Liberation by Kirk Baldridge

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. If I did, I'd treat them better than...some people.

Author's Notes: Okay, I think a little explanation is in order here. This story is sort of a follow-up to my TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED story. In it, season 5 ended very differently than on the show. Dawn threw herself into the portal and erased everyone's memories of her. Buffy never died and was never drawn to Spike. As a result Willow never had to compensate for Buffy's loss by using her magick so heavily. She never got addicted, which means she and Tara never broke up. Also, Giles never left Sunnydale. Basically, the story takes place in a radically altered season 6. I may one day write a story that explains some of the stuff which happened there, but this is not that story.

Summary: Willow and Tara join with Spike to save Buffy. How's that for unlikely partnerships?

"Aww, sweetie." Tara Maclay leaned over and kissed her girlfriend. "It's okay. We'll go some other time."

They were all sitting around the Magic Box. Anya was behind the counter, closing the cash register after having counted the money for the sixth and final time, and Giles had already gone home.

"I'm sure Buffy has a good reason for being late," Xander offered. "You know, like vampires, apocalypses...er... apocalii...what the hell is the plural for apocalypse anyway?"

"It's apocalypses." Everyone turned at the sound of Buffy Summers voice. "Giles said so."

They were stunned by the Slayer's appearance. Her clothes were torn, her hair unusually mussed and dirty, and she was limping.

"Demon," the Slayer replied. "And yes, I'm fine. I've been hurt worse." She sat down, wincing as pain shot up her leg. "Not recently, though. This thing was seriously bad news, guys. Strong, and tough. It took everything I threw at it without even flinching."

Buffy shook her head. "I didn't win. I'm only here because he let me go. I get the feeling he was just toying with me. He could have killed me if he really wanted to."

Tara stared at Buffy for a moment. "Your aura, it's so...how badly did he hurt you?"

"He whacked me in the head pretty good, and he damn near dislocated my knee. But other than that, it's mostly just bumps and bruises." Again, she winced. "Oww, damn it!"

Anya closed the cash register and approached the table. "So, this demon." As an ex-vengeance demon, she was their resident expert. In twelve-hundred plus years she had seen and heard more about demons than Giles and his books could ever hope to match. "What did it look like?"

After a while they got Buffy home, cleaned up, and off to bed. They soon realized just how tired she must have been when she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. They stood in the doorway and watched her for a while, then went downstairs to talk.

Tara nodded. "It's just a shame we couldn't identify the demon that attacked her."

"Yeah, and Anya wasn't much help. Twelve hundred years of existence, and she can't recognize a face like the one Buffy described?"

"Will, let's be fair. The only one who got anything out of that description was Xander. And I don't think I really want to know what a Ghost Rider on steroids actually is."

"Right behind you." Tara followed her lover up the stairs, and into their bedroom.

The two of them had moved into the house shortly after the fight with Glory. They were able to help Buffy and themselves financially that way, and they also kept the Slayer company in an otherwise empty house. It had been Buffy's idea for them to take Joyce's room, since it was the biggest.

Bright and early the next morning they met up with Giles at the Magic Box, and Buffy recounted her fight with the demon all over again. By then she had mostly recovered from all her injuries, except that her knee was still a little tender. The limp was gone though.

"I'm telling you Giles, this thing was scary strong. Every punch it landed felt like it was bruising something, and he barely seemed to notice when I punched him back."

The Watcher took off his glasses and began to absently clean them. "Extraordinary. I've never heard of any such creature. And you say he showed no interest in killing you?"

"Take my word. If that was what he was after, I wouldn't be here right now." Buffy shook her head. "The thing is, I don't even think he was trying all that hard. It's like he was testing me. Checking my strength, so he'd know what he was dealing with the next time."

"If my luck holds, probably tonight." Buffy stood up. "I need to stretch out. If last night was any indication, I am really off my game."

Anya came out from behind the counter. "Oh no! You start playfighting with her, then you'll be too bruised and sore to take me to lunch. No sir."

Willow's watch beeped. "Uh oh. Tara, we'd better get going too. We're late for class."

Despite Buffy's insistence that she was all right the others decided to come along with her on patrol in case the demon happened to show up again. They had swords and axes all around, with Willow and Tara also taking along a few things they would need if magick proved necessary.

Once at the cemetery they spread out. Buffy stayed in the open as a 'helpless victim', with a short sword hidden under her jacket. She could draw it in seconds. Willow and Tara were sitting behind a row of high shrubs. Xander and Anya occasionally peeked out from either side of a large tree. No one knew exactly where Giles was, but the Watcher was no doubt somewhere nearby. Waiting, as were the rest of them.

"It's still hard for me to believe you guys did this every night back in high school," Tara whispered. "With all the late nights and monsters, how did you manage to get any studying done?"

"Actually, I usually brought books with me. Except for the occasional dead rising interruption it's usually pretty quiet out here. I had plenty of time to read."

Tara nodded. "Will, I know this kind of comes out of left field, but I've been thinking. We've been at it non-stop for the last few months." She sighed. "Assuming everything settles down, which seems unlikely, I'll admit, do you think maybe we could go away? You know, just the two of us?"

"I heard about this Wiccan retreat where we can literally get away from the world. If you want, we can make the reservations when we get home." Tara leaned forward and the two of them kissed. "I love you."

Someone whistled. It was Anya, trying to alert them to trouble. But for some reason she had never been able to get the signal right. It always came out as a wolf-whistle, the sort construction workers like Xander usually made when an attractive woman walked by. They both looked up, over the bushes.

Two vampires, one male and one female, had entered the clearing. They both had their game-faces on, and were approaching Buffy from either side. The Slayer kept an eye on them, but didn't seem particularly concerned. They were not the monster she had been hoping for, obviously.

Buffy spun around and kicked the male in the chest as soon as he was close enough. As he stumbled she twirled and jammed a stake into the female's heart. Even as the vampire turned to dust, a shocked expression on her face, the Slayer drew the sword from under her coat. In one smooth movement she sliced the male's head off, then put the sword back in place and clasped her hands behind her back.

"She's good," said Willow. "I've lost track of how many vamps she's actually killed."

To everyone's surprise, something came whistling through the air and struck Buffy from behind. A metal chord with weight on either end of it entwined around the Slayer's body—pinning her arms to her sides and throwing her off balance. She landed on her side and groaned, unable to break herself free before an inhuman figure strode out of the shadows, chuckling.

