<see
Part 1 for disclaimers>
Red Moon Series, Book 10
Frau Hunter Ash
Summary: Buffy falls to
Pairings: B/W/T, G/Joyce, X/Anya, Xena/Gabrielle
Part 5
# # #
Buffy felt
fangs at her throat, the hands holding her now had
very long black fingernails, almost talon-looking.
“No, Tara,
please don’t,” Buffy whispered as she tried to reach for the dryad bone Xena had given her the night before.
Buffy
whimpered as fangs pierced her skin, the sting quickly replaced by a feeling of
arousal and euphoria. “Tare, don’t...”
she begged as she fought her body responding to the bite.
Buffy began
to lose her focus as
# # #
Giles
wasn’t surprised when Joyce was out of the car before he had switched the
ignition off. He quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and followed as quickly as he
could as his wife rushed into Sunnydale General.
“Buffy
Summers, where?” he heard Joyce demanding from the nurse behind the desk.
“Are you a
relative?” the girl asked calmly.
“I’m her
mother, where is she?” Joyce demanded.
Giles
spotted Xena and Gabrielle in the waiting room and
squeezed Joyce’s shoulder. “You find her, I’ll talk
with Gabrielle and Xena. Come tell us when you have
news.”
“Alright,
Rupert,” Joyce said softly as the nurse walked around the counter and motioned
for Joyce to follow her into the trauma area of the Emergency Room.
Both
warriors stood when the Watcher entered the waiting area.
“They said
she’ll be alright,” Gabrielle said quickly.
“You said
that on the phone, what happened and where is
Gabrielle
looked at Xena and sighed. “
Giles felt
his knees trying to buckle and blinked in surprise as Xena
grabbed his elbows, holding him up. He hadn’t even seen her move. “T-Tara? When? How?”
“The night
we met the girls,” Xena explained. “We saw
“Why didn’t
you tell me?” Giles asked as Xena sat him in a chair.
“Buffy
should have told you,” Xena said gently. “I think she
was hoping it wasn’t true.”
“Tonight?”
Giles asked, looking between them.
“
“Either
because she couldn’t treat
“We think
she tried to use the bone too late,” Xena said. “Her wrist is broken and we found the bone
next to her.”
“And
“No sign of
her,” Gabrielle said, her voice weary.
“We send
Bacchus from this realm and break the spell and she comes back to us, yes?”
Giles asked, his hand clenching into a fist.
“Yes,” Xena said with a frown. “The problem is how to break the
connection since there’s no way in Tartarus
that he’ll let either of us become even partial bacchae
again.”
“Rupert!”
Giles was
on his feet and in front of Joyce in a moment. “What’s wrong?”
“Buffy,
she... it’s like when she was bitten by Daniel,” Joyce said, her voice strained
and frantic.
Giles, Xena and Gabrielle followed Joyce back into the trauma area
where she pulled back a sliding curtain.
Giles
frowned and quickly felt Buffy’s forehead as nurses worked placing cool cloths
on the girl’s wrists and monitored her blood pressure closely.
Xena
placed a hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder and squeezed, her eyes questioning but
the bard only frowned and shook her head.
Giles
turned Buffy’s head and winced at the red streaks radiating from the fang
wounds.
“I’m sorry,
all but one of you have to leave,” one of the nurses
said firmly.
“You stay
with her,” Giles told Joyce. “It looks like an infection.”
“No idea
what bit her?” one of the nurses questioned. “She’s acting like she’s having an
allergic reaction.”
“No, none.
Rats perhaps?” Giles suggested, not meeting Joyce’s eyes.
“
Back in the
waiting room the bard and warrior turned to the Watcher.
“Like before? We’ve never seen anyone react like that to a vampire bite,” Xena asked. “Buffy didn’t say she was... allergic to the
bite.”
“She not,
not to a normal vampire bite,” Giles said thoughtfully. “Your bacchae are different though. They spread their disease
through the bite, not the exchange of blood and death.”
“It’s an
infection and she’s fighting it off?” Gabrielle ventured. “How?
We know men aren’t infected, how could she fight it off? Not even Xena and I could, even being demi-gods.”
“She’s the
Slayer,” Giles said with a shrug.
