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The Slayer	By : norwalker Category: BtVS AU/AR > FemmeSlash - Female/Female Views: 19613 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 34
- 35
- 36
The Slayer

By Norwalker

Part 34 of a multipart story.

Summary: What if Faith came first? If she were the slayer before Buffy( if Buffy even became a slayer)? Just my take on what might have happened. AU, of course.

Pairings: Not sure yet. You might be surprised.

Rating: M( R )

Disclaimer: Characters depicted in this story, except for original characters created by the author, are the sole property of Mutant Enemy, Fox and Joss Whedon.

1

It's all so surreal.

The flashing lights of emergency vehicles in the parking lot, the brightly colored yellow police tape stretched to and fro to control access, the crowd of people going to and fro, the noise of dozens of different conversations gives the scene a sense of a carnival.

Some sick, insane carnival where all the performers wear blue uniforms, and the main attraction is a dead body within one of the cheap rooms at the motel.

Rupert Giles stands behind the tape, overlooking the scene with a grim expression. He is flanked by Buffy and Faith, both standing quietly, both appearing a little restless.

They're approached by man in his late forties, wearing a somewhat rumpled raincoat over his obviously inexpensive suit. He hair is slightly unruly, and he projects a restless energy tempered by weariness and experience.

"Rupert Giles?" He enquires as he approaches the group. "My name is Detective Lt. Peter Lombardi. I was the one that called you." He says in his slightly gravelly voice. He offers his hand to Giles.

"Yes, I recall that," Giles shakes his hand. "Though, I must say, Lieutenant, I was a little surprised. I hardly knew the man."

"Really" Lt. Lombardi furrows his brow. "That's strange, because we found your name in his address book."

"Well, that's understandable. We were colleagues …"

"I'm sorry? Mr. Merrick was a librarian…?"

"No, he was a writer. I am also a writer. He was here to consult with me over a novel, I believe, he was writing…"

"Whatever the case, we're hoping you could give a positive I.D. of the body? We couldn't find any identification on the body…"

Lombardi lifts the police tape to allow Giles through. When Faith and Buffy move to join him, he puts up a hand.

"I think the young ladies should wait here…"

"I want to see the body," Buffy says, calmly but with an edge.

"Detective Lombardi. Ms. Summers here was Mr. Merrick's student…"

"Excuse me? I thought you said he was a writer…"

"Yes, well, you know how writing is, Detective. The financial rewards are fickle at best. I believe he made up the gap by tutoring students…"

"I see," Lombardi sounds unconvinced. He looks at Buffy with some askance. "Still, I hardly think this is a place for a young woman…"

"I want to see the body," Buffy repeats, still calm, but her tone is much firmer.

"She would know him better than I do, Detective Lombardi."

"Very well," he replied a little gruffly. He looked at Faith. "I suppose you're his student, also?"

"Nope. I'm Giles' research assistant." Faith says simply, ducking under the tape.

Lombardi raises a brow, but lets it go. He leads the trio to the stretcher at the waiting ambulance. He turns to them.

"This isn't a pretty sight. You might not want to look at this." This last remark directed at Buffy and Faith.

Neither blinks , nor moves .

Sighing, he pulls back the sheet.

Merrick's body lies prone on the gurney, his sightless eyes staring into oblivion. A look of shocked surprise is on his face. His jaw is slightly open. On his left cheek he sports a strange wound, cut in the shape of an inverted crucifix.

"Yes, that's Merrick," Giles affirms, looking grim.

Buffy nods her reply, confirming Giles She doesn't speak, however, staring at the wound on Merrick's cheek.

Faith briefly glances at the body, but doesn't comment, not having met Merrick except briefly while in the hospital. She also notes the strange wound, and quickly looks away.

She's seen enough death in her young life. It holds no fascination for her.

"If we're done here, Lieutenant?" Giles asks, wanting to leave.

Merrick's death is unexpected, and Giles needs to find out if possibly there is some connection to Chase or what is going on in Sunnydale. He can't do that under the glare of authority.

"Actually, Mr. Giles, I have a few more questions, sir," Lombardi says quietly. "If you could spare me a few minutes?"

Giles sighs, and nods, knowing it's better to get this over with now. Otherwise, he's sure that pesky policemen will be coming around the library with questions for days, and that would be somewhat hard to explain.

"Of course, Lt. Lombardi, "Giles assents, "If I could send Ms. Lehane and Ms. Summers on their way?"

"I'm not going anywhere…"

Buffy stands, jaw set, looking at the two men. Her arms are folded across her chest.

"Ms. Summers, I'm sure that while I understand…"

"You don't get it at all, Giles" Buffy says, frowning. "I knew Merrick, and he was my 'tutor'. I wanna help."

Giles looks at Lombardi, who shrugs slightly as if saying 'don't want to fight about it. She can stay'.

"Very well… however, I'm sure Ms. Lehane has other things to do rather than stand around here, if you're finished with her?"

"Yes, she can go. But we may need to talk to her later."

"Giles, I need to talk to you…" Faith speaks up.

"Can't this wait, Faith?"

"No, it's really important…" she tugs at his sleeve. "And private." She glances over at Buffy and Lombardi.

"Faith, I'm sure it can wait for a few minutes…"

"No, it really, really can't"

Something in Faith's tone catches Giles' attention. He frowns, but then turns to Lombardi.

"If you could excuse me for a moment?"

"Sure." Lombardi nods, watching as Giles moves off with Faith. What is he up to? His naturally suspicious mind wonderes.

"All right, Faith, what is so important that it couldn't have waited until we were done…?" Giles' patience, after the little fight between Buffy and Faith at the library, and now this mess, is wearing thin.

"Angel…I found him."

"Angel!"

"Yeah, that's what I was coming to tell you, except little Ms. Nut Queen was already there… what was she doing there, anyway?"

"Seems she was looking for you. I didn't get an exact answer, but there seems to be some issue about how you treated Cordelia earlier…" He arches his brow.

"What the fuck? Since when did the blonde psycho become Cordelia's protector? What the hell is going on around here anyway?"

"Never mind that now. What about Angel? You said you found him?"

