|
|
Arestor looked out at the lights of Sunnydale below. It was just after midnight and he watched with interest as lights here and there blinked out. “Master.”
Arestor turned around to face the vampire that had spoken. It was the one he had sent to speak with Spike. “Yes?”
“I took your message to Spike. He said that anyone who would try such a plan is foolhardy. He refused to come, and actually looked like he was packing to leave when I arrived,” the vampire reported.
“The fool. The prophecy is with us tonight. Ah well, he shall rue his decision when he hears of our victory.” Arestor waved the vampire away as he saw his two other minions approaching with a moving sack. He grinned as they emptied the sack and hauled the girl to her feet. She was beautiful, even in her disheveled state and he eyed her greedily.
“She is a friend of the Slayer’s,” the vampire reported, “We left behind another of her friends, who knew where we were going. He however will not be helping her. I made sure he would … remember that we had been there.”
Arestor smiled. “Good.” He watched her as her eyes adjusted to the brighter light of her surroundings.
When Cordelia was finally dumped from the sack, she found herself momentarily blinded by the light in her surroundings. She was in a clearing. The full moon had only been two nights ago, so it was still shining brightly over head. The clearing had lanterns hung from the trees to further illuminate he surroundings. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she found herself face to face with someone as out of place here as she. The man before her was of average height, with long naturally blond hair that seemed golden in this light. He had strong cheekbones, shining hazel eyes, and expressive lips. He looked younger than most vampires, perhaps only 19. He was dressed in a regular pair of blue jeans and an old shirt. He had the build of jock and a handsome face to match. Cordelia could now understand why he was so hard to catch. He could blend into any high school or college crowd. Girls probably flocked to him, instead of running from him. He didn’t seem to have the dark halo that most vampires had. Cordelia knew he was evil though, and her blood ran cold as his eyes lighted up and he smiled evilly at her.
He stalked toward her and ran a hand casually down the side of her face. Cordelia flinched and fought to free herself, but the two vampires held her tightly between them. Arestor smiled at her reaction. “You made a good choice,” he told his minions, “I’m pleased. Tie her to the tree there, closest to the edge. Face her so that she can see when her friends approach … and when they die.”
“Yes, master,” they answered. The vampires dragged her to the tree nearest to the edge, with her back to the tree. She could see the clearing and the mansion below her and if she looked to her right, she could see the cliff and Sunnydale, far, far below.
Arestor came to stand in front of her, when he had finished giving his orders to his other minions. Cordy struggled to free herself, but that only made Arestor’s smile grow. “Shhhh,” he murmured. He smoothed her disheveled hair, and Cordy tried not flinching at his touch. “You remind me of someone I knew long ago. She was killed by one of those blasted Slayers … you’re truly beautiful.”
Cordy raised her head defiantly, as if to say she was above his compliments, although she dared not speak. He laughed at her defiance, and looked her up and down hungrily. She shivered in fear under his gaze. “It really is a waste to use one such as you only as bait. A beauty such as you should last forever … You could join me. We could be like Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. Great rulers, that live on through time.”
“Never!” Cordy spat out at him. Arestor only smiled more evilly. “Pity,” he said circling the tree and letting his hand trail down her arm, “I’ll not force immortality on you, at least, not at first. But be sure that I will keep you around, when this is done … for my own purposes.”
“Leave her alone!” Buffy shouted.
Arestor looked up at the shout. Buffy, Pike, Angel, and Kendra were standing at the back entrance of the old mansion. “Ahhh. The mighty Slayer graces us with her presence at last,” Arestor called out. At his call, vampires swarmed in, forming a circle around the clearing. “So nice of you to join us, although I’ve heard you’ve been looking for me for quite awhile. Haven’t you Pike?”
“Let the girl go,” Kendra called out.
“No,” Arestor answered simply.
“It will be easier, if you do,” Angel warned.
“For you perhaps,” Arestor replied, smartly. Angel growled and the others grew more tense, unsure of what to do next. They stood there, facing Arestor and his minions for several minutes, neither moving. “Well are you going to come get her, or not?” Arestor finally asked.
This seemed to snap them all back to their senses and they ran up the hill. Arestor's minions came down to meet them and the battle began. The vampires had the advantage of numbers, but they faced two slayers, Pike, and Angel. Arestor watched before walking towards the fighting.
As the fighting began, Willow quietly crept around the outside of the clearing. She clutched a cross in one hand and a pocketknife in the other. She quickly reached Cordy and sawed through the ropes with the knife. As the two crept back, the fight had begun to move closer to the cliff, but it looked as if their friends were doing alright. When they had reached the van, Willow argued to go back and help, despite the fact that Buffy had told them to leave. As they argued a group of vampires approached. As they finished deciding to stay, the vampires attacked, catching them by surprise. A vampire lunged at Oz through the driver’s side window. Xander sprayed the vampire with holy water as others attacked Cordy and Willow from the back. The two fought back, with fists and crosses.
