Chapter 39: The Final Standoff
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Charley stared at the beefed up vampire as he laughed. His eyes darted towards the stairs as more vampires were running down. He could hear a lot of action going on the floor above him and knew the others were in the house and fighting the other vampires that were inside.
“Humans have nowhere to run,” the big guy said.
“That is where you are wrong on several points,” Charley said as his fangs lengthened. “First, I’m not human.” He tackled the big vampire while the big guy was still in a state of shock. “And secondly we have plenty of room to run.” He shoved his stake into the big vamp’s chest.
He looked up as two vampires advanced on him Charley grabbed one by the arm and threw him over his head while he kicked another away with his foot.
Lyra picked up another vampire that was about to grab Charley and threw him aside and staked another.
“The wafers?” Charley asked as he struck his fist into a vampire’s face.
“Ace is finishing up on them,” Lyra said as she used some back kicks on a few other vamps. “And by finishing I mean putting them in place in the dirt and not eating them.” She shoved her stake into another’s chest. “I thought you could use a hand.”
“You are always so thoughtful,” Charley said as he slammed two more down on the ground.
“I’m just glad you saved some for me.”
“Don’t mention it,” Charley said as he stepped onto the vampires to hold them down. There was only one left and Lyra was taking care of it. He used two stakes to dust the demons.
“Get off,” Ace shouted as he was wrestling with another vampire. He jumped back from the demon and as the bloodsucker advanced on him he used his wing to strike the vampire on the head. Ace brought up his foot and kicked him the crotch as hard as he could and used his stake on him.
“That was pretty good,” Charley complimented the teen.
“Wings,” Ace said as he stretched his out. “Not just for flying.”
“Still more going on upstairs,” Charley said as he pointed to the basement roof. “Ace did you finish the cross?”
“Finished,” Ace said. “Can I have the rest that are in the box?”
“Let me see.” Charley opened the lid and saw the cross shape in the dirt. He couldn’t stare to long. The sight of it made him feel uncomfortable. “After we kill Dandridge you can knock yourself out on the box.”
“You are going to the third level of hell,” Lyra told the boy.
“Because these things are good snack food?”
“The third level is for gluttons,” Lyra said as she rolled her eyes. “Don’t you ever read?”
“I did my last book report on the Hobbit, thank you very much and why are you riding my ass?”
“Someone has to fill in for Ronnie.”
“Enough you two,” Charley said. “The others need us.”
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Spike dove for the floor just as he had grabbed the vamp that was laughing at him and threw him over to where the flying stakes where. Several of the wooden projectiles speared the vamp until he had turned to dust. The rest continued to fly through the room until they hit the back wall and another vampire that Deesree had held in the way.
The vampire was only pinned to the wall and not dead. He was no longer Spike’s concern.
“Who the bloody hell are you?” Spike asked.
“Someone who is going to kill you,” the woman said in a soft tone. She did not see Tyler skulking around in the shadows behind her. Spike didn’t even see the boy until he was right behind the witch.
“Are you human?” Deesree asked.
“Smells that way,” Spike said after he got a good whiff. “What’s a bird like you doing in this house?”
The woman blinked and shouted out another word in latin. She only managed to get out just one word before Tyler shot out his hand and struck her several times in the same spot on her left arm.
The woman’s arm went limp. “What have you done?”
“This,” Tyler said as he shot his hand out again and struck her in the right arm until it fell by her side. “Now do you want this to happen to your legs?”
The woman screamed and ran for the door.
“Looks like she does.” Spike said as he jumped in front of her.
Tyler sighed before he struck her in the thigh using the same style of hits.
“No,” the woman cried out as her leg went limp and she fell, only to be caught by both Tyler and Deesree. “I failed him.”
“Who?” Deesree asked. “This Dandridge that we are trying to fight? Why were you working for him?”
“One word,” Spike explained as he held up a hand. “Money. She was being paid.”
“You bonehead types don’t understand,” the woman cried. “Never understand. I did this all for him. I was going to kill you all and then he would see. He would see me and not her.”
“Sounds more like she was in to him,” Tyler said in a disgusted tone.
“That slut doesn’t love him,” the woman continued to cry. “She never did.”
“Watch your tongue.” Spike pointed at her. He knew whom she was talking about. “Where is Buffy?”
“Up stairs with him.” The tears continued to stream down the woman’s face. “Where I should be.”
“How long will she be like this?” Spike asked.
“A couple hours,” Tyler answered.