The demon was just as Buffy had described it, which was surprising since the Slayer's recall was usually one of her poorest qualities.

It was not quite seven feet in height, but broader in the shoulder than any linebacker. Muscle rippled beneath its spike-covered black leather jacket, and it had sharp metal studs across the knuckles of its black gloves. The most bizarre thing about the demon's appearance, however, was its head.

It had no skin or muscle, just a bare, dark gray skull. The bone was unusually shaped though, with what appeared to be horns on either side, and larger than that of a human. Within each of the voids that were its eye-sockets two fiery pinpoints of red smoldered.

As the creature was leaning over Buffy, Willow began to tremble. "Buffy, no! We have to help her!" She started to stand up, but Tara grabbed her arm. "What?"

The demon was reaching for Buffy when someone came out of the bushes behind it. It turned to see Giles, with a nasty-looking axe held up and ready. "And who would you be?" It stepped easily aside. "Don't tell me this Slayer has need of a bodyguard? That is so pathetic!"

"Bloody hell!" Giles brought the axe up and around again, but the demon knocked it out of his hands. "I won't let you hurt my Slayer!"

"Good advice, little man!" The demon grabbed Giles by the throat and lifted him off his feet. "You really should have listened to her!" As it drew its other hand back, clenched into a fist, a crossbow bolt whistled through the air and burrowed deeply into its chest. "What's this?" It turned its head, to see Anya trying, rather clumsily, to reload the crossbow. "Another one?"

At that very moment, Xander came charging out of the trees from another direction. He had a sword held out in front of him. There was no finesse involved, he was just planning to run the demon through. The technique, crude as it was, had worked for him in the past.

"Are you kidding me?" The demon turned and threw Giles at Xander. Unable to lower his sword in time, Xander could only start turning his body so the Watcher would not strike the blade. That left him off-balance, and unable to get himself out of the way in time. The two men collided with tremendous force, something cracked, and they slumped to the ground, blissfully unconscious. "As for you..." The demon pulled the crossbow bolt from its chest and turned on Anya as she was pointing the crossbow again.

The ex-demon hesitated. It hadn't worked before. She wondered what good another shot would do.

"You lost your chance, little one!" The demon threw the crossbow bolt. It struck Anya in the right shoulder, and the impact spun her completely around. She landed on her face in an unconscious heap. "I had doubts about your reputation before I arrived, Slayer. Now, I see those doubts were justified!"

Willow stepped right out in front of the demon. Before it knew what was happening she threw a handful of blue powder in its face. "Flagrare!" The powder erupted into flames that almost instantly engulfed the demon's head. It staggered back, waving its arms wildly and howling. "It worked!"

Behind her, Tara crawled out of the shadows and held her hands over Buffy. "Dissolvo!" The metal band holding the Slayer loosened enough for her to wiggle her way free.

Buffy rolled to her feet and picked up the sword she had dropped earlier. "Thanks."

"I can take care of tall, dark and ugly," Buffy announced. "You two check on the others."

The Slayer, meanwhile, turned to face the demon as it finally got the flames extinguished.

"It seems I underestimated your witches, Slayer! They are a good deal more resourceful than I gave them credit for." After a moment, the demon shook its head. "What a pity the same can't be said about your other allies. Or of you for that matter! This was almost too easy!"

"In case you haven't noticed, big guy, I'm not dead yet. And I'm the one who's armed."

Tara discovered that Anya's shoulder wound, though serious, wasn't life-threatening. At least, it would not be if the ex-demon got medical attention. Leaving the crossbow bolt where it was for the time being, she crawled over to Willow as she was checking Xander's pulse.

Tara nodded. "Anya's not much better. We need to get them all to a hospital, Will."

"But we can't move them on our own," said the redhead. "We're going to need some help."

Buffy already knew the demon was strong, as strong as she at least, so she decided instead to try and outclass it with her speed and agility. She faked left, then came at the demon from the right.

The demon was watching her the whole time. When she moved it followed, and thus it was able to stay one step ahead of her. To the Slayer's surprise it parried her sword with the side of one arm, then chuckled and punched at her with the other. A blow that would likely have gone through solid concrete.

Buffy avoided its huge fist, barely, by jerking her head to one side. Even so she felt the metal on its glove graze the side of her face, drawing blood. She hissed in pain and ducked, punching the demon in the midsection as hard as she could. It grunted, and was doubled over by the impact.

But the demon used the momentum against her. As it went down it grabbed the Slayer's lower leg, and she cried out as it jerked her up and around with tremendous force. With little effort it flipped her head over heels into the air, then reared back and kicked her in the stomach. She slammed face-first into a tree and slid to the ground, her face bloody and her breath ragged. The demon walked toward her.

"You don't get it yet do you Slayer? You can't win! I've been watching you. I know your moves." Buffy started to push herself up to her hands and knees. "I also you never quit." It stomped her in the small of the back, driving her face back into the dirt. "Which is a real pity...for you." She didn't move after that. It shook its head. "I will say this much. At least you were more of a challenge than the other one."

Before Tara could stop her Willow got up and charged the demon. As it turned to face her she raised her hands, muttering under her breath.

"Lux flagrare!" The redhead averted her eyes as her palms erupted with intensely bright white light. It must have been like a million flashbulbs going off all at once in the demon's face.

It's only reaction was to laugh. "Nice try. Unfortunately for you, my eyes don't work the same as yours." It took a step forward and reached for Willow, who ducked out of the way. It snarled. "You're only making this harder on yourself, witch!"

"Leave her alone!" Tara appeared behind the demon, and put her hands on its back. "Obligare!"

The demon's jacket seemed to take on a life of its own. It constricted along the sides and down the length of its arms, making it that much harder for it to move. "What have you done, witch?"

"I've always wanted to try that spell. But it only works on organic material." Tara smiled. "Like leather."

"Very good witch. I might be impressed, if it weren't for one thing..." The demon hunched its shoulders, flexing both massive arms at the same time. The leather ripped along its seams, and it was able to peel it the rest of it off with minimal effort. Beneath it was revealed a phenomenally muscular body, with slate-gray skin, which made its skeletal head look that much stranger. "Now, where were we?"

Tara's eyes widened. "Uh oh." She backed away, but underestimated the demon's reach. It caught the front of her shirt and drew her closer, then grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off her feet. "Hey!"

"Stop it!" The demon sensed magick surging, and glanced over its shoulder to see Willow's eyes glowing. Every sword and axe in the area rose into the air. "Leave...her...ALONE!"

