From: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com (Buffyfic-digest) To: buffyfic-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: Buffyfic-digest V2 #27 Reply-To: buffyfic@xmission.com Sender: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Buffyfic-digest Wednesday, February 4 1998 Volume 02 : Number 027 In this issue: BUFFYFIC: Nightmare At The Hellmouth (2/13) BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 0/3 - Notes BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 1/3 BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 2/3 BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 3/3 See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the buffyfic or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 22:01:51 EST From: "The Mistress" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Nightmare At The Hellmouth (2/13) Title:Nightmare At The Hellmouth Author: EA Karras Email address: mattacks@hotmail.com DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Anya has a different version (script format) For this version: Anya,, possibly Zandarah. Also me. Others please ask. FEEDBACK: All comments/opinions and suggestions. Rating: Maybe Between PG 13 and R Spoilers: None, that I see Disclaimers: Nightmare On Elm Street belongs to Wes Craven and New Line Cinema. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and The WB. Jack Mender, the premis of the Dream Slayer and Dr. Vandari belong to me. Part Two: "The Seven Gates" Springwood Asylum for the Criminally Insane December 23rd, 1941 It had been three long months since Mender had been unceremoniously recruited by the watcher called Merrick. Three months in which his "free" time at the Asylum was spent training with Merrick. The watcher had attempted to ensure that no drugs were used on Mender, who the patients referred to as Jack (A nickname Mender had become quite fond of), and the doctors had referred to as The Fallen One, a reference to his past as a seminary student. In his training, Mender had not been very strong. This angered Merrick to no extent, and he defintely let it show. "Try a little harder, Jack. You've got to be strong enough to fight these..." Mender glared at Merrick, cutting short the nitpicking...for now. "Any luck finding her, Merrick?" he changed the subject quickly, another trait that bugged the watcher. Merrick smiled, and pressed a few buttons of his own. "Oh, about as much luck as you're having with that nurse you've been eyeing.." he replied. In response, he recieved a hard kick in the chest that nearly sent him across the room. Merrick shook it off, "Touchy, today, aren't we?" He rubbed the bruised, knowing it was going to hurt later. Mender smiled, almost sarcastically. "You were right about this place. The Hellmouth's here...it's about to blow..." He grinned at Merrick's stunned look. "All the signs are there, Merrick. We've had demons, wraiths. Tremors.." He looked discomforted. "Nightmares..." Merrick loked discomforted at that as well. "Vampires?" Mender leaned against the wall, and nodded in reply. "There's always a vampire, Merrick. but don't worry. I took care of it..." At that, the nurse entered. She frowned at Merrick, disapproving of the training. She didn't believe it good form to teach criminals how to fight better. Especially insane ones.. When she told Mender it was time for his medication, both Merrick and the younger man looked confused. "What medication?" ********** It had taken both the nurse, Dr. Vandari and an intern to get Mender back to his "room", a cell really, and strapped down. Merrick had been no help at all, insisting that they had no right to start him on any medication, to which Vandari replied, almost maddingly, "Mr. Merrick, he killed a patient and burned the body. There was no need to inform you of a change in his treatment." He jabbed the needle into Mender's arm, quite unprofessionally, and let the drug disperse. Mender's face contorted in pain, and he looked at Merrick pleadingly. "He's under /my/ custody! Of course, there was a need." The watcher wasn't sure what to do. He'd put Mender in considerable danger by bringing him here, he hadn't though that the younger man would be drugged into a stupor. Vandari glared at Merrick. He had no love for the man. "He's lucky he's not in the hole with the real crazies.." Again, the doctor sounded very unprofessional. He yanked the needle out of Jack's arm, and tossed it into his bag. Mender looked as if he were trying to hold back a scream, and his eyes were squeezed shut. "That ought to teach you to harm them..." Vandari left, slamming the door shut behind him. Merrick hurriedly undid the straps holding Mender down. He didn't want Jack that vulnerable to the hellmouth. "John...Jack? I need you to fight this...I can't protect you..." Allready, Mender was falling under the drug's effects. He was sweating, his breathing sounded very raspy. Merrick realised Jack was hyperventilating. In Mender's mind, the room had suddenly exploded in a hot, white flash. He could smell gasoline all around, and there was a fire raging around him. It was over within a few seconds that felt like hours. He sat up, grabbing hold of his watcher's shoulder tightly. Panic started to fall over Merrick's mind. There was no way this drug was helping Jack. What the hell had Vandari done? "John?" he whispered. Mender doubled over, seemingly in pain. Mender saw the flash again.He heard someone screaming and looked up. Across the room, he could see a young woman, she was holding a crying baby with a look of terror in her eyes. She was dressed as a nun... Another flash. One that sent in falling backwards in pain, too fast for Merrick to catch him. Now he couldn't see anything but darkness. There was an agonising pain in his stomach, as if someone had ripped out his abdomen. Then it was over, and Merrick was leaning over him, whispering something. "John. Jack. I'm going to go. I'll be back. You're going to be fine...." Merrick didn't sound so sure. He was beginning to have some serious concerns about Mender. Maybe he was more than just the temporary slayer... As Merrick left, the darkness took Mender and he blacked out. **************** When Merrick arrived back home, he immediatly grabbed the Vortexica, a book of prophecies that were related to the Slayer, but not about her. He found what he was looking for and paled. "Oh God...what've we done..." He sat down, the panic getting worse. "After 4 generations, we find him....and now I've damned him..." ************* Mender slowly came around, his body felt like it'd been put through the ringer, and his mind felt very much the same. He moaned, and opened his eyes. To his stunned surprise, Vandari was above him. Not standing, but quite literally /floating/ above him. He blinked in shock.. Vandari was in full vampire mode, fangs and everything... "Well...Who would've thought we'd find a Dream Slayer in our midsts, hmm? I wonder how powerful your blood is.." Vandari hissed, before