"Yeah, he's in a crypt over at Sunnyrest. He's in pretty bad shape, Giles. He had burns and wounds and bruises all over… that I could see, anyway…"

"I'm sure they were torturing him," Giles says quietly, "Probably trying to find out what we know about them. They must know he's working with us…"

"Giles, I don't think he gave anything away…"

"No, I agree… " Giles sighs. "At least, nothing that Cornell didn't already know. Still, we have to find out, and find out if he might've learned anything about them…"

"Giles, this isn't TV. I don't think the bad guy was rubbing his hands, revealing his plans to Angel."

"I'm well aware of that Faith," Giles says impatiently. "Still, he might have heard things. We have to find out, anyway. Anything might be helpful in fighting him…"

"Right," Faith says, her expression grim.

"Faith, I know you're still upset at me. I don't blame you. But she knew the risks going in, and when I laid it out for her…"

"I really don't want to talk about it, ok?" Faith cuts him off. "It's done"

"Faith…"

"Giles, enough!" Faith holds up her hand.

"There's something else you need to know," Giles says.

"What?" Faith replies, obviously impatient.

"That mark on Merrick's cheek. The one that looks like an inverted cross?"

"What about it?"

"When I was researching Angel, when he first came to us, there was something about him. How he marked his victims."

"Cut to the chase, ok, Giles?"

"That mark was Angelus' calling card…" Giles says, softly. "His way of letting it be known who did the kill."

"What're you saying, Giles?"

"Just be careful. We don't know what happened to him over the last couple of weeks"

Faith looks at him with compressed lips, then without another word, ducks under the tape and walks off into the night.

Giles watches her, feeling as if his stomach is tied up in knots.

He's really beginning to hate this job.

He turns back to join the detective and Buffy.

Neither he, nor Faith, notices the dark figure in the shadows.

Neither sees it slip away.

2

Running.

Moving swiftly through the night air, feeling the breeze on his face.

There is no pumping heart, or fire in the lungs, the blood doesn't surge through his veins with the effort.

He's long past that. Long past life, and living.

His feet seem to instinctively find the quietest spots to hit, so his movement is silent, or nearly so. Never heard, he's almost on his target before awareness…

He grabs the running form, holding it tightly as it attempts to struggle in his grasp. He feels the change happen, and a low growl of triumph rumbling deep in his throat.

His need comes to the forefront. He's hungry, starving. He can almost smell the blood under the skin, feel the flow through the veins. He can hear the trip hammer heartbeat, thundering in his victims chest. He can smell the fear…

He salivates, prolonging the pleasure he feels, denying himself for a moment the taste he craves. Fear, so sweet; like a cream topping. What's to fear. Don't you know your death's sweet? So natural, so necessary? You die so I can feed, so I can live… he savors the moment, like a fine wine, his mouth anticipating the first rush of blood…

He pushes his victim's neck to the side, exposing the jugular, seeing it almost throb with rich blood. He pulls his victim tighter to himself; he notes the struggles have lessened, as if accepting fate. He smiles, thanking his victim silently for his feast

His mouth descends, and his fangs pierce the vein, the rich blood spurting into his mouth. Hot, coppery, it flows down his gullet, his body feeding as if on his mother's breast. He drinks greedily, his hunger huge, like a gnawing fire in his gut. Slowly as he drains his victim, he feels the fire quenched. He feels sated, the blood flowing once again through his veins, his skin feeling almost warm…

He pushes the body away, disposing of it like one would dispose of a used gum wrapper. His hunger satisfied, he looks curiously at the face. Somehow, he feels compelled to know who gave life so he could have his.

Even in the rictus of a fearful, terrible death, the face is recognizable.

Merrick!

Angel starts up from the sarcophagus where he's been sleeping, his body shaking in weakness and need. And fear.

Just a dream…it didn't happen… but the sensations, the feelings, everything was so real. He could even now taste the blood.

He shakes his head, trying to clear the vision, but he can't. He can see himself, standing over the body, still fresh from the kill. He sees Merrick's dead eyes staring up at him. Accusing him.

He feels a revulsion, mixed with the pleasure he takes from a kill.

He feels sick.

"Merrick, what about Merrick, " Angel struggles, trying to break through this block. Something about Merrick… something he heard while being tortured. Something about Merrick working for Chase…

"I have to tell them. Merrick will betray them. I have to…"

He falls back, still weak and hungry, so hungry. He hasn't eaten in so long… so long… he needs to get to the butcher. Get some blood…

Right now, he needs to rest. Too tired to move. Hurts too much…

He falls back into a doze, his mind slipping back to his captivity.

3

"Here goes…"

The door opens just enough to reveal Cordelia's face, as she looks both ways down the hall.

"This is crazy…" She mutters, turning off the bedroom light and slipping out her door into the darkened hall. "No, wait, strike that. I'm crazy!"

Standing still for a few beats, listening for any movement, she makes her way down the hall towards the stairs. Reaching the banister, she pauses, looking down at the floor below.

"Good. No one's awake. No witnesses to me being an idiot…" Cordelia mumbles as she starts down the stairs. Or, to catch me…

Cordelia feels a shiver down her spine, and she draws her robe closer, for warmth or protection. She continues down, reaching the bottom stair, and once again, looks both ways before proceeding.

She stands there, feeling like Mata Hari. Or, Nancy Drew. Or Harriet the Spy. Or…

Simply stupid.

What the heck do I think I'm doing, anyway? Like, me, Cordelia "Queen C" Chase is really gonna find the ”Ah-HAH!" The one thing that proves Daddy is the big bad… yeah, in the file marked "This is it. I'm the Villain!"

Feeling another shiver down her spine, she shakes herself, and forces herself to proceed towards her father's study.

How the heck do I get myself into these things?

* * *

"Let's just get this over with," Cordelia mutters to herself.

Walking up the library stairs, each step increases her sense of dread.

She has no clue why Mr. Giles wants to see her , unless it's about her and Faith. This makes her a little scared.

Strike that. A lot scared.

She knows that Mr. Giles doesn't approve of her and Faith's relationship. He's seen the looks he gives her. All cold and Britishy and judgmental. She's convinced that he wants her to break up with Faith. Or visa versa.

Faith's probably there already. And he's talking to her, and convincing her what a lousy idea it is to be with me…

What did you expect? Look at how Willow's been at you, giving you the eye and making you feel like worm poop. No one likes Fordelia, you know? He's just going to make it official…

And what if Faith sees his point? What if she agrees? What if she dumps me? Oh god….