“Okay,
we’ve heard rumours and legends about the Slayer,” Xena
said, sitting down. “What’s different about the Slayer? I know she’s stronger
and faster than most fighters.”
“A very
long story made short, a young teenage girl is hit suddenly with a burst of
strength, speed and rapid healing. She also discovers that she has heightened
instincts and can sometimes sense when a vampire is close,” Giles said, almost
by rote. “She’s either been found beforehand and trained by a Watcher or she’s
found after being called and trained to fight demons and vampires.”
“And
Watchers are trained by an organization that oversees Watchers and the Slayer?”
Gabrielle ventured and wasn’t surprised when Giles nodded. “You were Buffy’s
Watcher.”
“Yes, still
am,” Giles said with a smile. “I have been since she was sixteen. She’s the
longest living Slayer in history. Her friendship, independence, intelligence,
courage and dedication have accomplished that.”
“And some
damned good training and research?” Xena ventured.
Giles
nodded, “I’ll accept that.”
“Now what?”
Gabrielle asked.
“We wait
and see if Buffy can fight off the infection, find Bacchus, drive him and away
and kill Rack and Faith,” Giles said calmly.
“I thought
Slayers didn’t kill humans,” Xena commented, watching
the Watcher’s body and fire in his eyes when mentioning Rack and Faith.
“I’m not a
Slayer,” Giles said, his voice flat. He stood up. “I need to check on Buffy,
excuse me.”
Gabrielle
watched him walk away and frowned. “He’s wanting
revenge.”
“I know,” Xena said softly. “I’ve talked with that detective, Brad.
From what he’s told me about this Rack and Faith, they all have reason for
revenge but Giles especially.”
“As long as
he doesn’t get lost in it,” Gabrielle said after a moment. “The rest of them
need him stable.”
“They’ll
keep him grounded and he’ll keep them balanced,” Xena
said, kissing Gabrielle’s cheek. “Let’s go and see if we can find
# # #
Buffy was
surprised to open her eyes and find Xena sitting in a
chair next to her bed... her hospital bed. The warrior had her feet up on the
foot of Buffy’s bed and her head thrown back, apparently napping.
The blonde
Slayer looked around and was able to determine it was daylight but not what day
or time. She groaned slightly as she sat up.
Xena was
instantly awake and alert. After a moment she looked at Buffy and grinned.
“Good to see you awake.”
“Yeah?”
Buffy whispered.
Xena got
up and poured the young girl a glass of water and handed it to Buffy.
“I think
I’m supposed to say I’m glad to be alive right now, right?” Buffy ventured. “I
remember
“Easy,” Xena urged, holding Buffy back onto the bed. “We’re not
sure. Bacchus and the other bacchae
have her. We’ve got a week before the harvest celebration and she becomes a
full bacchae.”
“How long
was I out and why was I out?” Buffy asked, sipping the water.
“Two nights
and a day,” Xena explained. “You were fighting off
the bacchae infection. Giles said you went through
something similar when bitten by a werewolf.”
“Yeah, it
didn’t work then. Am I infected now?” Buffy asked, looking for truth in the
warrior’s eyes. “Am I going to spout fangs and look all Goth tonight?”
“We don’t
believe so,” Xena said with a frown.
Buffy threw
the sheet and blanket back and removed the IV, holding a finger over the wound
for a moment. “Then I’m out of here. I’ve got to get ahold
of
Xena
didn’t bother protesting. The young woman reminded the warrior of Gabrielle
when she had her mind set on something. Or Xena when
there was a fight to be fought. She merely got up and handed Buffy a gym bag.
“Giles left
you clothes,” the warrior explained with a smile as Buffy looked at her
hospital gown with a frown.
Buffy took
the bag with a shy smile. “Thanks. Guess I’m kinda
predictable at times.”
Xena
chuckled and waited while Buffy changed clothes in the bathroom. The warrior
looked out the window of the hospital with and intense frown. She and Gabrielle
had lived long enough to know when warriors and soldiers were at a breaking
point and both knew the group known as the Scoobies
were there, from Giles down to Xander.
Gabrielle
entered the room and walked up behind Xena, wrapping
her arms around the warrior. “She’s insisting on leaving and not listening to
the doctor, right?”
“You know
warriors,” Xena said, turning and pulling Gabrielle
into her arms. “Where is everyone?”