biting into Mender's neck. Mender felt beneath his cot for the stakes that were taped to the bottom. Vandari uttered an odd grunting noise as it was shoved through his chest. "Don't mess with a priest, Doc...It's not good for your health." Vandari looked surprised now. "B-But you aren't a priest." At that, Mender grinned. "Good point." He shoved the stake the rest of the way in, and Vandari imploded in a cloud of dust. "And so was that..." he whispered as he fell back on the bed. ******************** ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 23:17:08 -0800 From: "Holly L. Benton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 0/3 - Notes Calefacto's Chalice 0/3 - Author=92s Notes by Holly L. Benton=09 This story features Giles, Angel, Spike, Dru, Buffy and Noel Arceneaux. It is rated R for very mild violence, general blood-sucking and sexual innuendo. No spoilers. Song lyrics lifted from "Walk This Earth Alone" by Lauren Christy, Charlie Midnight and Patrick Doyle; available on the "Great Expectations" soundtrack. =20 There is a prequel to this story in the works, which will cover all the loose ends and nagging questions, including the Mokoi. (Read on!) This one takes place in alternate Buffy-universe, where Angel never reverted to Angelus, but other equally nasty things have happened. How fast the sequels get done is usually directly related to the type and amount of feedback, so let me know what you think!! All comments to hbenton@ix.netcom.com.=20 My thanks to the following: My sister Sherry, who provided vampire info, historical/mythological perspective and support; beta readers Zak Zandarah, EA Karras, Travis S. Casey, and Joseph W. Brogan, who volunteered to help and provided invaluable feedback. =20 Disclaimer: The characters of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" do not belong to me; they belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, Sandollar, and Twentieth Century Fox. This story was not written for profit, and no copyright infringement is intended. The character of Noel Arceneaux, as she appears in this story, is my creation. Please do not reprint or distribute without the author's name and e-mail address intact. - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 23:19:20 -0800 From: "Holly L. Benton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 1/3 Calefacto's Chalice A "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" story by Holly L. Benton Part 1/3 - See part 0/3 for notes/disclaimer Noel Arceneaux, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, was just finishing up an incantation when she received the summons. Unlike most calls for her services, which she intuited or received telepathically, this one came the old-fashioned way - by telephone. It seemed more appropriate, given the source. She picked up the phone and heard, amid crackling static, "Hello? Hello, Noel?" "Giles!" She grinned with pure delight. "It's been such a long time, my friend!" She quickly swept her shoulder length black hair into a ponytail, securing it with a soft velvet bow, and pressed the phone back to her ear. "I wish the news were better," he said in his somber, understated tone. "Angel has resurfaced, and so has Drusilla." Noel wasn't truly surprised. All her most recent dreams pointed to some major disturbance in the balance of nature, and Dru certainly qualified. For that matter, so did Angel, in his own way. "Have you spoken to Angel yet?" she asked, only half wanting the answer. "Only briefly." Giles paused for a moment, then said, too quietly, "He'll never be the same again, you know. None of us will." Noel was silent for a moment. Then, she offered, "I can be there by tomorrow morning, if you need me." "I think that would be wise." Giles' tone was odd. Noel was instantly aware that he was hiding something from her. "What aren't you telling me, Giles?" she asked. "Dru has recovered Calefacto's Chalice. Angel has been chasing her all over the world for months, and he believes she has returned to the Hellmouth because it is the center of her own power." He paused, and added reluctantly, "Rumor has it she is searching for you." Noel knew this meant that Angel was concerned for her safety, and had mentioned this to Giles so he could warn her. And if Angel was worried, it was serious. Especially considering that Noel had been the source and cause of the greatest anguish of his existence. "Who is Calefacto and why is he so important?" she inquired, sure already that she would regret having asked. "Oh, sorry," he apologized. "The chalice is a sort of medieval holy relic. I haven't had time to do the proper research yet, but I believe it has to do with raising the dead, or some such thing." Noel was searching her memory. She could vaguely recall being told about the chalice by her mother, but nothing specific would come to her. "Should I do research on my end, or will you have a little light reading ready for me when I get there?" she teased. Giles snorted, "Light, indeed. I'll have the materials ready for you. But, Noel..." "Yes?" she prompted. "Be careful of Angel. I don't think he's quite forgiven you yet for what happened to Buffy." Noel closed her eyes for a moment while the entire episode in time crashed back upon her in technicolor. With steel in her voice she said, "At least she's still alive." "Yes, I suppose you're right," Giles agreed dubiously, in such a way that there was no doubt he didn't really agree at all. "I'll be there by dawn," Noel said, and hung up. On the other end, as the line went dead in his hand, the hair on the back of Giles' neck prickled. He turned to face Angel, who had crept up as silently as a shadow behind him. There was something dark and menacing in Angel's eyes, and he spoke, very softly. "You were right to warn her." In a dark and forbidding sewer underneath the city of Sunnydale, a saccharine whine filled the dripping, dank chamber. "Spike, are you here?" From just ahead in the tunnel, he emerged. Drusilla stepped forward to meet him, hands behind her back. "You're looking well," she observed. "Cut the bull, won't you, darling? You wanted me here, I'm here. Let's discuss the plan." Spike seemed much different from the last time she'd seen him. They hadn't parted on the best of terms, what with Spike intent on finding a new human to sire into the lifestyle, and Dru looking to destroy humanity. "Let's put all those hard feelings behind us, shall we?" Dru offered coyly. "I've missed you." "Mm-hmm," he grunted skeptically. "The plan." Dru's eyes glittered with ferocious intensity in the dim light, like malachite pearls. "See, I've brought you a present." She pointed to a far corner of their old haunting ground. A brass-colored urn gleamed dully there, like a worn copper penny, glinting with stray shards of light which dropped upon it from above. It hummed with a peculiar frequency; not loud enough to be heard by ordinary mortals, just enough to be annoying to the undead. Spike inhaled