She reaches the door, and raises her hand. Biting her lip, she knocks on the door.

"Come in" comes the officious voice from the other side.

Oh god, here it comes…

Cordelia walks into the office.

"I'm glad you're here. Please take a seat…" Giles says, waving at the chair in front of him

"You look awful." Cordelia says, doing so. Has the guy even ever heard of shaving? Or an iron? And why the tweeds? Kinda creepy in a psychotic Mr. Chips sorta way.

"That doesn't matter now. I need to speak with you." He says, wearily, standing up. "Can I get you something? Some tea perhaps?" Giles asks, solicitously

"Uhhh… no…" She looks at the door. "Where's Faith?"

"Water perhaps? I have some bottled water around here, somewhere," He looks around.

"No, I'm fine." Who knows what he'd put in the water? " Where's Faith?"

"Faith isn't coming."

"Oh?" Not coming? Ok, that's not good. No, that's bad. She's not coming? What is he up to?

"No, she's not. I need to speak to you, alone."

Gulp!

He walks over, locking the door to his office.

"Ok, now I feel better…" Cordelia says, edgily. Oh, crap! Did I put mace in my purse this morning?

"It's simply a precaution. To keep people from barging in while we talk. This needs to remain private between you and I."

Or, to keep me from bolting like a bunny rabbit. Exactly what is Giles up to here…? Cordelia doesn't feel a bit reassured by his explanation.

Suddenly, scenarios come to mind. Scenarios of Giles picking up and axe, and her head going flying, or burying a huge knife in her back, or … Giles ripping off his face, revealing himself to be Freddy Krueger… god, don't you know? It's always the quiet ones. The ones no one would ever suspect. God, I'm so in trouble here…

"Look, Mr. Giles, if this is about me and Faith, maybe …" She says nervously, wondering if she could bolt and get out the door before he could bury the axe in her head.

"This has nothing to do with your relationship with Faith."

"… she should be here, too. I understand it might be weird for you," Cordelia wonders if she remembered to pack her Taser.

"I personally think you're the best thing that could've happened to Faith."

Cordelia sits there, her jaw open. She can't believe her ears. He approves? He doesn't want to break us up?

"Ever since you two have… been together… Faith has become less wild, more settled. She's become more focused, more serious about who she is and what she's doing…" Giles' jaw tightens. "Which makes this harder for me to ask…"

Cordelia doesn't know what to think. She always thought Giles … well, Giles thought she was stupid, and in the way, and caused Faith …. Wait a minute… ask…?

"Ask?" She looks at him, a little wary suddenly.

Giles hesitates. His gray face goes a little grayer.

"Ok, that look isn't exactly inspiring me. Mr. Giles."

"Cordelia, I'm sorry. I need to ask you to do something, and it's not very easy…"

"Just ask…" Cordelia feels her stomach turn over.

"It's dangerous…"

"Not helping." That desire to bolt is getting stronger.

Giles looks at her. He wishes there were some other way. Any other way.

"I need you to go home."

Cordelia looks at him, startled.

"What?"

"I need you to go back to your house, and somehow convince Cornell that you're done with us, that you've split with us. Get into his confidence, as best you can, and see what you can learn about his plans."

Cordelia sits there for a moment, stunned. It doesn't last long.

"Are you NUTS?" She almost explodes out of her chair. "Go back there? I barely escaped that nuthouse. And you want me to go back? Oh, and pretend I'm … " She feels the anger rising in herself, and looks at him narrowly. "Are you trying to get me killed? Is that it? Is that your way of getting rid of me?"

"Cordelia, please, calm down…"

"I AM CALM!" Cordelia cries, then lowers her voice. "I. Am. Calm. I'm not the mental case in this room!"

"Insults aren't helpful, Cordelia."

Giles suddenly ducks, barely avoiding a book thrown at his head.

"Is that helpful? Does that give you a clue! No way I’m going back there, is that clear enough?"

"If there was any other way…"

"FIND another way!"

"I've tried. With Faith …"

"Yeah, we saw how that worked out."

"And Angel…"

Cordelia glares at him, not saying a word.

"If I had any other choice, any other option, I'd use it."

"Well, find another option, then, Mr. Giles," Cordelia's voice suddenly goes quiet, "because this option is off the table."

"I see," Giles closes his eyes briefly. He lets out a sigh. "Well, I can't force you to go…"

"I'm glad to see sanity has returned." Cordelia sighs in relief.

"You can go." He dismisses her.

"That's it? You can go?" Cordelia looks at him.

"I'm sorry to be brusque, but I've got a lot to work to do. And not a lot of time."

"Look, Mr. Giles, I'm sorry, I just…"

"No, it's all right," Giles says, standing up. "I asked too much. It's just now, with that option closed, I'm out of options. So, I have to start making plans to leave…"

"Leave?"

"Yes, leave, " Giles says quietly, "Cordelia, can I be frank with you?"

"Yes, please," Cordelia started to feel nervous.

"Frankly, I'm not convinced we can win this one. Not without more information about what he's going to do. And I just have no more ideas of how to get it. So I need to arrange for a safe place now, in case I don't make it through this…"

"Mr. Giles!"

"I don't mean to be defeatist here, Cordelia, but we're in a battle. We're facing an apocalypse like no other in historical times. There's a good chance we could lose, and if that happens, I have to be sure things are in place so we can regroup."

"Leaving? Apocalypse? Battle?" Cordelia suddenly grows cold. "What're you talking about? Leaving?" She repeats.

"Cordelia, I'm sorry. I don’t have time to sugar coat this for you. Your father is a demon. One of the "Old Ones" that occupied this place before they were banished. Your Father is much older than… anyone suspected, and frankly, he's very powerful. He's got plans… big plans. One of them is to open the Hellmouth to release the demons trapped on the other side. If that happens…" Giles shudders, which scares Cordelia even more. "… the point is, if that happens, no one is safe here. I need to get us out of here, to a relatively safe place, where we can take a stand."

"Us?"

"Faith, and myself, if we survive. I'm hoping you'll come too. And of course, Willow and Xander."

"What about the rest of Sunnydale?"

