"So much for a little release. We've been to what…three of the big ones and come up empty? Where the hell are they all hiding?"
Buffy shook her head. "You mean besides the two hiding behind that mausoleum up there with the green guy and Gunn? No clue."
Faith chortled. "You knew they were following us? Why not say something? It seems unlike you."
"Well, being dead changes a lot about a person," Buffy muttered.
The brunette Slayer plopped on the grave opposite Buffy and eyed her speculatively. "Still not over that, huh?" she asked cautiously, kicking a rock with the toe of her boot.
Buffy smiled half-heartedly but nodded. "Hard to get over. Makes killing Angel look easy. I mean, I'm happy, no mistaking that. But every once in awhile…I just wonder, you know? If they hadn't brought me back, how much of this reality would exist? Did my resurrection set all of this in motion? Angel's son, Spike, Willow, Xander, you, the green guy…it's so much to grasp. And I can't really complain, or anything. My friends, my family…they all love me. It's just this gnawing feeling that something is out of line."
Faith nodded. "I had that feeling when I used that thing…you know, when I stole your body? I know the Mayor wanted me to be able to live, to deal with life even though he was gone, but I felt wrong. Even as I did all the awful things I did, it felt like I was changing the way things should be. Guess Slayers have an innate sense of the Powers' wishes, huh?"
"Yeah. But like I said, it probably lead up to the things that are happening as we speak. All interconnected and stuff." Buffy kicked the rock back towards Faith and paused. "I guess it's probably cause I've ignored these dreams…you know the ones."
She nodded solemnly. "What were they?"
"I keep dreaming that something is chasing me, hunting me down. And every time it gets close, I wake up. I can't tell Spike because…well, I think I know who it is."
"So spill it, B. I mean, you obviously let him bite you, so it's not a trust issue, right? Who's so important that you can't tell your snuggle vamp?"
A chilling laugh trilled through the air, raising every hackle on Buffy's neck. "I think she's referring to me, dearie."
Buffy's hands started to shake as she jumped up, immediately going into fighting stance. Faith rose to stand behind, facing the other direction. They scanned the area with the eyes, looking for the origin of the voice.
Suddenly, Drusilla emerged from the mausoleum Buffy had indicated earlier. "Oh! It seems Miss Edith was right about the party. All the toy soldiers right in a row. One after the other, they will fall. Tumble, tumble, tumble," she said, spinning around.
Faith looked at Buffy, who's face was chalk white. "This would be the infamous Drusilla, I suppose. B, you've got all the stars here in the 'Dale."
Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but found she had no answer. The fact that Drusilla had come from that mausoleum spokes volumes about the safety of the others. She had no doubt that Angel and Spike would something to say to the mad vampiress if they were able.
Faith elbowed Buffy in the ribs. "Say something, B. Don't let her work the mojo on you like she did Kendra. You gotta be strong for Spike. You know we'll never find him if we don't get her talking," she hissed.
"D-Drusilla!" Buffy blurted.
The insane vampire simply cocked her head to the side, waiting.
Buffy noted her more modern looking clothes, her shorter hairstyle. "Looks like someone finally made it into the twenty-first century. It's about time you bought a Cosmo," she quipped.
Drusilla glared at her. "So fiery! The soldiers want to play. Good. I've got a secret for you, my little Slayers. It flows like fire and ice water through their veins, and you have to stop it. If you can stop it, maybe the other soldiers will see another day."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Why me?" She strode up the vampiress and sucker punched her in the face. Lifting her off the ground by her throat, the blonde ground out, "I don't want to play, you looney tune! I'll find Spike with or without you, so killing you…is entirely an option."
Dru flailed wildly, causing Buffy to drop her in order to miss getting raked by her sharp nails. "You want to know why, golden one? Why I have returned to the place where both my boys found their filthy souls once more?"
"Only if it doesn't take very long," Buffy said, examining a small rip in her skirt mournfully. Faith chuckled and hid her face behind her hair, causing Buffy to turn away for a moment.
Dru's eyes flashed, and she backhanded the distracted Buffy. As Buffy scrambled
backwards, Dru advanced her like a spider approaching its prey. She stopped
directly in front of the prone Slayer and smile evilly. "Silly girl. Even
the soldier with the tarnished soul knows why I've returned. And if you don't
hurry, they'll all fall down forever."
She giggled again, and walked away, her calf length leather skirt swishing.