sharply. "My, now, isn't that pretty," he said reflectively. "If I've got this right, you get what you want from it, and after that, I get what I want from *her*. Is that the bargain?" "Oh, yes." The malice in her voice was chilling. "It will be delicious." Spike grinned. "In more ways than one." After leaving Giles, Angel walked the streets near the park, not knowing or caring what time it was. He was torn emotionally as to whether Giles should have brought Noel into this struggle. He knew he wouldn't be able to look at her without thinking about Buffy. More than once in the first days after Buffy had been found, he'd considered killing Noel, but that had passed. Now she was just a reminder of the love he'd had with Buffy and would never have again. The memory of that other night, only a year ago, was sharp as a razor in his mind. Sunnydale was being plagued by a particularly troublesome evil spirit called the Mokoi. After Willow and Cordelia had both been injured by the spirit, Angel suggested that Giles call Noel. Based on his long acquaintance with Noel, Giles had agreed that there was no one better versed in the magickal arts. Noel had given Buffy an enchanted dagger which should have carried enough positive energy to kill the physical manifestation of their enemy. Unfortunately it didn't work. When Buffy tried to use it she was enveloped by the Mokoi and disappeared. Angel had not even heard Noel's calm words of reassurance. He had hit her so hard that she flew backwards ten feet, unconscious. The police found Buffy a few days later, huddled in a doorway and shivering with cold. Her memory had been erased. All trace of the person she had been was gone. There was nothing left of the Slayer. Another Slayer had been called. Life went on for everyone but Angel. He still visited her at least once a week in the special school where her mother had sent her, but it was hard for him to look into her pleading eyes and know that his Buffy was locked inside that shell, perhaps forever. Eventually, after several hours of wandering and reminiscing, his prowling brought him back to his own apartment. Even after a year he could close his eyes and see her asleep in his bed. The image had kept him up reading on many occasions. He still tried to conquer his dread of returning home, but it never seemed to get easier. He approached the door, digging in his pocket for his key. When he raised his head to insert the key into the lock, he saw the slip of paper wedged into the door. He yanked it out and unfolded it. "Found Dru - transit tunnel by river -Giles." He pocketed the paper and headed for the street at a dead run. At nearly the same moment Angel was heading for the transit tunnel, Noel was emerging from a taxi in front of Giles' apartment building. Giles threw open his front door and stepped out, silhouetted by the bright yellow light from numerous lamps. "Noel! Here, let me help you," he offered, as she lugged an enormous bag, stuffed full and bulging on the sides, out of the back seat of the taxi. The driver looked at her oddly as she handed him the fare, then threw her petite form at Giles, smothering him in an unabashed hug. Giles patted her awkwardly on the shoulder until she released her death grip on his ribs. "Same old Giles, affectionate as ever," Noel said with a grin. Giles adjusted his glasses on his face as he leaned over to pick up her bag. "Good God, what do you have in here!" he exclaimed, huffing with exertion. "The whole drug store," she answered. "I never leave home without it." He half-carried, half-dragged the bag behind him, to her amusement, until he had hauled it past the threshold. As he shut the door, she buried her head in the bag and immediately began digging through its contents. "Find anything in those big ol' books yet?" she asked, voice muffled. "Actually, yes," he answered mildly, as though surprised she would even ask such a thing. As she busied herself with her tools of magic, he retrieved the volume he'd been reading just prior to her arrival. "There are several allusions to Calefacto's Chalice in various books, but none to any person with that name. The name is said to have been taken from the Latin, calefactio, meaning the act of warming or heating, or the production of heat in a body by the action of fire. It can also be taken to mean a chemical reaction, such as liquefaction." That got her attention. Noel stopped her rummaging and glanced up at Giles, with an expression of deep concern on her face. "Yes, I thought that might interest you," he said. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Stories linked to the chalice and its powers date to the 1400's. There were rumors that it was used in sabbat rituals by practitioners in France. Some time near the turn of the 16th century, a Scottish magician laid his hands on the chalice, and in an attempt to cleanse it of its evil, performed a spell which was supposed to seal the evil inside. He got more than he bargained for." Giles set the book down. "What was sealed inside, or so the legends say, was a fallen angel too terrible in its beauty for mortals to behold. As its penance for causing evil the angel is bound by the spell to destroy any person whose heart is tainted with evil, should the chalice be used for those purposes." Noel felt her eyebrows climbing into her hairline. "Then Dru can't use it or she'll be destroyed," she said, puzzled. "So why even bother to track it down?" "Perhaps she hopes to get someone else to use it for her," Giles said, emphasizing his words. "And be fried to a crisp in the process," Noel added. "She undoubtedly wants some sort of magic performed, which is most likely why she was seeking you out." Giles' face was very serious. "Has she any leverage she could use against you?" "Not so far as I know. Everyone connected with my life is aware of the danger; I haven't seen my sisters in years and don't even know where they are." After a moment she asked, "Did you tell Angel I was coming?" "Yes. I haven't seen him since," Giles told her frankly. "There's been no sign of where Dru's hidden herself or he would have found a way to let me know." He stared at the cluttered mess she had scattered on the floor: bottles of sparkling powder capped with cork; packets of dried weeds that looked suspiciously like amphibian body parts; mortar and pestle; a canister of Morton's Salt; two shriveled candles. "Did you protect yourself with the necessary incantations?" he asked. "I used a mage's spell. No undead creature can harm me so long the spell is woven about me. The longer a demon is exposed, the weaker the host body becomes," Noel explained, gesturing with a half-melted green candle for emphasis. "The magic is very old and there is no way to counteract it unless I remove the spell myself." "Good. A wise precaution." Giles extended his arm and flicked off the nearest reading lamp. The first tender rays of sun were filtering into the periwinkle sky. "I suppose all we have to be thankful about