One by one the weapons flew toward the demon. It twisted and turned out of the way of most of them, though it lost its hold on Tara in the process. She crawled out of the line of fire while the demon was ducking under an axe that threatened to take its head. As it straightened up, however, two swords made a mid-air course correction and slammed hilt-deep into the center of its back. It groaned, and fell flat on its face.

"But we still need help," said the blonde. "But now we have to get help for Buffy too."

The two of them turned their back on the demon. It was dead...or so they thought. They never saw its eyes begin to glow, or the way its fingers dug into the soft ground as it pushed itself up to its hands and knees. They did hear it snarling, however, and turned, their faces paling.

"Fools! You have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?" Again the demon's exceptional reach worked in its favor. It reached behind itself to pull the swords out of its back, and they saw there was no blood on the blades as it tossed them aside. "Metal cannot harm one of my breed!"

"Oh be quiet!" Before she could even begin her spell, the demon backhanded the redhead. It was only a glancing blow with minimal force behind it, yet it was still more than enough to knock her off her feet. She hit the ground and slid to a stop near a headstone, while the demon just laughed. "Witches!"

"Willow!" Tara frantically raced to her lover's side. "Will?" The redhead was breathing and her pulse was strong, but she was unconscious. "Thank the Goddess." She breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced over her shoulder. "Oh no." The demon was gone which, under any other circumstance, would have been a good thing. It was gone, but so was Buffy. It had apparently taken the Slayer with it. "Oh Goddess, no!"

Willow came to in the middle of a series of explosions going off inside her skull. Pain echoed down the length of her body as she slowly opened her eyes, and let light come flooding in. It was bright and white, which made no sense. The last thing she remembered was being outside, at night, in a cemetery.

"W-Where am I?" The redhead looked around. "A hospital room?" She was wearing her street clothes, and could not see or feel any bandages on her body or head, so she guessed what had happened she had not been injured too badly. She was still confused though. "How did I get here?"

"Your girlfriend," a familiar voice replied from behind her. "She's a lovely young woman, by the way. She called for a ambulance. You're lucky to have her."

"I know." Willow lay her head back on the pillow. "I'll have to remember to thank her later."

Tara walked into view, and sat down beside the redhead. "Why wait?" She leaned down and kissed her lover. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Here." Tara picked up a little paper cup with several pills in it. "For the pain."

Willow swallowed them all at once. "Thanks." She sighed. "How are the others? Are they...?"

"Anya's doing okay. Her shoulder was torn up, but the doctors say she's lucky they don't have to do surgery. The last time I checked, she was annoying the nurses about the food."

"Xander got two cracked ribs and a sprained knee. He's going to be here for a while. Giles broke his left arm, in two places. He also has a mild concussion."

"I-I don't know. I'm sorry, Will. Goddess, the demon...it got away, and it took Buffy with it."

"I have no idea. But I think we can be pretty sure she's still alive. I mean, if the demon had wanted to kill her, we both know he could have done it in the cemetery. No, he made a deliberate effort to capture her alive, which may be the edge need. As long as she's valuable to him..."

Willow started trembling. "We have to find her!" She threw the blanket off and slid her legs out of the bed. "We have to...whoa!" Her knees buckled as soon as her feet touched the ground. Fortunately, Tara was there to wrap an arm supportively around her. "Thanks."

"Take it one step at a time. Slow and easy. Once you're strong enough, we'll go find the doctor and check on the others. Afterwards we can start looking for Buffy, okay?"

By the time Willow's pain medication kicked in she was able to be up and around, and she went with Tara to see the doctor. He took them to see Anya, who was asleep in a room, but told them that both Xander and Giles would have to stay overnight in the ICU for observation. Once she determined there was nothing she could do for them, Willow checked herself out of the hospital.

She and Tara went to the Magic Box, to try and find some more information on the demon. They would need to know more if they were going to save Buffy. They were more confident this time, even though the first time they had spent several hours researching and had come up with nothing. They knew more about the demon, they'd seen its body under the leather jacket, and knew about its resistance to metal.

"I've got it!" Willow sat up holding an old, leather-bound book. "It's Thanatosian. See?" She pointed to a drawing which—except for the head—looked exactly like their demon. "Tall, gray skin, can't be hurt by metal. Oh. Hey, it's no wonder Buffy had so much trouble with it. It says here Thanatosian's are supposed to be one of the strongest of all the demon breeds."

"Why didn't this come up before?" Tara asked. "I'm pretty sure we checked that book."

Willow nodded. "We did. But remember, we were searching for a demon with no skin on its head. According to this, Thanatosian's have normal skulls. The lack of flesh on the one we fought must be some kind of mutation or anomaly or something. It's no wonder we missed it."

"We need to talk to someone who knows about demons, and about this town. And since Buffy and Giles are out of reach, that just leaves..."

Tara shook her head. "Hold on. Give him a chance. It is the middle of the day. He probably doesn't move around as much as usual." She knocked on the door of the crypt. "Spike? It's Tara and Willow." She raised her voice. "We need to talk to you. It's important. Spike?" There was still no response.

"He's a vampire. You don't have to be so polite." Willow crossed her arms. "Buffy usually just busts right in and starts pushing him around. We could always try that."

"We're not Slayers. Besides, just because he's not human doesn't mean we shouldn't be polite. He has helped us out, like against Glory, and this is his home." Tara knocked again. "Spike?"

Willow frowned. "We may have to go in anyway. Buffy said the part of his place with the bed is underground. If he's asleep down there, he may not even be able to hear us."

"Okay." The door wasn't locked, so Tara opened it and stuck her head inside. "Spike? Are you here?" It remained quiet, so they went inside. "Hello?"

Willow pointed. "Over there." They went down the stairs, into a lower part of the crypt, where they came across a bed that had obviously been recently used. It was empty now, however. "Huh. I was really kind of expecting him to be down here. It is the middle of the day. Where could he have gone?"

"I guess we'll have to go with your idea after all," said Tara. "But I thought Spike would be our best chance. Who else in Sunnydale would know as much about demons?"

"It's not just a bar. Willy's clientele is...eclectic, to say the least. He's human, and other humans come there, but he primarily deals with vampires, demons, and some creatures you've probably never heard of. Buffy goes to him when she's desperate. He knows just about everything there is to know about the dark side of Sunnydale, but he is also a wormy little reprobate who would sell his own mother."

As they got to the door, they saw it had a chain and a lock on it. "It looks like he's closed."

