It's In My Blood pt.6-7

Author: Sarafina aka Gifted Spike
sarafina@delcarsdungeon.com


Part 6

"What is your plan?" Ripper asked as they entered the mansion.

Angelus ran his hand through his hair. "I need you all to find out what the numbers for us are." He sat in his chair. "Then we need to" he stressed the next word. "persuade some more into joining us."

"Have you decided on the Champions?" Spike asked from his perch on the back of the couch. He picked at the black polish on his nails pretty confident he was one of them.

Angelus looked over his group. He had already made his decision, but a feud was not what he needed right now. "You are all excellent warriors, but I can only choose three of you."

He feigned scrutinizing each one, as if appraising their skills.

Dawn stepped back. "I don't think I am ready to fight in this kind of challenge." Then she stammered "If you don't mind"

Angelus nodded and she sighed relief.

Joyce stood by Dawn. "I must back out, too."

Again Angelus nodded. "Dru?"

"I already see the fighters, my luv, Miss Edith and I shall cheer for them."

A smile played across Angelus' lips. That left Ripper, Willow, Xander, Spike and Buffy. "Ahem" He cleared his throat to get Willow's attention. She was all over Xander again. -Does she never get enough?- he thought idly.

The couple looked up and Xander grinned. "As much as we love violence, we love random violence more. We're not the fighters and we know it." He shrugged as Willow pulled him back down for a kiss.

"Ok, so what do we do?" Buffy asked. Taking her place next to Spike.

"You fight for your lives, our lives, and the Hellmouth."

"Oh.ok.that's no big." She bounced off the couch. "Come on guys, we need to go train."

Giles grabbed his glasses. "I thought that was my line." As he followed her out of the room.

Angelus turned to the others. "Go. Ask. Recruit. Persuade" He waved his hands dismissing them from his presence.

The five of them walked down the street with a sense of purpose. Everyone moved out of their way for fear of being mowed over. They had started one side of town and headed towards the other in a straight line.

"We have about two and half hours before sundown, Lets hit two more places then head home." Joyce offered.

"I'm game." Xander answered as they headed into a seedy bar.

They moved towards the bar. The bar tender backed up nervously. "We don't want any trouble in here."

Willow flashed her fangs. "Too late, we're here."

Dawn hopped up on the bar. "Alright, you know why we're here ladies and gentlemen." She paced. "We need to know which side of the line you stand on. Ours." She glared out at the occupants. "Or the losing one."

"Brave words coming from a little girl." A voice shouted from the crowd.

Willow snaked through the crowd and found a scruffy vamp in the corner was the owner of the voice. "I think we need to teach this one a lesson." She licked his face. "What'd you think Xander?'

"I think I have just the idea, if you're up to it, Wil."

"I'll try anything once."

Xander motioned for her to follow him outside. She drug the loud mouth out with her and smiled as she saw the run down church that Xander was making a beeline for.

She stopped at the top of the steps. "Won't it hurt?" she looked at Xander hesitantly.

"Can you handle it?" the wicked grin he wore promised that this was going to be good.

"I can handle anything you can Harris." She straightened and followed him in. The feeling crashed down her. She was not supposed to be here. She needed to run. Her prisoner struggled harder and Xander grabbed his other arm and muscled him up to the stand. He pulled the shaking hand of the wild-eyed vamp and slammed it into the bowl of holy water.

The shriek the emanated from the vamp brought the priest out from the back, but he soon disappeared again once he realized they were not parishioners.

They left the church, dragging the sobbing vamp behind them. As soon as they got outside, Xander slammed him against the wall. "Now, I want you to tell all your friends to side with the winner. Do you know who that is?"

"An..An..Angelus. R..r.right?" He stammered, cradling his hand to his chest.

Willow smiled big. "Right, now run along and spread the word." He looked suspiciously at them. "Run along now..shoo!" He took off running.

She draped her arms over Xander's shoulders. "That was exhilarating, but don't ever make me go in one of those places again!"

He chuckled "Ok. Promise. No more nasty holy places for my girl." He put his arm around her as the headed back to the bar where they left Joyce, Dawn and Drusilla.

They entered the bar to find the floor covered in dust and most of the clientele were rooted their seats. "We done here ladies?' Xander asked.

"Yup, I think so. We had to show a few of them we mean business. The rest of them promise to be good puppies, right?" Dawn said from where she stood atop one of the pool tables. Everyone nodded enthusiastically, not wanting to join the dust on the floor.

"Fine get down and let's head home, we can do more damage tomorrow night."


Part 7

They both rushed her in an attempt to knock her off her feet. She kicked high to knock Ripper back onto his backside, and twisted to evade Spike's attack. "Come on, boys, this is supposed to be a workout, not ballet."

Ripper swept his leg around and swept her feet out from under her. "I haven't been a boy in a long time."

She pushed her legs under her and sprung up from her back. "Fine, Old man, that all you got?"

Spike attacked her from behind, grabbing her hands and pinning them to her sides "Gotcha." Ripper went in for the finish but was met with a kick to the face as she flipped over Spike's head, landed behind him and effectively reversed the hold.

She leaned in close and whispered. "Now who's got who?"

He broke her grasp and spun to face her, catching her lips with his mouth.

Ripper cleared his throat. "Unless you plan on kissing the enemy to death, I think we need to concentrate more on kick and punches and less on lips and tongues."

Buffy pulled away and stuck her tongue out a Giles. "We've been at this for two and a half days, I'd like to spend a quiet evening with Spike, in case one of use doesn't make it."

"Speak for yourself, Luv, I'm going to win my bout."

"Not if you keep lowering your defenses to make the more risky offensive moves." Buffy looked him in the eye.

He squirmed, "I only do it so you think you can beat me."

