stillrose | There’s Always a Sneer in Vegas (84/?)

Title: There’s Always a Sneer in Vegas (84/?)
Fandom: BTVS; Spike/Xander
Warnings: Slash,AU, Post Apocalyptic, violence,non-con, slavery, tentacles,
Rating: NC-17
Summary: It’s been seven years since Angelus killed Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Seven years after Angelus opened a portal to hell on Earth. Humans are food, slaves or on the run. There’s hope only in small band of resistance fighters. However, that’s a hope Xander Harris no longer has. It’s been six months since he was taken in a raid. At first Xander thought he was lucky the demons didn’t know who he was; but then that was before he became property to an Azora demon.

As always: Feedback makes my heart go pitter-patter.

UNBETAED

The end is nigh. We are in the final chapters. I don't know if I'll be able to write on Friday. Hopefully this weekend though.

Previous parts here.

*********************************************************************************
Lindsey paused. He looked at the Jhe demon holding the two witches and then looked back at Dawn.

“Seems to me we have a bit of a stand-off,” Lindsey said. “You move forward the Jhe can kill the witches. If the Jhe moves to kill the witches you can kill her.”

“There has to be another way,” Dawn said.

“There is,” Lindsey replied as he began limping toward the exit again.

“I can’t just leave them!” Dawn cried.

“Well then that’s your choice then, darlin’” Lindsey said as he reached to the doorway before disappearing.

*********************************************************************************

Spike counted as least a dozen punishable offenses his Pet had earned in the course of the battle to take the mansion.

Nearly gettin’ himself killed is on top of the list things he should never do, Spike silently groused as he snapped the neck of badly beaten and bloody Kith’harn demon. Should have left him tied up neat and pretty back with the lions. Woulda kept him from doing...things like THAT!

“PET!” Spike roared as he saw Xander charge yet another demon. This time it was an axe wielding Jhe demoness. He dodged under the swinging blade just in time to try and shove a dagger into her stomach only his blade tangled in her armor. Xander lost his hold and his balance sending him tumbling onto the hard earth.

Spike made a charge of his own leaping over the slayer as she wrestled with her own opponent. The blue demoness swung her axe again. Xander rolled to his right as she started her downward swing. The blade landed next to him. He rolled again hoping to get to his feet before her next attack only to find he’d bumped into the back of a Kith’harn.

You take the blue pill...the story ends, Xander silently quotes as the red demon whirls around growling its eyes lighting on the prone human. You take the red pill...and the story still ends.

“Xander!” Spike yells grabbing hold of the Jhe demon by the arm, swinging her around and throwing her into the red demon. “So help me, Pet. You get yourself killed…”

“I know! I know!” Xander yelled back as he crabbed crawled away from the tangle of demons. “I’ll have earned a punishment..and not the happy little Xander kind!”

A hand grabbed the back of his neck and hauled him to his feet. It was a familiar touch. Xander turned and stared his Master in his eye.

“Don’t!” Spike said in a broken voice caught somewhere between fear and anger.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Xander whispered remembering his vow.

A loud snarl broke the moment and Spike shoved Xander behind him. Both the Jeh and the Kith’harn were
attacking; one was wielding a short blade and the other swinging an axe.

“Oi! Now ya just got me t’d off!” Spike growled as he leaped forward toward the attackers.

“SPIKE!” Xander cried not one to let his vampire, no matter how capable, charge into a fight two against one. Quickly he looked around and spotted a club lying next to one of the dead Voynoks on the ground. He ran for it even as he heard Spike cry out in pain.

Vampires were hard to kill but if the demons managed to severe the head from his body Xander knew it would be the end. He heard another snarl of pain as he surged forward to reach the fallen demon.

Too high pitched for Spike, Xander thought as he wrapped his hands around the shaft of the club. He turned to see the red and blue demons circling Spike. The three moved around each other as if they were planets locked in some strange orbit with Spike being the center of the odd little solar system.

Still, the situation worked to Xander’s advantage.

Feet, Xander thought as he began to move as quickly and as silently as he could. I know we haven’t always been on speaking terms. In fact I know we’ve often been at some odd little war. However, just this once can we call it a truce? Can you not trip over each other and give our stealthy approach away and I’ll not stub you against anything sharp and pointy?

The odd dance between demons and vampire continued as Xander crept back to the fight. The demons still focused on taking down Spike. As Xander got closer he caught Spike’s attention.

Xander! Spike thought forcing himself not to react and give away his pet’s presence. What are you…?

A stern look of determination settled on Xander’s face as he pulled the club back over his shoulder readying to swing it once a one of the two demons moved in range.