Buffy collapsed backwards onto the ground staring up at the sky. After a moment, she sat up, pulling her body off the ground in resignation. "Okay, let's go hunt some wabbits," she said, her eyes not reflecting the humor in her tone.
Faith nodded silently, noting the hard look in Buffy's eyes. I meant it
when I said she'd kill for Billy, and that crazy bitch is gonna come out of
this with a stake where the sun don't shine. B is on a mission, folks, she
thought.
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The door to the mansion slammed open and Drusilla strode through it. Her murderous
glare sent every minion scattering, and she smiled in satisfaction. If she'd
learned nothing from her recently resurrected grandmother, it was to command
through fear. Her thoughts turned to her prisoners, and she closed her eyes,
listening to the stars speak to her.
When she opened her eyes, she looked at the doll perched on the couch. "They are prepared, Miss Edith. The little drops have done their will, and even the two soldiers will not be able to stop what has started. All good boys go to heaven," she murmured.
Clapping her hands, she called out to her minions. "What have Mummy's
boys brought her to eat? I'm ever so hungry now…"
************************************************************************
Buffy walked into the Magic Box, her face set. The door almost fell off its
hinges as it hit the wall, and everyone looked up at her. "The crazy bitch
has my…she has Spike. And the others. And I'm going to find them, and kill
her for as long as I can possibly make it last," she said, not stopping
to actually look anyone in the eye.
When she hit the training room, she busted the lock on the weapons case and pulled out the knife she'd used on Faith. Sheathing it, she grabbed a few stakes, hiding them in the most accessible places, and then hefted an axe. Coming out into the shop, she noted the shocked faces looking at her.
Willow was the first to speak. "Buffy, you can't kill her…she's…"
"A loon?" Buffy asked sarcastically.
"Maybe. But she's also human," Cordy added.
Buffy looked at them as if they were insane. "What?"
"Faith's human, right?" Tara asked softly.
Faith stepped through the door, glaring at the Scoobies. "Yeah, but I had nothing to do with it. Glad I was the first person y'all associated with crazy bitch, though," she added, shooting daggers at Willow.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I meant Drusilla. She showed in the cemetery. Her goons had already nabbed Angel, Spike, Gunn and Lorne cause they were following at a distance. She muttered some nonsense about 'it flowing like fire and ice water through their veins' and how I had to 'stop what was started in time'. Anybody got a clue what she meant?"
Willow frowned. "Sounds like she meant poison, Buffy. Faith, did anyone besides the Mayor know how to get that poison you used on Angel?"
"I dunno, Red. He just handed it to me. Said it was the only stuff in this dimension guaranteed to take demons like vamps. And since I know you're wondering, I used every drop he gave me. I didn't leave it anywhere that some deranged vampire bent on revenge could find it," she said, sticking her chin out defiantly.
"Do you have any idea what kind of manpower it would take to take out Angel and Spike, much less Gunn as well?" Cordy asked rhetorically. "She's got to have some sort of minions for hire. I've never seen a vampire strong enough to challenge Angel."
Buffy shook her head grimly. "Cordy, Spike survived a Hellgod. He's no lightweight. Drusilla must have shot them with tranq darts. The poison immobilized Angel almost completely if you remember. If this is the same stuff, no big. We have two donors standing here: ready, willing, and able. Right, Faith?"
Faith nodded. "I owe Angel my life. Least I can give him is a sip of blood
that'll save his."
Willow sighed. "Then I doubt it's the same stuff. Drusilla may be insane, but she's not stupid. She's a seer, like Cordy. She has to know that you'd let Spike bite you, Buffy. So the question is…what modifications did she make? Or what dimension did this poison come from? I think Tara and I should do a spell…"
Tara interrupted. "But we'll need time to research a few options. I'd like to go with the least dangerous ones first, after all. Rushing in headlong only gets us all in trouble," she reminded.
"Okay, so you and Tara make with the mojo research. What else can we do?" Buffy asked, her hazel eyes pleading.
Cordy cleared her throat. "I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to your house to pick up Connor, Dawn, Xander and Anya. They're pretty much unprotected right now. Wesley, you and Fred come with me. We need to get everything going as quickly as possible."
Buffy nodded, and the remaining LA gang headed out. "Willow, what can Faith and I do?"
Willow started to reply, but Tara cut her off. "We can do a quick locator spell. It's kind of a non-traditional one, but I think it'll work best. We'll put the spell on you two, and it works kind of like the little kids game hot and cold…you know that, right?"
