bbb53

Chapter fifty-three

Lindsey could swear that his rapidly beating heart
moved from his rib cage up to this throat. There was
no other explanation for the painful ache every time
he tried to swallow. The five of them were gathered
around the trunk of Angel's car waiting for the dark
haired vampire to hand out weapons to them, looking
over his shoulder Lindsey stared down the empty
alley.

"It's too quiet. I'd think that Darla would set up
guards out here or something." Taking the stakes and
holy water that Angel handed him Lindsey prayed that
they had the right building. At this point they didn't
have the time to backtrack if they indeed had the
wrong place.

"They're here.'' Angel's voice was low and dangerous
"I can sense Darla.''

Lindsey thought about that for a moment. If Angel
could sense Darla didn't that mean that... "She can
sense you too can't she?''

Angel nodded silently. Lindsey softly cursed under his
breath, if Darla knew that Angel was here it put the
girls' lives at greater risk. Whatever they were going
to do they had to do it fast.

After Angel shoved two stakes inside his heavy trench
coat everyone followed him to the back door in the
alley. "We don't have time for mistakes here, this is
a one shot opportunity. Dust anything that looks
halfway threatening. Darla hasn't had enough time to
create enough minions to cause us much of a problem
but she won't be unguarded. Any questions?"

"Yeah I got one." Gunn cocked his head to the side,
"Who gets to dust the big bad bitch?"

"She's mine." Angel answered an undercurrent of rage
in his voice.

"Just checking to see where we stood on that. Didn't
want to step on anyone's toes." Gunn gave his friend a
half smile.

Taking one last look around to make sure they were
all ready. Angel gave a short nod and flung the
heavy metal door open shocking two newly made minions
who were standing just inside.

"Excuse me, I've seemed to have lost my way. Can you
tell me where I can find the nearest Starbucks?" The
two minions looked back in confusion, Angel slipped a
stake that was hidden up his sleeve down to his
awaiting palm. "No?" Slamming the wooden stake into
the nearest vampire's chest he spun quickly and
repeated the same action to the second minion. "Keep
your eyes open."

Without sparing a look back Angel continued on. Gunn
and Lindsey shard a look and followed with Giles
taking up
the rear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cordelia could feel the coarse fibers of the rope
cutting into her skin as she inched one of her hands
from the rope, pausing for a moment she took a deep
breath to collect herself knowing that if she started
to panic they wouldn't stand a chance in escaping.
After steadying her frazzled nerves she continued her
efforts and after what seemed to be hours she let out
a whimper of triumph as her right hand slipped out of
it's bounds.

"Douglass...Douglass?" Watching the blonde intently,
Cordelia could see that the witch seemed to have gone
to that other place whenever the voices in her head
became too much to handle.

Slipping both hands out Cordelia cringed to see the
blood from the rope burns around her wrists, leaning
forward, one eye glued to the door Cordelia started
to pull on the ropes that held her legs captive.

Once she freed herself she wondered how in the
world they were going to get out of there alive, they
had a fighting chance when Douglass was still
coherent, together they could have gotten Willow out,
even if they had to drag the redhead but now Cordelia
needed to think of a way to get two very out of it
girls to safety. Getting to her feet she nearly
fell to the ground as her legs nearly gave out
underneath her.

"Pull it together Chase." Cordelia said out loud to
herself. Gathering her strength she hurried over to
Willow's side, kneeling down near her friend she
started pulling at the ropes that kept the witch
captive. After a few minutes Cordelia sat back on her
heels knowing that she needed to find something sharp
to cut through the coarse ropes, looking around the
room her eyes rested on a wicked looking dagger. A
small smile touched her lips as she crawled over to
the table that the sharp instrument lay on, thanking
who ever was watching over them at that moment.

Grabbing the dagger with a shaking hand, Cordelia
hurried back to Willow cutting through the ropes in
one easy slice. Moving to the redhead's feet she
quickly cut through the ropes. With this done Cordelia
eased her friend to the ground before she went to
Douglass's side.

