The buzzing of her alarm finally awakened Buffy. Flailing her arm out, she knocked the clock to the floor where it sputtered for a moment, then shut up. Slowly she opened her heavy eyes. Lightning made her blink and groan. Oh, goody, a thunderstorm. What a delightful way to start a Monday.
Suddenly, the memories flooded her and she flew out of bed, forcing her tired body into the shower. She was in the middle of washing her hair when she realized she hadn't had a nightmare at 3:09 a.m. For the first time in over a week, she had slept the night through.
Strangely enough, not having the nightmare made her feel worse.
*****
On the drive to school, only listening with half an ear to her mother trying to comfort her over Willow's disappearance and automatically making the appropriate agreeing noises, Buffy's mind flew over images of the earlier nightmares, wondering which ones had come true.
With a quick goodbye to her still babbling mother, Buffy hopped out of the sport-utility, and ran for the Library. She was pleasantly surprised to find Angel sitting in a dark corner reading while Jenny and Giles sat in front of one of the computers.
"Anything new?" Buffy asked the room in general.
Angel rose and walked over to her. Their eyes met and she sank against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "No," he murmured as he returned her embrace. "Spike and I searched until dawn. Dru must have them hidden very securely."
"So, we're accepting as fact that she has Lily and Willow?" Buffy asked, looking up at him.
"It makes sense,"Jenny interjected.
Buffy turned to look at her, keeping one arm around Angel. A determined look formed on her face. "Then we have till Thursday night to find them."
"Did you have another nightmare?" Giles asked with scholarly interest.
"No."
That surprised everyone.
"Perhaps you've seen everything you're supposed to see," Jenny said.
"Maybe it's because Lily's been taken," Giles added.
"I actually miss the damn thing," Buffy replied.
*****
Lily was awakened from a fitful doze by the clanging of the cage door. As her eyes opened, she saw Willow being escorted across the room by the female vampire. Lily rubbed her eyes and pulled herself into a sitting position. A glance at her watch showed her that it was nearly one o'clock --she guessed afternoon from the fact that the skylight was still covered.
A few minutes later, Willow was returned and shoved into the cage. Since they were nearly three feet off the ground, the small girl had to be boosted in and the vampires didn't do it very gently. She was thrown practically onto Lily's lap from which she immediately scrambled to the other side of the cage.
"Do I frighten you that much?" Lily asked sadly.
Willow hugged her knees to her chest and glanced up at her companion. Lily winced at the dark rings under the girl's eyes and the tightness of her lips. "I'm hungry too."
"They aren't feeding you?" Lily asked in surprise.
Willow shook her head and spoke in a small voice. "I guess they don't see any point. I can survive without food until Thursday night. I've been drinking water when they take me to the bathroom."
"I'm sorry."
"I guess we're in the same boat...only I don't kill people when I'm hungry." Willow gave Lily a hesitant look, then stared back down at her green tennis shoes.
"I've never been in that situation, Willow, but I pray I won't lose control."
"It's what *she* wants," Willow mumbled.
"Well, yes, but I'm the last person who plans to give that bitch what she wants."
Willow gave Lily a small smile.
*****
Elsewhere in Sunnydale, a very unhappy male vampire was giving the bitch what she wanted--or at least what she thought she wanted.
Spike lay on his back on the bed, again staring at the canopy. Drusilla lay beside him, her arm curled across his chest, finally asleep. She had been insatiable, forcing him to perform for her for hours.
It was mid-afternoon, he was exhausted, but worse, he was hungry...and not just for human blood. All the blood he had lost the night before, all the energy he had expended during the day--he hadn't felt so weak since the fire.
He had to find Lily.
Carefully, Spike slipped from the bed. Using the dregs of his energy, he quickly pulled on clothes, then began to poke through Drusilla's things. There had to be a clue here somewhere.
*****
A half an hour before dusk, Spike found a possibility. One of his corporations had recently purchased an old military bunker on the edge of town. True, Spike was rather lax with his business as long as the money continued to come in, but he approved most purchases. Unfortunately, in a moment of weakness--when she had pouted about wanting to play in the world of high finance--he had given Drusilla the power to make such choices for one of his smaller holding companies.
