| *****PreBuffy***** Reaching the edge of the stairs, the two vampires took in the scene with mouths agape. The Capone Boys had decided to take some initiative and cut themselves in on the success of the Tooth & Nail. Regulars were diving for cover in corners as the gang of ruthless mobsters put bulletholes in every visible surface. New clientele just stood in shock, not bothering to move as a barrage of bullets winged right past them, missing by mere inches. Immediately irate at the deliberate actions of the thugs, Angelus pushed his way through a tangle of bodies and snapped the neck of the nearest gangster, picked up his semi-automatic and laid down a few of his comrades. As if from nowhere, several popped out from behind overturned tables to take their place. Spike dove for the rifle behind the counter and found himself face to face with a cigar girl. She was terrified and crying. He briefly wondered if he should feed on her for strength after having been nearly drained by the evening�s activities with Honey, but thought the better of it and rejoined the fight. There would be enough lives lost tonight at the Tooth & Nail. Hidden behind the massive oak entry doors to the club since the fight began, Sprawl gleefully assessed up the situation with a giddy grin. He needed to do nothing. The club was being destroyed before his very eyes. Soon, there would be nothing left. Then, he could kill the vampires and Honey would be his again. He spotted the frightened girl behind the counter and used the cover of the gunfight to crawl towards her. Once he got nearer, he flashed his badge. �Police Officer, ma�am. Let me help you out of here.� She looked at him gratefully, then screamed in terror as the green vein came surging from his throat. He grabbed her head and covered her mouth with his. Voraciously sucking her dry, he mused at how easy this had all been. All of his ambitions were looming above him, so close to his reach. He dropped the listless girl and prepared to spring into action. This was his big break. In no time at all, he would own the streets he had vowed to protect and serve. Only they would serve him in return. Rolling to the side and nearly tumbling off of the bed, Honey opened her eyes and found she could see in the dimness of the room. Groggily, she blinked a few times, but the mysterious light from within her that illuminated the dark did not go away. The shadows leapt at her and the recesses of the light did not obscure her vision. She blinked again and wondered what was wrong with her eyes. Her head didn�t hurt� But it should. After the beating she had taken from Sprawl only hours beforehand, she should still be in the throes of pain. But she wasn�t. In fact, she felt light and free. She felt strong enough to break the colossal mahogany bedposts right in half. Then, her mind cleared and she remembered what had transpired. William had obeyed her. He had fulfilled her wildest wish and turned her into a fierce warrior. Never again could Sprawl beat her senseless or feed off of her misery. She stretched her new muscles out languidly and licked her lips with satisfaction. She would have to remember to thank him later. But right now, she was hungry. She heard the commotion downstairs and smelled the blood that covered the shiny marble floors she had once danced on. Whatever it was, it was exciting her. She hopped off of the bed with one swift motion, grabbed her blood-spattered dress from the plush carpeting, and shimmied back into it. Time to play with the big boys now. As Spike�s rifle ran out of bullets, he contemplated what his next move would be. After using the barrel to impale a short man who was attacking one of the band members, he started to feel bad for the sobbing girls around the outskirts of the chaos. Sure, he himself may have killed them on another night, but the sweet death by vampire in comparison to violent holes in the chest was quickly making him reassess the situation. He swiftly grabbed a red-clad girl and ran her towards the rear of the club. With an encouraging smile and a pat on the butt, he began shooing her and several others out the back door. Remembering the cigar girl behind the counter, he ran over to see if she was still there. He found a heap of clothing lying where the girl had sat only moments ago. She was dead. But there was no blood. Looking to his left, he spotted a man in a brown suit ducking behind a strategically placed drink stand. Spike shook his head, trying to jog his memory. What was so familiar about him? With his non-descript clothing and battered hat, there was no way he was a patron. Suddenly, he shifted into fang mode and growled low in his throat. The strange �shoeshiner� from the other night. The one that had given him the willies, even from ten paces away. He could sense the demon in him. What the hell was he doing in here, preparing to join the fight? Deciding to take him by surprise, Spike slunk around the counter and stood directly in front of the man�s cover. Sniffing the air, he growled again and knew at once that this man had to die. Tonight. His vampire senses and recent bonding experience with Honey made the smell of her blood on the demon�s clothing even stronger. Spike savagely kicked the flimsy wood and it snapped into two. �Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing in my club?