Disclaimer:
The characters of Buffy – the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Forever Knight do not belong to me. I am only borrowing some of their characters.
Author's Note:
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Chapter 9 – The Girls Go Trolling
Part One
LaCroix was concerned. He hadn't been able to pick up Drusilla's scent once this evening. **Where was she?** The last two nights she'd gone out hunting. She was very discreet, he'd noticed. Only grabbing the criminal element. People that wouldn't be missed. She also was very efficient at disposal of the bodies. LaCroix flew across the cityscape. She was nowhere to be seen or scented. He'd have to go to Janette, but he didn't want to inflame Angelus' temper. There was no sense in that. **Maybe, I could just stop for a drink. Or to see Janette.**
He landed in the alley outside the Raven. He really shouldn't delude himself. Rationalization wasn't going to solve anything. He wanted her, damn! He needed her. He had felt that she knew he had been following her. But, she never confronted him. And now she was missing. A connection, perhaps?
LaCroix entered the club and looked around. Hm. Janette doesn't seem to be here. He looked around for Mischa. No, he wasn't in either. LaCroix was becoming agitated, well, at least tense. LaCroix had never really done agitated well. He was 2,000-years old for God's sake! Well, he thought, maybe not God. He shouldn't be chasing after a mere girl. Still...
LaCroix turned to the bartender. “Marie, where is Janette?”
The bartender looked up and smiled at LaCroix. He could practically smell the tension coming off of her in waves. Marie had always been a little afraid of him. In most circumstances, this just pleased him all the more. But right now, he didn't have time for it. “J-janette said she w-wouldn't be w-working tonight.”
LaCroix stared at her. “Where? Where did she say she was going?”
Marie started to panic at the tone in his voice. **Damn!** He thought. **She's going to bolt. Just like a damn deer.** He starts to open his mouth to apologize and she fled to the back room. **Damn! Now what?** He sits back in a chair and starts to think. Maybe they're okay. Then again... **Of course! Why didn't I think of that before? I'll just call Nicholas!** LaCroix leaped to his feet and sped to the back to make his phone call.
Part Two
Nick had to make a stop. Angel was growling and pacing while Nick got his bearings. They'd discovered that the trip was easier if they made semi-frequent stops. It wasn't that Nick couldn't carry Angel's load. It's just that Angel's size really made a difference due to drag. Nick furtively looked at Angel. He was having trouble holding his human visage, and that was truly disturbing. He'd thought he looked frightening. He shuddered.
Angel smelled fear. **Nick? Damn! I have to get a hold of myself. Buffy...** His features softened as he tamped down on this demon. “Nick? Sorry. Don't mean to get all prehistoric on you.”
Nick smiled. **Good, this was the Angel he liked hanging around.** “It's alright, Angel. I'm upset, too. It would be bad enough if it was Janette. But Janette and Nat.. Why would they take her? Plus, I'm worried more about Janette being with the Slayer, than these demons. It's just a recipe for ...”
“Disaster.” Angel nodded grimly. “There's no other word for it. I wouldn't worry about Janette though. I'm more worried about the combination of Drusilla and Buffy. Personally, I don't think these demons have a chance. I don't think Dr. Lambert probably took no for an answer, though. She seemed like a rather strong-willed individual to me.”
Nick nodded mutely. He was right. Nat couldn't even be mesmerized by one of them. She probably did just go. “You're probably right. That's just what Nat would do. However, why would the Slayer – I mean, Buffy – why wouldn't she just tell her--”
“Tell her no?” Angel chuckled. The man really did know very little at about women, for as long as he had lived.
Nick sighed and chuckled sadly. He was right. Nat would've gone anyway. She'd be safer with Buffy than on her own. “Yes, I guess you're right. Well, maybe we should---”
He was interrupted by the sound of his cell phone. He exchanged a look with Angel. **Damn! I don't have time for thi--**
“Answer it.” Angel's commanded. Nick bristled under the tone in his voice. It was a tone that brooked no opposition. However, he, like most vampires, hated to be put under submission. He opened his mouth to argue, but Angel's growl stopped him. “I said, answer it! It could be the girls, damn fool!”