Spike memorized the address, then slipped silently from the room. Every step felt like his boots were made of lead as he headed for his car. Sunnydale wasn't a large town, so he usually walked--easier to find victims that way--but he didn't have the strength to walk farther than the garage.
As soon as the sun set, he peeled out of the garage, heading for the bunker's location. Spike knew he should call Angel, but that would be a betrayal of Drusilla. No matter what she had done to him, how she treated him, he couldn't do that to her. Not when what he was doing presently was a rather large betrayal in itself.
The turn to the bunker was nearly hidden behind trees and bushes--one had to know it was there. He and Angel had walked right passed the place the night before, never knowing that within the woods sat an abandoned building overgrown with vines and moss.
Spike pulled up in front of the building and forced himself to get out of the car. Slowly, stumbling he made his way to the one door. To his amazement, it wasn't locked. Struggling to pull the heavy steel door open, he forced his way into the musty building. He found himself in a large room with a high ceiling. In the middle hung a steel cage.
Two vampires rushed him. At the sight of his lover, Spike somehow found the strength to fling off the guards and rush to the cage.
At the sight of Spike, Lily scrambled to the side of the cage and stuck one arm through the bars, knowing he was starving for her, not caring that feeding him would deplete more of her blood. As Spike's fangs sank into her wrist, Lily lovingly wrapped the fingers of her other hand into his hair. Pain and pleasure flowed through her and she moaned softly. Tears of relief, of joy, streamed down her cheeks. He was alive! Drusilla hadn't been lying.
Satiated and strong, Spike released her wrist and reached up to caress her cheek through the bars. Lily made a strangled sound and Spike flipped his wrist backwards, knocking silly the male vampire who had been sneaking up on him. Lily watched the female back up to guard the only exit from the room, not about to take on Spike.
"Are you alright, luv?" Spike asked Lily in a soft, sensuous voice.
"Hungry, but I'll survive," she replied in an equally throaty voice.
Spike's hand drifted down to her breast, gently feeling where the bullet had exited. Lily reached out and caressed his chest over his heart, returning the light touch.
"Is it still in there?" she asked softly. Spike nodded. "I thought she might have left you there to bleed to death."
A shadowed look crossed his face. "She did. Angel found me, restored me to health."
A quirky smile twisted Lily's lips. "Buffy must be pissed he didn't stake you."
Spike gave her an exasperated look, then tugged her against the bars. Lily leaned down and kissed him as best she could. Frustrated that she couldn't be in his arms, she banged on one of the bars.
"Find the key," she pleaded.
Slowly Spike pulled back from her, his eyes on his feet. Lily felt herself grow cold as realization hit. He wasn't here to rescue them. Slumping against the side of the cage, her hands gripping the bars, she glared at him.
Spike couldn't help it; he glanced up at her. "Stop that," he said harshly. "I can't free you." His eyes met hers briefly, then looked away.
"These two couldn't stop you." Lily's anger showed in her voice as she looked at the female vampire cowering by the door and the male who was slowly picking himself off the floor.
"That doesn't count for anything," he said with a dismissing wave of his arm. "I can't betray Dru anymore than I already have."
Lily's lips tightened as her anger and frustration grew. "I can smell her on you," she lashed out at him. "I was so damn glad to see that you were alive, I didn't care that you'd been fucking her!"
Spike glowered back at her, refusing to show the guilt he felt. "I'm a demon," he answered flippantly. "I'll do anything to survive."
"Oh, I'm sure it was just torture for you," Lily slammed him with her sarcasm. "Of course, she couldn't give you the one thing you really need to survive. I'm guessing you pleasured her enough that she told you where to find me?"
"Um, no."
Lily gave a harsh laugh. "You fucked yourself into a state of near total collapse for *nothing*?"
"For the possibility of finding you. I just didn't want to wait for her to wake up," he explained, growing more guilty by the second.
"Well, you found me. You got your fix. Go back to your bitch," Lily yelled at him. Her anger was turning to pain. She wanted him gone before the tears that were pricking the corners of her eyes found release. "Go away," she choked out, turning away from him.