Batter up! he thought as the the Kith’harn stepped in front of him.

The club smashed into the red demon’s skull with a squelching “thud!” At the same moment Spike rushed the Jhe grabbing the axe in her hands, pulling her forward and headbutting her with all the force he could muster.

There was a loud “crack” as the Jhe and Spike both shook their heads, stumbled and started to fall. Xander took another swing at the red demon’s head. There was another squelching sound as the right side of it’s skull caved inward. The demon sank to it’s knees and began to fall forward.

Spike yanked on the axe. It tore free from the Jhe’s hold. Swiftly Spike spun it around in his hands and with one quick swoop he cleaved the demoness’ head clean from her body. He then quickly looked around for Xander.

“Tell me that knocked some sense into you,” Xander said as he stepped close to Spike and offered a hand to help the woozy vampire to his feet.

Thirteen punishable offenses, Spike thought as he raised one bloody hand to his head.

“I’m not the one charging inta trouble just after I’ve been rescued,” Spike said taking Xander’s hand while some how still managing to keep hold of the axe.

“Two demons! No weapons! I’m not sure that was your most brilliant move. Oh, Master Hot Water!”

“I’m not the one in hot water, Pet,” Spike warned.

“Well another stunt like that and I won’t have to worry about anyone giving me any punishments will I?” Xander said suddenly realizing he wasn’t just worried for Spike but angry with him.

“Pet…”

“Don’t ‘Pet’ me,” Xander yelled. “You don’t just get to go off and almost get yourself killed! If we’re going down we’re doing it together. You hear me?”

For a brief moment Spike’s demon flared at Xander’s insolence. It cried out to take hold and lay stripes to the boy’s backside immediately but it was tempered by the soul’s delight. Spike had a poet’s soul with a poet’s understanding of the heart and it had a hope and desperate suspicion where that sudden anger had come. It was that hope that gave the soul the strength to keep tight rein on the demon and to see how this played out.

“I believe pretty much everyone heard you,” Wesley interrupted.

Both vampire and human stopped and looked around. The raging battle around them had for the most part ceased. The could hear signs of fighting in the distance but around them stood the former watcher and several Voynok demons.

“It seems Faith and the others have moved the fight into the mansion,” Wes continued. “Thought you might want to know.”

For a moment Xander and Spike stared at each other. Then Spike spun around and looked at the Voynok demons.

“Oi! Whadya waitin’ fer? Go!” he ordered.

The other demons rushed off with Wes following, a smirk upon his face. Spike looked back at Xander. His pet closed his eyes. All the hot anger was suddenly gone. He opened his eyes and returned Spike gaze. The vampire was smiling.

That’s never good, Xander thought.

“Don’t...pet ya, huh?” Spike said in a low husky voice as he stepped close and leaned into Xander. His mouth was now just inches from Xander’s ear. “If we we’re going down we’re doin’ it together?”

Spike! Xander thought as he groaned. A different heat was now flooding his body. Damn you! Why do you always have to fight dirty!

“Interestin’ choice of words, Pet,” Spike said as he stepped back grinning.

“Aren’t we supposed to be saving the world, Master?” Xander asked hoping at least his face wasn’t flushed.

“What’s the use in savin’ if can’t take a moment to tease my pet?” Spike asked.

Xander rolled his eyes, turned and started to jog towards the fight.

I win this round, pet, Spike thought as he laughed and ran to catch up with his Xander. I’ll always win as long as I have you.

*********************************************************************************

The fighting was getting closer. Dawn could hear it yet she had no idea who was winning. She didn’t even know who exactly was out there fighting other than Spike.

And Xander! she thought. Please let Xander be with him!

She didn’t dare leave to go see. She feared what would happen to Willow and Tara if she did. The Jhe demon still holding her friends in a spell stood in the corner staring at Dawn. Dawn stared back her blood soaked blade still in her hand.

She swallowed. She really didn’t know what her options were. This might be her only chance to save herself; to escape Angelus. Some part of her argued they would want her to go; escape.

She shook her head. She couldn’t. She knew they wouldn’t. In the beginning they had stuck together because they were all they had. They were family. However, as time passed and the world fell deeper into Angelus’ hell it became something more. Humans, free humans, they stuck together because they were the Resistance. They stuck together because they had fight and they had hope.
We stuck together because we were...are human, she thought as she looked at the Jhe. She had an idea.

“It’s tough, isn’t it?” Dawn asked the demon. “Being in here not knowing what’s going on out there.”

The Jhe hissed.

