<see Part 1 for disclaimers>

 

 

Ripper

Red Moon Series, Book 7

Frau Hunter Ash

hunterash@sti.net

www.hunterash.com

 

Rating: Strong, strong R for graphic violence and non-consensual sexual violence. Demons aren’t nice, guys.

# # #

Part 2

 

 

Buffy entered the hospital room slowly. She hated coming here now. It had been two weeks since they had gotten Giles back. His body, anyway, Buffy mentally corrected.  When he had awakened it seemed like his mind didn’t. He stared straight ahead and showed no sign of hearing or seeing anything.

 

Everyone had tried for hours to get through to him, including Quentin Travers with no success.

 

Joyce Summers-Giles almost lived at the hospital now with Tara and Willow running the gallery and Anya and Xander running the Magic Box.  She had a small cot in the room and barely ever went home. She spent hours talking, reading, singing, and just sitting with her husband.

 

“Any change, Mom?” Buffy asked softly as Giles stared at the ceiling.

 

“No, none,” Joyce shook her head, fighting back the endless tears.

 

“Mom, should we try that thing Quentin was talking about?” Buffy asked with a frown as she took in how pale and gaunt her stepfather, watcher and friend had become.

 

“You trust him?” Joyce asked, matching her daughter’s frown.

 

“No, not for a minute,” Buffy said slowly. “It might be the answer though.”

 

“Taking a sight seeing trip through Rupert’s mind?” Joyce asked bitterly. “How can that help? Oh, I know, Quentin Travers says that we can reconnect Rupert to his surroundings by guiding his mind back. It just feels… so invasive.”

 

“If it could get Giles back I’d tap dance through Dracula’s mind,” Buffy countered.

 

“I don’t want one of Quentin’s magic users doing it,” Joyce said after a few minutes. “I know Quentin is aware of Rupert’s past but I don’t want anyone outside seeing it.”

 

“I know that Giles was wild in his youth, did magic and people died,” Buffy said thoughtfully.  “What could be worse?”

 

Joyce frowned. “He isn’t… he hates to disappoint any of you. He and Ethan were… close.”

 

“I know they were a couple,” Buffy said softly.

 

“That’s part of it,” Joyce nodded. “I think it’s what they did together that he can’t face.”

 

“We love him, Mom,” Buffy said, reaching out to touch Giles’ hand.

 

“All right,” Joyce sighed. “I… I need him, Buffy.”

 

“I know, Mom. We all do,” Buffy agreed.

 

# # #

 

Buffy sighed as the magic instructor from the Council, Quentin, Joyce, Willow and Tara argued about who would do what and what to expect from the venture to try and recover Giles.

 

“All right!” Buffy snapped, her voice loud. “Okay, let’s do this logically and quietly.”

 

“What do you suggest, young lady,” Quentin grumbled.

 

“That you not sound condescending when you talk to me,” Buffy snapped back. “Let’s go over what to expect with this spell, ritual, psychic thing or whatever. Then we’ll decide who gets to risk this.”

 

“I suggest that a magic user go into a trance, find Rupert’s life line and follow it back to his mind,” Quentin began, going over it again as Willow took notes and Xander looked on uncomfortably with Anya.  Buffy knew they were feeling left out of the conversation and that Quentin didn’t want them there.

 

Buffy had insisted, pointing out that they were considered family and had dealt with the Hellmouth for years and survived.

 

“Once inside Rupert’s mind,” Quentin continued. “The worker will see whatever is blocking him from being aware of his surroundings. What he refuses to look at and accept. It’s bound to be unpleasant. After seeing it, hopefully, the worker will be able to talk to him in there and encourage his return as Rupert.”

 

“Dangers?” Buffy asked firmly before anyone else could jump in and steer them off topic again and cause another argument.

 

“The worker could get so caught up in Rupert’s memories that they loose touch with their own life-line and become lost in that dream-state. They’d die,” Quentin said bluntly.

 

“They could also become tainted from his evil past,” the Magic Instructor added.

 

“So none of you can do this,” Quentin said calmly.

 

“Excuse me?” Buffy grumbled, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

 

“You and Willow have been tainted and given into the darkness before,” Quentin said, almost smirking.