"It daytime," said Willow. "And most of his customers don't come out until the sun goes down. But this, is not a problem." She held her hand out over the lock. "Dissolvo." The lock glowed, and then clicked open and fell to the ground. She undid the chain and smiled. "See?"

Tara nodded. "Nicely done. At least we didn't do any damage." She opened the door and was the first one inside, so she was the first one to see what was going on. "Hey!"

Willy was behind the bar, held several feet off the ground with a hand clamped around his throat, by a platinum-blonde haired figure with whom they were both familiar.

The vampire turned his head and growled. "Bloody hell!" His game-face changed back to normal. "What are you birds doing here?"

"We need some information," Willow replied. "But, it looks like you've got pressing business." She crossed her arms. "We can wait."

Spike sighed. "There's a new player in town. A demon, after the Slayer." Willow and Tara glanced at one another as the vampire continued. "I wanna know about it."

Willow put a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder and took a step forward. "...has already caused Buffy trouble. We need to know where to find it. Come on, Willy. What do you know about Thanatosian's?"

Spike snarled, and shoved Willy back against the wall. "You don't lie well mate. Your heart's beating faster. Tell the lady what she wants to know!" His face changed again. "Or else!"

"Okay, okay. Put me down first." After a moment the vampire released him. Willy backed away, while adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Geez. Be careful, would you? This is real silk." He took a deep breath. "Now then, it was a Thanatosian you wanted to know about, right?" Willow and Tara both nodded. "They're bad news. Really bad news, and I am not exaggerating. The vamps are going underground, literally, and I got Polgara and Mugara demons who left town in a hurry when they heard there was a Thanatosian on its way."

"Because nobody is supposed to be able to stop them. According to what I've heard, there's a Thanatosian who's killed more Slayers than you, Spike."

The vampire growled. "And there's one in town?" Willy nodded. "So what's it want with Buffy?"

"You got me. All I know is he arrived in the US a week or so ago. He stopped in LA, spent a couple of days, and then came here. Don't ask me why."

"Where might we find this big beastie?" Spike asked. "And don't even think about lying to me."

Willy rolled his shoulders and stood up straight, right in the vampire's face. After a moment, though, he backed off. "I-I'm not afraid of you. I know you can't hurt me."

"I hear things. I know about the soldier-boys, and how they did something to your head. You can't hurt humans. I happen to be a human. Ergo, you can't touch me."

Spike's game-face came on and he reached for Willy. Then a shock of pain erupted in his head and he staggered back, snarling. "Bloody hell!"

Willy half-smiled, obviously feeling a little more confident than before. "See?"
"Hey." Willow stepped forward. "You said you're not afraid of him? What about me, hmm?" She held out a hand, in the middle of which a sphere of fire appeared. "Do you know who I am?"

"Uhh...yeah." He started to fidget. "You're the Slayer's friend, right? The witch. Look, I-I don't want trouble. And I didn't tell anyone about the chip, okay? I swear, I..."

"Shut up, Willy." The sphere of fire dissipated, and Willow dropped her hand. "I don't care about Spike, the chip in his head or what you may or may not have told the other demons about him. All I care about is the Thanatosian, the one you said was in town? Where is it?"

Willy shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have an exact address or anything." He glanced at the redhead's hand. "But I do understand they like to be near the water. Don't know why. Word is the one who's after the Slayer is camping out in one of those old abandoned dock buildings." He started toward his office. "I helped you guys out, so do me a favor would you? Get lost!" He slammed the door behind him.

"Trouble is, he's also right," said Spike. "About Thanatosian's. I heard tale of one who thrashed a whole village of humans in Europe, just so their neighbors would pay him tribute." The vampire shook his head. "I admire that kind of initiative. Used to do the same myself."

Willow frowned. "We so don't have time for this is my really disturbing life, Spike. Buffy's in trouble."

"Bloody hell! So where's the rest of your play-group? Shouldn't you be circling the wagons about now, trying to come up with one of those ingenious plans to save the day you lot seem to so enjoy?"

"Xander, Giles and Anya were all hurt in the fight," Willow replied. "We're it."

Spike's face fell. "Bollocks. If it's up to the two of you, she's going to end up deader than I am."

Spike and Willow both turned to her with the same shocked expression on their faces, and also gave almost the same response, in almost the exact same tone. "What?"

"I-I was just thinking, even with our magick...his strength could come in handy."

"Strength didn't help Buffy." Willow shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't really matter anyway. It's daytime. With the sun up, he won't be able to travel with us."

Spike snorted. "Please! How'd you think I got here in the middle of the day? There are tunnels the length of this burg. Some of them, I might add, go all the way to the docks."

Back at the Magic Box, Willow and Tara were preparing the necessary components for several different spells they were planning to try against the demon. They didn't know for sure how well any of them would work though, since the books didn't say anything about weaknesses, but they had to try.

"I have an idea." Willow brought a book over to the counter, where the blonde was pouring the contents of a vial into a small leather pouch. "Look at this. We could do this, don't you think?"

Tara scanned the page and nodded. "The spell looks easy enough. But what about the other part?"

"I know, I know. I doubt either of us could do it. But Buffy can, assuming we find her."

"Yeah, but I don't like that we're relying on Spike. Do you really think it's smart having him scout for us?"

"He knows his way around the darker parts of the city better than we do. Besides, he cares about Buffy. He'll do whatever it takes to rescue her, you can count on that." Tara glanced at her watch. "Speaking of which, we need to get going pretty soon. The sun'll be down in an hour or so."

Willow nodded. "I just need to find a qualas crystal. I know I saw one...ah hah!"

As the redhead bent down behind the counter, Tara cleared her throat. "Can I ask you something?"

"Earlier, when we were at Willy's...what was that fireball? What were you doing?"

"What? You mean this?" Another flame-sphere appeared in Willow's hand. "This is nothing."

Tara stared at her lover for a moment, then held her hand over the ball of fire. "Hey!" To her surprise, it was not giving off any heat. It didn't even seem to have any substance. "An illusion?"

"Of course." The fireball dissolved. "Willy's an obnoxious little toad, but he's also easily intimidated. This spell is perfect. It gets the results I need, and I don't tempt fate by pushing the magick too far." Willow lay her arms on her lover's shoulders and kissed her. "Honey, you don't have to worry. I've learned my lesson since Glory. I know how powerful magick is, and how dangerous it is to use too much. I almost lost control when I went after her, but that's only because of what she did to you." She shook her head. "You've helped me. The meditation, the rituals, it has made me understand myself, and my magick, in ways I never thought possible. I know I've said this before but I think it bears repeating. Without you, I would be lost. I love you."