thus far is the fact that Spike isn't in the picture." "I suppose all we have to be thankful about is that the Slayer isn't around to make the damage any worse!" Spike roared petulantly, shaking one of Dru's henchmen by the shirtfront. "I ask you to do a simple task...just tie up a prisoner. Any fledgling vampire could have done a better job!" "But...but...we did it just like you said, Spike!" stuttered the demon, head flopping violently as Spike lifted him off the ground in a rage. "And lost three men in the process." He dropped the vampire to the ground, where he lay gasping for a moment before crawling away. Spike threw his hands up in the air and looked over at Dru. "Unbelievable. If you want an evil deed done right these days, I guess you have to do it yourself." Dru wasn't listening; she was gazing up at Angel, who was bound by his hands and suspended in mid-air, chained to an old hoist in the center of the abandoned subway transit tunnel. She pushed his foot, which set him swinging wildly. This sent her into a fit of giggles, which stopped as suddenly as it began. "It's been a long time since I've had you hanging on my every word," she said. Spike rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on," he said scornfully. "Tell me you're not still hung up on this whining half-human abomination." "No," she said, giving Angel one last forceful shove. "The thrill is gone. Now he's only a means to an end." She fixed her doe eyes on Spike. "You haven't been very nice, either," she complained, in the tone of a child about to have a rousing temper tantrum. Spike waved her away with a flick of the wrist. "Those days are gone, pet. Even if I could stand the sight of you, I have better things to do with my time." "Like nibbling on a witch?" Dru questioned him. When he didn't answer, a sinuous smile appeared on her lips. "She'll never do it. You'll never get her to agree. She's too smart for you." "Which doesn't say a lot about *your* taste, Dru darling. Now run along and let me work on the plan." Dru turned on her heel and walked away. From over Spike's head, his words fading in and out as he swung to and fro, Angel shouted, "I can open the chalice for you, Spike. Noel won't go for it. She knows what you want." Spike's expression became pensive for a moment. "I think she does at that, mate. I'm counting on it." He snapped his fingers and one of Dru's hired help appeared. "Take this. Give it to the witch. Tell her it's from Spike, and tell her not to be late." He handed a small slip of paper to one of the nervous-looking flunkies, who protested, "It'll be sunrise in a few minutes!" "Better hurry then," Spike urged, eyebrows raised expectantly. - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 23:21:17 -0800 From: "Holly L. Benton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 2/3 Calefacto's Chalice A "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" story by Holly L. Benton Part 2/3 - see part 0/3 for notes and disclaimers The horizon was glowing a deep pink and fiery red when Noel arrived at the meeting place. It was an abandoned church, doors hanging from the hinges, shutters splintered and barely concealing the shattered, multi-colored glass behind. As she stood outside with more than a little trepidation, the sun finally sank out of sight. She began to sense them faintly at first, growing stronger with each second that the shadows grew deeper. With a deep breath, and a mental reminder to herself that they couldn't harm her unless she were no longer under the protection of the mage's spell, she climbed the stairs and entered the rotting doors. Inside, the scene was oddly peaceful, eerily quiet. Though dusty, the pews maintained a kind of silent grace, empty but expectant. She laid her hand on the back of each as she passed down the center aisle. That simple action was strangely calming to her. "Nice of you to accept our invitation." She froze just in front of where the altar should have been. The disembodied voice had come from behind her. "Show yourself, Spike. I don't like to be kept waiting." As if an ice cube had slid down her back, a sickeningly cold feeling enveloped her. She turned to find him standing less than a foot away. "Impatient as always, I see. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," he observed. He smiled at her suddenly, the smile a cat might smile if it were finished toying with a live mouse. Noel caught herself as the merest ghost of a smile crossed her face. "No, you shouldn't," she confirmed, rising to the occasion. She felt a familiar sensation; fear, mixed with a peculiar thrill of attraction and curiosity. Dangerous, she thought to herself. Don't play this game. It would destroy any advantage she might have if she betrayed her feelings to him, but there was no denying it; he was still as handsome as he had been the day he died. He cocked his head, studying her. "Constant and true, just as I remembered. What a sparkling example you set for all the other little witches." Spike stepped forward into her space. She could feel the demon which lived inside him unsettled by the power of the spell which encircled her. For a moment, those forces interacted, like electricity passing though water, until he withdrew. Their eyes locked; neither spoke. Noel didn't even breathe. "Spike..." The moment was broken by a silky female voice. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" "Oh. Right. Well then, down to business." He extended his hand, and Drusilla appeared out of nowhere near the opposite wall. Noel was stunned by her ethereal, almost innocent beauty as she glided across the church, between two pews, moving toward them. She turned her face toward Noel, as Spike said, "Dru darling, Noel Arceneaux." Noel felt a visceral stab of horror as she looked into Dru's eyes, and saw only malicious evil there. "At last. How lovely of you to come and join our little party." The child-like lilt of Dru's tone was incongruous with the reality of the threat she represented. "I've so looked forward to meeting you." She beamed at Noel. "Shall we discuss our bargain?" "There is no bargain, Drusilla. Give me the chalice, or tell me where it can be found. I'm not playing here." Noel's tone was soft and pleasant, but had the ring of authority. Dru stepped closer, all trace of innocence gone from her features. "Neither am I, witchy girl." Her tone became even softer than Noel's, and she said conspiratorially, "You'd better be nice to me, or I won't tell you my secret." Noel sighed heavily. "I'm not interested in secrets. You can't harm me; we all know it." "But I *can* harm Angel. I'd rather enjoy it, in fact." Spike spoke up suddenly, and as his words registered with Noel, a flicker of apprehension flashed through her eyes. It was enough; Spike immediately noticed, and triumphantly he added, "Now it's all up to you. A favor for a favor. Dru and I are feeling generous these days, aren't we precious?" Dru nodded, eyes glued to Noel. She was enjoying