"Lily..."
"I knew I'd find you here," an angry voice came from the doorway. Spike turned and Lily looked up to see Drusilla and four male vampires at the entrance to the room.
Drusilla gestured to two of her flunkies and they advanced on Spike. He allowed them to pull him away from Lily and the cage and over to Drusilla's side, then shook off their hands.
Drusilla lashed out with her hand and he caught it an inch from his cheek. With a gentle tug he pulled her against him and bent to kiss her.
At the touch of his lips, she pulled away in surprise. "The blood," she whispered, licking her lips. "I can taste it still there--so powerful. It's hers..."
"I need her to survive, pet," Spike explained softly. "Her blood makes me strong, but it doesn't last and I need more. If you kill her, I'll die as well."
Drusilla gave him a disgruntled look and strolled over to the cage to glare at Lily, who returned the angry look. "She dies. I've seen it."
"Then I won't survive. Do you really want that, luv?"
Drusilla spun on him. "Death is the least you deserve," she replied with a pout. Spike gave her a very sexy look and reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips. As he nibbled on one of her fingers, Drusilla began to sway, a dreamy look crossing her face.
"Can't we just keep her in this cage, throw her scraps every now and then?" Spike asked.
Drusilla stopped swaying and gave him a calculating look. "I heard you say you loved her."
"Pet, I was weak. Why would I love her when I have you? Besides, she kills our people," he replied persuasively.
"So, it was just male weakness? You bedded her because she was beautiful, different, her blood made you strong?
"Precisely." Spike gave her a sensuous smile and kissed the palm of her hand.
"Well....you may have to persuade me some more." Drusilla sidled up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck to drag his mouth down to hers. Spike returned her passionate kiss, sliding his arms around her waist.
"Does that help?" he asked, then nipped her ear.
Drusilla giggled and pressed herself closer. "Oooh, Spike..."
"Will you let her live, to keep me alive?" he pressed.
Drusilla thought about it for a minute, then shook her head. "No, she has to die or I can't rule the world. But," she continued before he could protest, "when the Slayer comes here to rescue them, you can keep her and feed off her."
"But, a Slayer's blood alone isn't strong enough," Spike protested, feeling his heart sink.
Then I'll turn her into a vampire and we can keep her in this very cage." Drusilla gave his cheek a pat, satisfied that he would accept her plan, then turned back to glare at her enemy.
Lily had turned her back on the couple, trying desperately to believe that Spike was lying to save them all, but unwilling to see what they were doing. She wrapped her arms around her legs, drawing them up to her chin, praying that Drusilla would leave. She had a few choice words to say to Spike.
Spinning around, Drusilla smiled at Spike and headed past him towards the door, followed by her entourage. "You can continue to feed off her for now--in fact, it will aid my plans." She gestured to the guards. "They won't let you in the cage with her. And I'll know soon enough if you're lying." She left with a hint of threat in her voice. Two of the hulks remained, replacing the other guards.
At the sound of the door banging shut, Lily slowly turned around on her knees. There were tears streaming down her cheeks.
Spike glanced over his shoulder at the guards stationed at the door, then hurried over to the cage. He reached inside for one of her hands and she flinched back. "Don't cry," he pleaded softly. "I was lying to her. You have to believe that."
"You just want to survive," Lily replied dully, trying to blink away the tears.
"Yes...with you."
"You heard her. Now, she plans to make Buffy into a vampire!"
Spike gave her a smirk. "I think our little Slayer will have many things to say about that."
"All you have to do is let Angel know where we are."
The smile left his face and a shuttered look replaced it. "I can't."
"She *will* kill me," Lily persisted.
"I can't go against her any further. You will have to beat her." A small pain hit him in the heart at the thought of Drusilla dead, but it was nothing compared to the impact of the same thought about Lily.
Lily swallowed hard, wiping her tears away, feeling betrayed and helpless. "She's starving me. I won't be able to defeat her. She'll rule the world with you at her side...and you'll soon forget me."
