Raksha and Buffy stole silently into the manor, the demon huntress extending her senses as far as they could go. She felt the immense power radiating from the three stronger vampires on the other side of the house. The only other vampires she could sense were two very weak ones, that appeared to be standing on guard. < Not a problem. >

Raksha pointed to a long, sparse corridor. 'This way,' she mouthed. Buffy nodded and started out first, blending into the shadows. Raksha took a breath and followed.

"So China, eh?" Angelus asked Spike.

Drusilla had moved away from Angelus and Spike. She had obviously slipped into her own little reality. She went over to a chair and picked up a doll. "Ms. Edith, Spike is leaving," she whispered, looking at the doll expectantly. After a minute, she made a frustrated noise and threw the doll to the ground haphazardly. The physic blocking spells Raksha had cast were still firmly in place.

"Yes," Spike replied, ignoring Drusilla and focusing wholly on his sire. < I hope Raksha gets here soon. > "I thought it would be a nice change. I'm tried of these bloody Americans and the Slayer, as well as Drusilla, being yours, so what's there to stay for?"

Angelus' eyes narrowed. "Why would you want the Slayer as yours?"

Spike grinned vivaciously. "To kill her! It is what we do, Angel. We kill Slayers; slowly and torturously if we can manage. You know, now that there is more than one Slayer, I'll be able to add to my quota, more quickly than before."

It wasn't long before Raksha could see the two sentries before a door. They obviously did not want to be there and were only half paying attention to their surroundings. < Very sloppy, Angelus. >

Raksha slipped out her stake and mentioned for Buffy to do the same. Slowly, using the shadows of the dimly lit hallway to their advantage, they made their way toward the watchmen. They had to stake them before they alerted the others. Raksha and Buffy needed the element of surprise.

As they drew closer, to the vampires, Raksha realized that staking them would be no problem. Not only were they not paying attention to their surroundings, they were half asleep on their feet.

Raksha slipped over to one vampire, while Buffy took the other. They staked the vampires simultaneously. It was easier than child's play.

Angelus relaxed visibly. He didn't see Spike as a threat, but he didn't want to have to teach one of his children who was master more than once. Besides, he was rather fond of Spike, despite the way it appeared. He was fun to have around but he'd be a liar if he said he wasn't glad he was leaving.

"Anyway," Spike continued. "I figured I'd pick up a few things and then book passage on a ship. It should be easy enough to get a cabin with no porthole." Spike grinned nefariously. "It ought to be fun seeing all those little Chinamen running for their pathetic lives."

"Yes," Angelus answered. "It is rather pleasant. Have I ever told you about that time I was in China?"

"No, I don't believe you have. Do tell," Spike replied. He had heard the story a million times, but he was running out of ways to distract them. < Where the fuck are they? >

Raksha looked over at Buffy and got a nod in response. It was time. Raksha stepped back and kicked the door forcefully. It popped open easily.

"Darla and I slaughtered..." Angelus stopped at the sound of the door wrenching open. He quickly turned his attention to the outlet.

"Hello Lover," Buffy commented, from the shadows. Angel recognized the voice and immediately went into a defensive position. Spike followed suit, unwilling to give up his status, yet.

Slowly, Raksha and Buffy slipped into the light. They stopped several feet in front of Spike and Angelus. Raksha smirked at Angelus. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were some mediocre vampire. Those were very pathetic things you had posted." Raksha snorted softly. "Very tactless of you."

Drusilla rushed over to Spike and Angelus. She cowered behind them. "Angel," she whimpered. "They reek of power."

"That we do," Raksha commented.

"Aren't you a little outnumbered?" Angelus asked trying to intimidate Raksha. She was his biggest concern. "After all it is three to two."

Buffy and Raksha smirked. "Wrong," Raksha commented. While Angelus had been busy concentrating on his attackers, Spike had moved closer to them. He wrapped an arm possessively around Raksha's waist.

"It's two against three, mate," Spike stated.

Drusilla stepped out from behind Angelus. "I knew it, I knew it!" she screeched hysterically. "I knew you had been fucking the Hunter!" Drusilla started to rush toward Spike, but Angelus grabbed her arm and held her back. Attacking without thinking would kill them very quickly. That is, if they weren't already dust.

Angelus sized up his challenges. Buffy was a formidable opponent, but easily could be thrown off by a few insults and degrading comments. Plus, he really didn't want to have to kill her. Yet anyway. Spike was skilled and strong, when at full strength, but was newly out of a wheelchair. He couldn't be on top of his game. Raksha by far was the most deadly. She couldn't be killed, had magic and her only visible weakness was Spike. This he knew from past experiences, but people change. It had been over eighty years since he had fought her last -- right after he regained his dreadful soul. Spike it was then.

"Tsk, tsk," Angels said while shaking his head. "Spike, my boy, I never thought you'd sink that far. I mean, look at her. She's nothing compared to what you've had in the past." He gestured to Drusilla.

Raksha responded to the comment with a laugh, which brought looks of surprise to the faces of all that were present. "Angelus, dearest, where have you been?" Raksha asked mockingly. "Saneness is in. Insanity went out...what? A hundred years ago. You really have to stay up with the times."

Spike was shocked. He expected Raksha to kill Angelus. He mentally shook his head as he had a realization. < I've never really have known her. Not then, not now and I never think I will. She only shows me what she wants me too see. I don't know her and if we live through this and stay together for a thousand years, I probably still won't know her. She won't let anyone truly see her. >

Spike was not the only one that was taken aback. Angelus was shocked at Raksha's reaction also. He decided to try a new angle to his insult tactic. "If you're so wonderful, then why did you settle for him?" He gestured with his hand to Spike.

