usually toyed with her through the entire time before giving up and moving on to their next battle. This time, his sudden rush caught her in the shoulder and pushed her right off her feet. He did not release her as he shoved her back against the tree. His hand tightened around her throat, his eyes flashing with cold fury. "Say 'uncle,'" he said through gritted teeth.

Buffy gasped around his tightening fist. *No, I'm not going to die like this! I have not been fighting three years for this...* Her imagination readily supplied the image of his fangs buried in her throat, and she could not help a whimper.

A snap of a twig. Angelus' gaze flicked away from her for a moment.

"You first," she replied, and kicked him, hard.

He snarled - yes, actually snarled - but did not let go. His face changed, his eyes flashing golden and his fangs barred.

"Get away from her!"

He finally let go, though not by choice, reeling backwards as a cross was thrust into his face. As Buffy slumped against the tree, her best friends stood beside her with classical vampire repellent held out in front of them. "You okay, Buff?" Xander asked quickly.

"Yeah," she managed. She glared back defiantly at the now furious vampire. "Are we done here?"

"Oh, we're done here," he growled back. "We're long since done here. You should have taken the chance to die quickly. Now...I think I'll enjoy hearing you scream. You, and the rest of this town." He smiled with an evil sort of glee. "We won't meet again, Slayer."

And with that, he backed away and disappeared into the darkness.

For a long moment afterwards the trio of human's stood in silence.

"Um," Willow said at last. "That was rather...ominous."

"Not exactly getting the warm fuzzies," Buffy agreed. "Come on," she said, pushing away from the tree. "Let's get the hell out of here."

No vampire in the old factory could miss Angelus' return. He stormed into the building like living fury. Any minion unfortunate enough to be in his way soon was lying against the walls, groaning in pain. A couple that didn't manage to get out of his way fast enough found sudden death instead.

The sound of a vampire turning to dust drew Spike to the factory's main floor. Prepared for an attack, he was ready to defend his home...or flee with Dru by his side, rest of the vampires living there to fend for themselves. But instead of an attacking force - or that bit that called herself the Slayer - he found the elder vampire in a rage. And Spike did the one thing he wanted to do most.

He laughed.

Angelus' eyes flashed when he turned on the amused vampire. "What the hell are you laughing at?" he barked.

"You're bloody priceless," Spike jeered. "What happened? You get Slayer stuck in your teeth?"

Angelus' answering growl only made Spike laugh harder.

"The girl refuses to die," Angelus grumbled, calming slightly.

"You'll get her," came another, feminine voice. "We shall all feast on her blood."

Angelus' eyes lit up in anticipation. You could almost see him tasting it already. "You've seen it, Drusilla?"

The insane vampiress merely looked confused by the question. Her gaze took on a dreamy cast. "I had the most wonderful dreams, Spike," she said with a sigh.

The older vampire frowned. "That's a no, then," he said to himself.

Spike drew closer to Drusilla. "What's it matter? Just kill the bint already."

"No," Angelus said sharply. "I've had enough. She dies with the rest of them."

Spike was floored. He'd never known Angelus to simply give up on a victim after he had toyed with them for so long, no matter how much trouble the victim gave. The little blond Slayer must have really gotten to him.

Drusilla, on the other hand, was thrilled. "Her strength will be his," she said in a singsong tone.

"Just kill her before then!" Spike insisted. "She could ruin everything."

"Don't question me!" Angelus demanded. "She fights with her human friends, and that idiotic boyfriend of hers. Now she can die with them as well."

Drusilla frowned. "You're upset," she practically purred, swaying to the older vampire's side. Spike boiled with jealousy as she rubbed her hand over Angelus' chest. "I could make it all better..."

Angelus swatted her hand away. "Not now, Dru," he said dismissively. He pulled away from her. "Get the final ritual ready. She *will* be dead within a week." And with that he stormed from the room, slamming his bedroom door behind him.

Spike stared at where he had gone with a frown. "She's driving him insane," he muttered.

"Everything's changing," Drusilla whispered to herself.

Spike shivered. She didn't sound at all happy about that.

"I don't know, Giles," Buffy said, leaning against the bookcase, "he seemed pretty certain I was going to die."

"Surely he was just boasting," the Watcher said, even as he began looking through the book on the table in front of him.

Buffy shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"Yeah, I mean, he wasn't really in a position to boast," Xander supported her.

Giles looked at both of them intently. "What *exactly* did he say?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'm not a tape recorder, Giles."

He came just short of glaring at her. "As close as you can remember."

She shrugged. "Something about how I could have died easily, but now I could just die with everyone else."

"Everyone else?" Giles asked, alarmed.

Xander nodded with mock enthusiasm. "Aren't we lucky? Buffy's not special in this one. We all get to die."

Giles frowned. "That's odd."

"Oh, don't say things like that," Buffy asked. "It always means bad things."

He smiled at her tolerantly. "I only meant that this is unlike Angelus' previous behavior with you. Until now, his attacks have been very...personally directed."

Buffy flinched slightly in memory. She had not been the only one to suffer at Angelus' hands. "Not always," she muttered.

She could see painful memories flicker across Giles' expression, and Xander turned away to hide whatever he was feeling. Still, Giles was not badly fazed. "Even those were focused on you in a broader sense," he said.

That only made Buffy feel worse. There was a reason Slayers weren't supposed to be close to anyone.

"This, if it is what it appears to be, is not like him," Giles finished explaining.

"Guy does have a major grudge going," Xander spoke up.

"Which makes...counting you in with everyone else...most unusual."

Buffy crossed the room and flopped down on Giles' couch. "So?" she asked. "I'm just as dead."

Giles would not indulge her fatalism. "Are you sure he said nothing else that is important?"

"Nothing." She forced a smile. "But I'll be sure to ask him next time we meet. I don't know - would a fight or dinner make him more likely to answer my questions? Or maybe I could give him both..."

Giles read right through her flippant statement. "Buffy," he said gently.

Buffy looked down at her lap, unable to meet his eyes. "I almost didn't make it tonight," she admitted. "If it weren't for Xander and Willow..."

"Oh, Buffy..."

She looked up. "I hate him," she declared.

The same vehemence Buffy felt flashed in Giles' eyes. "I know." He looked at her seriously. "Are you going to be all right?"

She nodded. "For now."

"We'll find out what's coming," Giles promised.

"I know." Wearily, she stood.

Xander held out his hand to her. "Walk ya home, little lady?"

Buffy took his hand, his mock gallantry pulling her out of her mood for now. "We'll see who walks who home," she said with a half laugh.

Thank God for friends like these.

Angelus awoke in pain. Not the echo of the fight that started his evening, but a deep, unnamable pain that he could not even begin to describe. If the pain would even let him speak....

It was the pain that woke him. And the pain was all there was.

It was the single most intense sensation that he had ever felt. It radiated through his entire being. There was no room for any thought. Just...pain.

And then...it began to fade. Just an echo, fading away, leaving him sitting up in bed, panting and confused. He was disoriented. He couldn't seem to focus on anything.

"What-?" he gasped. His voice sounded strange in his ears.

Nothing seemed right. This place...where...? It just wouldn't seem to fit together. The last thing he could remember....

/Could you do that? Show me your world...?/

/You see, Father? I have made something of myself after all./

/I think I'll enjoy hearing you scream.../

He shook his head in denial. It couldn't.... He wouldn't....

"No.... No...."

Like this one? Let me know if you want it to continue!

Feed my habit - send me feedback!
Back to Cynamin's Fan Fiction