"I'm afraid a lot of people are going to die," Giles says simply. "I know that sounds harsh, but it's the truth. I haven't the time to try to convince people to leave their homes… face it, if I came up to you, and you didn't know what was going on, would you listen to me?"

"N-No…"

"Of course you wouldn't. I'd sound insane. You'd have me locked up," Giles nods. "Maybe I am insane, thinking I could stop this. But I'd hoped if I could find out when Cornell was going to do this, I could find a way to stop him. He's had plenty of opportunities to open the Hellmouth before now… but he hasn't. There must be a reason… and if I could find out why, maybe I could…" He shakes his head. "But that doesn't matter now. I'm out of ideas… and I can't wait around for him to decide to act. I have to have a place we can go, and be safe. Until we can get help from those fools on the Council." His lips tighten. "If they'll even help us," He says with some asperity.

Cordelia sits there, stunned. She feels a crushing weight, as if someone shrugged and pushed the fate of the world on her shoulders. She begins to shiver.

"I'm scared…"

"I'm sorry…" Giles comes over to her, putting his hands on his shoulders. "I went a little overboard. We'll get out, and we're not helpless. We'll … "

"No, I mean… what if I go there, and try to do what you want, and he catches me…" She looks up at him. "What if he… I'm like him. I can feel it inside… something dark… what if he makes me…"

"You're nothing like him," Giles says, squeezing her shoulders reassuringly. "If you were, you wouldn't even think about it or consider it…"

"How am going to do it? I mean, if I just show up back at the house, he's going to be suspicious…"

"I don't know. I hadn't considered that… we'll have to find some convincing reason…"

There's an awkward silence in the room, which Cordelia finally breaks.

"Never mind, Giles. We both know what it has to be. The only way … father… would believe I'm back 'in the fold'."

Giles looks at her sadly, and nods. "I'll call her, get her over here and we'll…"

"No, you can't . You know … if he senses it's fake, he'll … no, it has to be real… she can't know…" Cordelia sits there, eyes closed, holding back the tears. "You know, I really hate you right now…"

"I know…"

* * *

…that has been the worst part. Fighting with Faith. Deliberately picking a fight with her… and all the crap that poured out! And what she did to me… Stop it! That's not going to help now….

Cordelia almost jumps out of her skin when she feels a hand on her shoulder.

"WHAT?" She whirls around to see Arthur, the butler, looking at her.

"God, Arthur! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? What is your trauma, anyway? Sneaking up on people?!!"

"I'm sorry, miss!" Arthur withers under her glare. "I just heard a noise in the hall, and came out to investigate. I saw you standing there, looking … confused, so I came to see if you were all right…"

"And nearly killed me. Thank you, Arthur…" Cordelia calms down as her heart returns to normal. "I'm not confused, just hungry. I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd grab a snack…"

"I could get you something?" He asks, hopefully.

"No! I mean, I've got it. Just go back to your room, ok?"

"Yes, Miss," Arthur turns to go, then stops. "Miss?"

"Yes, Arthur?" Cordelia puts every ounce of impatience in her voice.

"The kitchen is this way…" He points ahead of him.

"I know where the kitchen is, Arthur. Thank you. Good night."

"Good night, Miss," Arthur turns, and disappears down the hallway.

Cordelia watches and waits until he's gone.

Dammit, now I'm going to have to hurry. I can just see him going to daddy and reporting on my late night wanderings… Crap!

She turns, and quickly makes her way down the hall towards her father's study. Reaching the door, she kneels down, pulling a hair pin out of her hair.

God, I hopes this works, inserting the pin into the lock. It always works on TV…

She fumbles with the lock for awhile, and accidentally hits the handle. The door moves open a little.

What? Not locked? But it's always…

That's when she notices a light in the study. She ducks back away from the door, against the wall. Crap! Crap, crap and crap! He's in there. I'm sooo dead… I mean, dead-dead!

She waits with her heart pounding in her chest. And waits, and waits.

Nothing.

Finally, curiosity overcomes fear, and she moves over to the door. She hears nothing, and looks in. The light is still there.

What the…

She carefully peers around the door, and looks into the study. It's dark except for a sliver of light coming from… the bookcase!

Ok, getting weirder, if that's possible…

She creeps into the study, quietly closing the door behind her. She moves to the source of the light. A crack in the bookcase, as if one of the shelves are misaligned.

Cordelia, wait a minute. Isn't this the part of the movie where the monster leaps out of the closet and… oh SHUT UP!

She reaches the bookcase, and can see clearly that one of the shelves is ajar. And the light is coming in through the gap.

Secret passages? Ok, not good….

Still, she pulls on the bookshelf, and swings open quietly. There's a long passageway leading to god knows where.

Really not good. Be smart, Cordelia, turn around, leave the office, and go upstairs. Bury your head under the covers and pretend you never saw this…

She sighs, and steps into the corridor.

ARE YOU NUTS?

She starts down the corridor, her heart pumping madly.

I'm not going to like this….

4

He jerks awake.

His arms are chained to the wall, the way they've been for the last three weeks. His body is covered in sores, burns, wounds and other less pleasant things. He looks around, bleary eyed.

"A dream." He mutters, groaning. "It was just a dream. I didn't escape…"

"Daddy?" A soft voice with a slightly cockney accent coos to him. He looks down the see Drusilla standing by him. "Hello, Daddy."

"Drusilla…" Angel groans. "I killed you…"

"Of course you did, Daddy. Killed me, after you tortured me into insanity." She smiles. She kisses his chest. "Thank you, Daddy…"

Suddenly he writhes in pain, not having seen the hot poker she pushes against his chest. He screams.

"Oooo… looks so hot… maybe we should cool it down…"

She holds a small vial of liquid over the burn, and backing off, lets it dribble onto the wound.

Angel screams louder as the holy water burns more fiercely than the poker.

"There, there," Drusilla pats his chest lovingly. "It'll all be over soon…"

Angel looks at her, his eyes blurry from pain and lack of rest. He struggles weakly at his bonds, but soon gives up. He knows he doesn't have a chance of escaping. Again. If he ever did.

He looks out, and notices suddenly the room is full of people. They're strangely quiet, and for some reason, strangely familiar.

"Who?" He asks weakly.

"Why Daddy, that's just rude," Drusilla backs away a little. "You know everyone here… everyone you ever killed…"

The room is full of people, and they spill out into the adjoining tunnels. He moans softly.