Raksha chuckled again. "Who said I was wonderful? I'm not by any stretch of imagination. I'm only me. As for having Spike..." Raksha shrugged her shoulders and leaned back into Spike's arms. Spike grinned and snapped his teeth playfully near her ear. "He has he talents."

Angelus growled, Drusilla growled and Buffy shook her head. Buffy was barely containing the laughter that threatened to spill from her throat. The whole display was very humorous. But she was getting impatient. "Are we going to fight?" Buffy asked arching an eyebrow. "Or are we just going to sit here all night and trade insults? There are places that I could be."

Angelus grinned fiercely at Buffy's comment. "I couldn't have said it better, lover."

Angelus released Drusilla. She immediately launched herself at her closest opponent -- Buffy. Buffy parried her sloppy attack and retaliated with a few well placed punches. She stepped away from Drusilla and started circling her.

Raksha pulled away from Spike, keeping a half an eye on Buffy. She seemed to be holding her own but Drusilla was known for being able to play mentally her opponents. Raksha had taken away her *seeing* ability but she had no idea what other things Drusilla could do. Angelus, and then Spike, had always kept a close watch on how much people knew she could do.

Slowly, Raksha brought her attention to where Angelus was circling Spike and smiled. "Spike?" she purred. "Do you want to take him or should I?"

Spike smiled. "Why don't we make it a threesome, luv?"

"I can live with that," Raksha stated.

Angelus arranged himself so that he was perpendicular from each of his adversaries, in an attempt to keep his eyes on both at once. Raksha kicked out to the left and caught him firmly on his side. Angelus hunched over reflexively, protecting his injured right side from more abuse.

Spike attacked from the left before Angelus could regain his balance. Spike sent him stumbling toward Raksha with a powerful jab. Raksha caught him easily. "Here let me help you," she offered teasingly as she grabbed a handful of his silken shirt and brought his torso down against her knee. The sound of bones splintering blended with the sound of Drusilla and Buffy fighting. Raksha tossed Angelus back to Spike.

"What do you think, luv" Spike asked grinning. "Tie 'im up or keep going?"

Raksha returned his grin with a sadistic one of her own. "We should really give him the opportunity to defend himself, shouldn't we?"

Spike beamed. It was the opportunity he had been dreaming of every moment since Angelus had returned. "We should," he replied.

Angelus looked at them with amazement. How Spike had gained this much strength was beyond... < Dammit! Raksha must have let him feed from her. > He seemed to be stronger than he had ever been. And Raksha had never been this fierce. If there were different circumstances, he would have thought that she had gotten rid of her dreadful soul... Just like himself.

Slowly, Angelus' wonder turned to rage. < How dare they knock me around like kittens play with a plastic mouse?! > Angelus channeled his rage and launched himself at Raksha.

Raksha was momentarily surprised by his left hook. She found herself sprawled on the ground with Angelus bending over her. She quickly recovered and kicked him in his ribs. Spike came behind him and flung him against a wall. Crossing to where he landed, Spike picked Angelus up and proceeded to kick his ass.

Buffy and Drusilla had been exchange blows. Neither of them had made any progress. Both were equally good fighters, despite one's lack of sanity. Suddenly Drusilla landed a powerful kick. Buffy was thrown up against the cold, damp bricks of one of the walls. Drusilla moved to where the stunned Buffy stood.

"Be in my eyes," Drusilla commanded. She waved two perfectly manicured nailed fingers in front of Buffy's face. "Be...in me." Drusilla pointed her fingers to her hypnotizing eyes. Buffy was completely entranced. Drusilla moved slightly and Buffy mirrored her actions, keeping her gaze locked on Drusilla's golden orbs.

Raksha noticed what had happened and threw herself into action immediately. She picked up a stake off the ground that Buffy had lost during her fight as well as herself. She ran over to where the Sayer and the vampiress stood. She pushed the Slayer to the side breaking eye contact.

"No bitch," Raksha hissed. "Look into my eyes." Raksha plunged her stake into the undead female's heart. Drusilla looked at her with a look of mixed sadness and hatred. Then she crumpled to dust.

Buffy sat on the ground blinking and shaking her head. "Are you okay?" Raksha asked offering her a helping hand.

Buffy accepted the hand and pulled herself to her feet. "Nothing that a hot bath and some Chunky Monkey ice cream can't fix," she quipped.

Rakshe smiled slightly and turned her attention to where Spike was ripping into a barely standing Angelus. Raksha stole up behind Angelus. Using the blunt end of the stake, she knocked him unconcious. The almighty Angelus fell in a heap at her feet.

Spike stood still and looked at Raksha silently. There was a look of hurt in his eyes. Raksha had staked Drusilla. Despite the fact that Dru and himself were not together, he still held some of his love for her. Her death was painful.

"Buffy," Raksha said. "Go get the others. It's time." Buffy ran out of the room eager to get her Angel back. Raksha watched her until she was gone and then turned back to Spike. "You can leave. We don't need you now." Raksha turned away from him.

The pain in Spike's eyes tripled. "Why would I do that?" Spike asked with forced lightness. Raksha turned aroundand gave him a hard look. Spike sighed. "Look, Raksha, I was in love with her for a hundred years..."

"I know that," Raksha snapped. "And I understand. Her death has to be painful and I'm sorry but it's my job to slay vampires." Raksha sighed. "It's probably best that you leave," she mumbled.

"I have no intention of doing so," Spike told her. "I couldn't live with myself if I left you here and you got hurt," he joked.

Raksha opened her mouth to reply but Buffy and the others quickly burst through the door.

"Let's get to it!"