"Never," he swore passionately, reaching again for hand. This time Lily let him take it, allowing him to feel the trembling that was running through her. With his other hand, Spike reached between the bars and wiped gently at the remaining tears on her cheek. "I love you," he whispered.
Lily began to cry again, leaning into his hand. "When you were making love to her..." she choked out.
Spike interrupted her. "It wasn't making love. Don't ever think that," he begged her. "I fucked her silly so that I could be with you. I'll do anything to be with you."
The dullness returned to her voice. "To keep yourself alive."
"The demon wants...demands to live. If you die, my heart, my mind, every other part of me, will die with you. If I can do anything about it, so will my body."
"Oh great, fucking tragic lovers," Willow spat in anger. Both Spike and Lily looked at her in surprise. "What? Do you think you're Romeo and Juliet? Give me a fucking break. If you don't want her to die, then save her, Spike. Decide to go with your little black heart and stop your crazy bitch of a girlfriend from destroying the world."
Lily's mouth dropped open and she gaped at the red faced girl sitting across from her with icy fire flaring in her eyes.
Spike began to chuckle. "It's always the quiet ones."
Willow lunged for him and Lily caught her, preventing her from trying to do something really stupid. "And you, if you could control your hormones for one second, you wouldn't be in this mess. God, get a little control." Willow yelled at Lily, then pushed away from her and retreated to her corner, still glaring at the vampiric lovers.
"Now I understand what the Slayer sees in you. Not quite as meek and innocent as you seem--just the kind of woman I like," Spike said with a grin. "If I wasn't so in love, I might relieve you of that pesky virginity and make you an absolutely wicked vampire. Of course, that would sure spoil Dru's plans."
Willow turned bright red and buried her face in her knees. Something clicked in Lily's mind. She had to spoil Drusilla's plans. Turning back to Spike she whispered to him. "You may be on to something."
He gave her a surprised look. "I'm already screwing one female I don't want and, anyway, since I'm not allowed in the cage, I think it might be a little impossible."
"Not that," Lily hissed. "Will you try to stop me from spoiling Drusilla's plans?"
"No."
"Good." Feeling much better, Lily slid a hand around behind his head and leaned down to kiss him. Spike returned the kiss with all the love and passion he felt, his hands cupping her face.
Reluctantly he pulled back, caressing her cheeks and running one finger over her lips. "I'll be back," he promised.
Lily watched him leave, the guards doing nothing to stop him. Behind her, Willow gave her a snort of disgust and Lily slowly turned around to face her.
"I don't get you," Willow snarled. "He won't do anything to help you. He's sleeping with his old girlfriend. He'll *let* her kill you and not lift a finger to stop her. How can you still love him?"
"Love doesn't always make sense, Willow," Lily tried to explain. She herself wondered why she was so wishy- washy where Spike was concerned.
"This is *so* far from making sense," Willow cut in.
Lily thought about it for a minute, then gave the girl a rueful smile and a nod. "You're right. He's a demon, my natural enemy. He'll always choose his own survival over me. But, he has come so far from being a typical vampire," she stressed. "Have you ever known a vampire for very long, not counting Angel?"
Willow shook her head and Lily continued. "They are simple creatures of destruction. They can express human emotions, but they're usually ones like delighting in the torture of kittens or joy at seeing a church burn down. They can love, usually each other, but typically that love is mostly lust. When they tire of a lover, they drop them without a second thought and move on to the next conquest. They like their pleasures and one of their greatest pleasures is to cause pain. They don't feel guilt or remorse or sorrow."
"And your point is...?"
"My point is, that in the last few days, Spike, who loved the same female for one hundred years, has felt guilt, remorse *and* sorrow. He has grown past being a simple demon-- maybe he never was. The love he shared with Drusilla was so long-lasting as to be unheard of."
"But, Lily, he's still a demon, one of the bad guys."
"Is he? Oh, yes, there's a demon inside him, but I've begun to wonder just how much control it has."
"If the demon isn't in control, then what is?" Willow asked. "He doesn't have a soul. We know from Angel, that when a vampire is made--other than from a Slayer--the soul escapes and the demon takes charge of the body, absorbing the personality and memories of that body."