"Why look, there's daddy and mummy… you killed them right in front of me, remember?" She goes on tiptoe, waving her hand. "Daddy! Mummy! and look, my sisters… Amelia and Priscilla… Loves!" She waves.

No one responds. They merely glare at Angel.

"It's not my fault, dears! I didn't want to eat you! But he made me… and I was just turned, and so hungry…" She turns, and punches him hard in the stomach, smashing his abused body into the wall. "Bad Daddy!"

"Ok, I think I've seen enough!"

Drusilla's eyes suddenly go wide, and just before she crumbles to dust, she sees the wooden shaft of an arrow sticking through her heart.

Angel looks up, and sees the crowd of his victims parting. Coming up the makeshift aisle is Faith, carrying a crossbow.

"Faith…" He whispers, weakly

"Angel…" Faith hurries to him, stopping in front of him. "Are you ok?"

"Been better," He grins weakly, and groans. "But I'll live…"

"Good," Faith says, pulling out a large, wicked looking knife.

"Faith, big as that is, I don't think it'll cut through the chains…"

She cocks her head , and smiles. "Who said anything about cutting the chains?" Her eyes narrow.

Angel feels a chill.

"Faith…?"

"Naughty, naughty Angel," Faith says softly, pushing the tip of the knife to his breastbone. "You've been killing again, haven't you?" She pokes him with the tip of the knife.

"I… I…"

"Don't lie, Angel, I'm not stupid!" Faith glares at him. "You killed Merrick, didn't you?"

"I didn't… I mean, I didn't mean to…I …" He hangs his head. "I don't know…"

"You don't know?" Faith's grin hardens into a smirk. "I guess you're saying you don't remember, is that it? You can't remember sucking him dry? Oh, and marking him?"

"Marking him?"

"The cross, angel. Inverted… just you're style. Still angry at god, are we?"

"I didn't…"

"SHUT UP!"

With a slash, she cuts Angel open. He screams.

"Stop being such a baby… it's not going to kill you… but it's going to hurt…" She starts poking at his guts. "Hurt a lot, before I'm done…"

Angel, enraged, confused and betrayed, pulls on his chains. He can feel the bolts giving. The exertion tires him, but he still struggles. His eyes close, concentrating.

"C'mon, Angel, c'mon. Wake up, boy, and face me. Face your punishment. Wake up! WAKE UP!" She snarls at him. "Angel! ANGEL!"

With one last desperate surge, he pulls free….

5

"God, does this ever end?" Cordelia mutters to herself.

She feels like she's been walking for hours, even though she knows it can't be more than minutes… 30 minutes, tops…. Still, her feet hurt, and her legs ache, and worse, she's cold. It's damp and chilly down here, getting damper and chillier by the moment.

Should've worn more clothes, she shivers, right, like I knew I was going to be exploring Dracula's dungeon…

The finished walls had long ago given out for rough hewn stone walls, like those in a cave. The floor was hard and uneven.

She couldn't figure out where the light was coming from, but there was an eerie, preternatural glow which lit the way

It was all beginning to look like something out of a horror movie.

Worse, much worse, however, is the smell. It smells like a combination of rotten eggs and sewer and fireworks. More than once she has to stop and concentrate, to keep from gagging. God, what died down here… her skin started to crawl thinking that something might actually be dead down here.

Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she picks her way carefully, to avoid tripping when she comes to a sudden bend in the tunnel. She can tell the glow that has lit her way to this point is stronger around the bend.

She has reached her destination.

She stops, and for a moment has second thoughts about this whole adventure. Maybe this isn't such a good idea, she thinks, her nerves popping as she again has the strong desire to be back in her bed with the covers drawn up tight. Maybe I should just turn around…

Then she hears a groan. Steeling herself, she ventures close to the wall where it bends, and peeks around the curve.

She stops, frozen.

She's confronted by a circular chamber, maybe 20 feet in circumference, with a high ceiling, too high to actually see the ceiling. The walls themselves are emitting the glow, faintly pulsing, almost as if a living organism. The floor itself is covered by a greenish white slime

In the center of the chamber, on what appears to be a built up platform is a podium, topped by what looks like a large basin, filled with some cloudy fluid. The surface is covered by sparkles, as if reflecting the walls lights. There is a narrow pathway from the tunnel leading to the podium.

This isn't what arrests her attention, however.

In the pool of what looks like slime is a couple of people, both oblivious to her as they are in the throws of having sex.

It takes a moment or two for her eyes to adjust to the difference in brightness; at first they seem to be silhouettes. Then she can see more details, and wishes she couldn't.

There is something wrong with both of them. The mans hands, his fingers, are too long to be human, and appear to be hooked. His body is distorted, his upper torso out of proportion to his lower half, which almost appears stubby. What is worst, however, is that he doesn't have one penis, but it appears he has three. Two are currently inserted in her lower orifices, while the third dangles between his legs, unused.

The woman, on her knees in the muck, also is malformed. Her body appears long, too long, and her skin is an iridescent white, almost the color of the belly of a fish. Her hair is moving, but not in motion with her movements; rather it seems to have a mind of it's own, and it's flying wild. Her hands and feet are hidden in the goo, so Cordelia can't see them, but she can see her face and neck. Her neck is long, too long to be normal, whipping back and forth as she reaches the peak of her pleasure. Her features are sharp, as are her teeth, which rightly belong in a wolf, not a human. Her eyes glow a dull red.

But the worst part, despite the distortions, is that Cordelia recognizes the couple.

They're her father, and her soon to be step mother!

Biting on her hand to keep from letting out a moan, she quickly retreats, back around the bend, looking for a place to hide. Spotting an alcove in the wall in the shadows, she quickly avails herself of it , huddling down to keep from being spotted.

Her stomach turns over at the sight. She's never seen anything so repulsive, so horrible in her life, and her stomach churns, threatening to hurl up its contents. She has to bite harder on her hand to keep from vomiting.

The last thing she wants is to be discovered.

Shivering from the cold, her stomach rebelling from the image and the stench, she huddles further into the alcove. She is nearly scared out of her mind; it takes a massive amount of will to keep from bolting back up the path.