 

Buffy wasn’t surprised to glance over and see her wife blushing almost as bright a red as her hair. “Easy, Will,” she said softly. “Willow has conquered her darkness and I fought back.”

 

“This is an old argument,” Willow complained. “We’ve been doing well with Instructor Kerr.”

 

“I can do it,” Tara said softly and began blushing immediately.

 

“Tare?” Buffy asked softly as Willow grabbed Tara’s hand.

 

* Baby? * Willow called mentally. * You’ve always been afraid of dark stuff because of thinking you were a demon and stuff. * 

 

* I’m not now * Tara said firmly mentally and looked up at Quentin. “I can do this.”

 

Quentin frowned. “I’m not so sure. Instructor Kerr says you’re very talented and well grounded but you have no idea what you’d be facing inside Rupert’s mind.”

 

“Yeah, did you like finding yourself back in England abruptly?” Buffy smirked.

 

“Buffy,” Joyce hissed. “Tara, I don’t want to risk you, please. It’s bad enough that we might not get Rupert back. I couldn’t take losing you and I know Willow and Buffy couldn’t.”

 

“I’m well grounded, I haven’t given into dark stuff and I love him,” Tara explained.

 

“I insist on Instructor Kerr to be grounded in with you,” Quentin growled.

 

“No way,” Willow said quickly. “Giles retreated because he couldn’t face stuff. He definitely would wig with a stranger in there.”

 

“I must agree,” Joyce said slowly with a nod. “I trust Tara and if anyone is going to be there it should be Buffy or Willow.”

 

“How do we do this,” Buffy asked. “Is it dangerous to Giles?”

 

“No, I don’t believe so,” Quentin said thoughtfully. “Either he’ll come back to conscious awareness or he won’t. I still insist on Instructor Kerr being involved.”

 

“Fine, he can watch and take notes,” Willow suggested.

 

“Let’s set this up then,” Buffy said, her voice confident. “I wish Ethan hadn’t disappeared before we got him back. I have a few questions for that jerk.”

 

# # #

 

Xander and Anya pulled chairs out into the hallway of the hospital outside Giles’ room, right in front of the door, ignoring the strange looks from the nurses.

 

Inside the room Willow, Tara, Buffy and Joyce gathered around Giles’ bed. They had set up a cot next to the hospital bed for Tara and chairs for the remaining family members. 

 

Joyce looked nervous and uncomfortable as Willow and Tara sat down on the floor and chanted softly, holding hands.

 

“It’s okay, Mom,” Buffy said softly. 

 

“It just... I feel so helpless,” Joyce complained.

 

“Yeah, this is their talent though,” Buffy said with a smile, watching her lovers merging their energy. The trust and love evident to anyone watching.

 

Tara and Willow smiled, feeling Buffy’s love reaching out to them, encouraging them. The blonde witch took the goblet Willow offered her and tried not to gag as she drank the herbal mixture.

 

Willow whimpered softly as she took the goblet from Tara and the blonde witch sighed, her body beginning to go limp. Buffy and Willow gently lifted Tara onto the cot next to Giles’ bed and the Slayer stepped back.

 

Willow closed her eyes, standing next to her lover and surrogate father, extending her energy and line to find theirs.  The redhead found their lines and gently guided her way to Tara’s consciousness and smiled as warmth and love surrounded her and Tara’s spirit welcomed hers.

 

The hacker witch spent several moments with Tara’s spirit and then slowly led it down Giles’ lifeline, backing off just before entering the Watcher’s mind and dreams as Tara continued.

 

# # #

 

Tara’s spirit opened its eyes and looked around with a frown. It looked eerie, almost as if the witch had stepped onto a movie set or... Surrounded by fog, cobblestone streets, dampness, “I’m in England?”

 

“Actually you’re in Ripper’s mind, luv,” a voice said cheerfully just beyond her sight.

 

“W-who’s there?” Tara called out, somewhat apprehensive.

 

A figured stepped through the fog into the light of the street lamp. Tara’s eyes widened.

 

“E-ethan?” she squeaked, looking around for an exit.

 

“Been waiting long enough,” the sorcerer complained. “I knew one of you would show up sooner or later.”

 

“Are... are you here to stop me?” Tara asked with a frown. In Dreamscape, she knew anything could happen and that the dark magician in front of her was probably more experienced, especially after his dealings with Eyghon.

