Habeas Corpses, 4 (of 7) by Peyton

There’s two, maybe three chapters after this one and they will be posted over ladypeyton the next few days at since I felt I was rushing the story too much. I almost posted at 8:00 but realized I really needed to rewrite the whole chapter and take more time with fleshing it out. I was tempted to gloss over too many fine points. The plot is defintiely firm. The story will definitely be finished shortly but just not here and not now.

Torture

Its in the blood, Its in the blood, I met my love before I was born. He wanted love, I taste of blood. He bit my lip And drank my war From years before, From years before. ~~”Love Like Winter” – AFI

As hard as she tried to suppress any reaction Buffy drew an involuntary breath at what looked like a very much alive, if blood starved Spike. Illyria tensed at the noise but showed no other outward sign of having heard anything while Marcus grabbed the vampire by the hand and dragged him towards the door leaving streaks of blood on the floor behind him.

Once Marcus was gone Illyria’s gaze slowly swung about towards Buffy. “You are conscious, Slayer.”

Making a decision, Buffy sat up and answered bitterly, “It looks like it. Are you going to torture me now that you got your jollies with Spike?”

“You do not know what you are talking about, Slayer. My purpose is to keep the blond one alive not torture him.”

“Then what do you call leaving him in a state of perpetual starvation unable to heal the damage that damned torture device does to his body?” Buffy fought to keep from crying. “do you have any idea what that thing looks like from the inside?”

The hell god’s eyes blinked for a moment before she turned to inspect the 6 inch spikes that protruded from the inside walls of the cabinet. “I thought the vampire merely slept. I will think about what you have said. Your friends will be awake in 26 seconds. You may not want to let them know that your control device has been disabled.”

“Whah?”

“The device that puts you in an artificially induced comatose state was damaged when the dark haired one hit your head. You surely knew this as you pretended to be comatose like the rest.”

“Oh come on. What are the chances that Faith would hit me in just the right way to fry the behavioral chip in my head?

Illyria didn’t blink, “What are the chances indeed?” At that she turned back to her post on the wall without saying another word.

As the rest of the group started to wake up, Buffy made her way over to where Gunn was sitting. She hadn’t really asked him much about his life in LA with Angel but she was certain he had some idea why Spike had been alive and hanging in the other room.

***

Spike had been dreaming about Buffy lately. Her voice. Her smell. Her panties. He even thought he’d seen her a minute ago. Naked. He could feel her all around him and it was bliss. At least it was bliss whenever he could forget for a minute or two about his raging thirst or the debilitating pain wracking his bones. As he had once or twice before once he’d arrived at the facility, Spike could feel the tube inserted down his throat and the blood start to flow. Luckily they were force feeding him because he’d lost the ability to swallow several days ago.

God this hurt like the devil! Ohhh… naked Buffy.

Odd. He was definitely awake but he could still smell her. Usually his dreams didn’t invade his waking hours like this. He must be really far gone this time around.

How pathetic was he? He’d been without her for a year. He’d stood on his own two feet. He’d found a purpose. . .well if not for living then at least for getting out of bed on the really boring days when Crash Bandicoot just wasn’t enough. He’d helped the helpless a few times on his own after Lindsay had been revealed as the conniver he was. Sure the whole destiny thing was a load of bollocks but that didn’t mean that leaping in like fuckin’ Zorro wasn’t a pisser now and then. Sure beat the hell outta SciFi Friday after they cancelled Farscape. Well, whenever Galactica was a rerun.

Bloody hell that Starbuck was a live one… So forceful. So angry. So damaged. So Buffy… what had he been thinking about? Oh yeah. He was a pathetic old sod for still pining for the fjords. Heh. The fjords! Buffy was a fjord.

What was that weird raspy sound? It sounded a bit like a rattlesnake. Oh yeh. He was giggling around the feeding tube.

Pathetic old sod.

Pathetic.

So tired.

***

“He’s here!”

“What?! He’s early. He’s never early.”

“Well he’s early this time.”

“That doesn’t bode well for our case!”

“Yes. He must be fairly certain they will rule in his favor. He’s getting in position to take possession.”

“We must get her to crack soon. I arranged for her to see the vampire removed from the Maiden. He’s been moved to the infirmary. It’s time to move on to phase three.”

“Whatever you say Arch Duke Abraxas.”

Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/149089.html