Chapter 49 – Unravel
Raven knew
something was wrong. She approached the house cautiously. Her Slayer senses
were on full alert. The house was brightly lit which for her parents was
unusual. They liked the lights dimmed with lots of candles burning especially
when they were alone. She took a quick look behind her to make sure everybody
was ready. Fred was right behind her while Wesley and Connor flanked her. They
were as tense as she was and she turned the knob to an unlocked house. The
alarm didn’t beep and she reached for the hand axe they kept in the small bench
in the foyer.
Connor took
off down the hallway toward the kitchen, Wesley and Fred turned into the dining
room leaving Raven to step into the living room. Nothing and she walked toward
the couch looking for the remote to turn the television off. She saw the broken
table, took a look around, and peered over the couch and saw Spike.
“Dad, Dad,”
Raven said, rushing around to kneel in front of her father. “In here,” she shouted
as she shook Spike again. “Wake up, come on.”
Wesley
pushed her hands aside and felt for a pulse. “He’s alive.” After looking for
any injuries, his gaze swept the living room and he pointed to the wine glass
on the floor. “He was probably drugged.”
“Mum,”
Raven said in alarm and took off running upstairs. She returned just a few
moments later. “Mum and Elijah are both gone.”
She watched
as Wesley reached for his cell phone and punched in a code. She didn’t need to
ask. He’d called for Angel.
~~~~~~~~
It was a castle, Buffy thought as the car pulled
into a long driveway. The house was built with stones and large windows with
turrets that stood guard on either side. She put her hand on Elijah’s shoulder
as he bounced in excitement at seeing the house. He was going to be able to
play in the place he had only been told about in stories for months now.
Another
servant rushed out when the car stopped. The door was opened and they were
helped out as the driver retrieved Buffy’s suitcase.
“This way
ma’am,” the servant said leading the way into the house. “My name is Roderick
and if there is anything that you need, please let me know.”
Buffy noted
with surprise that Roderick was human even though she had heard from Angel and
Spike that this happened. Vampires employed someone who could do things for
them that could only be done during the day and the humans were paid extremely
well for keeping quiet about their employer’s activities. She followed him into
a huge foyer that was open to the top of the house. The house was beautiful and
seemed to have stopped in a time long before this one. It reminded her of
English manors she had only seen in movies
“Buffy,”
Dagon, said resting his hand on her lower back. “There will be plenty of time
for exploring tomorrow. Please, allow Roderick to show you to your suite and
get some sleep. I will join you for breakfast and we will talk then.”
“I want to
play with Eli,” Dru said, holding the boy’s hand. “It is still early. The stars
have barely begun to shine.”
“No, Dru,”
Dagon said, taking her hand from Eli’s and pulled her against him. “I told you
that we must conform to their schedule for now.” He kissed her cheek and turned
back to Buffy. “Please tell Roderick if you need or want for anything. This is
your home now and I want you to be comfortable.”
“Thank
you,” Buffy whispered, taking her son’s hand and followed the servant up the
stairs. She wondered if Spike had been discovered and if they were beginning
the search or if her husband had washed his hands of her. She knew though he
would come for his children. He had promised so she knew he wouldn’t break it.
She only hoped that he figured things out so he was prepared.
“Mr. Dagon
has given you a suite with a private bath,” Roderick said, opening the door. “A
twin bed has been placed in your room for Elijah. Everything is made up and
there is a wet bar in the sitting room with drinks and snacks for you. If you
would like something more substantial, please let me know.”
“I’m sure
we’ll be fine,” Buffy said, walking around her new quarters. It was more than
comfortable with a couch and chair in front of a fireplace. The bedroom held a
four poster bed for her and a small child’s bed tucked in the corner. “Thank
you.”
For a
moment the servant looked uncomfortable. He seemed to gather his courage and
looked up at her. “The master has requested that tomorrow that you wear the
clothes he has picked out for you. They are in the closet. And, of course, your
door will be locked but just pull the cord if you need anything. I was also
told to inform you that the house and grounds are heavily guarded.”
“I was
expecting that,” Buffy said, a minute smile tickling her lips. “It’s all
right.”
Roderick
nodded and slipped away.
“Time to
get you back into bed,” Buffy said smiling at her son. Dagon was right. There
was plenty of time for them to cope with their new surroundings tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~~
Angel was
furious.
Everyone
was panicking as they planned search parties. His people were there already,
Sean had returned home after dropping Bryant off, Raven’s Scoobettes were
there, Giles and Xander were on their way. Spike was still fighting nausea from
the herbs and was in the bathroom trying to regain his equilibrium. Chaos was reigning
and he was sick of it.