 

“No, or you’d be dead already,” Ethan smirked. “Lose the stutter, I’m not that bad. Actually, I’m here to help you.”

 

“Why? You try and kill Giles every time you come around,” Tara demanded, wondering what London of the 1880s symbolized to Giles or perhaps Ethan and how the heck she was going to find Giles’ spirit.

 

“No, if you look at each case carefully, I never hurt Ripper,” Ethan smiled, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his trench coat. “Only aimed at your little group.”

 

“Bespelled candy? I heard about that,” Tara countered.

 

“Did he get hurt? Actually got a good shag out of it, I hear,” the sorcerer shrugged.

 

Tara frowned, thinking. “The Sleep Demon?”

 

“It was loose and after all of us in the circle,” Ethan frowned. “I got here when it was just the two of us left. I was going to get that thing off my arse and grab Giles, let the demon take the gypsy and was to get him safe.”

 

Tara watched Ethan’s eyes and blinked in surprise. “Why? Why are you connected to him?”

 

“That’s none of your business unless you see it in his mind,” Ethan said flatly. “If he doesn’t come back, he dies. We all lose then.”

 

“Why this?” Tara asked, motioning to their surroundings. “Like Sherlock Holmes or something.”

 

“You’re smarter than that quiet exterior lets on, aren’t you?” Ethan smirked glancing around. “The exact timeframe for this little background. A bit of fascination for our boy, one reason he got his name. Being named Jack you know and his study on his namesake.”

 

“Jack? I thought his name was Rupert,” Tara asked, confused.

 

Ethan laughed bitterly. “That’s what the Council wants. His goddamn name is John Rupert Giles. Growing up he was called Jack, it’s a British thing.”

 

“Jack the Ripper,” Tara said softly, remembering Giles’ nickname when he was with Ethan.

 

“Eureka!” the sorcerer smirked.

 

“Why call him Ripper?” Tara asked as Ethan began walking and she trotted to catch up with him. She didn’t know if it was a good idea but there was no sign of Giles and, to be honest, the place was spooky.

 

“Lots of reasons, maybe you’ll find out, maybe you won’t,” Ethan shrugged. 

 

“How do we get him back?” Tara asked anxiously, listening to the sound of their shoes echoing on the cobblestone street.

 

“Take a tour through his mind and coax him back,” Ethan sighed. “Won’t be easy. You’re not here to see a tour through the British Museum, you know. There’s reasons Ripper snapped.”

 

“If we get him back you’ll lose him,” Tara pointed out with a frown beginning to shiver in the damp fog.

 

“Maybe,” the response was calm and nonchalant but Ethan’s eyes flashed with anger at the suggestion.  “I just might get him back too if we break through that damned wall the Council put up between Ripper and your bloody Watcher. Want to risk it?”

 

“Where do we start?” Tara asked, her voice firm.

 

# # #

 

Buffy tapped her foot impatiently, wondering how long it could take. Sometimes dreams felt like they went by like a speeding car, other times it seemed as if they went on forever.

 

Willow’s head dropped forward as she sat against the wall on a blanket. The Council seer watched both girls and Giles closely, his eyes a bright blue.

 

“Are they okay?” Buffy asked softly.

 

“Yes,” he nodded, his eyes unblinking. “Tara has gone into Mr. Giles’ mind and Willow is hovering just outside of the dreamscape. If Tara loses her way, it might be possible for Willow to guide her back.”

 

“Possible?” Joyce asked softly with a frown.

 

“Willow could also be drawn into the dreamland and be lost as well,” the seer shrugged. “You would lose all three of them.”

 

Buffy felt her heart skip a beat and reached for her Mom’s hand.

 

“How... how long?” Joyce whispered.

 

“No one can tell, it could take an hour or days,” Seer Mombasalia responded. “If it takes days then their bodies will die and they will be lost.”

 

“Oh God,” Joyce muttered.

 

“He could only help at this point,” Mombasalia nodded.

 

# # #

 

Tara instinctively moved closer to Ethan as the fog became thicker, almost like spider-webs crowding in. 

 

Ethan surprised Tara by taking her hand as the scene cleared. The witch tried to pull back, seeing they were in someone’s living room.

 

“Don’t worry, unless we approach them and join the nightmare, they won’t see us,” Ethan said softly. “Don’t do anything sudden, it’s almost like going back in time as a ghost.”