“I mean Angelus side could be winning...probably is winning...but…”

Dawn fell silent and looked over her shoulder towards the exit where fighting could be heard. The demon’s gaze followed for a moment before looking back at Dawn.

“But what?” she hissed in a dry crackling voice.

Dawn fought the urge to smile. She turned back to look at the Jhe.

“Well...the Resistance...we have some really good fighters. We have the slayer...we could be winning.”

“Not possible!”

“Not probable,” Dawn countered tilting her head slightly, “but possible.”

The Jhe looked towards the exit.

“It’s a tough call to make isn’t it,” Dawn asked.

“What?” hissed the demon looking back at Dawn.

“To stay or to run?”

“Why would I run?”

“Well if the Resistance is winning then when they get here you will be out numbered….”

“I’ll kill the witches!” the demon threatened immediately.

Dawn swallowed down the cold rush of terror that shot through her.

Can’t let her see me be afraid! she thought.

“And they would immediately kill you,” Dawn said.

The Jhe looked back at the exit and hissed again.

“And what if the Resistance is losing?” she asked.

“Well than I’m wasting my only opportunity to make an escape,” Dawn answered.

The Jhe laughed returned to watching Dawn.
“But I’m not really losing anything in that case am, I? I mean circumstances don’t change. Angelus meant to bleed me before and he’ll still bleed me but you…”

“Me what?”

“Well, if we’re..the Resistance..is winning then that changes everything for you doesn’t it?”

The demon growled.

“I mean instead of serving the great Angelus and maybe winning his favor you’ll be dead. No glory, no thanks….”

“I will have earned Lord Angelus’ favor!”

“Rigggght because that’s mean a lot of if he is dead.”

“You will not be able to kill him!” the Jhe laughed.

“Maybe not. Maybe you’re right. Maybe we win and he lives but do you think he’s gonna come back for you? I mean look around,” Dawn says turning and gesturing around the room with Cyvus’ corpse and the rack on the other side. “It’s not like he thought to leave you back up.”

“He trusts me to do his bidding!”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t also...expendable,” Dawn turning back to face the Jhe.

A loud explosion of breaking glass and snarling erupted outside of the room. The sounds of fighting were drawing closer. The Jhe shuffled nervously.

“Like, I said..it’s tough…”

“It is not as if I have much choice!” the Jhe snarled. “I flee the spell falls and the witches kill me.”

Gotcha! Dawn thought.

“Not necessarily!” Dawn said.

The Jhe cocked her head and her eyes narrowed.

“Look, you flee...I’ll take care of the witches. They’re my friends if I tell them to let you go...they will.”

“How can I trust you?” the Jhe hissed.

“How can you not? Look I’m offering you a way out! If my side is winning you can go...slip out and be gone. If Angelus’ side is winning you slip out and…”

“Be killed for leaving!” snapped the Jhe.

“Not if it looked like you left to join the fight! I mean..you were concerned! You knew the witches and I weren’t going anywhere. You could even say the resistance had made in far enough to attack and kill Cyvus and let Lindsey free!” Dawn said quickly. “You went after them knowing you couldn’t let Lindsey escape! You weren’t running but fighting!!”

“And they would believe me why?”

“Because they aren’t going to believe me,” Dawn sputtered. “I mean..I’m human. Who do you think they would believe?”

There were more screams and the sounds of furniture breaking. The demon once again looked towards the exit and back again to Dawn.

“You can ensure the witches…?”

“Yes!” Dawn pressed. “But if you are going to go...you need to decide soon.”

The Jhe nodded. She muttered a few phrases and the green energy around Tara and Willow blinked out. The demon ran for the exit as Dawn rushed forward toward the witches. The two woman blinked then gasped as if in agony. They stumbled and fell to the ground.

Willow’s eyes went black. She raised an arm toward the fleeing demon.

“Mor…” she started to yell.

“Willow! No!” Dawn screamed stepping between the witch and the demon.

“Dawn” Willow asked lowering her arm.

“Focus on Tara,” Dawn said moving toward her two friends. “She needs you. I need you.”

“I..” Willow started to say but then she paused. She took a deep breath and looked at Tara. The other witch was slumped over on the ground an unconscious. The blackness bled from Willow’s eyes. “Oh goddess! Tara!”

Willow quickly pulled the insensate woman to her. Only then did she realize the strange tingling pain in her extremities and the way it hurt to breathe. She looked back at Dawn the distress clearly showing on her face.

“It’s ok,” Dawn said as she crouched down next to her friends knife in hand. “I’m here. I’ll stay with you no matter what.”

TBC