Cretian Escape

A/N: Regarding email, I have been sick on and off for a while now. As a result, sometimes I return emails fast and sometimes it’s slow. Sometimes very slow. So I am very sorry if I have offended anybody. It certainly wasn’t my intent.

With that in mind, somebody from Cleveland emailed me and was nice enough to offer their knowledge of the city to write in the story. If that’s you and you still want to help, please send me an email. I promise to return it ;)


Chapter 10 - Hope and Anticipation


November 15, 2005


Angel joined Cordy in the room they were using for their bedroom in the villa. When he opened the door and stepped in, Cordy could hear Spike cussing, which she imagined would only rivaled by a seasoned sailor, a very seasoned sailor. After shutting the door, Angel wrapped his arms around his lover.

After a quick kiss, Cordy asked, “What’s up with Mr. Potty Mouth?”

“We tracked down an Eracki demon and *obtained* his invitation to the viewing and the auction. Spike’s been cussing like that since he read Buffy’s name on the card along seeing the words, “to be auctioned,” set him off. I can’t say that I blame him. I guess it’s a good thing he was cussing enough for both of us.”

Cordy laid her head against his chest, over his un-beating heart that she knew would beat for her if it could. “This invite helps, right?”

“Right.” Angel kissed the top of Cordelia’s head. “The invitation is the first step.” Placing two fingers below Cordy’s chin, Angel lifted her face up to receive a kiss. “Next is the viewing of the items to be auctioned.” Angel leaned back down but paused before their lips met, he paused. Angel pulled the door open and yelled out, “Spike, enough already.”

“Shut your arse, peaches. I’m gonna rip off their fucking heads off, pull out their spines and beat them with them. I’m gonna…”

When Spike’s temper finally lagged, Angel and Cordy joined him in the courtyard.

Cordy walked over to Spike and pried the invitation from his hand. “November 15? That’s only two days away. In a hurry, aren’t these baddies?”

“They’re hoping to get this done before anyone can try to rescue her.” Angel sat down at a small table. “Like us to be exact.”

Spike ran his hand through his already messed up hair. “Well, the blighters are out of luck.”

Sitting down with Angel, Cordy held up the invitation. “Right. We know; we rescue.”

Angel grabbed the blonde vampire by the arm as his passed close by. “Now, Spike, SIT DOWN so we can plan.”

Spike threw himself into one of the two empty chairs. “From the mug shots we scared up, we know that they are expecting you, peaches. Of the unexpected, that leaves me, and your better half here.”

“Angel can go pick up the gang.” Cordy patted Angel’s hand.

Angel shook his head. “I don’t think so. The clan is watching for them as much as me. I don’t even think we should tell them.”

“I don’t know.” Spike sat forward and leaned his elbows on the table. “The Scoobies undoubtedly know that Buffy is here in Crete, and if they think something is wrong, they will be on the next plane.”

Spike right. Angel wondered if he would ever get use to this new, improved version of the blonde vampire. “You’re right. No stopping them. I’ll leave as soon as possible and go pick them up.”

So Angel’s goal was to get the Scoobies out of Cleveland and onto Crete without being noticed. Faith would be left behind since the hell mouth still needed to be guarded.

At the last minute, Angel was hesitant to leave. After a hug and a deep kiss, Angel pulled back but kept his arms securely around Cordy. “Stay safe.”

“That’s me. Safety girl.”

The brunette vampire smiled and shook his head, not believing a word she said. “Don’t try to do anything on your own. There will be some dangerous demons at the viewing.” Angel tilted his head towards his grandchilde. “I know he is annoying but follow Spike’s lead.”

“Down the yellow brick road to see the wicked witch.” Watching the pair, Spike barely got the wisecrack out since he was still having a hard time adjusting to a warm and affectionate Angel. Definite wiggins as Buffy would say.

Spike spent the one night they had before the viewing scoping out the huge villa the clan used as a headquarters. When he made it back just before dawn, he knew where every guard was located and their habits. Cordy had happily spent the two days they had before the viewing shopping for hers and Spike’s outfit for the viewing. Spike had to have a complete makeover. Yes, Angel was expected to try to get in to the affair, but not Spike. But if he went in looking like Spike or even worse, someone that could have known him recognized him, the jig would be up.

Two days and one night of preparations later, Spike and Cordy borrowed their host’s car and were headed to the auction’s viewing. The invitation touted that the event would be special in that along with all the other items, the Sunnydale Slayer would be on the auction block.

When they arrived at the small villa up in the hills, Spike and Cordelia waited in a small line to present their invitation and enter the mansion. Cordelia was feeling cocky. She always felt cocky when she was dressed to kill. Expensive shoes, expensive dress, and expensive jewelry. So expensive that she knew Angel would have a heart attack if his heart did beat.