“Giles and
Dawn want to check those caves,” Gabrielle said. “He’s looking over police
reports with Brad and Xander about patterns of missing girls. He suggests we
check some of the caves or we all go as teams.”
“Let’s get
her home,” Xena said as the bathroom door began to
open. “Then we plan.”
# # #
Xander
watched Buffy pacing with her cell phone. He wasn’t surprised when she clicked
off the phone and threw it at the sofa. Kicking a chair, she continued to pace.
“Can’t
reach Will?” Xander asked calmly. He wasn’t sure Buffy was going to be able to
sleep without
“No, the
phones are out,” Buffy said with an intense frown. “I run into a wall when I
try mentally.”
“And you’re
torn,” Xander ventured. “You want to dash off and see if she’s okay but we know
for sure
Buffy
looked at her best friend, tears filling her eyes. “
Xander held
his arms open and pulled Buffy close when she collapsed, weeping against him.
The young man held her tightly, not saying anything, just letting their
friendship comfort her.
Gabrielle
walked up behind Xena as she stopped in the doorway
to the den. She saw Buffy and Xander and pulled her mate away gently. “How do
we help?”
“Giles said
something about caves in the woods that should be checked out, right?” Xena said softly.
Gabrielle
nodded. “Do we take any of the others with us?”
“Buffy will
insist,” Xena said after a moment.
“We heard
that,” Xander said as he and Buffy stepped into the hallway. “Dawn, Anya and I
are going to check some of the fraternities at the University. Giles is with
Brad working on some of the disappearances.”
Buffy
nodded firmly, “I’m going with you. I’ve been in those caves. There’s a complex
in there, an old abandoned government facility and lots of tunnels.”
“Then let’s
get to it,” Gabrielle said easily. “Grab a dryad bone, stake and sword.”
# # #
Buffy
frowned as they moved deeper into the cave system of Sunnydale. “It feels
warmer, it should be colder the further we get.”
Gabrielle
swallowed and felt Xena’s hand on her shoulder.
“I feel it
too, Gabrielle,” Xena said softly. “We’re close. Why
haven’t they attacked?”
Buffy
swallowed and gripped her dryad bone tighter as the tunnel became lighter, fire
light sending shadows dancing on the walls ahead of them. She stopped,
listening.
“No,”
Gabrielle said softly, her ears picking out what Buffy was hearing, the sounds
of drums and voices chanting and singing. The bard shook her head as the music
became louder and her focus began slipping.
Buffy
glanced back at Gabrielle and Xena, her frown
deepening. “Is she okay?” she asked Xena as the
warrior grabbed Gabrielle’s arms.
“Focus,
lover,” Xena said in Gabrielle’s ear in Greek. “Fight
it!” She looked at Buffy and nodded. “The bacchae,
the music is intoxicating to them.”
Buffy saw
Gabrielle shake her head and take a deep breath. “All right, let’s go,” the
Slayer said softly. “Isn’t this about the time when bats, rats or something
drop from the ceiling and we get attacked?”
“Usually,
remember bacchae can fly and
hover for short periods and distances,” Gabrielle said softly. “No, I didn’t
get that before you ask.”
Buffy
turned and headed towards the music and voices, wishing that
The Slayer
glanced around a curve in the tunnel and her eyes widened. Coming up behind
her, Xena and Gabrielle weren’t as surprised by the
sight of bacchae, a cavern
and the huge figure on a very large throne.
The scene
was almost a repeat of the first time Xena had gone
looking for Gabrielle in the bacchae
caves of
Dancing
around the fire and pool were a large number of bacchae with several others against a wall drumming
and chanting.
What caught
Buffy’s attention was who could only be Bacchus. The God the vine, wine, bacchae and blood was huge, with
purple-red skin, ram’s horns, a mouth full of sharp teeth and muscular. His
yellow eyes chilled Buffy as the dark lord laughed, watching his bacchae dancing and flying about.
“Okay, how
do we do this?” Buffy asked. “I really want to dash in there, stake him, grab
“Unfortunately,
that won’t work,” Xena said, gritting her teeth as
she watched the young women cavorting about, focused only on each other and
Bacchus. “Find
Buffy
nodded and moved to the other side of the tunnel, watching the bacchae. The problem was they all
looked very much alike. Same makeup, same severely drawn back
hair, long nails and same clothing. Finding
“Xena, we can’t kill Bacchus or drive him out of this realm
and there’s too many,” Gabrielle whispered. “We need the others.”