the show. "Tell her, Dru. After all, she's not a mind reader - oh, wait. Silly me. I forgot." He fixed Noel with a look so intense that even though she was not able to read a vampire, there was no doubt as to what he was thinking. "But not where we're concerned. Go on, Dru," he urged her, as a slow flush spread across Noel's cheeks. Dru said, "It's very simple, really. All you have to do is raise my family from the dead and restore them to me, and you can have your ridiculous relic back." "What!" Noel cried, truly appalled in spite of herself. "I can't-" "Yes, you can," Dru interrupted. "If you don't, I'll open it, and unleash...well, whatever's in there. And it won't be pretty." Noel's mind was racing. She wasn't sure she possessed the necessary power, even with the chalice, to raise the dead. It was abhorrent to her to even consider such a thing, for she would be providing evil with an uninhabited shell, a place for more demons to come to rest. There was no way to know what would happen if she *did* try. If she didn't, Dru would unleash the potentially cataclysmic forces locked behind the holy seal of the chalice. And Angel...she had already deprived him of Buffy. She couldn't allow him to lose his life as well. Slowly, she asked, "If I do this thing, you'll hand over the chalice to me, and you'll release Angel?" Dru tittered and pressed her fingers to her lips. "I'm afraid you don't understand, dearest. But that's not really surprising, I suppose, given your limited scope." She looked to Spike, who stepped past her and approached Noel. The way he was looking at her was enough to make Noel's heart stop. "A favor for a favor," he reminded her. "Dru doesn't have Angel; I do. All she has to trade is the chalice. Angel is mine." He watched with satisfaction as comprehension dawned slowly, then moved in on her without warning. Spike swept her up against his body, holding her in place with an arm around her that seemed made of steel. He ignored the strange fluttering vibrations caused by their body-to body contact, as he spoke rapidly in low tones. "You will surrender yourself to me. Willingly, with no conditions, no spells of protection, no expectations. If you do, I'll release Angel unharmed." He released her, shoving her backwards so that she staggered to regain her balance. "You have until sunset tomorrow to decide," Dru added brightly. "All you have to do is meet us here." "Otherwise, you can gather up what's left of Angel the following morning." Even as Spike made that final pronouncement, Dru was moving away toward the back of the church. "Are you coming, Spike?" she asked. He looked over his shoulder at her. "Just behind you," he called after her. He turned his gaze back to Noel, and they stared at one another for a very long moment. In a hushed but clear voice he said, " Forget about waiting 'til sunset tomorrow. Meet me here by dawn or our part of the bargain is no longer in effect. Understand?" Noel could only nod her head. Spike held her gaze a second longer, then turned and stalked out of the church behind Drusilla. Noel waited until he was out of sight, then sat down hard on the floor and buried her face in her folded arms. Two or three hours later, Noel knocked on Giles' front door. He opened it immediately, relief easing the tense, tired lines in his face. "Thank God. When you didn't return, I was certain they'd killed you." Noel moved past him, into the apartment, and sat down on the couch. Giles shut the door as she passed. "What were their demands?" "Dru wants me to raise her family from the dead," Noel stated flatly. "What! Well...well, that's...it's preposterous," Giles sputtered. He removed his glasses, and asked, "You simply can't do it...can you?" She was silent. Giles felt a chill settle over him. "Dear God." "I don't know if it can be done," she answered finally. "I'm not at all certain I could control whatever forces are unleashed during the ceremony." She looked away from Giles. "That's not the immediate problem, however. Spike has Angel, and he wants to make a separate bargain. Me for Angel." "You're protected. He can't harm you. You're not seriously considering removing the spell!" "It's the only way to save Angel," she said angrily. "No," Giles said, vehemently. "That is not an option. He'll kill you, or worse, he'll turn you into one of them. There's no way to tell what the effect on your powers will be." "He doesn't want to kill me, Giles. He wants to possess me." "Possess you?" Now Giles sounded confused. Noel felt her irritation rising, irritation because Giles was right and she knew it. She shouldn't even be considering her own capitulation. Her voice rose before she was aware of it. She couldn't seem to stop herself. "Possess, Giles. *Possess*," she stressed, not enjoying the stunned look which greeted her words. "Oh." Giles blinked rapidly. His eyes narrowed. "You don't seem too disturbed by the prospect." "I'm not. Not the way you might think." He seemed so shocked that she reached out on impulse and grasped his arm. "Don't look at me like that. Who wouldn't be curious?" "He's *dead*, Noel. As in, no pulse." He sounded so much like Buffy that Noel suppressed a smile. "He's a thing, not a man. You can't seriously consider this! Angel wouldn't want you to sacrifice yourself." "Don't be too sure. One witch for one slayer. It seems a fair trade," she shot back. Giles opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. "I made my decision before I came here tonight. The larger question is, what will happen if he changes me somehow and I try to perform the spell for Drusilla?" "It could be disastrous," Giles said grimly. Noel felt compelled to try to comfort him. "I don't see any other options, Giles. I could say a million things to you about what I feel, but it's not really relevant." "You could tell me why Angel is so damn important," Giles said sharply. "You're willing to throw away your life, and possibly the lives of millions of other people, for one person. Please tell me this isn't some romantic notion-" "No!" she interrupted vehemently. "It was never like that between Angel and me." "You can't think that you owe him so much because of ..." "A mistake?" Noel suggested. She leaned forward on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees and extending her arms out, fingers laced together. "It's not that either, Giles. I've known Angel since I was a small child. He came to my mother for help breaking the curse, but all she was able to do was cause him pain." Her eyes took on a far-away look as she elaborated, "My sisters and I heard him screaming in agony one night, but I was the only one brave enough to hide on the stairs to see what was going on. That was the first time I ever saw the face of a vampire. "The next day, my mother explained to me what Angel was, and why he had come to her. He returned that night, with a gift for my mother, and a flower for the little girl on the stairs." Noel smiled wistfully. "After I became apprenticed