 

“Damnit, Billy, leave me be already!” a voice shouted from somewhere upstairs.

 

Tara heard heavy footsteps pounding across a room upstairs and getting closer. The house looked like something out of a movie set or expensive old house. Very British, even a suit of armor by the door of the library.

 

“Looks like we’re at the Giles’ homestead,” Ethan frowned. “He snuck me in a couple of times to... uh, grab some of his things.”

 

The boots trotted down the stairs and it took Tara a moment to recognize a younger Giles. She thought he might be around eighteen and was very different than the scholar she was accustomed to. Even getting Giles to wear jeans and t-shirts more hadn’t prepared her for this Giles.

 

Giles was dressed in well-worn ripped jeans that were tight enough to show he didn’t favor underwear at this stage of his life. Combat boots were scuffed and open at the top with the jeans tucked into the tops. Tara blinked, still trying to piece the two individuals together in her mind.

Black t-shirt and a Levi jacket topped the clothing, spiked leather wrist bands and a pair of sunglasses complimented the outfit. What was most surprising was the long hair that came down to his shoulders.

 

“Call me William!” another voice shouted and followed Giles down the stairs. Tara quickly spotted the relationship between them. He looked like a Giles.

 

“I’ve been calling you Billy since I three years old,” Giles shouted back at his older brother. Unlike the young Giles, William was dressed in slacks, button down shirt and dress shoes, much the way an older Giles would one day dress. “Just because you’re the oldest and heir apparent! Apparent to what? This place, his rules, him choosing your job? Not for me!”

 

“You can’t keep fighting this!” William yelled, grabbing Giles by the shoulder. “I don’t have the gift! You do! It’s your destiny, just as mine is to inherit the business and the title.”

 

“I don’t care what you all think my destiny is!” Giles shouted back, shaking off his brother’s hand. “I just want my music. I’m damned good and you know it! Things are happening in the scene, we’re getting noticed!”

 

“You’re to be a Watcher, not a goddamn rock star,” William said flatly, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

 

“Wrong, I’m going to be what I choose,” Giles growled as he pulled off his glasses to let his brother see his determination.

 

“If you persist in this ridiculous endeavor of yours, you’ll find yourself cut off,” another voice joined the argument. Tara and Ethan turned to find an older, distinguished Englishman standing in the doorway of the house. “The Council will reject you and when you come to your damn senses, you’ll find yourself cast out.”

 

“Bloody hell, like I bleedin’ care, Da’!” Giles shouted, throwing his hands up in frustration.

 

“Stop with the gutter talk,” Stewart Giles snapped. “Your low-life friends may talk like that but you know better.”

 

“Right, you paid enough for it, eh?” Giles snarled. “I’m almost eighteen, I should be allowed to choose my own damn destiny!”

 

“You’re not an adult until 21, I’ll point out once again,” Stewart sighed.

 

“Then send the Bobbies round for me, I’m leaving,” Giles threatened, bending over to pick up a battered army knapsack and small case.

 

“Is this the part where I say ‘if you leave, don’t come back’?” Stewart smirked but looked surprised when Giles pushed past him.

 

“Don’t bother, Da’,” Giles growled. “Heard from Dad Junior there.”

 

The door slammed behind the future Watcher and would-be rock-star.

 

# # #

 

Buffy sat up, alert as Willow twitched in her “sleep.” She glanced over quickly and found Tara and Giles both unmoving. The observer shook his head. “It’s just starting.”

 

The Slayer looked at her watch. It was going to be a long wait.

 

# # #

 

Tara was beyond being surprised and only blinked when the scene shifted and she found herself in a smoky room somewhere. It was almost dark and the music was loud, fast, barely anywhere close to chords and rhythm and the place was crowded with punk rockers and metal-heads, some slam dancing in front of a small stage.

 

The witch looked up and saw Giles on lead guitar. Barely able to distinguish the noise, she realized he was the best of the group. It was hard for Tara’s mind to wrap around Giles as a rocker but he seemed so natural at it.

 

Ethan moved up next to the witch, his eyes fixed on Giles.

 

“Janus, he was beautiful!” he said softly, surprising Tara that she could hear him. “So strong and talented.”