"Douglass? Can you hear me?" Whispering in her
friend's ear, the seer worked on the ropes at the
witch's neck, the strawberry-blonde's eyes were open,
the smoky blue orbs unfocused. Cordelia continued to
whisper to Douglass as she sliced through the
remaining ropes at the witch's feet and arms.

The moment that Douglass was free it seemed as though
her body had a mind of its own, sitting up straight in
bed her vacant eyes seemed to be pulled to Willow's
crumpled form.

"Oh no you don't, we don't have time for you to play
medicine woman." Cordelia tugged on Douglass's arm
trying to bring her friend back to the world. "Plan, I
need a plan. Not like they've worked in the past but
plans are good things." Keeping a hold of Douglass's
arm Cordelia looked around the room for a possible
escape route, for obvious reasons the door at the
other end of the room was not an option. That left the
windows, there were four windows lined up on the wall
just on the other side of the bed Douglass had just
been tied to, some of the panes had been broken, most
likely by some street kids. Crossing her fingers
Cordelia got to her feet and pulled Douglass behind
her to the window.

"Please let there be a fire escape, please oh please."
Looking out the window she nearly whooped with joy.
"Now lets pray that it'll hold our weight." Trying to
keep a hold of Douglass and pry the window open at the
same time was proving harder to do then Cordelia
thought it would be. "You know Douglass it sure would
nice if you stopped playing rainman here and actually
helped me."

Like a miracle Douglass's eyes seemed to clear.
Cordelia waited, her breath held as Douglass looked
around. Cordelia didn't waste a second and let go of
the witch's arm, pushing with all her might the
window wouldn't budge.

"I know you were pre-empted there for a few minutes
but work with me here." Cordelia rested her arms for a
second and started pushing again. Douglass jumped
forward only to wince in pain and hobble off her
right foot, biting the side of her cheek she put her
hands next to Cordelia's on the sill and started
pushing up.

The window wouldn't move. "We're going to have to
break it." Douglass found her voice oddly calm.

"Sure, that won't get any attention. Maybe we should
just ask Darla if we could use her super vamp
strength."

"What a wonderful idea but unfortunately my hands are
full at the moment." A silky voice came from behind
and both girls froze. "Now I'm not surprised to see
Douglass up and out of bed, I expected to see my
future childe show such spunk but you Cordelia I
never expected. I may have to change my plans for you.
Maybe you would make a great vampire."

Douglass and Cordelia turned in sync. Douglass gave a
cry of alarm to see that Darla's hands were indeed
full, the blonde vampire was holding Willow by her
hair, the poor witch hanging like a broken rag doll.
"Please put her down. I'll stay, let Cordelia and
Willow go." The words flew out of Douglass's mouth
before she could stop them but it was the only thing
she could think to do at this moment. She already knew
the reasons Darla wanted her, first to fix Dru's
broken mind and then to add her as the newest member
to the most dangerous vampire family known.

"You really don't have much say either way, darling
Tessa. Do you like your new name? I chose it just for
you, you are going to be a great vampire, one of my
best creations." Darla lifted her free hand revealing
the dagger that Cordelia had used to cut Willow from
her bonds. "Once Dru is better and we get my boy back
we'll be unstoppable." Darla traced the dagger from
Willow's
already sliced neck to her collarbone,
Douglass and Cordelia stood terrified that Darla would
increase pressure and start drawing blood again.
"There is nothing you can do to save your little
friend here," Darla shook Willow slightly, "her fate
is sealed but I will give you the choice to have
Cordelia join you in the afterlife, my dear."

Douglass started shaking her head no almost as though
she knew that she was seeing Willow's last moments.
"Darla, please you don't have to do this. You have me
willingly."

"What you are feeling for Angel's little toy will pass
once I bring you across. It may hurt now but trust me
Tessa, it'll pass." Darla smiled at Douglass as though
she were coddling a small child. Darla raised the
dagger slowly as Cordelia and Douglass's eyes widened
in
horror. Just when Douglass was going to react by
charging Darla brought the dagger down embedding it
into Willow's stomach

"No!!!" Douglass and Cordelia screamed at the top of
their lungs in unison rushing to the crumpled body
Darla had just dropped to the floor. Darla stepped
back, a small evil smile in her face.