“Get in!” Xander yelled from the front, as he sprayed another vampire, trying to get in from the front. The girls jumped in the back, as Oz squealed away, vampires still hanging onto the sides and back of the van. One vampire actually made it into the van, but Cordy and Willow were able to stake him with a little help from Xander. The bruised and battered Slayerettes sped off towards Giles’ house, plans of staying forgotten.
Back on the bluff, Buffy and Angel were barely holding their own, and Pike was actually winning. Kendra however was sorely outnumbered. Pike killed the vamp attacking him and turned to see a third vampire attacking Kendra from the rear. The vamp was to far away for him to stake, but Pike grabbed one of his small throwing knives and got the vampire in the back. The vampire screamed, bringing him to Kendra’s attention. Kendra quickly staked the vampire, but the distraction was enough for Arestor.
Arestor attacked as Pike’s knife hit the vampire. He grabbed Pike and threw him into a nearby tree. The two fought viciously, at what looked to be a stalemate. Arestor continued to beat Pike back though. Before Pike realized what was happening he was on the edge of the bluff overlooking Sunnydale, next to the tree where Cordelia had been tied. As they fought, Pike slipped on the uncertain footing and he fought to regain his balance. He stumbled forward away from the edge. As he looked up, Arestor hit him under the chin with a double fist. Pike was knocked back, and tumbled over the edge.
Angel could see that Arestor was maneuvering Pike towards the cliff, but was busy fighting other vampires. He tried to call out and warn Pike, but Pike never heard him. Angel was able to dispatch one of the last vampires as he saw Pike lose his balance. He ran to help, but was unable to reach them before Pike went over. He went to stake Arestor in the back, as Arestor went to peer over the edge, but one of the minions yelled a warning and Arestor turned around in time. Angel and Arestor fought, Angel carefully maneuvering them away from the cliff.
When Buffy had dispatched her final vampire, she glanced up to make sure Willow had released Cordy. Cordy was no longer tied to the tree, but Kendra was lying down on the grass peering over the edge of the bluff. There was no sign of Pike, but she could see Angel fighting Arestor and a group of minions coming in to help. She rushed over, to help Angel. Fighting as a team the two were able to fight off Arestor’s minions, and to stake Arestor. As Arestor crumbled under Angel’s stake, his minions scattered, running in all directions.
Thanks to Pike’s knife, Kendra was soon able to get the upper hand and stake the remaining vampires facing her. As her last opponent turned to ash under her stake, Kendra looked up to see Pike tumble over the edge of the bluff. Kendra ran towards Arestor, fear and anger coursing through her veins. Angel reached him before her though and she changed course, heading instead to where Pike had gone over. She carefully walked to the edge, and looked over fearfully. Her heart lodged in her throat as she saw Pike not far below her. He was hanging onto a root of the tree and a small rock outcropping. Dirt and rocks tumbled down as his feet searched for purchase on the side.
Kendra laid down on the grass and carefully inched forward so that her head and shoulders were out over the edge. “Pike!” she called.
Pike looked up to see Kendra about four feet above him. “Hey,” he called back, “Do you think I can get some help?”
Kendra reached down. Her hand came within a foot of his. Pike fought for purchase, and let go of the rock outcropping and reached for her hand. His feet slipped, and he fell back downwards. He grabbed onto root, now with both hands, and hung on for dear life. His feet continued to search for purchase, but couldn’t find any. “I think we’re going to have to try something else,” he called up, laughing meekly as his eyes traveled down the slope to the lights far below him. He gulped and looked up again, smiling thinly.
Kendra backed up and looked around. She saw the rope that had been used to tie Cordelia up. Quickly she tied the rope to the tree and threw it over the edge. She inched back into position and looked back over the edge. Pike looked at the rope uncertainly.
“Will it hold?” he asked.
“We shall see, now won’t we?” she replied. Pike laughed and transferred his hold to the rope. The rope became taunt as he put his weight on it. Kendra wrapped her leg around it to give herself leverage and reached down to give him a hand. Pike’s dirt covered hands were slipping on the rope, but he was able to climb enough to grab Kendra’s outstretched hand. With the help of the rope, she was able to haul him back onto the bluff.
Pike sat down against the tree and Kendra inched away from the edge, as Buffy and Angel came over. “Where have you been Pike? I didn’t see you fighting near the end,” Buffy said.
“Let’s just say, I was out there,” Pike said with a laugh. Angel chuckled and Kendra smiled, while Buffy just stared at them, not knowing what had almost happened. “Thanks, Kendra,” Pike said.
“Ye’re welcome,” Kendra said.