The sorcerer blinked and pointed out a figure standing off to the side of the stage, one also watching Giles. Tara recognized a younger Ethan.

 

“This is when we met,” Ethan explained. “Something drew me to him. The band was interesting but it was Ripper that grabbed me. I found out he was the one who wrote the lyrics and the knowledge of the occult hidden in them intrigued me. I could tell that it wasn’t just a Black Sabbath-image thing.”

 

“It all comes back to this time in his life, doesn’t it?” Tara asked, trying not to sound judgmental. “What happened that was so horrible his mind would split into an alter?”

 

Ethan frowned. “You’ll have to see for yourself,” he grumbled as the fog surrounded them again.

 

# # #

 

Tara next saw Giles bent over some books at a second-hand kitchen table. The witch looked around and shook her head. The small apartment looked like a typical musician’s place. Milk crates functioned as bookshelves, tables and lampstands. Records, tape players and guitars were the main decoration aside from the concert handbills taped and tacked to the walls.  None of the furniture matched and some of it looked like Giles had been dumpster diving for it.

 

Giles had changed slightly, his hair was almost down to nothing and it looked like he hadn’t shaved in several days.

 

Despite the hair and youthful appearance, this was more like the Giles Tara knew. Huddled over books, taking notes and unaware of his surroundings.

 

The younger Ethan came in the door of the flat and walked up behind the musician/scholar and wrapped his arms around Giles and nuzzled his neck.

 

Giles shrugged, trying to shake Ethan off but not firmly. “Told you, I don’t swing.”

 

Ethan shook his head and moved to a seat at the table, glancing at the books. “Good grief, Ripper, ancient Sumerian archaeological texts?”

 

“Researching something,” Giles mumbled. After a moment he looked up and grinned impishly. “Hey, sorry. Where have you been the last few days?”

 

“Picking out a spot for the group’s next working,” Ethan smiled and reached for Giles’ hand. The future Watcher frowned but didn’t pull away. “Obviously you haven’t been anywhere but here.”

 

“I guess,” Giles nodded. “If I’m right, this could lead to stuff beyond summoning Pan.”

 

“Tell me something, my rock god,” Ethan said softly, rubbing his thumb lightly over Giles’ knuckles. “Why look for sex spells, rituals and demons if you’re going to fight so hard against it? I know you want me and I want you, what’s the problem.”

 

“I, uh, never been attracted to a man,” Giles said with a blush. “Never been there.”

 

“I’m somewhat bisexual but not usually. With you I am,” Ethan admitted. “Rip, stop fighting, luv. Why does it matter so much if I’m a bird or bloke?”

 

“I don’t know, guess proper upbringing and such,” Giles muttered, continuing to hold Ethan’s hand.

 

“Right and your old man probably visits a tart wearing a school-boy outfit and gets off being paddled,” Ethan smirked.

 

Giles blinked, trying to wipe the sudden image out of his head.

 

“Uh, that’s my da’ not me,” Giles growled, pulling his hand away from Ethan.

 

Ethan’s eyes hardened. “Not good enough for a posh type like yourself?” he growled.

 

“Oh sod off!” Giles growled back, looking back to his books.

 

Both Tara and Giles were surprised by the backhand that sent Giles flying backwards in the chair. He shook his head but before he could raise up, Ethan was on him, hitting him across the jaw.

 

“Bloody idiot!” Ethan muttered just before Giles struck back, sending Ethan off of him.

 

Giles scrambled after his friend, tackling Ethan to the hardwood floor, punching him in the ribs.

 

Ethan again surprised Tara and Giles by grabbing the musician below the belt, obviously firmly. Giles cried out and braced himself with a hand on either side of Ethan’s head, his body covering the sorcerer.

 

“Let go, mate!” he warned. “I don’t know what this is about but let go or I’ll really bash you.”

 

“Feels like you’d rather shag me,” Ethan taunted and Giles blushed.

 

Tara’s face matched Giles when she realized Ethan was slowly moving his hand, stroking the man she thought of like a father, arousing him.

 

The witch glanced away and the older Ethan beside her laughed.

 

“You wanted to know,” he smirked.

 

Younger Ethan flipped Giles over onto his back and kissed him firmly. Giles started to try and sit up but fell back with a moan. Ethan pulled Giles’ t-shirt up and attacked the other man’s nipples. Instead of hitting him, Giles’ hand went to Ethan’s hair, encouraging him.