“Can’t take any chances and we can’t baby-sit her.”
“We could tie her up,” Deesree suggested. She ran to the window they all climbed through and pulled down one of the curtains.
“Good thinking,” Spike said. “You two bind her and catch up when you are done.” He couldn’t wait. He had to find Buffy.
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Xander watched as Faith broke into the front of the house. He turned around to look at Angel. “If you can’t get in, we’ll find a way.” There was one way to make certain Angel could get into the house but he didn’t like it. The humans that served Dandridge might not have caused any physical harm, however they might have also brought victims for him to feed on.
“Knock, knock,” Faith shouted. “Avon calling. I have something to give your face a nice blue, gray, purple and violet coloring.” She headed towards the stairs and turned to face them. “Guess we have to play hide and seek.”
Two vampires jumped out from their hiding spaces behind her and jumped on her. Faith shook one off and turned around to kick another one. She thrust her elbow against one and ducked when the other one tried to grab her.
Xander ran ahead and grabbed one of them. The second that vampire turned around he rammed his stake through the heart.
“Is that it?” Faith asked in a disappointed tone.
“Can’t be,” Angel said.
He was right. Several other vampires came running from the rooms except one. Xander heard a scuffle inside and knew that one of the other teams was fighting whoever or whatever was in there. There was the sound of glass breaking and a few vampires that came running from that room turned around and ran back in.
“Just six for us,” Angel said as he took on his vamp face.
“Good,” Faith said. “Four for me and one for each of you.” She ran up to two vamps and kicked at both of them.
Xander ducked from the assault from one and punched another in the gut. The vamp didn’t budge. He punched again and again.
“Is that all you got?” The vampire asked.
“Nope,” Xander said. “I got some of this.” He punched him again, this time with the stake in his hand and in the chest. “I think his brain died when his body did.”
“Guess what?” A voice asked as a pair of hand’s grabbed Xander’s shoulders. “We aint all that stupid.”
“But you are that strong?” Xander asked, knowing it was a pretty stupid question to ask.
“Yup.”
“Thought so.” He tried to pull away from the vampire but had no success.
“Invasion,” a female vampire cried from the top of the stairs. She and several more came running down.
“Some of you need to come with me,” a big beefy vampire said with long scraggily hair. “We got to make sure they didn’t destroy the master’s coffins.”
Xander took a deep breath. He made his shoulder’s slack and using all of his strength he slouched and ducked, slipping from the grip of the vampire behind him. Once he was freed Xander spun around and staked the surprised vampire.
“Two for me tonight,” he said and turned to face the stairs and three vampires that were on the stage. “Perhaps three more.” He ran up toward them and while he tried to stake one he was grabbed and overpowered by the vampires. He tried to spin out using the same techniques he used before but only managed to wrench one of the vampires towards the bottom step.
That one vampire turned to dust.
“Knock em down and send them to me,” Faith said as she brought down the scythe at the right angle and sliced off a section of one of their heads. She grabbed the vampire that she wounded and pulled it down before she chopped it some more.
“I guess then just one for me,” Xander said as he dusted the third. He didn’t see any more vampires and he turned around to look down. Spike’s team had finished what they were doing in one of the other rooms and had joined the fray. The two Slayer’s that were with Ed had also come into the room and were fighting. Charley’s group were coming up from the basement.
Xander felt someone remove the stake from his hand. He spun around and was face to face with Dandridge.
“That was very rude,” Dandridge said as he tossed the stake over his shoulder. “Coming into my house uninvited with all of your friends.”
“It’s a surprise party,” Xander explained as he pulled out a cross. “Surprise!” He held it up in front of Dandridge’s face.
“You have to have faith for that to work.”
Someone ran up behind Xander and grabbed the cross from his hand. “Hi. I’m Faith.” She smacked the crucifix in Dandridge’s face with enough force to send him back.
“I don’t think you can get more complete than that,” Xander said.
“Nope,” Faith said as she hauled up the scythe. “Time to end this for B.”
There was a growl coming from the top of the stairs. A large golden wolf was snarling as it stared down at them with glowing red eyes.
“Hello Buffy, my dear,” Dandridge greeted the wolf with a smile. “Tell your friends you are happy they are here, but be gentle with them.”
“B?” Faith asked.
“Buffy if that is you it’s us,” Xander said. “It’s me Xander. You are one of my best friends.”
The wolf growled once again and bounded down the stairs. She jumped and pounced on Faith knocking her down to the bottom of the steps.
