For The Love Of Spike
Chapter 9
Spike sighed and flipped to another channel. It seemed the television networks were trying to bore him to death.
Too bad I don't get the WB network, he thought, then gasped aloud, hunching forward. Something - a strong, grinding, twisting pain - had grabbed him and dug its teeth in.
Spike gritted his teeth and wrapped his arms around his middle, trying to endure the waves of gnawing pain. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the pain was gone.
Spike sighed in relief, then stood and started for the phone. He wanted to pay a visit to a local tarot shop, or, as Angel had once referred to it, "the local boogedy boogedy store."
"Drusilla!" Katherine got out.
She smiled. In her arms was a small, whining dog. She lifted it slightly and held it against her.
"Miss Sunshine here tells me that you've made my darling ill," she said sweetly, indicating the dog.
Katherine shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about." Then she suddenly found her head snapped to the side, her cheek stinging. Drusilla had slapped her.
"My darling. Spike," she said. Her voice sounded strange - it was as if she was so angry that it sounded like she was speaking against her own will. "You've made him ill," she said again, relaxing.
"I...I haven't done anything, except leave him. You can have him back. I thought that's what you wanted." Katherine was nervous. With Drusilla's mental state along with her greater experience as a vampire, there was no telling what she would do, or, more importantly, could do.
For a moment, Buffy was speechless.
"But...But how?" she whispered. She searched her mind, and figured that the only person who had a remote chance of finding a cure was...
"Jenny," Giles said, almost as if he were reading her thoughts. "Ms. Calender. Apparently Angel found out that she had the materials for his cure, and had deciphered the ancient Gypsy text which held the spell, and he killed her. But," Giles added with a smile, "not before she recorded the deciphering program on disc."
Buffy jumped up. "That's great! Now all we have to do is get Angel!"
Giles shook his head. "Angel isn't going to do the spell through his own will."
Buffy shrugged, pacing. "So we figure something out. Do we have the materials and everything all ready? We could get Spike to help us get Angel."
Giles nodded. "Angel destroyed Jenny's Orb of Thessalus, which is needed for the spell, but I ordered one from the tarot shop in town where she apparently got hers, and I have it with me. But Buffy," he continued with a frown, "are you sure you want Spike to help us?"
Buffy sat on the stool next to Giles. "I don't think we have any other choice."
Spike shoved a hand in his jeans pocket and jiggled some loose change while the phone rang. After several rings, he gave up and hit the off button on the cellular phone, deciding to go straight to the shop instead.
But as he started moving towards the door, Spike was again suddenly struck with the same mysterious pain. This time, though, it was worse, spreading like fiery knives throughout his body, engulfing him. His veins were on fire. A roaring sound filled his ears. Spike fell to his knees with a cry. His vision grayed. He tasted blood - he'd bitten his lip. A groan escaped his lips. And it was over.
Spike stayed on his hands-and-knees for a moment, trying to get his breath back. Whatever was wrong with him, he had to fix it, and fast. Before it was too late.
Katherine backed away as Drusilla advanced, staring at her from under her lashes. Katherine's calves hit her sofa, and she sat. She swallowed and tried to control her rising panic.
"What do you want?" she asked. Drusilla slowly smiled.
"Just wanted to have a little chat, luv," she said sweetly. She bent and released the dog, who scampered away into the depths of Katherine's closet. Katherine tried not to think of the clothes and shoes she had left there when moving to Spike's, and concentrated on Drusilla as she sat and arranged her skirts. Just like she was in the Nineteenth Century, Katherine thought in amazement. She's acting like she's having tea with an acquaintance!
"So, let's talk," Katherine said smoothly. Drusilla folded her hands in her lap.
"Yes. Let's talk about your parents."
"My parents?" Katherine said with raised eyebrows. A feeling of dread settled in her stomach.
"Hm-mmm." Drusilla leaned forward and said with a small, slightly catty smile, "I know things."
"What things?" Katherine clenched her hands together.
Drusilla rose and began to slowly walk back and forth, her skirts swirling. "Just...what happened to them in Seattle a few days ago...ah!" Drusilla finished with a shriek as Katherine jumped up and grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around. She glared at Katherine, who quickly dropped her hands.
"Sorry."
Drusilla rolled her shoulders slightly, then continued. "Anyway, I know things that I think you should know as well. Important things." Katherine nodded, still not sure what Drusilla wanted.
Drusilla smiled. "Do you want to know who killed your parents?"
Katherine lowered herself to the sofa. "Yes. Yes, I think I do."
Drusilla's smile widened. "Let me introduce you."
Chapter 10