Nocturnal Bravura Book Three: Children Of Destiny

And Death Shall Have No Dominion…


Lizzie screamed, scrambling her way to the edge of the pit. One hand was gripping the crumbling earth and she clutched at it desperately. She knew it was Spike’s hand she held and dared to peek over. While one hand held hers, the other strained to hold on to the hand of his limp and dangling twin.

The Scoobies and Giles finished off the rest of the vamps and ran over as she struggled to pull their combined weight back up to solid ground. She reared back, sobbing with the effort as she pulled with all her might.

Giles flung himself at her as she started to slide towards the edge. He anchored her as Oz and Xander lay down on either side of them, grabbing hold of Spike and adding their efforts to Lizzie’s.

Spike began to slip and Lizzie shifted into demon form as she felt her mate slipping out of her grip. Xander managed to grab Spike’s belt and with a mighty heave, the four of them pulled Spike and William out.

They all lay in a weak and breathless pile while Spike cradled his brother’s battered body in his arms. “I’ve got you, little brother,” Spike whispered.

Rupert looked at William blood poured out of him. Eligor must have tried to hold onto William by ripping his claws into him. His back and legs were a mess of slashing cuts.

The Slayer smiled weakly. “It was me. I was the Keeper,” his voice shook with effort. “Damn, did we ever screw that prophecy up, Dad.”

Spike smiled down at him. “I know guess we showed ‘em, eh? Another aborted apocalypse and we are all still here.”

William shook in his brother’s arms. “I saw, Spike. He showed me. I understand everything now,” he said smiling at his brother.

“Don’t go yammering on now; you need to save your strength. Let’s get you home.” Spike said desperately. He could feel as brother slipping away.

“I get it now,” William said, chuckling.

Tears begun to spill from Spike’s eyes as Lizzie moved to sit on the other side of William.

“WILL!”

Willow and Dawnie appeared out of nowhere. Dawn looked like she was in shock.

“Will, please be strong. Fight!” Lizzie cried.

William touched Lizzie’s face, his hand trembling. “I understand now why it never bothered me. I get it now,” he whispered. He looked at his brother. “You know when we were born that they had no idea I was there. I came out after you. Everyone was shocked. Mum told me. I understand now what she was trying to tell me.”

William looked at his father. Rupert sunk to his knees.

“I love you, Da,” he said.

Rupert wept. “Son, please.”

William looked at the Scoobies. “Keep kicking demon ass. Annihilate them, for justice - and for - the safety of puppies – and Christmas,” William joked, his voice rapidly weakening.

Anya began to cry in Xander’s arms

“Always fight that evil and when need be kill something.”

Oz went to Willow as William looked up at his best friend.

“Don’t forget to watch the mojo, Red,” he teased.

Willow sunk to the ground, crying as she reached out to touch him.

Spike shook his head. “Oh no you don’t, you nancy boy! You’re not going to die. I’ll never hear the end of it if you do. Everyone is always going on about how you’re the strong one, so be strong.” he demanded.

William smiled up at his brother and gripped his arm tightly. “Spike I love you.”

Spike began to shake. He pulled his brother closer in his embrace. “I…I love you too, Will. You can’t die. You’re the other half of me. The better half.”

“You don’t know how true that is, Spike,” he smiled.

Spike looked down at his brother. He could tell by the look in William’s eyes that he had gained some sort of higher understanding of everything that had occurred.

“Mum told me, I just didn’t understand. I thought she was talking about Lizzie.”

William reached out for Dawn. She took his hand, her entire body trembling as tears poured down her face.

“She was talking about you, Bit.”

Promise me you will protect her. She can’t die William. If she does everything is lost.

William looked at Lizzie and smiled. “I love you,” he whispered.

Lizzie sobbed as William touched her cheek, remembering the first night they made love. The song that haunted his memory for so long filled his mind as he whispered to her.

“From your lips, the heavens pour out
I can't forget when we are one
with you alone, I am free.”

Lizzie trembled as she kissed his lips. “Don’t leave me, Will,” she pleaded as tears fell from her eyes.

“Never going to, luv. I promise,” he said.

Lizzie looked at Spike in confusion while William simply smiled, thinking back to his mother’s words.

Promise me you will be strong and do what you need to do when the time comes.

William looked up at Spike. He took Lizzie’s hand and linked it to Spike.

“Take care of her brother?”

“Until the end of the world,” Spike responded.

“I know you will.” He looked at Spike. “You don’t get it yet, do you?”

Spike looked at him, shaking his head.

“I’m the Keeper,” William said as if that explained everything.

Promise me you will know everything is as it should be when you have to give over the most precious thing you ever had to him.

William turned to Lizzie, remembering her vow.

To be the last thing he saw…

He smiled at her as he closed his eyes. Reaching up, he put his hand over his brother’s unbeating heart. The other still clasped Dawn’s.

Promise me you will answer the call when it comes.

Spike screamed out as William fell limp. He hugged his brother, sobbing in pain and agony.

Suddenly, William began to feel less than solid in his arms and as Spike looked down incredulously, his brother began to disappear before his eyes. He reached out desperately but his hands came up empty.

In William’s place there was an orange light surrounded by a swirling green cloud.

The same orange light that engulfed Lizzie when her soul had been restored…

The same green cloud that called both Spike and William to be the Slayer….

The light and the cloud separated, the orange light shot into Spike with lightening speed while the green cloud hovered in the air for a moment then settled above Dawn. Slowly it engulfed her.

Both Spike and Dawn fell back on the ground, gasping for breath.

Lizzie sat there shocked. On the wind she heard something that she hadn’t heard since the day she met William and Spike. She looked around to see if anyone else heard it but everyone was too preoccupied taking care of Dawn and Spike. She closed her eyes as tears rolled down her face.

She heard William’s voice whisper in her ear…

“The soul takes flight to the world that is eternal. But there arriving he is sure of bliss, and forever dwells in paradise….”