She rolled her eyes, "We both know, actually, everyone knows I can, so why pretend?" She moved closer. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

The warehouse was packed. Everyone backing what they thought was the winning side.

The Master sat at one end, Angelus at the other.

A voice announced over the PA system. "The challenge has been issued and accepted, the champions for The Master are Warren, Andrew, and Darla. The Champions for Angelus are Ripper, Spike and Buffy. The winner shall rule the Hellmouth, the loser shall perish." The announcer paused as the crowd got loud. "As challenger Angelus must send in his first champion."

Angelus nodded and as was decided before they arrived, Ripper entered the arena first. The Master smiled. The Ex-watcher was no push over, but definitely not Angelus' best. He nodded to Andrew, who had been upsetting him as of late. He hoped this fight would rid him of the pest.

Andrew entered the ring knowing he was out classed, but willing to do whatever the master told him. He held his weapon, a large hammer, tight. He was surprised; Ripper did not choose a weapon. He just stood his ground, glaring at Andrew. Andrew rushed forward raising the hammer above his head, Ripped stepped aside at the last minute and his momentum carried him towards the crowd. A hand held a stake that connected with his heart. Andrew looked confused at the owner for a second, and then he swirled into dust.

"Disqualification, participation from the crowd." The voice boomed.

Darla appeared at the Master's side and whispered something in his ear that made him smile.

The Master pointed and sent Warren out to face the next challenger, which happened to be Spike.

Warren knew that if he won this, it would mean one step closer to the real power and ultimately his turn at being Master. He had to take one step at a time to bring his dream into realization. This step involved ridding the Hellmouth of those troublemakers.

He threw a punch that connected with Spike's face. Spike turned away to lessen the blow and turned back grinning. "My turn." Spike pulled back and hit Warren hard enough to send him backwards a few paces. "Why don't you get a weapon and we can do this all man-like."

"Why don't you go screw yourself?" Warren lunged at Spike and met with Spike foot.

"Oh, I see, you're the master's new poofter, eh." Warren tried to grapple Spike, but he just got pushed away.

"Come on, don't you have more fight than this?" Spike spun on the ball of his foot, other leg raised high and connected with Warren's face hard. The boy was sent flying into the crowd and mysteriously met the same fate as Andrew.

Angelus narrowed his eyes as the disqualification announcement was made. What the hell was the Master up to? Darla, he was sure, had taken out the first boy, but she was still at his side when the second one disappeared. Then he saw the perpetrator, Harmony slither up to the Master's side and give a little wave across to Angelus.

He clenched his fists in anger, was the master's plan to let it all ride on Buffy and Darla? As the ladies entered the ring, he knew how dangerous both of them could be. He also knew Darla wasn't going to play by the rules, but what was the scheme?

"Hello little girl. Ready to fight in the big leagues?" Darla asked as she and Buffy circled each other looking for an opening.

Buffy ignored her.

"I'm talking to you." Darla reached out to grab her and Buffy grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. As she pulled Darla close to apply breaking force pressure, a pain erupted in between he ribs. She looked down unbelieving at the stake protruding from her chest. It missed her heart, but the pain was incredible. Spike was at her side "It missed your heart, luv, just hold on. He got up turn to Darla who had a smug look on her face.

"You just disqualified your side."

He jumped on her and twisted her head off of her body.

Three demons, who traditionally did judging, were conferring and gesturing at the arena. Then a tall slender dark skinned vampire brought them a video camera. They played back the fights, pointing a couple times to the screen. One got up and took the mic from the announcer.

"In light of recent evidence, The Master has been disqualified from the challenge. By sacrificing his own he did not allow for a true representation of the challenger's true might. We have judged."

The Master did not wait to hear the rest. He ran for the secret entrance dragging Harmony with him. She was babbling incessantly, but he blocked it out. He was looking behind him when he ran into Angelus' chest.

"You weren't planning on leaving without saying good -bye were you?"

"Get out of my way, fledgling!"

Angelus grabbed the master by the throat and lifted him off the ground. "I am Master around here now."

The Master smiled "But because of the way you won, you constantly have to fight for your position."

"Fine, but you won't be one of the challengers." Angelus held him tight as Dru poured liquid on the master.

"Can we watch the dance? Miss Edith likes the dance."

Angelus set the master down and started to walk away, but stopped and turned back "Here's a little going away present." He struck the match against the wall and threw it at the master who had just turned to run. The fire ignited the gasoline and the Master screamed in agony.

Harmony just stared blankly at the scene, then disappeared into the shadows unnoticed.


Epilogue

Angelus sat in his chair, playing with his dagger. "How should I punish you ladies for killing the slayer?"

Buffy looked up from doing her nails. "What?!"

"I said I would punish you, I think revoking you reward for the other night should be punishment enough."

"Wait, you're saying we won and now you're welching on the bet?" Dawn looked at him in disbelief.

"Actually it was a draw." Angelus could not contain his grin.

"How so?" Joyce asked

"Let's see, you ladies blew up two humans, a slayer and four inconsequential vamps." He paused for effect "Now the slayer got you lotsa points, but not enough."

"That nasty slayer did not listen to the music." Drusilla straightened the dolls dress.

"We, the men of this clan, got one of you into a church." He watched Willow punch Xander in the arm. Killed three upper echelon vampires and the Master."

"Upper echelon vampires, who? I'll give you Darla, but Warren and Andrew? You didn't even take them out, Darla and Harmony did." Buffy was pissed.

"I am the Master now and I say you lost the bet." Angelus stared her down

"Fine, you can deal with them then." Buffy pointed to a group of vamps that entered as if they owned the place. "Crap, and I just did my nails."


Finito, Fin, The end