The warrior
nodded, her chakram in hand.
The music suddenly stopped and all the bacchae
turned, looking in their direction.
“Uh oh,”
Buffy muttered. “I don’t want to kill the girls, they aren’t real vampires
yet.”
“Then we’d
better get out of here,” Gabrielle said firmly, her eyes shifting to bacchae yellow, her fangs extending as the bacchae snarled.
“We leave
and they’ll be waiting when we come back,” Buffy responded, trying to ignore
Gabrielle’s sudden change.
“No choice,
we don’t have the answer yet,” Xena said firmly. “We
run or fight our way out of here and some of those girls die.”
Several of
the bacchae screamed, baring
their fangs and launching themselves into the air, claw-like fingernails
extended.
“Go!” Xena yelled, drawing her sword. “Gabrielle, get her out!
They’ll use
Buffy
started to yell and protest but Xena surprised her
with an elbow to her nose, the pain stinging the Slayer’s eyes.
“Damnit!” Buffy yelled, aware that Gabrielle was pulling
her back down one of the tunnels. “We don’t kill humans!”
“Those
girls aren’t human anymore,” Gabrielle said firmly, keeping a good grip on
Buffy.
“They can
be saved,” Buffy protested.
“Not if we
fall to Bacchus tonight,” Gabrielle countered, her ears picking out the
familiar sound of Xena fighting.
The
warrior-bard turned with a snarl as a shriek reached them. Gabrielle drew her
Buffy
realized that some bacchae
had slipped by Xena somehow and hit a bacchae across the jaw with the knob end of a dryad bone.
Soon both
blonde warriors were fighting back to back as bacchae screamed, hovered, and sought an opening to
get through to either.
After a few
moments Xena joined them, fighting her way to her
wife and Slayer. “Keep moving!” she yelled.
“Double
up,” Buffy suggested. “I’ll clear the tunnels ahead of us.”
Xena and
Gabrielle, after centuries together, fought like a well oiled machine. With
Buffy clearing an occasional bacchae
and enthralled male, they worked their way to a main junction in the system of
tunnels and caves.
Buffy
recognized it as part of the tunnels and caves that the Initiative had taken
over, one of the sections that had collapsed in an earthquake. Two branch
tunnels were blocked by rubble and the one they had just came from showed signs
of distress with cracks and small chunks of walls and ceiling on the floor.
That left only one usable tunnel and one that they might be able to crawl
through to an open tunnel past a partial blockage.
The Slayer
and warriors realized that a support pillar wasn’t as supportive as it could
be, slightly askew, almost off the foundation and it was possible this junction
wouldn’t exist without it. Xena placed a hand on the support column, her expression
thoughtful as screaming bacchae
raced to catch up with them.
“Xena,” Gabrielle growled. “You can’t collapse the pillar
and make it to the clear tunnel and we don’t have a rope.”
Buffy moved
next to Xena, slashing out with her sword, trying to
keep the bacchae in the
narrow tunnel. “Figure something out! We’ve got to move before Bacchus, Rack or
Faith join them!”
Xena
pulled up her chakram, gripping it tightly. She
grabbed Buffy’s collar, tossing the Slayer back towards Gabrielle. “Go! I’ll
hold them, then weaken the pillar with the chakram.”
Gabrielle
started to protest once more but Buffy grabbed her and pulled the fellow blonde
to the exit tunnel. They drew back far enough where they would be safe from a
cave-in, they hoped.
Buffy and
Gabrielle could see Xena fighting her way towards the
exit tunnel, slashing with both sword and chakram as
enraged bacchae hovered over
her, others attempting to grab the warrior from the ground.
Both
warriors started back when they saw Xena go under. A
moment later Xena’s head appeared among the mass of bacchae dark clothing and bodies.
She threw the chakram and Gabrielle screamed as it
bounced around the cave interior, hitting the support pillar several times.
Buffy
grabbed Gabrielle, pulling her back as a rumble began building and dust filling
the chamber.
“Xena!” Gabrielle screamed as Xena fought out from under the bacchae, just as the roof caved in.