Nick froze. **Damn! He's right! What a fool I am!** He grabbed the phone. “Nat? Janette?”
Angel groaned. **Hell, he's eight hundred years old, and acts like a bloody fledgling!** Nick cursed under his breath when he heard LaCroix's voice. **Hell! I don't have time... Wait! LaCroix can help!** “LaCroix! Wait! Don't talk! Janette is in trouble. She's with the Slayer, Nat, and that girl Drusilla. They're trying to stop some demons... No! Don't interrupt. Just try and get to them. I'm about ten miles out of town and I'm flying in with Angel. We need your help. They'll be in the PATH tunnels underneath the Four Seasons. Do you follow me?”
Angel's growls were increasing in volume. Nick looked nervously over to him. **If the girls don't die, I might at the rate this is going.** He shuddered in response. It wouldn't take too much for Angel to force him into submission... “Yes! Yes! LaCroix – thanks! We'll be there as soon as we can. We--”
Nick wasn't able to finish his thought. Angel had snatched the phone out of his hand. “Now, listen, LaCroix, you mustn't just grab the girls and get out. If someone is really trying to open the hellmouth, you must help Buffy to shut it. You must! --- Damn it! Just do as I ask, and I won't rip your spine out when I see you!”
Angel growled and threw the phone at Nick. No, he thought, I definitely don't want to get him mad. Not a good idea, not at all. “So, Angel, off we go?”
Angel's eyes flashed yellow as he nodded grimly. “Now.”
Part Three
**Good. We're nearly there.** Buffy thought to herself. She wasn't really happy having the three of them with her. However, now, she was sure Janette would be an asset. She was sensible, and suitably serious about this. Buffy wasn't sure if she'd ever have been able to explain a hellmouth. What she wasn't sure of – was dealing with Drusilla. She looked back at the two following her. Drusilla, she knew, could be quite deadly. She just wanted to make sure she was lethal to the right target. Then, there was that doctor. She knew she shouldn't have let her come. She was mortal – with no training, well no combat training. Damn! They were going to have to be very careful if they were going to live through this.
Janette looked at her companions. Drusilla would be fine, she was sure. She seemed to have calmed down since the Slayer had arrived. It was Natalie she worried about. **She was no killer, no fighter. What would Nicolas do if she died? He would never forgive her, never.** She was about to exchange places with Drusilla when Buffy rose her hand and motioned for them to stop. Janette focused. Someone is coming.. and they do not smell human. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. **No, definitely not human. They smell quite... du maladie.**
Natalie came to a halt with her companions. She looked at the three of them. She felt quite inferior. The vampires definitely felt... no, a better word would be smelled... something. Janette cocked her ear as if listening for something. Nat looked at her, a question in her eyes. She nodded, smiling in a comforting way. She held up two.. no, three fingers! So, there were three of them. Somehow, she didn't think that made them the superior force. She looked at Janette with interest. They really must not smell very nice at all, judging by Janette's wrinkled nose and Drusilla's sour face. Nat tried to concentrate.. she didn't smell a thing. She mouthed some words to Janette ... how close?
Janette was very impressed with the girl. She was trying very hard not to show her fear. Any mortal would be fooled. But Janette could smell it. She'd been quite afraid since they entered the PATH tunnels. She was probably more afraid for being in the tunnels than what was to come. She cocked an ear for the creatures... They really were very close... it would be any moment now... she nearly shrieked as she was pulled against the wall.
Buffy had barely pulled them all against the wall. They were nearly there. They would pass right in front of them. This would be the best chance. She had a feeling that they needed to be at the target to open the hellmouth. If that was the case, this would be their best chance. **Wait a minute! What about the sacrifices they spoke of?** She looked at Janette and whispered very, very softly. If she was like Angel, she'd hear... “Any humans?”