 

Tara turned her back as Younger Ethan moved lower, his hands working at Giles’ large studded belt and jeans buttons.

 

Older Ethan laughed and the room was filled with fog again.

 

# # #

 

Tara glanced around at the familiar first scene of cobblestone streets and fog.

 

“What type of rituals were you doing with him?” she asked calmly.

 

“Usual stuff at first,” Ethan shrugged. “Talking with the dead, minor revenge stuff for some of the members, some good luck for business or school. Then we decided to take it further and started playing with sexual rituals. Dedicating ourselves to Pan and Janus and such.”

 

Tara frowned. “You were right to ask, why would he seek that out if he wasn’t interested?”

 

“Part of it was the times, sexual revolution, Pre-AIDS, rock n roll lifestyle,” Ethan said slowly, obviously remembering. “It was so ingrained in him to hate sex actually, he was trying to rebel against that and his feelings. Ripper found himself falling in love with me and it caused a lot of inner conflict. He was hoping, I think, that sex in the group would distract him from that.”

 

“I read about Eyghon, there was only one woman in your group,” Tara pointed out with a frown. “If he couldn’t handle being attracted to you, how do the other men fit in?”

 

“We would work with a group that was predominantly female,” Ethan smirked. “Worked out well. They drew the line at Eyghon though. They agreed to participate but not be the vessels.”

 

“Giles is the one that found the ritual, isn’t he?” Tara surmised.

 

“You catch on eventually, don’t you?” Ethan smirked. “Yeah, he found the ritual and researched it and everything. Talked the group into trying it, even to getting tattooed with the symbol, giving the demon permission to enter us within the confines of the ritual circle.”

 

Ethan frowned. “It went fantastic for awhile. One of us would take drugs to fall asleep and then the party would start. Male, female, didn’t matter. The demon hated that he could only come through when we wanted and that we could effectively banish him when we were done.”

 

Ethan sighed. “Rip was getting noticed for his guitar playing and the others were progressing in their fields as well. I seemed to be a natural at the darker arts and Rip and I worked nearly non-stop except when he was playing. They were beginning to compare him to some great players.”

 

“And things went wrong,” Tara surmised.

 

“More than wrong,” Ethan said softly.

 

# # #

 

Tara felt herself blushing when they were suddenly watching an orgy in progress. The young witch couldn’t help turning away as Ethan chuckled. Then he lost his smile and Tara glanced back. She could see the young Ethan moaning as a young man thrust into him.

 

Tara wasn’t sure how long she could watch and intentionally avoided looking for Giles among the group of moving bodies.

 

“His name was Randall,” Ethan said softly. “He was part of our group, a good mate.”

 

Tara’s head was ducked, as she desperately tried to ignore the sounds in the room, the scent of sex, marijuana smoke, alcohol and incense. She looked up at the sound of the door crashing in.  She blinked in surprise when she recognized Giles’ older brother standing there, his face livid.

 

“William!”

 

Tara glanced over and saw young Giles trying to extract himself from two women who didn’t want to let him go.

 

“Goddamn stupid punk!” William shouted and started towards the group, his fists clenched.

 

“William, no! Don’t break…” Giles shouted, tripping over a couple as William crossed the boundary of the ritual circle.

 

Tara screamed along with the others as blinding light filled the room and the sound of a thunderclap knocked those who had been struggling to their feet to the ground. The witch glanced beside her and saw Ethan looking down at his shoes, avoiding the scene.

 

The witch saw Giles on the floor holding his ears and then a new sound filled the room. Laughter. Laughter that chilled Tara to the bone and then a scream. A high pitched scream of absolute fear.

 

“Ethan! No!” Giles shouted, pulling his trousers up as he got to his knees. “Not him! Demon! Over here!”

 

Tara felt her stomach lurch as she realized what had caused Younger Ethan to scream. Randall was beginning to change as he continued to thrust into the sorcerer. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth as the skin began to decompose on his bones. The demon, Eyghon laughed as his hands wrapped around Ethan’s throat.

 

“Oh my Goddess, what?” Tara whispered.