Bad idea, bad, bad idea… what's left of her rational mind counsels. Do you really want those… things … to hear you and catch you? The very idea makes her feel even sicker. The only thing keeping her sanity intact is the fact that she knows, instinctively, that this is what she's looking for. That … altar or whatever it is has something to do with what's going on, and she's come too far to turn back now. If she can only hang on.

It seems forever, but finally the grunting and other obscene sounds coming for the chamber lessen, and then cease altogether. There is a brief period of quiet, followed by what sounds like thick splashing sounds, and the sounds of wet feet on stone. The sounds of their footfalls become louder, and she turns her head away, not wanting to see what's going to pass by, and definitely hoping they don't see her. She stills her breathing, almost holding her breath. The sound of her heart is like a drum in her ears.

Finally, the sounds of fade and she lets out a very hushed sigh. She turns, and slowly peers out. Gaining courage, she extracts herself from her hidey hole, and moves closer to the chamber.

Looking around carefully, she sighs in relief. Empty. She quickly makes her way toward the little stone pathway leading to the podium.

Halfway across, she feels a sudden wave of dizziness brought on by the stench and her own body's fear. She stops, holding on for dear life, desperately trying to balance on the narrow walkway. God no don't let me fall, don't let me FALL! Again she manages to steady herself, and she quickly makes it to the little platform.

Standing over the basin, she looks down in the murky water with a vague sense of disappointment. Nothing! She was hoping that something would happen, that she would see something, or some way to make it work. But the lip of the basin revealed nothing; only a lot of what looked like deformed chicken scratches and two handholds, one on each side of the bowl itself.

Feeling another wave of dizziness, she grips the handholds to steady herself, and it's as if an electrical shock passes through her body. The water seems to suddenly clear before her, and she stares fascinated at the images that appear there.

"Oh, wow" She breathes, her gaze riveted to the pool.

She doesn't even notice the movement in the shadows behind her.

6

"Angel! ANGEL!"

"Shut UP!" He growls at her. "SHUT UP!"

Faith finds herself pinned to the wall of the tomb, her neck surround by Angel's hands.

She has walked in to find Angel laying on the sarcophagus, moaning and writhing. She goes to him, worried that he's in pain, only to have him raise up and grab her by the throat, pushing her against the wall.

"WAKE UP, ANGEL!" Faith yells at the vampire, who seems to be in some sort of daze. Grabbing at his hands, she tries to break his grip with no luck.

" I'm gonna KILL YOU!" He roars.

Angel vamps out, and he bares his fangs, ready to attack.

Her instincts kicking in, she brings her leg up sharply, kicking him in the crotch.

Angel grunts, and his grip loosens briefly.

That's enough for Faith, who drives both of her fists into his solar plexus. Angel stumbles back, and Faith hits him with a roundhouse kick and then another from the opposite side.

She drives him back onto the sarcophagus, and pinning him with her forearm across his neck, she pulls a stake and holds it over his heart.

"Give me one fucking reason why I shouldn't plunge this in you," She snarls, Her throat still throbbing from his grip.

Even as she's saying it, his eyes suddenly seem to clear, and he morphs back into human form.

"Faith?" He looks at her, more confused than anything. "What's going on?"

"What's going on?" Faith scowls, still holding the stake in place. "You tried to kill me! That's what's going on…"

"I thought…" Angel stares at her,"… I thought you were her…"

"Her? Who?"

"Drusilla… I must've dozed off… had a nightmare…. I was back in the tunnel… bound up. All the people I'd ever killed were there… and Drusilla emerged from the crowd. She started to torture me…"

Faith eases up a little, but keeps the business end of the stake pointed at his heart.

"… but then you appeared. You stopped her… but… it wasn't you, couldn't be you… because you started to torture me… gutted me…"

The stake in Faith's hand starts to shake. She releases him, and after stowing the stake, helps him up.

"It was so real…" He whispers softly. "… when I saw you, I thought you were going to finish it…" he leans against the sarcophagus, his body slumped.

"Angel…" Faith says softly.

"I … wish you had…" He raises his head up, his expression bleak. "Something happened…" He shakes his head, as if to clear it. "I've killed again…"

Faith fills a chill in her heart.

"Angel…" Her hand goes for her stake.

"I was following him… Merrick… down the tunnels… I saw him after I broke free, and he was … part of it… He was working for Chase…"

"Merrick? That's crazy! He's a watcher!"

"Yeah, well, he was working for Chase… poisoning that mind of that girl… what's her face… the blonde slayer…"

"Buffy?" Faith looks at him strangely. "Not much to poison there. She's already half whacked!"

"He killed her boyfriend, made it looked like I did it…"

"LIAR!"

"Faith!"

Faith suddenly finds herself being shoved out of the way. She turns as she stumbles, to see Buffy, crossbow in hand, firing.

Angel roars as the shaft of the crossbow rips through his shoulder.

Faith glares at Buffy.

"How the fuck did you find this place?"

"Kinda sloppy, Faith. I just followed you from the motel. You know, where your vampire lover killed Merrick…" She looks at Angel. "Seems I missed with that one. Oh well… this one won't…" She raises the crossbow.

"BITCH!"

Faith launches herself at Buffy, managing to tackle her just as the crossbow is fired, causing the bolt to go wild. She drives the smaller blonde girl into the wall.

Buffy, however, isn't helpless, and she brings her fists together, boxing Faith's ears.

"FUUUCCCK!" Is all that Faith gets out before Buffy brings up her knee, hitting her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Faith falls to the ground, clutching her stomach.

"Demon bitch!" Buffy starts to kick her, in the ribs and stomach and legs. "Gonna fucking kill your sorry ass."

Faith tries to block the blows, only partially successfully. She tries to wriggle away, but Buffy follows her.

"Gonna make you sorry you ever showed your skanky demon face in Sunnydale, then I'm gonna kill that bastard boy… FUCK!"

Buffy suddenly feels herself lifted off the ground, in the grip of something powerful.

Angel, the shaft still sticking out of his shoulder, holds her in a bear hug.

"LET ME THE FUCK GO!" Buffy yells, flailing and kicking, trying to break free. "I’M GONNA STAKE YOUR SORRY VAMPIRE ASS, YOU MURDERER!"

Faith, groaning, pushes herself off the ground. Getting to her feet, a little unsteadily, she comes over to where Angel is holding Buffy.