“Faith,” Xander did not care about Dandridge. He turned and ran down the steps. “Buffy stop it.” He tried to grab the wolf.
Buffy turned around and snapped at him, nearly taking off a finger and forcing Xander to land on his bottom.
“Buffy I remember seeing you on your first day at Sunnydale,” Xander said as he stared at the glowing eyes. “I thought you were the most beautiful person in the world. I still think you are beautiful.” He ignored Charley yelling at Dandridge and the people that ran up the stairs after the vampire. “I still think you are gorgeous even as a wolf.”
The Buffy wolf placed a paw on his chest. Her form shifted back to Buffy’s human form while her paw turned into a hand. She had her eyes closed.
“Buffy?” Xander wondered if he had gotten through to her.
Buffy’s eyes opened revealing scary yellow eyes. Her mouth was opened wider than a Cheshire cat’s and was full of sharp drooling teeth.
“Wow B,” Faith said as she staggered to her feet. “I always knew you could be a real bitch.”
Buffy ignored her and leaned down to bite Xander.
“Buffy stop,” Angel shouted and grabbed her from behind. The Slayer turned vampire’s face shifted back to normal as she turned to look at Angel. “I know you don’t want to do this.”
“Angel?” Buffy asked as she blinked.
“What has he—I know what he has done to you,” Angel said. “Willow told me about the potion. What is he making you do?”
“Angel,” she sounded more relieved. “I don’t want to do this. I tried to stall. I staked several minions until he told me to stop.” She closed her eyes. “Faith, Xander I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault,” Angel said as he let Buffy cry into his chest.
“Where did that smug vampire go?” Faith asked.
“Boy Next Door chased him up the stairs and into one of the rooms,” Spike said. He and the rest of the team were no longer fighting anyone. Everyone was dead except for some young woman that Evil was holding.
“Kill her,” the woman said as she cried. “Don’t kill him. Kill her and he will see me.”
“One of the other Slayers and the kid with wings followed them up there,” Angel said.
“Which Slayer?” Xander asked.
“Fun Size,” Spike answered.
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Lyra watched in shock as the wolf knocked Faith down the stairs. She looked up at Dandridge who was gloating and then down at the bottom of the steps where Xander was coaxing the wolf, who really was Buffy.
“Dandridge!” Charley shouted.
The tall vampire blinked and ran up the stairs and into one of the rooms.
“Don’t you run from me, coward!” Charley snarled and raced up the stairs after him. He moved so fast he was like a blur.
“Charley, wait,” Lyra said and ran up after him as fast as she could.
“Don’t forget me,” Ace called after her.
“What are doing?” Lyra asked him.
“The three of us are a team,” Ace said.
Lyra waited a few seconds for Ace to catch up before they stormed into the room and nearly had to jump back as the two vampires fought against each other.
Both vampires had their faces at stage three. Their eyes were glowing red and their claws were out. They only sounds that came from them were snarls and hisses.
“This turned you on?” Ace asked as he also stared at the violent display in awe.
“Just my boyfriend,” Lyra said. She shouldn’t be finding him this attractive in this state but she did. When his claw’s raked down Dandridge’s face she felt her heartbeat increase.
“What about now?” Ace asked.
“I need something for the drool.”
“You’re right. You do need help.”
Dandridge grabbed Charley and lifted him above his head. “You have been a thorn in my side for too long, boy.”
Lyra raced forward with her stake in hand. She was ready to stab the tall vampire in the heart.
Dandridge hissed and threw Charley at her, knocking down on the ground. A jolt of pain radiated up from her backside. She tried to ignore her pain
“Lyra,” Ace shouted and was by their sides in seconds.
“Never mind me,” Lyra groaned. “Get Dandridge.”
“Right,” Ace said. He stood back up as Charley got to his feet.
Dandridge glowered at them. “Come on Charley, do you think you can catch me?” He turned around and ran to the window and jumped out.
Charley growled as he followed the older vampire through. After he had jumped there was a whoosh sound followed by the chirp of bats and that was followed by screeching.
“Wait,” Lyra said as she stood up. She cringed as she tried to get to her feet. She had landed on her tailbone and she wondered if she had cracked it. “Ace follow them.”
“You’re hurt.”
“Just follow them,” Lyra ordered.
Ace climbed out the window. He spread his wings and jumped. Another whoosh sound followed.