“Shut up,
now,” he shouted, catching everyone’s gaze briefly. “Do you really think she
just got lost in a delusional state? Buffy drugged Spike. It was planned.
Think. She didn’t take the cars or even her purse. She didn’t have any money.
So, obviously she has someone helping her.”
“Controlling
her,” Spike said, stepping into the room. “I saw her face. She didn’t want to
do this. Someone is forcing her to do it.”
“The
stalker,” Raven said.
“Thank
you,” Angel said. “Someone is thinking. Hand me a phone now.” He quickly dialed
a number and waited until Max answered the phone. “Buffy is missing. We’re
thinking it might be the stalker.”
“What do
you mean Buffy is missing?” Max answered. “What happened?”
“That’s why
I’m calling you,” Angel said, wanting to throttle the other man for not
immediately giving him the information he needed. “Spike was drugged and Buffy
disappeared. He says someone was forcing her so we thought it might be this
stalker you’re inept ass can’t find.”
“It can’t
be her,” Max said. “We arrested her two hours ago.”
“Who is
she? Any chance she is working with someone who might be in on this?”
“I don’t
think so,” Max said. “She’s a secretary that lives in a little town north of
Angel ran
his fingers through his hair and shook his head to let everyone know that it
wasn’t the stalker. “So, this is absolutely no help at all.”
“Not
entirely,” Max said. “She’s confessed to just about everything but she denies
having anything to do with the attack on Nikki.”
~~~~~~~~
Elijah was
asleep, so trusting and innocent, holding no fear in this new place. To him it
was the place his dark Mummy had told him about. Buffy knew it was for the best
that he considered this an adventure and not the nightmare that she did. Sleep
wouldn’t come and she rolled onto her back again. She missed her husband and
children, her home and her own bed.
A scraping
noise startled her and she sat up. Her eyes searched the darkness for the
source and her eyes widened as the bookshelf swung back. She grasped for the
stake beneath her pillow comforted by the feel of wood in her hand. The idiot
Dagon hadn’t had her searched. His arrogance at her compliance was making him
careless. A momentary grin lit up her face at the thought of turning the
bastard into dust.
The warm
glow of a candle preceded Drusilla into the bedroom. Her hand touched a spot on
the wall and it closed again. Buffy watched as she put the candle down and
approached her son. Relaxing, she left the stake under the pillow and smiled at
the tiny vampire tucking the covers closer around Elijah.
“Does Dagon
know you’re here?” Buffy asked.
“It doesn’t
matter,” Dru said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “The same key holds us
both.”
Cool
fingers danced across her cheek. Buffy had almost forgotten how it felt to be
caressed by fingers so dead. She closed her eyes as she leaned into the hand,
acknowledging that Drusilla was right. It wouldn’t do Dagon any good to keep
them physically separated when their minds had been joined for so long. Only death could tear them apart now and Buffy
suspected even that wouldn’t work. Too many moments shared, too many memories
recalled, and one soul torn between them.
“Did he
hurt you tonight?” Buffy asked, and at Drusilla’s nod slid from the bed to
retrieve a wet clothe. She sat behind Spike’s former love. “Lift your gown and
I’ll clean it for you.”
The pale back
bore the marks of Dagon’s whip and Buffy’s eyes filled with tears as she wiped
the blood away. The vampire’s games held no love, no possession, and no respect
for the girl he had chosen to stand beside him. Drusilla was nothing but a
stepping stone for what he really wanted. In the preceding months when Drusilla
had fled into her mind, Buffy had borne the brunt of Dagon’s tyranny and knew
the coldness of his rule.
‘Don’t
cry,” Drusilla whispered, turning to face Buffy and cupping her cheek again.
“It will go away soon. It always does.”
“He
shouldn’t,” Buffy protested, shaking her head. “You are the childe of Angelus
and the Sire and one time companion of William the Bloody, he should respect
that.”
“The
one-eyed Jack only peers into the court but is never invited.”
Buffy
understood and scooted back, lifting the covers. “Do you want to stay the
night?”
It was
amazing to watch this vampire be childlike as she nodded and slipped into the
bed beside Buffy. Underneath the lunacy, and the demon, Drusilla was still the
lost girl that Angel tortured and in her own way she was still looking for
someone to protect her from her nightmares. Dru curled against Buffy, laying
her head on the blonde’s shoulder with her hand over the baby.
“The wee
one is swimming.”
“His
schedule is messed up and he doesn’t like it,” Buffy said, laughing as her own
hand covered the spot where her baby was kicking.
“It’s a
girl,” Dru whispered. “I’m her grand-mum and I’m going to be so much better
than mine was. Teach her and the little prince everything they need to know and
I won’t ever leave them alone.”