"I don't have any firm answers for you, Willow. All I know is that Spike is like no vampire I have ever known. I believe the emotions he feels are real and true and that they are ones that demons don't feel or at least not as deeply."
"Are you sure that's not your own emotions talking?"
"I'm a Slayer. I have slain vampires for nearly three hundred and fifty years. I have never felt anything for any of the thousands I killed except the desire to see them dead."
"What about Angel?" Willow asked.
Lily smiled slightly as the memories of her first meeting with Angel returned. "Okay, I occasionally have felt lust. My body is only human, after all, it can't help but respond physically when it's touched."
"Okay, that's one thing that I don't understand. From Buffy's ranting, I guessed that the two of you had..um..you know. Why?" Willow asked baldly.
"Because he's gorgeous?" Lily asked with a grin. Willow glowered through her embarrassment. "Okay, most vampire societies are very insular and don't tolerate strangers. A way for an outsider to approach vampires is to entice them where all creatures are the most vulnerable-- with sex. I use my feminine wiles to lure vampires into bed and afterwards, when they are the most vulnerable, I stake them."
Willow stared at her, open-mouthed, red-faced, then began to laugh. It was contagious and Lily quickly joined her.
*****
Two o'clock in the morning found Buffy sitting on a swing in the park, slowly dragging her feet through the dust. Three hours of fruitless searching had left her exhausted and extremely worried. She knew she should be in bed, trying to sleep, but she didn't seem to have the energy to go home.
A breeze sent both the dust swirling and a shiver through her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she straightened on the swing. Spike strolled out of the shadows, his hands in his coat pockets. Buffy sprang to her feet and he stopped about ten feet from her.
"I come in peace," he said.
"Tough shit. I don't feel very peaceful at the moment," Buffy quipped as she pulled a stake from her sleeve.
Spike backed up as she advanced, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm in no mood to fight you, Slayer. I just wanted to tell you that your friend is alive."
Buffy skidded to a halt. "Where is she?" she demanded.
"I can't tell you that."
She raised the stake again. "Wrong answer."
Spike took another step back, eying her warily, taking in the deep sense of exhaustion that emanated from her. "You'll never be able to confront Dru in the state you're in."
"I don't need advice from a vampire!"
Spike shrugged. "You won't find them until you're meant to, so you might as well get some sleep." He started to slip back into the shadows.
"Wait," Buffy cried. "Willow, she's really okay?" she asked hesitantly.
Spike gave her a quick grin. "She has a smart mouth, that one does."
"And Lily's with her?"
Spike nodded. "Anything else, Slayer?"
"I'm going to kill your girlfriend," Buffy stated.
"I thought Lily was a friend of your's." Spike deliberately misunderstood her.
"Ex-girlfriend," Buffy snapped with a snarl. "She's dead. You're only alive because you might possibly be of some use."
Spike chuckled at the girl's bravado. "Yeah, whatever you say, girl. Go get some sleep before you fall down." He disappeared back into the darkness.
*****
Two o'clock in the morning found Lily sitting in one corner of the cage, meditating. In the opposite corner Willow slept, her knees tucked against her chest, her head pillowed on one bent arm. Exhaustion had finally overcome her hunger around midnight. As soon as Willow fell asleep, Lily began meditating to reach past her own hunger. The contemplation and quiet was slowly working.
Images from her dreams swirled in her mind until she could feel the cool night breeze on her naked skin, hear the young, feminine cries of fear, the chanting of Drusilla. Before her eyes appeared Angel, his hands chained over his head to a post. He lifted his head from his naked chest and she could feel the pain from the wounds and burns that marred his skin.
Hunger smashed through her and she pushed it down and out of her body, concentrating on Angel's pain. The vision shifted and Spike stood before her, sorrow in his eyes. A naked Drusilla came up behind him and dragged him to the ground. He went unresisting, but his eyes held Lily's.
Lily tried to look away, not wanting to see Buffy's vision, but her eyes felt as if they were pinned open. A dull lethargy crept over her as she watched Spike and Drusilla have sex at her feet. Her eyes remained locked with Spike's as the pain, shock and despair washed away.