“Come on Slayer healing,” Lyra said as she tried to ignore the pain as she ran towards the window. She looked out and saw nothing. She heard the screeching from over head.
Two large bats were fighting each. They were bumping into each other, trying to slash each other up with their talons. The larger of the two bats struck hard at the chest of the smaller bat and snapped at one of the wing’s making the smaller bat fall.
“Charley,” Lyra shouted as Ace jumped off from the top of the roof. She watched as her friend caught Charley and landed safely on the mist covered ground. She let out a sigh of relief. She stepped back away from the window. The window that seemed to be sucking in the cloud of mist.
She felt like she wasn’t alone and turned around just as Dandridge placed his hand over her mouth and grabbed her wrist that held the stake.
“You are supposed to be a Slayer?” Dandridge asked.
Lyra tried to scream for her friends but her voice was muffled. She also tried to pull away but he held her firmly. She was supposed to be stronger than vampires.
“Your name is Lyra correct?” Jerry asked as he squeezed her wrist harder, making her drop the stake. “Such a pity that someone has pretty as you is going to die. The other kind of vampires holds others of their kind who have killed Slayers in a high regard. I have already turned your leader into my kind now I shall kill one.”
Lyra pulled away with all of her strength and kicked the vampire. Her toes struck him in the knee. It was enough for his grip on her to loosen and she was able to wrench herself away.
“You lost,” Lyra said as she scanned around the room for something to use as a weapon. “You know you have lost. All your minions are destroyed. You are just trying to hurt Charley through me.” She noticed a little bit of mist was drifting in through the window and pooling in behind Dandridge.
“Better me than him,” Dandridge said as he approached her. “You are naïve girl if you think your love will last.”
“Why because I will grow old and he won’t?”
“No, because he will slip. His thirst will get the better of him. He will not always be able to control him and he will lose control and feed off of you.” He grabbed her by the throat. “It would be better if it was me.” He did not see the thick column of mist that formed behind him.
“Are you wondering why I’m not trying to fight you?” She asked as the mist solidified into Charley.
“Because you know it would be a waste?”
Charley grabbed Dandridge from behind. He spun him around and shoved him into the wall.
“Because you are about to get your ass kicked by the both of us,” Lyra said as she snatched up her dropped stake and jammed it into Dandridge’s heart.
“You two are both doomed,” Dandridge choked.
“Not as much as you,” Charley said as he also grabbed the stake. Both he and Lyra used their combined strength to shove the stake all the way through Dandridge and pinned him into the wall
“Doomed?” Lyra asked. “Seriously?”
“I agree,” Charley said. “That is cliché.”
“Not as cliché…as star crossed…lovers,” Dandridge choked out. Blood spilled out of his mouth. “One of you…will kill…the other.”
Lyra wanted to turn away but she held her ground. The blood that he was coughing up was not as bothering her as much as it used too.
“Taking too much time to die are we?” Charley asked.
“Won’t he just shut up?”
The door opened with a slam and Buffy walked in carrying the weapon that Faith called the Slayer Scythe. Lyra wondered why they were calling an axe a scythe but they insisted that it was the proper name of the red weapon.
“Buffy,” Dandridge gasped.
“Where is Faith and Xander?” Lyra asked. She had no idea if Buffy was still under Dandridge’s thrall.
“Downstairs,” Buffy said as she glared at the dying vampire. “They’re fine. This one isn’t.”
“My…love,” Dandridge croaked out.
“Shut up,” the older Slayer snapped. “You didn’t love me. You didn’t know me. You never did. You were in love with Lucinda, and you may have loved her so long ago, but I’m not her. You just wanted me because I looked like her and you used your special magical mojo thrall to make me feel like I wanted you and I wanted you, but the love wasn’t real.” She paused and blinked away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. “None of it was real. There are two vampires downstairs that are in love with me and their love is real and they would never do what you did to me. There may have been a time when you did fall in love but you have long forgotten what that felt like. I don’t. I still know what it really feels like.” She raised the scythe. “Goodbye Jerry.” She sliced Dandridge’s head off.
“Buffy?” Lyra looked at her as the older Slayer dropped the weapon.
Buffy stood their crying. Tears were streaming down her face and her whole body shook. Charley put his arm around her shoulder and guided her to lean on him. Lyra picked up the Scythe and put her arm around Buffy.
“It’s over,” Charley said
“Are you going to be okay?” Lyra asked.
Buffy nodded. “Let’s go tell the others the good news.”
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