 

“Ripper’s brother broke the ritual circle, breaking the contract,” older Ethan whispered.  Tara looked at the sorcerer as his eyes widened in fear and memory and the turned away quickly. “The demon was in Randall at the time. Once the control was broken, he claimed Randall’s body as he tried to shag me to death.”

 

Tara vaguely was aware of the others screaming and trying to get out of the room but the door had slammed shut and seemed to be locked. One of the males picked up a chair and attempted to shatter a window only to have the chair bounce back.

 

“Eyghon wanted a blood bath. Blood and sex, preferably both at the same time,” older Ethan continued and Tara was sure he was going to retch.

 

Tara watched Giles pick up the chair and break it over Randall/Eyghon’s back. The demon glanced back at the sorcerer and laughed. He thrust his hips hard and Ethan screamed.

 

“No! Take me, damn you! I brought you here!” Giles shouted, trying to pull the demon from Ethan. Eyghon backhanded Giles, sending him flying across the room into William. Both brothers fell heavily against the wall.

 

Ethan was turning bright red and purple when the demon suddenly howled and released him. One of the females had grabbed and oil lamp and throw it against the demon’s back. Eyghon roared in anger and rolled off of Ethan.  The sorcerer rolled the opposite way as the woman grabbed him, pulling him away.

 

“Grace,” Ethan muttered. “One of ours, she was a favorite of Ripper’s and mine.”

 

The demon turned his attention to another female and pinned her to the floor as she screamed.

 

The rest of the group were nearly tearing each other apart in their frenzy to find a way out. Tara watched Grace grab a robe and hand it to Ethan and take one for herself. “We’ve got to stop him!” she shouted.

 

“It’ll kill Randall,” young Ethan protested.

 

“He’s dead already!” Grace snapped, grabbing up a ritual dagger from the altar.

 

Tara saw Giles shake his head and crawl to the altar as well, his hand reaching for the ceremonial sword. Both Grace and Giles turned and headed towards the demon. The witch glanced over at older Ethan and found him curled up in the corner, shaking and moaning. She was torn between comforting him and the sickening desire to see how the scene played out.

 

The young witch saw the demon grin and turn over at the last minute, rolling his female victim on top of him. Grace and Giles, unable to stop their strikes, stabbed the girl and decapitated her.

 

Giles screamed in rage and terror as Eyghon shoved the girl’s body at Grace and threw the head at Giles. The demon grabbed a young male and snapped his neck.

 

Grace rushed the demon again but was backhanded away. Giles saw his chance and rammed the sword through Randall’s body. The demon coughed and shoved Giles back but the sorcerer held onto the sword, pulling it out. Eyghon stumbled to the wall, wounded.

 

“Randall,” older Ethan whispered, tears streaking his face. “He was just a kid looking for kicks, a giggle.”

 

Giles stepped over the bodies and those witches in shock. His face was grim but determined as he approached the demon.

 

The demon fell next to William just before Giles decapitated Randall’s body.

 

Giles fell to his knees, breathing heavily as he leaned on the sword.

 

“Ripper!” Ethan screamed into the crowd.

 

“Here!” Giles called out and started to get to his feet when a familiar laughter filled the room again. “No,” young Giles said softly.

 

William sat up next to Randall’s body, his eyes demon red.

 

“No!” Giles screamed.

 

# # #

 

Tara looked around in confusion. “What?”

 

“His mind threw us out,” Ethan grumbled as he looked around at the cobblestone streets of Victorian London. “Even in here he can’t take it long.”

 

“How did the demon move? How does it work?” Tara asked.

 

“He’s a sleeping demon, it can jump from one body as it’s dying into a dead or unconscious one nearby. William was unconscious,” Ethan explained as he got up from the cobblestones. He brushed at his pants, steeling his expression.  Tara knew he was trying to recover from showing emotion and weakness in front of her and didn’t offer to help or mention how he had reacted.

 

“What happens to the body it inhabits?”

 

“If it isn’t restrained by ritual and contract, it takes over the body and the body begins to die,” Ethan shrugged, leaning against a wall. “You saw with Randall. It can stay in the body only as long as it can keep it moving. When the body deteriorates too far and it must find another host or be sent back to sleep.”

 

“How do you drive it out of a person?” Tara asked, hoping they knew the answer 20 years before and William had been saved but the witch knew the odds weren’t good that he had been.