At their nods, she continued. "When you get close to someone you've shared your blood with, Buffy, the spot where we place the compote will heat up. Likewise, if you get too far away, it will turn very cold. Hopefully, this will help you find the guys. Once they're found, we can try and cure them. Got it?"
Willow looked at Buffy worriedly. "And don't risk your lives by yourselves. Call for help. Use the cell phone."
"Oh!" Tara exclaimed, turning back the Slayers. "No blood sharing until we know what's going on. Drusilla may have altered the poison to be passed through fluid contact. And the last thing we need is for you two to get poisoned as well."
"But if it could…"
"Don't question us, Buffy. This is our realm," Willow said softly.
"And Drusilla has picked the wrong witches to piss off." Her eyes
went black, something Buffy had rarely seen happen since Glory had been defeated.
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Drusilla looked at her captives balefully. They were all so weak. Even her Daddy,
and her Spike. Full of souls. She spit in disgust. When Spike raised his eyes
to her, she shrieked. "Don't look at me! Bad, bad, filthy man. You
reek of the Slayer. You reek of…her love!"
Spike groaned at the pain the poison was causing. It felt like his veins were alternately on fire and freezing; a quick glance at Angel saw him similarly afflicted, as was his green friend. The human was out cold and chained. He was surprised Dru hadn't eaten him yet, to tell the truth. He lifted his head weakly, and looked at his ex-girlfriend. "Dru, pet…," he struggled to say.
"No! You love her! The dirty, nasty Slayer. She made you taste like ashes, my Spike, and now ashes you shall be. You hurt your Princess, and as Daddy always told us: The misbehaved should never go unpunished." She smiled wickedly, crossing the room to locate Miss Edith. Picking up the doll, she listened to it and stomped her foot.
"Luv, what's wrong?" Spike managed, knowing if he could get Dru talking he might just get some information out of her.
Drusilla smiled. "Can't say, my Spike. But Miss Edith says your love is coming. Pity she will be too late. Just like I was last year: too late to save my Spike from dying."
He frowned. "I didn't die last year, Dru. I'm still bloody here. What are you talking about?"
She sighed dramatically. "Oh, Spike. Your Princess knows you better than you think. My Spike died when he fell in love with the Slayer. You are what's left. And I will make you pay for giving my Spike a soul. You and your dirty whore," she spat.
"Now, pet, you shouldn't call the girl I love a whore. Might make me mad," he said, his demon coming out. "And we both know I'm not very nice when I'm mad."
Drusilla simply glared at him. "Miss Edith says it doesn't matter if you're mad; you're dying. Dying because you still won't listen to your Princess. You never did," she mused to herself.
Spike sucked in a deep breath, shuddering as another chill wracked through him. "T-Tell me, Princess. Tell Spike what you're feeling." He had to keep her happy. The last thing he needed was for her to get angry and dose him and the others into a quicker death.
Dru opened her mouth as if to speak, and frowned when a song came out. "I want you to know that I'm happy for you. I wish nothing but the best for you both. Is she perverted like me? Would she go down on you in a theatre?"
Spike looked at Dru in surprise, but listened quietly. He knew she felt wronged by Buffy, and the only way to help himself, and the others, was to pacify her.
"Cause the love that you gave that we made wasn't able to make it enough
for you to be open wide. And every time you speak her name, does she know how
you told me you'd hold me until you died, but you're still alive!"
Drusilla smiled evilly at this, her grin telling him that she would soon have
remedied that little technicality.
Spike gritted his teeth against the next wave of pain, trying not to look away from the mad vampiress. He caught Angel's half opened eye and nodded at Dru, telling him to listen to her.
"And I'm here to remind you of the mess you left when you went away. It's not fair to deny me of the cross I bear that you gave to me…you oughta know!" she shrieked. Noting that Angel was awake, she began pacing. Turning back to Spike, she continued, "You seem very well; things look peaceful. I'm not quite as well; I thought you should know. It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced. Are you thinking of me when you fuck her?"
Angel looked at Spike, who shrugged. He had no idea why Drusilla was effected by the singing either. He turned his attention back to her just in time, for she was striding toward him purposefully.
She kneeled down in front of him, twisting so she was face to face with him. Her final words were whispered directly at him. "Cause the joke that you laid in the bed that was me and I'm not gonna fade as soon as you close your eyes and you know it." Getting up, she walked away, ordering the big ugly demons she had guarding them to keep watch for the Slayer.
And then, it was silent…
On To Part Eight:Six