Without a word, she punches Buffy straight in the face.

Buffy's eyes roll up in her head, and she goes limp in Angel's arms.

Angel carries the unconscious girl to the sarcophagus, and almost gently lays her on top. He looks down at her.

"What the fuck is her problem?" Faith, her body aching, joins him. "Can't she tell who the bad guys are?"

"It's not her fault, Faith. Merrick brainwashed her, convinced her I killed her boyfriend." He leans heavily on the lid of the sarcophagus. "Shit!"

Faith looks at him, and sees his blood staining his coat. The shaft has broken in the struggle, only the head sticking out the rear.

"We gotta get outta here," Angel says, pushing off and standing straight up. His growls, his game face coming to the fore.

"What the …?" Faith is startled by the change.

"The demon can handle pain a lot better than the human can," Angel says, shaking his head. "Let's get out of here!"

Buffy starts to stir, and Faith delivers another blow, knocking her back out.

"We should tie her up," Faith says, looking at the unconscious slayer.

"With what? Did you bring a rope?"

"Wasn't expecting a drop in by Insane girl," Faith says grimly. "But we just can't leave her here… what' s to keep her from coming after us?"

Angel digs around in his pocket, and produces a key.

"What's that?"

"Key to the tomb," Angel grins. It's not a pretty sight. "Found it amongst the ashes of those vamps you dusted earlier."

They start towards the exit, leaning on each other for support.

"She'll just break out, eventually…"

"Yeah. But it'll slow her down, and we'll be gone…"

They push the solid oak doors closed, and Angel locks them. He then shuts the wrought iron security gate across the portal, locking it.

Slowly, the two wounded warriors make it across the cemetery, both propping the other up.

"What the hell was that crap she was spewing… calling me a demon?"

"From what I could gather, between getting hot pokers shoved into me…"

Faith winces.

"… Merrick told her you weren't the real Slayer. That you were some kind of shape shifting demon. You killed the real slayer and took her place."

"Sweet," Faith groans. "God, that girl's boots are almost as hard as that head of hers…" Faith shakes her head. "Well, we won't have to worry about Merrick anymore, anyway… he's dead…" She looks at Angel. "Someone's trying to frame you… they made it look like you did it…"

Angel stops suddenly.

"Angel, what?"

"I did… I killed him…" Angel says, quietly.

"WHAT??" Faith, startled, breaks away from him.

"I… killed him… or, I think I did… I don't know… it's all… scrambled. But I have this… image of me following him, confronting him. The moron tried to stake me, and … I don't know what happened next, exactly… except I have this memory of biting him, his hot blood flooding down my throat…"

"You bit him? You drained him?" Faith's voice gets hard. "What the fuck, Angel… I thought you didn't kill humans anymore!"

Faith instinctively pulls her stake.

"I don't…" Angel doesn't see her do it. He seems to be looking far beyond her. "I don't know … what happened… if it happened… it just feels so…real…"

Suddenly his legs give out, and he's kneeling on the ground before her.

"Angel!"

"… I don't know, Faith… everything is … so … wrong…"

Angel collapses on the ground.

The stake drops out of Faith's hand, and she goes over to where Angel lays, senseless.

She stands over him, for a moment hesitating. Her emotions are conflicted. Angel's confession makes her guts twist inside her.

But she can't just leave him here to die… again.

She bends down, and grabbing him, lifts him and throws him over her shoulder.

Turning, she slowly makes her way out of the cemetery, and into the night.

7

"Oh my god!"

Cordelia stares down at the murky water as the images slowly fade. Her face, her look of shock reflected in the murky waters.

She pushes away from the reflection pool, standing and staring out into space.

It was real. It was really real! He was going to do it. Open the Hellmouth and release the demons trapped inside. Bring hell on earth!

She also learned about her father. What he was… I am… she shudders… and what he plans for the others. For Faith, for all of them…

I gotta go. I gotta get out of here and warn the others. We've got to stop…

"Well, I'm glad to see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Cordelia feels as if her spine is encased in ice. She slowly turns around.

Behind her, standing at the foot of the stone bridge connecting the cavern with the dais, Cornell smiles at her. At his side is Joyce, looking even younger yet. Both are wearing floor length robes.

God, she almost looks my age! Cordelia feels her stomach start to turn over, remembering what she saw not that long ago.

"Well, dear? Did you see anything …enlightening?" Cornell smiles, cocking his head. "Maybe you want to scamper along now, warn your little girlfriend about my plans?"

"Daddy, I…"

"Tsk, tsk, Cordelia, don't lie…" Cornell starts to walk towards her.

Actually, it's more like floating, as he doesn't bother stepping on the stone bridge; rather, holding his future bride's hand, both seem to float over the moat of slime around the platform. In less than a blink, both have joined Cordelia on the platform.

"You don't really believe I didn't know you were sent in here to spy on me, did you? And I suppose you're supposed to report back to that… oh, what's his name? The watcher posing as a school librarian….?"

Cordelia stands silently.

"Now, now. Speak up, dear, I can't hear you!"

Cordelia, despite herself, speaks. "Mr. Giles."

"Yes, Mr. Giles. Exactly. My, my, what a pest he's been. Snooping in on my affairs, causing me no end of mischief. Him and his little Slayer." Cornell shrugs. "Well, can't be helped, I suppose. After all, that's what he does…they do, right?"

He looks at her.

Almost as if being forced, her head nods.

"Exactly so," He says, almost jovially. "Well, I suppose you should get to it."

Cordelia stares at him, agog.

"Go on, shoo. You know you want to…" He waves towards the entrance of the chamber.

Cordelia suddenly feels whatever has been holding her, release her. She starts to walk towards the bridge, eyeing her father suspiciously.

"Oh, go ahead," He waves her on, smiling. "It's not as if he can do anything to really stop me…"

Cordelia, suddenly gripped by a feeling of panic, starts to run.

"No, wait!"

And suddenly, almost to the edge of the slime, she's stopped cold. Her feet feel as if they're glued to the ground. "You know, I'd rather it be a surprise…. I just love surprises…" His tone changes, growing a little cold. "As long as I'm giving them, that is."

Cordelia, trapped, feels her heart pumping wildly in her chest. Her breathing is ragged, and her stomach churns. She can feel the chill bumps raising on her skin.