"I love you too." Tara kissed her back. "And I'm sorry if I sounded like I was being judgmental."

"No." Willow sighed. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." She put on her serious face. "Tara, if you ever have concerns about me—whether it's something serious like my magick, or just the clothes I'm wearing, do not ever be afraid to say something. Call me on it. It's the only way I can learn. Okay?"

"Now then, like you said, we have to get going. We wouldn't want Spike to worry, now would we?"

Spike nodded. "All of the vampires in this area are shying away from..." He pointed. "...that warehouse. Word on the street is some big beastie has moved in. I think it's our boy."

Spike snorted as he dropped the stake into his coat pocket. "I don't trust anyone."

"That's sad," said Tara. She looked up at the warehouse. "So have you been inside yet? To make sure its the right place, and the right demon?"

"It's the Thanatosian all right. I told them about the demon you described and they agreed." He nodded. "There's a fire escape around back. We can get in that way." They followed him. "Here. Hold on." The vampire leaped up and caught the corner of the fire escape, then climbed the rest of the way and pushed the ladder down. "Come on. The Thanatosian is probably down on ground level. If you two can be quiet enough we should be able to get in and find the Slayer before he even knows we're here." The window on the fire escape proved to be locked. Spike hissed. "I can break it, but I don't want to make too much noise."

Tara stepped forward. "Let me." She put her hand over the lock. "Recludere!" The lock clicked, and she was able to open the window easily.

Spike nodded. "Bloody useful spell you have there. Think you could teach that to me?"

"Sorry." Since she was the closest, Tara was the first inside. Willow and Spike followed. "Which way?"

The vampire cocked his head, then pointed. "This way." He led them to a door, which opened onto a catwalk that circled the upper part of the warehouse. There were some crates and other miscellany scattered around the floor below, but that was not what drew their attention. "Bloody hell!"

The demon was present, as they expected, but it was seated cross-legged on the floor near the front door. It had its arms held out in front of it and its eyes closed. It appeared to be meditating.

At the far end of the warehouse lay two large white crystalline structures, shaped vaguely like coffins. Every so often a faint pulse of green light washed over them.

"I have," said Tara. "In a book at the Magic Box. They're called somnus chambers."

"Me neither," said Willow. "But I know somnus means sleep. So, these things are like sleep-chambers? You put someone inside one..." Her eyes widened. "...like Buffy..."

Tara nodded. "...and the somnus chamber keeps them asleep, mystically sustained, indefinitely."

"So you're saying Buffy's inside one of those things?" Spike asked. "Why? Sound's a bloody awful lot of trouble to go through to get the Slayer."

Willow let out a squeak, but just as quickly clapped her hands over her mouth. "Of course!"

"All this time, I've been trying to understand why this demon didn't just kill Buffy when he had the chance. She's the Slayer. He'd be like a hero or something. Instead, he's holding her prisoner. Up until now I'd begun to suspect he was a bounty hunter. Out to make a name for himself by capturing the Slayer, but even that doesn't really make any sense. No one in the demon community would want the Slayer alive, unless..."

"Well, would someone explain it to me?" Spike growled. "I still don't see why he doesn't just kill her."

"Because doing that wouldn't accomplish anything," Tara replied. "Think about it. Killing Buffy would just make things worse, because they'd just have to deal with a brand new Slayer."

Willow nodded. "Exactly. On the other hand, this demon appears to be the smartest one yet. By putting Buffy in a form of suspended animation, he guarantees himself and the other monsters in Sunnydale a free ride. Thanks to him the Slayer is out of the picture, and no new one is going to be coming either."

"Bloody hell!" Spike lowered his head. "If I'd come up with that years ago, I wouldn't be sitting here with you lot now." He glared at each one of them. "So, what's the plan?"

"Spike," said Willow. "You try and get close to the demon. Keep an eye on him, and if he moves, well...use your best judgment. Think you can do that?"

"Sod off. And what about you two? What will you be doing while I'm risking my neck?"

The vampire snarled. "Bollocks. With you two at point, we're all as good as dead." He flung himself off the side of the catwalk and vanished into the shadows.

Spike crouched down on top of a stack of old crates, overlooking the demon. From that close he could hear the creature's breathing, slow and steady. He guessed it was sleeping.

'Doesn't look like much,' the vampire said to himself. 'I'll wager I could take it.' Then he remembered what Tara and Willow had said about it beating Buffy. He had never beaten Buffy. Obviously this demon was tougher than it appeared. 'Best to wait for the witches.'

Unlike Spike, Willow and Tara could not simply jump down to the ground floor of the warehouse. They needed to find another way; which they did when by means of a set of old, rickety stairs at the far end of the catwalk they were on. It was slow going, as every step caused the stairs to creak and groan, shuddering as if they might fall out from under them at any moment.

"Goddess," Tara whispered, once her feet were safely on the ground. "Glad I'm not afraid of heights."

Willow didn't say anything as she moved toward the green crystalline chambers. She leaned in close to the first and her eyes widened. "It's Buffy!"

Tara walked up to the other. "Why does he have two?" She looked inside. "Goddess!"

"What is..." Willow glanced over her lover's shoulder. "...whoa." There was someone inside the second chamber as well. Someone she recognized. "How did he...do you know who that is?"

Tara nodded. "Faith. I remember her face from the last time. But, isn't she supposed to be in jail?"

"Maybe he broke her out." Willow shook her head. "He must have somehow figured out she was a Slayer too. If he took her, he must not be sure which one of them is the real chosen one."

"You know a new Slayer is chosen when the last one dies, right?" Tara nodded. "A few years ago Buffy died, just for a few minutes, but even so Kendra was called. When Kendra was killed Faith was called. Technically, Faith is the Slayer, and the line probably continues through her. But even if the demon knows all this, he must not want to take any chances. Better to keep both of them on ice, just in case."

Willow nodded. "I know. But how? I don't see any locks on these things. How do we open them?"

"It must be magick," Tara replied. "A ward, maybe. I think I can figure it out, but it's going to take time. What do we do if the demon wakes up?"

"Spike's our first line of defense," said Willow. "If he fails..." She patted the pouch on her hip. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"You be careful too," said Tara. She sat down, cross-legged, in front of the chambers, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She whispered a quiet mantra to herself, and soon her senses were expanding. They made her aware of the glimmering magickal auras around both of the green crystalline structures.