In line, Cordy kept herself busy making minute adjustments to Spike’s look, pretending to be his some type of sex kitten, fussing over her master. They had even talked Angel into biting her so that she had puncture wounds on her neck to cinch the charade. “Would you hold still? This suit looks fabulous. Try to match it.” She brushed off any stray lint on his finely tailored, navy blue suite. She adjusted his lighter blue tie. And lastly, she twirled around her finger the curl falling over his forehead, getting it just right, earning her a heartfelt growl. Cordy wished she could fix Spike as easily as she fixed his hair, fix the sadness in his eyes. Earlier in the day, they had dyed his hair a dark brown and fitted him with a pair of brown contacts. Spike had moaned when Cordy said they had to cover up his “pretty blue eyes.” All this only for Buffy, he reminded himself. With an eyebrow pencil, they did their best to cover up his scar. All done, Spike was gone, and Franco Perez from Peru was born.

While waiting in the line, Spike’s thoughts were alternating between two subjects. First was the obvious. Seeing Buffy at the viewing. Second was that afternoon, he had had a talk with Cordelia. Actually, Cordelia initiated it over their late lunch they ate before getting ready for the viewing.

Cordelia laid down her fork and took her glass of water out onto the balcony. After taking a sip, she asked, “Spike, you’ve been back all this time thinking that Buffy and Angel were together, an item, right?”

“Still can’t believe they aren’t. Don’t get me wrong, pet. I am happy for you. But…”

“Ok, then let’s talk until we get all this straightened out.” Cordy wanted to laugh watching how fast Spike joined her on the shaded balcony. “First off, yes, Buffy did come to Angel in LA, and yes, they tried to make a go, but things weren’t that simple for them anymore…” Cordy told him about the years Angel had spent in LA, years that he had spent away from Buffy. She told of her feelings for Angel, his feelings for her, and all the events leading up to her coma. “So anyway, as stupid fate would have it, I woke up the second week that Angel and Buffy got back together. Watching them, I really think they tried to make it work because they felt honor bound. There had been so many years of wanting and wishing. After a while, I think both were shocked when they figured out that there was nothing left of the passion. As it ended up, things just didn’t work out. Angel still loves Buffy and she him, but now, they love each other as close friends. So after two weeks they called it quits. Buffy went back to Cleveland, and Angel is with me now. I promise you, have no fear he will want Buffy back. I’m keeping him.”

“But Buffy since then...?”

In answer, Cordy punched him in the shoulder. “She’s been miserable, and it’s entirely your fault, mister. You should have told her you were back and saved her some of that heartache.” He started to open his mouth, but she cut him off. “And don’t even think about disappearing again after this rescue gig is over, before she can talk to you. I will just have Angel hunt you down, drag you back and dump you at her feet, buster. Then she can tell you how she feels herself.”

Oh, how he wanted to believe Cordy. He really did, but it was so hard to imagine the slayer pining away for him. She had broken it off with his Grandsire, she didn’t have anyone in her life at the present, and Cordy said that Buffy wanted him. Wow. In a way, he didn’t want to believe. Why not? It revolved around hope and want. He wanted to hope that she wanted him, but he also hoped to protect his heart from anymore heartbreak from Buffy’s possible rejection. Overall, he didn’t know how to think or feel about the subject, so he didn’t. He tucked it away until Buffy was safe.

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It had been a strange day. Several hours ago, Vassilious had given her a large dose of her sedative and led her through a portal. In the new building, she was taken to another room. In the new location, dinner time had past and no Vassilious. Good. The drugs had worn off enough to boost her courage. “Come on. Come on. A break. I just need a break. Little, big, whatever. Just a break.” She knew that someone must have been listening above when one of her two guards stepped in with her food.

He moved in close to set down her tray in front of her. As he fumbled for her sedative in his pocket, she brought her legs up and scissored them around his head, pulled him down to pin him. She grabbed his keys before snapping his neck so when he went to dust, he didn’t take the keys with him.

Now she had to move fast. She needed to surprise the other guard in the hall instead of the guard surprising her.
Her luck held. Staying as quiet as possible, Buffy made it out of her chains and crept up to the door. Dizzy from the drugs, She had to take a second to let her head clear again. The drugs still in her system were playing havoc with her. As fast as possible, she jerked the guard into her cell, and placing her hand behind his head, she slammed his face down on her up raised knee. Then she snapped his neck and brushed dust off her pants. Time to look out into the hall. To her right, down an extremely long hall stood three vampires talking. To the right was clear. Deciding on a bold approach, Buffy stepped out into the hall, turned right and started walking, hoping that they would assume that she was just another vampire. The only hitch was when she had to reach out and steady herself against the wall, but the vampires continued to ignore her.


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Spike and Cordy made it to the front of the line where a vampire was flanked by three more. “Good evening. May I see your invitation?”

As ponce inspected the invitation, Spike watched the three guards that were inspecting Cordelia and himself. They no doubt were looking for Angel or the Scoobies. The pictures that he and Angel had taken off the vampires in the cemetery told Spike that much. But all these goons saw was a well dress vampire and his female paramour. No problem though. Not only did the invitation pass, but so did Spike and Cordelia. They were waved into the house. “If you would please follow Adrian.”

They were led into a room off the end of the main hall, and their guide motioned for them to step inside. “You will be transported to the auction facilities in here.”