"Turn around, dear," Cornell says, not too pleasantly.

Against her will, she finds herself turned, facing her father. Her heart leaps to her throat, seeing his expression.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Cordelia," Cornell says sharply. "Very disappointed." He shakes his head.

Cordelia stands in place, frozen. Her head is down, and her fists are balled up.

"Come here, Cordelia"

Cordelia tries to fight it. She pushes against him, trying to stay where she is. She feels herself start to walk towards him; she grits her teeth, and resists him. She can feel her body shaking, wanting to move forward, but she holds still.

"Well, well, I see you have a little pluck in you. Admirable, but really pointless. Come here, NOW!"

Suddenly she is dragged forward, then as if a giant hand is behind her, she is almost pushed into place next to her father.

She stands there, shaking.

"You should never defy your father, Cordelia. Isn't that so, Joyce?"

Joyce looks at him, and smiles.

"Yes, of course it is, Cornell. " She turns to Cordelia. "It's very wrong to defy your father, Cordelia."

Cordelia stands mute, her lips pressed tightly together. Inside she's shaking, scared of what her father will do to her. After what she saw, she has no illusions about him. Or what he might do.

"Oh, I know. You're a teenager, and teenagers always rebel against their parents." His grin becomes fixed. "but to take up with these… strangers, over your own family." He shakes his head sadly. "That's simply not right, Cordelia. I know I've always expressed the importance of family above all else, haven't I?"

Cordelia doesn't respond.

"Haven't I?" His tone grows firmer.

Cordelia feels her head jerked into a nod.

"Yes, of course I have. Family is everything, Cordelia. Family is all. You put Family above anything else. Do you understand?"

Cordelia stands mute.

"No, I suppose you don't." He frowns at her. "Please explain it to her, Joyce. I know she'll be more receptive if it comes from you."

Joyce walks over, and standing next to Cordelia, takes her hand. She smiles at her, almost gently.

"You have to understand, dear, your father is right. Family is the most important thing you've got. We'll always stick by you, be here for you, even when the others desert you. We all love you, Cordelia. Don't you see that?"

"What have you done to her?" Cordelia glares at her father.

"Done to her?" Cornell shakes his head. "I haven't done anything to her that she doesn't want, my dear daughter. Look at her…"

Cornell reaches out, tearing off Joyce's robe with one quick pull.

Joyce has indeed changed. Gone are the badges of middle age. Her tummy is flat as when she was in college, her breasts and thighs firm and taut, her bottom high and firm. She stands in front of Cordelia, unashamed of her nudity; proud of how she looks. She shakes her golden hair, and smiles, almost seductively, at the younger woman.

"Isn't she beautiful, Cordelia?" He smiles at Joyce. "Aren't you happy, my dear?"

Joyce smiles at him. She comes to him, slipping an arm around his neck. Almost as if Cordelia isn't present, she presses against him, rubbing against his body somewhat obscenely.

Cordelia feels sick.

"I've been too lenient with you, Cordelia. What can I say? I spoiled you, because you didn't have a mother… poor dear, she just couldn't take the strain of being a Chase. But I see now, that I should've been more… strict with you…" His frown deepens. "While you're little affair with the Slayer was convenient, and to some degree, amusing, I fear that's over now…"

"I love her" Cordelia hisses at him.

"You're a child. You'll get over it." Cornell says harshly. "It's time you realize who you are, what you mean in this world. It's time you become a part of this family."

"Cornell, don't be so hard on the girl," Joyce says, looking at Cordelia. "She's just confused. She doesn't know what she wants, what she needs. A family is about love too, after all…"

"You're right, of course, my dear…" Cornell smiles at her. He looks up at his daughter. "That's what's been lacking in this household, a woman's touch." He gazes at Joyce fondly. "Perhaps you should show Cordelia what that means…"

Cordelia shivers. She suddenly feels a strong fear well up in her.

Joyce smiles, and detaching herself from Cornell, walks over to Cordelia. She slips her arms around Cordelia, pulling her close.

"I'm very fond of you, Cordelia," Joyce says, softly, hugging Cordelia close. "Very fond…"

Cordelia shudders, freaked out by what's happening. She feels Joyce's hand slip up her back, cupping her head.

"Nooo…." Cordelia moans, shaking visibly.

"Shhh… I won't hurt you. I'd never hurt you, my sweet daughter…" Joyce pulls Cordelia's face to her, and covers her lips with her own.

Cordelia struggles against her. The very wrongness of this fuels her desire to escape. She tries to push Joyce away, but is trapped. Joyce is much stronger than she appears to be. She moans, scared out of her mind.

Something tugs at her clothing, and before she can fight it, she finds herself as naked as the woman kissing her. Her shaking increases, the cold adding to her fright.

She redoubles her efforts, but she can't break away from Joyce. Her arms hold her tightly, even as her kiss becomes more demanding. Joyce's hands begin to wander over her body, touching her intimately.

And then something more awful happens. Something deep, something dark responds to Joyce's kisses and caresses. Her struggles wane as her dark side takes control. She feels her body catch fire, and she opens her mouth to Joyce's insistent tongue.

Suddenly she feels as if a thousand hands are caressing her, probing her. She feels Joyce's grip tighten, even as she pulls Joyce closer to herself. She begins to feel fires stoke in her core.

It's not until she feels something, something hard probing her orifices, her most intimate places, that the panic returns. Opening her eyes, she sees her father, and screams.

Cornell has changed, has grown larger. What looks like hundreds of tentacles extrude from his body. They are wrapped around her, she can feel them touching her, moving over her body. Something penetrates her sex and anus. Something firm, hard and demanding.

She struggles again, briefly, until she finds that Joyce too has changed. Hundreds of flesh colored tentacles extrude from her body, wrapped tightly around Cordelia, holding her fast as her father violates her.

She tries to scream again, but Joyce's tongue, preternaturally long, is blocking her throat. All she can do is whimper soundlessly as her mind begins to crack.

"Ah yes," Cornell, his voice sounding alien, chuckles. "This is right. This is perfect, dearest daughter…"

More of his tentacles penetrate her. Cordelia screams silently.

"We haven't had quality time together in too long…"

* * *

To be continued
- 34
- 35
- 36
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The Slayer