to my mother, Angel would come to see me often, to share his knowledge of the nature of evil and the things he had seen. He's been a true friend to me all of my life, even into adulthood. I can't turn my back on him now." Something clicked for Giles then, like a peg into a hole. "You were the one who sent him to Buffy in the beginning, weren't you?" he asked, almost reverently. "Yes. So you see, I'm responsible for that little tragedy, too. I thought he could help her. I couldn't have known." "No one could have," Giles murmured, feeling the burden of his own lapsed responsibility heavily on his heart. He regarded Noel with melancholy eyes. "It's clear to me that you also know Spike, though you've somehow avoided mentioning this to me." "Yes. For a while he seemed to be at the center of every summons I responded to. He's been a busy boy, especially in the past ten years. I started to think he was instigating some of these little hauntings and demonic possessions just to get my attention." She was smiling again, which brought a distinct frown to Giles' face, but she seemed not to notice. "He enjoyed the challenge of the confrontation, or the verbal sparring." Noel paused, allowing Giles to draw his own conclusions. "You know, this impulse of yours to become a martyr could be considered a weakness." Giles' sarcasm was devoid of humor. "In fact, almost as serious a weakness as actually hoping to be bitten by a vampire." "Things will be as they are meant to be. No amount of spell-casting or research will help that now." She gestured toward the piles of books which littered the room, literary skyscrapers. "All we can do is try to find out what will happen...after." For the next hour, they did precisely that, sifting through piles of ancient texts and documents. Noel lounged on the floor, while Giles sat hunched over his desk, poring over books with his glasses perched on the edge of his nose. Noel's thoughts wandered as she lay with a book propped on her stomach; she tried imagine what might be different about her when the sun rose again in the morning. Somehow she knew that this was not about disposing of her; Spike had no need to get rid of her, since she had no power to get rid of him. It was his way of conquering, and for some reason, he had decided that she must be conquered. Although there was supposedly no human feeling left in him, there was no mistaking the desire or inquisitiveness in his eyes when he looked at her. She was counting on that to save her life. "Look here," Giles said abruptly. He brought a heavy, gilt-edged volume to her and laid it in her lap. It reeked of old magic and disuse. Noel read aloud, "The power of the magician is amplified by the mixing of his blood with the blood of the undead. Second sight may become clearer, while the seeing of thought shall become treacherous and not without danger. Senses may become sharper and more distinct, but with unpredictable consequences." She pursed her lips. "It's a bunch of double-talk. This, but not that. It doesn't help at all." "Maybe not, but at least you know that any spell you undertake could have dire results if you're not familiar with the effect of Spike's..." "Bite," she supplied, arching her eyebrows. "Well, yes." The clock on the wall behind him pleasantly chimed four o'clock, on the hour, and Noel put the book aside. "It's time." She smiled at Giles, with an expression that was infinitely wise and mature. "If I don't succeed in freeing Angel, or if Spike decides he's better off with me dead..." "I have it here," Giles confirmed, waving the small paper with the binding spells and incantations. "Whatever happens, do be careful," he pleaded. "I'll do my best," Noel answered. She retrieved her long coat from the rack by the door, and with a last, lingering look at Giles, was gone. * * * Noel walked around the church twice, slowly, watching the city lights shimmering in the distance. Her heart was pounding harder than she could ever remember. It wasn't fear; she was apprehensive, but not afraid. Instead she was edgy, and she felt a little wild. She knew he was inside because she sensed him there. She felt like a traitor for being in a hurry to meet him. Noel shrugged off her overcoat and was instantly chilled by the October wind. She raised a hand and rubbed absently at her neck with her fingers; even her blood seemed like ice water. She had the distinct impression she might never be warm again. She raised her arms , extending them straight out from her sides, and closed her eyes. Her lips moved, in silent pantomime. As she said the necessary words, she began to feel more and more as though there were a lead weight on her chest. Finally she was finished. Her arms dropped heavily to her sides. As though compelled, she turned toward the church; she felt him exerting his influence, testing her to see if she was there, if the spell were still in place. She was aware of his surprise when he realized she had come. Noel opened her eyes and advanced toward the church at a stride, covering the stairs two at a time and moving directly through the open doors. She stopped short, surprised. Lit candles were everywhere - the tops and seats of pews, the stairwells, the narrow ledges under shattered stained glass masterpieces - - casting an incandescent glow which was reflected in the deep ruby and sapphire depictions of saints and sinners. It was surreal and beautiful. Spike was sprawled across two pews in the front of the church, his heavy black leather coat draped to one side. "My, you've certainly gone to a lot of trouble, William," Noel remarked dryly. Spike swung his feet to the floor and rose gracefully. He stood, a few feet in front of her, hands folded in front of him. "No trouble. This is, after all, a memorable occasion." He waited, looking at her expectantly. "What, no witty repartee? No little pearls of magical wisdom?" "Where is Angel?" Noel demanded. "We did make a deal." Spike sighed. "Always a stickler for details." He stepped in closer. "I left him with Dru for safekeeping, in case you decided to get tricky. Once we've finished here, we'll retrieve him." "Does that mean you aren't going to kill me?" Noel asked skeptically. Spike took one more step, so they were face to face. "Killing you isn't what I had in mind," he admitted. He moved to her left, then behind her, like a lean, pale wolf circling its prey. "Let's see if you held up *your* end of this deal." He reached for her then and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly up against his body. She stiffened. It was unnerving to have him behind her and to be locked into his embrace. Spike waited for a moment to see if there would be a negative reaction which would force him to release her. When nothing happened, he turned her around. "Nice to see you're a woman of your word." Noel was quite conscious of the fact that he could feel how fast her heart was beating. His eyes moved between the pulse beating in her neck, and her eyes, which were fastened