Instead of a doorway, they came face to face with a circular portal. Spike felt Cordy’s grip on his arm tighten, and he wondered if she had noticed his own muscles tense. A portal of this sort meant that they were being transported to another location, and in all likelihood, it would be a location they could not recognize. That’s the idea. Such a transportation hid the location, greatly improving the security. Whoever was holding Buffy wanted to keep her until she was purchased. Angel wouldn’t like this turn of events anymore than he did since it made their rescue plan all the more harder to make.

Trying to reassure without making them look suspicious, Spike looked down into Cordy’s eyes and gave her a small smile. “Are you ready pet? This proves to be an extraordinary night.” And they stepped through.

They ended up in a small domed room that held the portal on the other side. They were led down a short hall and entered a large hall, which was mostly likely used for enormous banquets or balls. All sorts of demons were milling about with one or two humans sprinkled in. In front of the hall a banner announced the Slayer Auction of 2005 offered by the Lustere Auctioneer Company. Along three sides of the hall were glass cases with various artifacts concerning slayers of some sort or another. The forth side contained and impressing display of refreshments of all varieties. Filet mignon to kittens. One hundred year old wine to puréed hamster eye balls.

“We have to blend, and what better way to look all blendy is with a glass of something in your hand.” Cordelia picked up a goblet of blood for Spike and a flute of champagne for herself. Finding the blood to be human, Spike put the goblet down and switched to a flute of champagne also. Then they began to wander around the hall. Cordelia made a show of inspecting the contents of the cases while Spike studied the surroundings and security.

At each station, there were several artifacts in the cases, and at each station was one was an attendant to help describe the particular objects displayed. The objects were labeled in Greek. Since Spike could read Greek but Cordy couldn’t, she relied on the attendants and Spike for translations. The head of the slayer from Australia in 1810, a finger from 1930 Mexican slayer, an axe from a slayer that made her own weapons, Gordian’s club that he knocked out a slayer before biting her, a watchers journal when Eclusus killed both watcher and slayer, the dagger used to kill a slayer in 1851 down in Buenos Ares along with her stained shirt.

Cordelia inspected the contents of the cases with morbid fascination. Spike, however, was distracted, but Cordy knew why. His job was to look over the facility and the security, so he would only glance at the cases. For the most part, he ignored the displays, all but one, the dais at the front of the hall with one chair perched on top. A perfect place to display a slayer. Spike wanted to tear it down and crush each and every piece of wood. Every time he took a step that way, Cordy would pull him back.

The last case in the far wall caught Cordelia’s attention. “Sp…Franco, look.”

Spike glanced down to see what was wrong. He had been counting security guards when she interrupted him. There were at least a dozen on each wall making the total close to fifty, and that didn’t count the guards Buffy would undoubtedly have guarding her. A high number of guards but that went with what he estimated to be 300 to 400 guests.

“Franco, I think you would be interested in this cabinet. I can’t read Greek so would you do it for me?”

Rolling his eyes, he read the plaque she was pointing to. “William the Bloody’s (1880-2003) leather duster…”

The attendant stepped up before Spike could finish reading. “I see this duster has caught your eye. Are you familiar with William the Bloody’s history?”

Cordy wanted to laugh. ‘You are talking to him, mister.’ But she held back and let Spike answer. That would be just as funny.

She could see the muscles in Spike’s jaw working before he answered. “Yes, we’ve heard of him.”

“Well, this is his coat that in New York he took off the second slayer he killed in his career. Very impressive indeed. No other vampire in recent in history has killed two slayers. If you are interested in more Spike memorabilia, you need to look over in case number five across the hall. It contains the sword he used to kill his first slayer.”

“Thanks, we’ll do that.” When they were clear, Spike started to vent. “My coat? They are pawning off that cheap copy of my coat. The stitching at the shoulder is all wrong. And the sword I used on the slayer in china? I didn’t use a sword. She did. I killed her by b…*he* didn’t use a sword. Just because he is gone doesn’t mean that…”

Cordelia gave him a sharp kick in the shins. “That coat…that coat you, I mean he…he wore all those years, even when *he* was helping Buffy, was from a slayer he killed. Some type of trophy? You and he are sick.”

“Don’t get your knickers in a twist, pet. Probably something of Angelus’ here. I might buy it for you.”

“Don’t you dare.” Her threat was ruined by a smile.

“Oh, luv, I always dare,” Spike purred into her ear.

As they passed people, Spike would acknowledge them with a nod, and Cordelia gave a small smile.

Cordelia bit her lip with worry. “Do you know any of these…er…people?”

Spike tilted his head to the side in thought. “Actually, several but only in passing. The last woman we passed in the garish red dress is Lucinda, a Cajun from Louisiana. I met her when the stars whispered to Dru that Lucinda throws a great party. The Milky Way was right that time. Quite a bash.”

“But she looked right at you.” Cordelia looked around for anyone looking their way, but found none.

“Eye to eye.” Spike gave her a cheeky wink.

“And no recognition. Ha. I’ll send you my bill.” She returned his gesture with a sassy one of her own.

Smiling, Spike picked up Cordelia’s hand and placed it in the crook of his arm, patting it. “How about jewelry?”

“Done.” Cordelia was already trying to decide between a ring, pendant or a bracelet.

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TBC