Humans had blood pumping in their veins, and if their circulation was cut off for too long they got cramps. But he could sit as he was, crouched, for hours at a time without incident.

While his body could handle the strain easily enough, his mind was a different story. He didn't have patience. It was very difficult for him to just sit around and wait. Generally when he saw a demon he wanted to fight he didn't have to hesitate, he just went and did it. But he knew if he attacked this demon right now, and it beat him, Willow and Tara wouldn't have a chance to release Buffy.

The demon started to move, it raised his head, and Spike sneered. 'About bloody time,' he said to himself. 'Now mate, it's you and me!' He leaped off the crates as the demon started to rise, and drove the heels of his boots into the small of the huge creature's back. It howled in surprise as it was driven down to its hands and knees, while the vampire stepped back and cocked his head, his face inhuman.

The demon scrambled to its feet and glared at Spike. "A vampire? What do you think you're doing?"

"I think I understand now. You intend to reap the glory of my victory. The Slayers are mine!"

It didn't escape Spike's notice that the demon had pluralized Slayer twice. He knew Buffy wasn't the only one. It occurred to him, at that moment, what—who—that other crystal chamber must have contained. He glanced over his shoulder, though he couldn't actually see Willow or Tara from there.

"You're not alone, are you?" the demon asked. "I sensed another presence. Now, I realize there are two of them, and witches from the feel of them. Probably the Slayer of this city's two allies." It shook it's head. "Why would a leech want to aid mortals? Especially those who kill his kind?"

"That's my problem," said Spike. "Not yours." He smiled. "What's wrong? Scared?"

"Of you?" Moving with incredible speed the demon stepped forward and grabbed Spike by the collar. He tossed the vampire into the stack of crates he had recently been standing on, bringing them crashing down on top of him in a pile of dust and debris. "Hardly!"

Willow heard all the commotion, and glanced over her shoulder with a concerned expression on her face. They were fighting; Spike and the demon. If he couldn't keep the Thanatosian busy long enough for them to release the Slayers, then all hope was lost.

The redhead knew she had to prepare. She had seen the demon fight, she knew how strong and how tough it was, and she had no reason to believe that Spike would be any more successful against it than Buffy or Faith. It was up to her to protect Tara, and save her friend.

Willow dug into her pouch and came out with two small vials; one full of green powder, the other some kind of clear liquid. She began to go over the spell in her head.

The demon had just begun to move away when the still settling rubble began to shift and groan. It turned back in time to see a pale, black-nailed hand punch through the side of a half-intact crate.

Spike tore himself free, and brushed debris out of his hair. "That's going to cost you!"

Growling, Spike threw a punch to the face the demon didn't even bother to avoid. It's head was viciously snapped back, but it didn't otherwise move. To the vampire, it felt like he was punching concrete.

"Bastard!" Spike tackled the demon, or at least tried to. "Bloody bastard!" No matter how hard he tried, he could not seem to make the more massive creature move. "You hurt Buffy! I'll kill you!"

The demon balled up one huge fist, and brought it down on top of Spike's head. It drove his face right down into the floor, and he groaned. "You really care, don't you? About the Slayer? I have to tell you..." As it had done some time before, to Buffy, it stomped him in the back. "...that is one of the single most pathetic things I've ever heard, and I have been around a very long time!"

Spike was motionless as the demon raised its foot. It shook its head, and turned away. At that very moment, the vampire stirred. With a monstrous headache and pain radiating through his body he crawled up and jumped on the demon's back, wrapping both arms around its neck. "Take this, you wanker!" As it struggled, he twisted its head as hard as he could. There was a loud crack, and the demon's eyes dimmed.

It shuddered and collapsed. "Bugger. I think you tore my jacket." Spike glared down at the demon. "Do you have any idea who I had to kill to get this thing?! Huh? Do you?" He hauled off and kicked it in the side of the head. He did this again, and again, his rage burning so brightly he failed to notice it moving again. Its hands clenched, and a new spark returned to its otherwise dark eye sockets.

The demon slowly rose behind Spike, who saw it moving from the corner of his eye. He turned and stared up at it with disbelief on his face. "Bloody hell. That's impossible!"

"I am Thanatosian. Messenger of Death. While I am not immune to her touch myself, Death and I are on the best of terms." It stroked its fleshless face. "As you can might have guessed, I should have been dead long ago. But the gracious lady has allowed my continued existence because I can serve her. I bring her souls. In exchange, she has granted me this body..." It spread it's arms. "...which cannot be killed, or destroyed, so easily. I am also faster, and stronger, than any demon before me."

"Bugger off!" Despite his bravado, the vampire was worried. If snapping its neck didn't kill the demon, he wasn't sure anything he knew how to do could.

Willow kept looking from Tara, toward the sounds of fighting, and back again. She wondered how much longer Spike was going to be able to hold out.

"Tara?" Willow helped her lover up and hugged her. "Are you all right? What did you find out?"

"These things..." She gestured toward the somnus chambers. "...are really well protected."

Tara shook her head. "More than that. I'm not exactly sure how, but there is some kind of a connection between them. Each seems to be drawing power from the other. To free Buffy and Faith, we're going to have to find some way to sever that connection."

"I have an idea." Willow held out her hands, and Tara took them them. "Us? Together?" The redhead smiled. "The magick, whatever it is, doesn't stand a chance."

Spike went crashing head-first through the side of a crate, and came out with a mouthful of packing peanuts. He spit them out and snarled. "Bloody hell! What was that?"

He remembered seeing a flash of energy, and heard a strange, high-pitched whining. Then something hit him so hard it sent him head over heels across the room.

"You're a fast one mate." Spike touched his jaw and winced. "Strong too. But you must be daft if you think some fancy parlor tricks and a bunch of bruises are gonna stop me!"

The demon nodded. "You are a persistent pest. I think it's past time I swatted you." It held up one hand, the palm of which began to glow white. He heard that same whining noise again.

Waves of shimmering, barely visible energy erupted from the demon's hand. It struck Spike and sent him flying back into the far wall, where he slid to the ground, barely conscious. "If that pathetic creature is the best this city has to offer, it is no wonder the Slayer has been so successful here."

Before they could do whatever it was they were planning to do, however, the demon appeared. It walked around a stack of crates, stopping when it saw them.