on his face. With one hand, he fingered the buttons of her crisp white shirt, then deftly released the top two. "Let me help you with that pesky collar," he said, proceeding without waiting for an answer. He neatly folded down her collar, effectively baring her neck. She shivered, from cold and from other, less identifiable sensations. He looked deep into her eyes for a moment, then said softly, "You are wondering why I won't kill you." She inclined her head slightly. "Because I want you to have your wish, my darling. You will know what it feels like to be on the verge of immortality." He smirked at her. "It's a weakness of yours, you know." "Get it over with," she rasped. Spike affected a wide-eyed look of innocence. "Such a nasty temper. Impatient, too. Nevertheless, your wish is my command." He bent his head lower, and raked his fangs across her unprotected neck. The impact of his teeth on her skin was electric, and her hand flew out to brace her against him. "This won't hurt a bit," he lied. Without warning, he sank his fangs into her neck. Noel felt a sharp pain as he bit into her, but no tearing of her skin. In fact, he was surprisingly gentle. His lips fastened onto the wound, and as he began to drink, a pleasant warmth suffused her, spreading into every part of her body. She felt herself becoming limp in his arms, and he tightened his grasp to support her. Images flooded her mind, of Spike before his transformation, of what he'd seen and done in the years after, of Dru, of Angel, of herself. For the first time she began to truly understand the awful loneliness of an abandoned soul. Then, she began to feel joy, a rapture so exquisite that she could not imagine it ever ending. As suddenly as that joy began, Spike withdrew, but did not raise his head. Face nestled next to hers, he whispered, "Choose." Her heart ached for the feeling which had been taken from her. She was certain that he had already seen into her soul, as she had seen into his mind, and so she only reached up to touch the side of his face. At her touch he gave a low growl. She knew he understood. - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 23:24:27 -0800 From: "Holly L. Benton" Subject: BUFFYFIC: Calefacto's Chalice 3/3 Calefacto's Chalice A "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" story by Holly L. Benton Part 3/3 - see part 0/3 for notes and disclaimers Noel stood with Spike in front of a large, dark cavity leading into the sewer. She looked over her shoulder at the sparse light on the horizon, fading faster with every second as the sun crawled to its bed for the night. "In here?" she asked. Spike nodded. Noel dropped to her hands and knees in order to crawl through the opening. She emerged into a dark sewer tunnel which reeked of ...well, it reeked. She scrunched her face up in disgust as Spike popped though the hole next to her.=20 "This way," he instructed, moving to the left. She could see easily in the dark; she felt as sure-footed and sharp-eyed as a tiger. She could also sense exactly where Spike was in the darkness. It was as though he were secured to her with a string, which tugged and pulled at her whenever he moved. He projected his amusement at her child-like amazement. They advanced down the access tunnel slowly. Spike clutched a handful of Noel's sleeve and guided her toward a hidden entrance to the lair. When she hesitated, he shoved her through unceremoniously. She landed face-first, sprawled on the slimy, hard concrete floor. An instinct newly born warned her of Dru's approach. She jumped to her feet as quickly as she could, slinging muck off her hands and arms. "About time," Drusilla called out. "I was beginning to worry." "That=92s so...touching," Spike scoffed. "Let's get on with it."=20 Dru gestured for Noel to follow her. "This way," she invited. Noel followed her deeper into the lair, with that same instinct warning her that Angel was nearby. She stopped. "Get him down," she ordered. Surprised, Dru turned to look at her.=20 "Are you...are you telling *me*...what to do?" she asked incredulously. Noel stared her down without fear. "If you want that spell performed, you'd better do it." Spike chuckled in the background. Dru looked from one to the other mistrustfully. "Why didn't you just make her one of us, Spike?" she pouted. "It would have been so much easier." "Stop whining," he said in exasperation. He walked past her and grasped a chain which was anchored to the wall. With a quick pull he released it. Angel crashed to the ground in a heap.=20 Noel watched dispassionately, then said, "Get out of here, Angel."=20 He looked up at her. "No," he said through gritted teeth. "If you're actually going to do this, I'm staying." He raised himself to a sitting position with great effort. His eyes accused her as he said, "I never thought you'd be bought so easily." His words stung for many reasons, not the least of which was that she was trying desperately to save his life, but Noel didn't show her feelings. "Stay. Whatever." She directed her attention to Dru. "Where is it?" "There." Dru pointed, not willing to go too close to the chalice.=20 Noel saw it in the center of a small table near the wall. She approached the table and without delay, picked up the chalice. She nearly dropped it immediately; it seemed charged with electricity and was icy to the touch. The feel of the surface of it burned her skin. Noel's entire body became tense with concentration. She clasped the chalice to her chest for a moment, then held it at arm's length away from her, at eye level. Eyes tightly shut, she began to recite the spell she had memorized and repeated a hundred times the previous morning. =20 As soon as she began the incantation, she felt a burning pain in her chest, which spread through her veins like liquid fire. She gulped deep breaths of air, but continued chanting, feeling her fingers go numb where they were wrapped around the chalice. She was scorched, then frigid. Her eyes felt like hot marbles burning in their sockets. Dru watched her with fascination. "She's doin' it, she's really doin' it," she whispered, lapsing into the cockney accent of her youth. "Look at 'er. Blimey!" She whirled toward Spike to get his reaction, but he was on the ground, writhing in pain. Her eyes widened at the sight of him there. Then, a fiendish grin spread across her features. " 'Atsa girl!" she cheered. Angel's face darkened with concern as he watched Noel's arms shaking wildly. He knew with the aid of the seventh sense unique to every vampire's demon, that a demon's blood had tainted Noel. He looked from Noel to Spike. It was clear that Spike was getting the worst end of the deal. Noel continued to weave the spell. The air in the tunnel had become still and thin, as though her words were sucking the oxygen from the room. She trembled from head to toe, but continued on, for fear of what might happen if she should stop. Her skin tingled; her lungs felt ready to explode. She lifted her head, and as she opened her mouth, a scream was ripped from her, one that should have shattered human eardrums. It was a piercing cry; it reverberated through the room until it was a sonic wave, unstoppable.