Blackness descended, blotting out the horrible view. Lily felt her eyes close and let herself drift in the welcome darkness.
*****
Two o'clock in the morning found Angel crouched on a catwalk in the warehouse, looking down on Drusilla and five male vampires. She was pacing and mumbling. They were guarding her perimeter. Angel had discovered the location of their hiding place several months before by gaining access through an unguarded, hidden window on the top floor. At least once a week since the discovery he had observed the Sunnydale vampires' activities--although he had not seen Spike or Drusilla since the fire--and had never been discovered.
Knowing that she would have insisted on attacking the warehouse, he had never told Buffy the location. He hoped that she would be able to whittle the numbers away until an attack was feasible. Until then, he would continue to watch.
Suddenly Drusilla looked up and smiled evilly, her eyes meeting his. "Now," she yelled in triumph.
Angel stumbled back in surprise, only to be grabbed by two vampires who had snuck up behind him. He tried to fight them off, but two others appeared to help drag him down to the floor of the warehouse. Drusilla clapped her hands in glee as her minions held Angel still in front of her.
"Oh, goody. You fell right into my little trap. I had a vision you know," she began conspiratorially. "I saw us capturing you right here and look, it's happened." A slight frown crossed Drusilla's face. "I don't rightly know why I need you...but I do, so here you are."
"Dru, don't do this," Angel pleaded softly.
Her frown twisted into a pout and she crossed her arms across her chest. "I get to rule the world. You told me that someday I could rule the world. Then you went off and became a bad daddy and left me all alone."
"You weren't alone. Spike was always there."
"Pooh. Spike isn't you. He never was you. And now, he's being bad, too. So, I have to punish you both." She licked her lips and swayed towards Angel. Gently her hand ran down his chest to rest on his belt buckle. "You used to like me punishing you," she whispered seductively, "almost as much as you liked to punish *me*."
Drusilla punched him in the stomach and Angel grunted, bending over as much as he could with the vampires holding him.
"Take him to the bunker and chain him to the wall," she ordered before spinning away.
*****
Spike continued strolling through the park, wondering at why he had left the Slayer alive. He hadn't gone looking for her, but when he had smelled her unique scent, his first thought hadn't been to sneak up on her and break her neck. It had been to let her know her friend was alright.
What the Hell was wrong with him?
Spike frowned and kicked a beer can along the path. He was a vampire. His natural enemy had been standing right before him, obviously exhausted. He could have killed her, drained her, even turned her into a vampire as Drusilla had suggested.
All he had wanted to do was reassure her...
Suddenly, Spike came around a long row of bushes to find a burly, unkempt man hitting a tiny, scantily dressed woman. Spike was at the woman's side in an instant, pulling her abuser off of her.
"What the fuck...?" the man yelled.
With a flick of his wrist Spike sent the brute flying across the path and up against a tree, where he fell to the ground unconscious. Reaching a hand down, Spike helped the woman to her feet. She looked at him warily, then took a step backwards.
"Are you alright," Spike asked, releasing her hand.
"Yeah. Thanks." She didn't sound terribly grateful.
"You should probably disappear before he comes to."
"You too, mister. Pete has a lousy temper." She quickly disappeared down another path, leaving Spike wondering why he had just let her go. A groan from the man brought a feral look into Spike's eyes and he turned to his dinner.
*****
The thunk of the outer door broke Lily's concentration and she opened her eyes. The growing hunger returned as the numbness disappeared, but she ignored it at the sight of Angel being chained to the wall about fifteen feet from her. Lily scrambled to that side of the cage, rocking it enough to awaken Willow.
"Whaa...?" the girl mumbled, rolling over to look at Lily as the cage began to settle down.
"Angel," Lily whispered. Fully awake, Willow scrambled over to join Lily. In the faint light of the slivered moon, she could only make out shadows.
"What's happening?" she whispered in return.
"They're chaining him to the wall."
"Is he okay?"
"Uh huh."
As the guards moved away, Angel looked up and met Lily's eyes. Tightly she gripped the bars of the cage, wishing she had the strength to pull them apart. One more vision had come to pass.
"Drusilla's setting the stage," Lily said.
End Chapter 14