� Sprawl snarled at him and didn�t reply. �You have approximately two seconds to answer me, mate. Or I break your neck.� Sprawl drew himself to his full height, a good few inches below Spike�s, and tried to look intimidating. �Did you have a good time with her?? I can smell her on you, you know. Did she give you a good run?� He laughed condescendingly. �How much did she charge you?� Spike took fighting stance and punched Sprawl right smack in the face. �Is that why you slapped her around? Because she �charged you�?� Spike sneered, livid. �Well, lad, I�m sorry she doesn�t like you, but we had a grand ol� time. Maybe we fix you up with one of our girls, eh?� Sprawl got up off of the ground and prepared for battle. �You stupid, stupid idiot. She doesn�t love you, you know. She�ll be gone before you can throw more fancy liquor her way. She just used you like she uses everyone. And you, you fell for it. You�re a damn fool.� Spike circled him like a jungle cat, predatory, waiting to strike. �Am I?� he asked. �So foolish. So foolish I made her mine.� Sprawl froze in mid-retort, staring at him quizzically. �What the hell are you talking about?� �She�s one of us now, mate!! She asked to be made all brand-new and we gave her what she wanted. She�s a part of me. Guess you lose.� Sprawl lunged at him, howling with abandon. They had changed her. Now she was more than filth, she was the refuse they strove to clear the public spaces of. There was no way he was gonna let them get away with this. He pulled a stake out of his jacket and snarled, �Bring it on, pretty-boy�� Angelus surveyed the pandemonium effacing his once beautiful club. The m�lay had cased every still-breathing person to flee the premises, screaming in terror. He smelled a familiar scent in the air, over the blood and terror, and spotted Honey, feeding on a half-moving suited man. He strode over to her side. �Hey, babydoll, how do you feel?� �Fabulous,� she replied, smiling a scarlett red grin. He pulled her to him for a bloody kiss as yet another body dropped to the ground. �Good.� Suddenly a sub-human scream diverted their attention to the front of the club. Spike was engaged in heated battle with a man in a brown suit. Neither was pulling any punches, and although Spike seemed to have the upper hand, he was quickly losing it as bullets riddled his body in addition to the blows he was exchanging. Honey�s yellow eyes glazed over with a look of determination. Angelus studied her carefully. �What? What is it? Do you know him?� She ignored him, turning to the left, averting her eyes from his insistent gaze. Then, her eyes, now the same color as her name, widened. The girl. Behind the counter. Turning back in Spike�s direction, she spoke a single word. �Sprawl.� Angelus stared at her, somewhat bewildered. �What?� �Never mind,� she replied as she pushed away from him and started towards the door. Time for some long overdue payback. Sprawl was holding his own quite well with the vampire when another set of hands joined the battle and took him down. Wondering where they had come from, he briefly looked behind him. There, in all her glory, stood Honey. Dress, tattered and hanging from her magnificent body, blood everywhere, hair sticking shock straight. �Did you come here for me?� she asked him. �Yes, of course. But it looks like I�m too late.� Honey threw back her head and laughed. �Actually, you�re right on time.� She grabbed his neck and squeezed with every ounce of her strength. Sprawl clawed at her, trying desperately to breathe. She hung on tight, laughing fanatically, and screaming obscenities at him. Spike stood nearby, gloating. �That�s right, Baby, show him who�s boss!� He leaned over and whispered in Sprawl�s ear. �She�s new, and hungry. You�d better watch out.� He leaned on the bar and swallowed a gulp of a glass that was resting precariously on an abandoned barstool. �Well, this turned out to be quite the party, didn�t it?� Angelus sighed as he watched Honey grapple with the demon. He had a sneaking suspicion he had seen him before somewhere, but couldn�t place the face. Obviously, Honey knew him. And wanted him d-e-d dead. Women. They were so fickle. *Well, let her help poor little William. He looks like he needs it.* Then, everything went fuzzy as a massive hand cracked his spine. Kangus stood over him, gnashing his teeth. �Where is my dinner?� he roared. Angel groaned and rolled over, readying himself for a tousle. �So, you got out, huh? Do we have to go over this again? What do you think this is, feeding time at the zoo?� More furious than ever, he jumped up and prepared to put the demon on his place, once and for all. |
| TOOTH & NAIL |
| BY PREBUFFY & MAZZY |
| PART VIII |
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| manip by Mazzy |