 

“Threaten the body with immediate death and force it into someone else,” Ethan shook his head. “He could enter any of the group at that moment because of the tattoos or if someone was unconscious. To stop him, you have to kill the body while he’s in it.”

 

“Oh Goddess,” Tara whispered and the scene shifted to the room again. Giles had the sword drawn back as Eyghon/William grabbed a male and laughed.

 

“Do it, Rip!” young Ethan shouted as he and Grace tried to get through the crowd attempting to get far away from the demon.

 

Giles hesitated and the demon castrated the boy with his claws. The sorcerer flinched and closed his eyes for a moment and then moved forward with blinding speed, feinting with the sword, forcing the demon into a corner.

 

“You would kill this body? Kill your brother?” Eyghon taunted. “You’re too weak, Ripper! You always have been. Too much on the side of the light for the rest of this group.”

 

“Shut up!” Giles shouted, drawing the sword back but hesitating again.

 

“You would have your brother pay your price?” Eyghon continued taunting. “I’ll let him go if you become my willing vessel. The body lasts much longer when it’s willing.”

 

Giles paused.

 

“He’s a demon!” Ethan shouted. “You do and we’re all dead!”

 

The sword lowered slightly and the demon grinned. Giles snarled and swung with both hands, taking his brother’s head off.

 

Tara screamed as Giles stood stunned, dropping the sword.

 

A moment later, the young sorcerer screamed, looking down at his brother’s blood on his chest and hands and ran, crashing through a window.

 

“Ripper!” Ethan yelled, dashing to the window. Younger Ethan, Tara and Ethan watched as Ripper got to his feet and began running into the darkness, screaming.

 

# # #

 

Tara leaned against the wall with Ethan when the scene shifted again back to the London streets.

 

“You loved him,” she said softly.

 

“Yes, very much,” Ethan nodded, opening his eyes. “He always fought against the dark magic and against his own bisexuality. Rip was tearing himself apart inside before that happened. Close to the end there it had become something twisted, even for us. Most of the time he wouldn’t touch me unless we had been fighting, sometimes physically. It was like he could shag me if it was violent.”

 

“Goddess,” Tara muttered.  “What happened?”

 

Ethan waved his hand. Tara thought she was going to get motion sick from all the abrupt shifting from scene to scene.

 

Giles was strapped down to a hospital bed, legs, arms and stomach restrained. The young man hadn’t shaved in several days or showered, Tara thought. His eyes were manic as he struggled against the straps.

 

The future Watcher screamed and thrashed as much as the straps would allow.

 

“This about two weeks later, I found out,” Ethan said softly, his face pained as he watched Ripper struggle.

 

“Where are we?” Tara asked.

 

“Hospital outside Cambridge,” Ethan frowned. “He never came back to the flat and we began hunting for him desperately. When we went back to take care of the bodies, everything was cleaned up and the bodies were gone.”

 

“What?”

 

“Yeah, we were confused as hell,” Ethan nodded. “No sign of Giles and no police either. We didn’t know it but the Watcher’s Council had stepped in. They had followed William when he found out where Ripper was. They wanted John back on track to his destiny.”

 

“They covered up the killings to protect him?” Tara asked in disbelief.

 

“Yeah, and as a favor to Sir Giles, retired Watcher and member of the High Council,” Ethan explained. “They managed to find him two weeks later, strung out on alcohol and any pills he could get his hands on. Totally insane.”

 

“And they never told you,” Tara surmised.

 

“No, all of us in the group received visitors late one night,” Ethan growled, watching as a nurse injected something into Giles’ IV and a few moments later the sorcerer quieted down, his eyes drooping. “We were threatened, most of us beaten badly. We were told that we never knew Ripper, had never heard of the Giles family and Randall had died in an auto accident.”

 

“You gave up?” somehow Tara didn’t think Ethan would let go of Giles that easily, especially given his track record even after Giles had moved to Sunnydale and taken over his destiny as Buffy’s Watcher.

 

“Not bloody likely,” Ethan smirked.

 

Again the scene shifted and they were on London streets. “I found out years later that they shifted him to Germany for reconditioning.”

 

“Reconditioning? That doesn’t sound pleasant,” Tara frowned.

 

“It wasn’t,” Ethan nodded.

 

# # #

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Ripper Part 3