"So it is you two." It shook its head. "I will not allow any further interference!" It held its hand out, and the palm began to glow. Their ears started ringing just before a shimmering wave of force drove the two of them apart and sending them flying in opposite directions. "The Slayers are mine!"

Willow's eyes snapped open. "Son of a...no!" After what happened with Glory, she knew better than to allow her anger to get any further out of control. Her emotions were tied directly into her magick, and she was terrified of what might happen if she ever really let go. Even so, she was mad.

The demon chuckled as she rose in front of it. "What is this? Are you challenging me, child?"

"Will, be careful," said Tara. She sat up. "He has power too. We don't know what all he's capable of."

"Yes, Will," said the demon. "The Slayers and that vampire could do nothing against me. If you think you can be any more successful..." It spread its arms. "...by all means, try."

The redhead gritted her teeth. "Fine!" She reached into her shirt pocket, and drew out the two vials she had been holding earlier. "I will!" She threw the first, which shattered on the demon's chest.

Its face and torso were covered in green powder. "That's it? No fireballs? No mystic chants?" It laughed. "Is this your plan? To make me sneeze? I don't know if you noticed, but I don't have a nose."

Willow shook her head. "No. That's just stage one." She tossed the vial full of clear liquid. "Here's stage two!" It splattered on the demon's chest, and there was an immediate reaction.

The green powder became a thick, sticky paste, and it began to spread. Quickly. It flowed up the demon's chest, over its shoulders and head, and down the length of its arms and legs. In a matter of seconds it was trapped within the rapidly hardening cocoon. Its arms were caught in mid-flex, its hands partially clenched, and it had apparently begun to angle its head back, so it was stuck in that position.

They tried every spell at their disposal and even combined their magick to simply rip the chambers open. But it was all for nothing. They just ended up with headaches.

Tara touched her forehead to her lover's. "I know. I told you, they're drawing power from each other. Whenever we attack one, the other generates more power to protect it."

"Then we have to hit them both at the same time," said Willow. "Burrow through their defenses."

"We can't. Will, we don't have enough left, we've expended too much magick already. And if you try to push the power past your limits, you could hurt yourself."

"It's okay." Tara touched her lover's cheek. "We have to find Spike. He should be able to help us get these things back to the Magic Box. I think I can..." She paused. "Do you hear that?"

"I'm not sure. I hear a shrill sound, and...ice cracking?" Tara's eyes widened. "Oh no."

In their rush to free the Slayers they realized, too late, they had forgotten all about the demon.

They were glowing. A high-pitched sound filled the air, and made their skin tingle.

"Look out!" Willow grabbed Tara and turned her away, gesturing in mid-air. A shimmering wall of force formed between them and the demon, just as it shattered the remaining crystal of its mystical prison. Large, sharp pieces shot off in every direction. Several of them struck the barrier, and were deflected. Each impact made her wince a little, but it held. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

The demon was chuckling as it brushed itself off. "Well played." It brushed itself off. "For a moment there, you almost had me worried. No small feat." It glared at both of them. "Up until now, I've been toying with you. Giving you a false sense of security. But the fact of the matter is, you're wasting your time. Even if by some miracle the two of you managed to best me you still could not free your friends. Once activated, these somnus chambers can never be reopened. They shall remain entombed for eternity, heralding a new dawn—or should I say dusk—for me and my brethren. A world without Slayers!"

Willow lowered her barrier and leaned against Tara. "Ow," she whispered. "My head."

"You're lying," said Tara. "There has to be some way to get them open. No magick is undefeatable."

"The somnus chambers are beyond any magick you are familiar with little girl. Their crystalline structures have been bonded on a molecular level."

Something about the demon's words struck a chord with Tara, who recalled an experiment at UC Sunnydale that involved high-frequency sonics. How they could be made to shatter glass, crystal and even diamonds, the hardest natural substance in the world. 'That's it,' she said to herself. If the sound she and Willow heard when the demon's hands glowed was a high-frequency sonic weapon of some kind, they might have a shot at freeing Buffy and Faith after all. But that meant would have to get her plan across to Willow, without also alerting the demon to what she had in mind. "Willow, come here!"

"Because I..." Tara stopped herself in mid-sentence as the demon moved closer. She stepped between it and her girlfriend and crossed her arms. "I won't let you!"

"I've seen lots of demon's in my time," Tara continued. "And you have to be the most hideous. Couldn't you find one sorcerer out there somewhere to at least put the illusion of skin on your face? It's repulsive."

Willow put her hand on Tara's shoulder. "Are you out of your mind? You're pissing him off."

"That's the idea." Tara nudged her back, the two of them eventually ending up between the somnus chambers. "If I were you, I'd find myself a good demon dermatologist."

Tara saw this. "Your barrier," she whispered. "Get it ready." She stuck her tongue out at the demon. "You're slow and stupid too. Did I mention that? 'cause I meant to."

Willow couldn't figure out what her girlfriend was up to. Why was she trying to provoke the demon? Didn't she understand, if she kept this up, it would blast them again? And then just like that, she understood why Tara wanted the barrier spell. She had been at the same experiment, but it had slipped her mind. She smiled. 'By the Goddess,' she said to herself. 'You're a genius, Tara.'

"I'm not afraid of you," Tara continued. "Or that power of yours." The demon was seething. "As a matter of fact I bet you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn!"

"Impudent...little...worm!" The demon swung its hands up, and released twin bolts of sonic energy. They ionized the air, and Tara found the sound deafening as she ducked.

At that exact moment Willow finished her spell and stood up behind the blonde. She created a shimmering wall of force in front of Tara, which the demon's attack slammed into head-on. Generating and maintaining the barrier put a great strain on the redhead, and the impacts only made it worse.

Crying out in pain, Willow nonetheless managed to redirect the bolts of sonic energy. Her stomach was tied in knots and her head felt like it was going to explode, but she even aimed one at each of the somnus chambers. The crystalline structures shuddered and began giving off bright green sparks in all directions. A few moments later a shockwave bowled Willow and Tara over, and lit the room up like a candle.

The demon snarled as the two half-conscious witches landed at its feet. "What have you done?"

"What...we had to..." Tara said with an aching head. "Your power...was the only thing...strong enough..."

"No! It can't be!" As the smoke began to clear, the demon laughed. "And it isn't! Look!" It pointed to the somnus chambers, both of which were still intact. "You failed, witch!"

"I-I was s-so...s-sure." Tara turned to Willow, who lay beside her. The redhead's eyes were open, but it wasn't so hard to see she wasn't really awake. At least she was still breathing, and her pulse was strong. "Thank the Goddess for that, at least." She looked up at the demon. "I guess you win."