“I know you
won’t,” Buffy said, covering Dru’s hand with her own.
~~~~~~~~~
The house
was bustling with activity. Productive activity, Angel noted with satisfaction,
as Giles and Wesley directed everything. The living room was being rearranged
and tables set up for the research and the two Watchers would sort through the
notes and information accumulated. Angel grabbed Spike’s arm as he wandered by.
His Childe was still suffering from the effects of being drugged and was going
into shock. His mind was obviously reeling as he wandered about, muttering to
himself, until Angel worried about Spike’s sanity.
“Stop it,”
Angel said, cupping his face. “We need to think and recriminations aren’t going
to help. Not hers or yours. Are you sure that Buffy isn’t acting alone?”
“Bloody
Hell, Peaches,” Spike sneered, pushing his Sire away. “We’re talking about
Buffy here. Do you think she is capable of it?”
“Anyone is
capable of anything given the right circumstances.”
It was
something that Angel knew without doubt. Even people with the best intentions
if pushed hard enough could do the most heinous acts. And Spike needed to face
that if Buffy was given the right reasons or the right enticement she could
sell them all out. It was already a part of her nature, sending him to hell,
running away, stabbing Faith and using Spike to release her emotional distress.
Angel didn’t know if Spike could survive if Buffy had betrayed him. His Childe
had finally let go of all his fears and insecurities in the matters of the
heart and to find he had been wrong again would be a fatal blow.
“Not her,
Angel, not now,” Spike said. “She loves me, loves our children and that baby is
everything. She’d never put our children in danger without good reason.”
Angel
nodded. “Then who and how could anyone be working with her? She’s hardly been
out of your sight for months.”
“Mind
control possibly?” Giles said, joining them in the foyer. “Is it possible it is
Drusilla? We’ve discussed her and dismissed her several times but logically…”
“Logically
it makes no sense,” Angel said. “Dru’s in
“Are we
sure she’s still there?” Spike asked. “I know you’ve talked to your people
there but can you trust them?”
Angel
located Wesley in the living room and motioned him over. “I want you on the
next plane to
“Isn’t
there someone else?” Giles said. “Wes knows the prophecies and research as much
as I do. We need him here not halfway across the world.”
“How about
sending Max?” Cordelia said standing in the entranceway with her arms crossed.
“He’s already in
“Send him,
Angel,” Spike said, laying his hand on his Sire’s arm to get his attention. “Give
him a chance.”
Angel
nodded. “Cordy call him, set it up. I want him there ASAP.”
~~~~~~~~
The only
light was the flickering of the candle, its glow dancing against the wall.
Buffy ran her fingers through the dark tresses of the vampire nestled at her
side. Seeing life through Drusilla’s eyes had changed her in so many ways as
she knew Dru had been changed by seeing her life. Somewhere the domination and
control had grudgingly given way to awareness which had finally yielded to this
surrender. They would never be friends but they were family. And they had been
abandoned in so many ways that now when the future was so uncertain, they would
cling to each other. Sisters who needed each other to survive and find
consolation in the nightmare they found themselves caught in.
“Why did
you leave Spike?” Buffy asked, curious as to what had taken Drusilla away from
someone with the capacity to love like Spike did. Why walk away from an endless
well of love and protection when Dru needed it so badly?
“It was
you,” Dru whispered. “You were all over him, leaving him to taste like ashes.”
“Think it
might have been the cigarettes,” Buffy said, smiling.
“A bright
light, enticing the moth, my little Spike couldn’t resist the flame and you
burned it all away. My prince was gone, leaving only the man, glowing with your
goodness. You didn’t see and he hurt for so long.”
“I was
wrong. For so many things, for so long and I regret each day that he hurt.”
“He hurts
now,” Dru said. “He doesn’t understand. He only knows you left him all alone.”
Buffy
closed her eyes trying to push away her guilt. It was horrible in its
intensity, weaving through every fiber of her being. She would never forget the
look in his eyes when he realized what she had done. It tore her apart to
deceive him but Dagon commanded her appearance and she didn’t dare disobey. Not
if she wanted her family to live.
“He’s not
alone,” Buffy whispered. “I’ve seen to that.”
Their
family would stand stalwart around Spike and their love would protect him. It
was the only comfort she had now.
~~~~~~~~
It was beautiful, reaching to the
sky, someplace she once fantasized about when she played princesses with her
friends. She stared in awe at it, looking around at the grounds, and the long
driveway. She inhaled the sweet scent of flowers, looking up again she saw
someone in an upstairs window. A hand waved before Elijah ducked away again.
“Angel, its
“How did
you know?” Angel asked.
“Elijah is
sending me a message…”
To be continued in Chapter 50 –
Q&A