=20 Noel dropped to her knees and quickly ripped the seal from the chalice. There was a blinding flash of light, brilliant, radiant. Stillness filled the chamber. Spike rolled over and lay unconscious.=20 "What was that?" Dru demanded to know. Alarmed, she turned circles in the center of the room. Every instinct told her something was very wrong. "Where's me mum?" She turned to Noel and leaped at her. "What've you done?"=20 In answer, Noel only looked at her, eyes brimming with tears of pity. A soft howling began, growing louder, like the far-away sound of the winter wind. Dru's fear was palpable. "No," she pleaded. "No, no, no, no..." Angel bolted to his feet as though pulled upright by an unseen force. "No, NO!" Dru shrieked, pressing her hands to her ears. Noel felt the pressure of a thousand hands on her heart, and she succumbed, as blinding light again filled the room. Noel's last conscious sensation was the sound of Dru's wail; her last conscious thought was relief. Noel woke to find Angel sitting beside her, a stunned but beatific expression on his face. Every joint and muscle in her body was protesting loudly, but she seemed to be in one piece. Angel put an arm underneath her, almost absently, to help her up. She made a small noise which might have been a whimper of pain but he didn't notice. Dru was nowhere to be seen. Spike lay on the ground, limp and lifeless.=20 "Are you all right?" she asked Angel hoarsely. He nodded at her. When he turned his face toward her, she thought he was almost beautiful.=20 "I felt it," he said softly, wonderingly.=20 Noel took his hand. "What, Angel?" "My soul," he whispered. "I felt it, I felt it leave and come back."=20 Noel smiled wearily. "It's what saved you," she told him. Angel shook his head. "I don't understand." "Your soul saved you from destruction. A piece of my human soul saved Spike from death; his blood in me almost killed me." Noel could still feel the raw prickling of her skin. Her blood still felt as though it were boiling, but she knew it would pass. "I couldn't allow Dru to raise the dead. So I worked a spell to free the angel...or whatever...was in there. It zeroed in on the only truly, fully evil thing in the room, and immolated it." "Dru," Angel realized. He looked at her. "You took a big chance." "Had to," she grated as she pushed up from the floor. Everything went sideways, but Angel held her in place. She looked down at Spike's motionless body.=20 "I'll get something to stake him with," Angel offered. She laid her hand on his arm, restraining him.=20 "No." He didn't question her. He remembered that feeling of first discovering the powers of the night. He didn't begrudge her this reluctance to kill the person who made it possible. "Let's go. Giles will be worried." Deliberately, they stepped over Spike and made their way out of the lair, into the freedom and darkness beyond. * =20 * * "Don't suppose you'd change your mind and stay awhile?" Angel offered the sentiment hopefully, though he knew what she would say.=20 Noel smiled at the floor as they walked toward her departure gate. "Duty calls," she reminded him, pleased that he made the overture. They stopped and turned to face one another. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" she asked, a trace of hope creeping into her voice.=20 Conflicting emotions warred within Angel and were reflected on his face. "I know it wasn't your fault," he answered at last. " I shouldn't have blamed you like I did." "I understand," she said, pensively. "I still haven't quite forgiven myself." A look passed between them which was heavy with meaning.=20 "The world is gonna look pretty different to you now," Angel said, breaking the moment. "Now that you have Spike's blood in you, a lot could change." "So maybe you'll help me with that?" she asked, expectantly. "I feel the difference, but I don't understand everything yet." Her bright green eyes were sparkling with a mixture of delight and wonder. It was infectious. In spite of himself, Angel smiled at her. "If I can," he acknowledged. Noel took his hand in hers, pressing something metallic into it. She wrapped his fingers around it.=20 "I went to see Buffy today," she informed him. "I'm still working on a way to reverse what was done to her, Angel. Please don't give up hope." He looked down at the medallion she placed in his palm. It was one half of a circle, a silvery crescent moon on a long chain. It was engraved with symbols which were foreign to him, and it shone with a cool, almost icy light. "When you go to sleep in the morning, wear this." His eyes met hers, questioning. Noel stood on tiptoe, to kiss him feather-light on the cheek. As he lifted his arm to embrace her, she whirled and walked away.=20 Angel's sleep was restless that morning. The amulet was cold and pendulous on his skin. Somehow he drifted off, thinking of Noel's words...*I'm working on a way...please don't give up hope...*... ...a flash of light, and he was in The Bronze, with a crowd of people he didn't recognize. The room should have been full of noise and chatter, but all he heard was a song playing softly in the background. *But I walk this earth alone/And all I've ever known/Is you are right beside me/If I love you for a day/Then blow my life away/Could I leave you behind me...* He turned in a circle, bewildered, not understanding what he saw. "Angel." The voice penetrated his heart; it was a sound he believed he'd never hear again. He looked up to see Buffy there, Buffy as he remembered her, strong and sexy and full of life, as he'd so often wished she would come to him. She walked forward, eyes full of love and compassion.=20 Angel met her halfway and crushed her in a hug so fierce it could have broken bones. "How..." was all he could manage. As he released her, she reached out and touched the medallion he wore. He saw it then - an identical medallion around her beautiful neck.=20 Her eyes filled with tears as he touched her face wonderingly. "Noel gave us our dreams," she said simply, as she captured his tears with her fingertips. "So we at least have this, until we can be together." In answer, he gathered her to him, and they held one another in the shadows of consciousness, free at least for that moment to love each other again. Wordlessly, they danced. There was time for everything else later. Holly L. Benton January 1998 - - ------------------------------ End of Buffyfic-digest V2 #27 ***************************** To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command subscribe buffyfic-digest or subscribe buffyfic to majordomo@xmission.com. You will need to go through a confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually approve your subscription request, so it may take some time. 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