The demon was surprised. "You?" It gnashed its teeth. "Didn't you learn your lesson?"

Spike shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I was always a slow learner, mate!" Snarling, the vampire rushed forward and attacked in a flurry of punches and kicks.

Even the demon was somewhat staggered by the ferocity of his assault. The vampire was actually making a dent in its leathery gray hide. It grunted with every blow.

The demon nodded. "I agree." It swatted Spike aside, and he crashed down through another crate. "You were one of my most worthy opponents, vampire. But I no more time to waste with you. I must see to the Slayers, to make certain their slumber remains undisturbed." It glared at Willow and Tara. " Which means I must first deal with the two of you." It reached for the witches, who were not in any condition to defend themselves.

A pair of strong hands suddenly grabbed the demon's left arm. It glanced down and snarled, most likely thinking it was Spike. Then it was startled by another pair of hands grabbing its right arm.

Impossibly, at least as far as it was concerned, the demon found itself being lifted into the air. It thrashed about and roared but was nonetheless twirled and thrown across the room. It crashed through a stack of crates, bringing several of them down on top of it, and then collided with the wall. It slumped to the ground, half-buried in debris, and lay there in a seemingly unconscious heap.

Tara blinked. It took her tired brain a few moments to recognize the two figures approaching her. Faith crossed her arms, a trademark smirk on her face. Buffy, meanwhile, held out her hand.

"I-I think so." Tara crawled to Willow, who was just beginning to stir. "How did you get out?"

Faith flexed her arms. "Girl-power." She nodded toward the somnus chambers. From the look of them, they had been forced open, from within.

"Got out of jail a couple of days ago," the dark-haired Slayer replied. "My first night on parole and I get jumped by this demon. Strong as hell too. He used my face for a punching bag and then, the next thing I know, I'm waking up here." She put her hands on her hips. "Somebody wanna tell me what's going on?"

"The chambers," said Tara. "The demon's blasts must have disrupted the connection between them. They lost the suspended animation part of their function, and you two woke up."

Faith put a hand to her forehead. "Don't suppose you could do something about this headache?"

"I've been better. Don't suppose anybody's got any blood to spare?" They all glared at him. "Didn't think so." The vampire put a hand to his mouth. "Bloody hell! Lost a fang!"

Everyone present heard a loud, shrill whining sound, just before the world exploded around them.

It immediately got back to its feet ready to continue the fight. Instead, it found them engrossed in conversation with the vampire and at least one of the witches. Angered at being ignored it launched a sneak attack, bombarding the group with sound blasts. They were knocked apart.

Buffy went flying one one, Faith another, and Spike yet another. Tara threw herself on top of Willow at the last moment, but her efforts both protected the redhead and ensured they would land in the same place. They were all stunned and in pain, but remarkably were still conscious.

The three of them charged at the demon, from three different directions. It turned its body from side to side, in order to counter their various punches and kicks. Remarkably, it was able to defend against three fourths of their attacks, and showed little strain in doing so. Every foot or fist that did manage to slip past its defenses still didn't seem to do the creature that much damage, and it showed no signs of feeling any pain.

Faith shook her head. "I feel like I'm fighting through jello. I'm so damned tired."

"We were asleep too long," said Buffy. "We're not at full strength yet. And you're beat, Spike." She ducked a big fist from the demon. "That was close. He's not even tired."

Spike had to use both arms to block a punch. Even so, pain shot through his entire body. "Those wonder witches of yours better come up with something soon, or we'll be in a world of hurt."

Tara had indeed been watching the fight, and she could tell it wasn't going well.

Buffy, Faith and Spike together shoulder have been able to take down anyone. But the Slayers were not fighting at their peak and the vampire was injured. The demon appeared to be at full strength, or at least he wasn't showing any signs of fatigue. That meant things would probably end badly for their side.

"Will." She lightly slapped the redhead's cheek. "Come on, Will. Wake up. I need you." Her own magick was not strong enough to be of much help. Most likely, neither was Willow's, by itself. But together, they could perform much more powerful spells. She had already thought of one that might give the others an edge but, of course, she would need Willow awake and alert. "Baby, please. Wake up!"

The redhead's eyelids began to flutter. She closed them, arched her back, and gasped. Then her body settled and she opened her eyes again. "Tara?"

"The demon. Buffy, Faith and Spike are all fighting him, but I think they're losing."

Willow watched the demon block a blow from Faith and Buffy at the same time, then it kicked Spike. "We have to help them!"

"The Tri spell. I've still got the two white crystals, and I can provide supplemental energy. But you're need to do the brunt of the manipulation. I'm just too tired."

"Right here." Tara took three out of her pouch. "Are you sure you want to try this?"

"It may be the only chance they..." Willow and Tara both jumped as Spike landed near them. "Hey!" He turned to snarl at them, and she threw him the stakes. "Give one each to Buffy and Faith. Wait thirty seconds, then all three of you throw them at the demon from different directions."

Spike stared at the stakes for a moment and then growled. "You birds better be right about this!" He rushed over to the Slayers, and they could see him explaining what they had told him.

As they were approaching a count of thirty Spike, Buffy and Faith all backed away from the demon. They pulled the stakes out of their jackets or pockets, and stood ready.

"He's right you know," said Faith. "He's not a vampire. What are we supposed to be doing?"

"I don't trust anyone," said the other Slayer. "But anything's better than being a punching bag!"

At the count of thirty two things happened at once. Three stakes went flying, and Willow and Tara finished their spell. The stakes multiplied. Where there had been three now there nine. They also increased three times in size, to become the equivalent of small spears.

The demon saw this. It's eyes surged with fire. "No!" Two stakes struck it in the heart, one shattered the bone in the lower part of its neck, one punched into each of its eyes, and another went down its throat. The others tore in through its torso and face. "Unngh!" The demon was seized with pain. Its whole system seized up, and it fell to its knees. "You...can't..." The light in its eyes faded, and it fell flat on its face.

They all turned to Willow and Tara, who were slumped against one another, sound asleep.

Faith nodded. "Least we can do is give them a ride home. Think you're up to it, B?"

Main What's New Fiction by Author Fiction by Pairing eBooks

Subject Index Submissions Gallery Forums Links Awards Contact Us

If you find problems on these pages please email your host.

Liberation

By Kirk Baldridge

Kirk@mysticmuse.net