**Humans?** Janette concentrated. No, Natalie and the Slayer were the only humans she could pick up. She focused and reached out with her senses, all of them – No, definitely not. They were the only humans. She shook her head and looked at the Slayer. **How many did they need? More than two?** She mouthed hoping that the girl would understand.
Drusilla looked up at this. Her eyes narrowed. **How many?** She scented the air. **Hmm, Buffy and the doctor of death were the only humans. But, there were supposed to be three...** She was sure of this. She frowned in puzzlement. Where would the third human come from, she wondered. She looked at the others and held up three fingers.
Buffy looked at this exchange. **Why did Janette think there were only two?** She looked around and realized the answer. She shuddered. **Damn! Why didn't I think of that? Me and Dr. Lambert are the only humans. But, Dru seemed to think that they needed three. Where would they get the third... Damn! We so do not have time for this!** The troll witches were getting too close. She turned around at a touch on her sleeve, arms up for a fight. The doctor. She was motioning with her arms in silence. Buffy watched her in confusion until she realized. **She wants to know what we should do. Hell, I'm not even sure.** She contemplated this. They really didn't have time to discuss anything. She looked at Dru and Janette. They were looking at her expectantly. They really should have a plan. Her head went up. She could hear them now, it would be any minute. There really was only one thing to do. Attack. She mouthed the word: Attack.
Nat tensed almost convulsively. Here. Now. She'd never actually... Nat felt Janette's arm on her. She was smiling and she leant into Nat. “I will try to take care of you. Just remember, always move. Keep focused. Aim at the head or the center of the chest.. This will quite probably get quite ugly. Don't worry about me, Drusilla, or the Slayer. Just take care of yourself. Comprendez vous?”
Nat smiled at her and mouthed only two words: Thank you. Janette patted her shoulder twice before turning back to front. Nat reached into the bag she had carried and started filling her pockets with items that she had brought. She was glad she had decided to grab one of the vests that the paramedics and crime scene boys had. They had plenty of pockets for what she had brought. She wasn't sure if it would have an effect, but she prayed it did. She said a silent prayer and held the axe in what she hoped was an offensive, or at least defensive, posture.
Buffy smiled at her companions. All they had to do was stop them. There were four of us and three of them. Of course, one of us is a mortal. However, this would work if she could depend on the two vampires. She suppressed a snort. **What would Giles say if he could see me now? However, it wasn't like I have much of a choice. Maybe I should have...**
She hadn't time to finish her thought. They were here. And, damn! They were ugly!
Part Four
They had finally made it to Toronto. Nick started to relax a little, but not much. He still had to make it to the Four Seasons, and then down to the PATH tunnels. Still, even if they did all that, they still might be too late. They could already be too... He shook his head to dispel that thought. Perhaps LaCroix has already made it. These creatures would have to be pretty powerful to take HIM out. He shuddered thinking about Janette and Natalie... He knew that Janette could take care of herself, still...
“How far to the Four Seasons?” Angel growled. Nick started at the yellow eyes and fangs. Angel was having a lot of trouble. He really didn't relish the thought of what might happen to him if they didn't get there in time. If these things that Nat had talked about didn't get killed, he certainly would. He recognized the look. Angel was in a blood fury. The only way to appease that fury was to give it blood. Lots of blood.
“Not far.” Nick replied. “One more quick flight should do it. Then we just have to get into the tunnels.”
“There's an entrance to the building? Or should we try for the sewers?”
“No, not necessary. There is an entrance... it should be locked at this hour... however, that shouldn't be an issue.”
“Can you find the entrance easily?” Angel asked, concerned. He didn't want to be wandering aimlessly looking for the entrance. He had to get to Buffy before... well, before whatever happened.
“No problem. Went to see a ballet there last month.”
Angel nodded. **Good, good. Wonder if the ballet company here is any good. Not that I could take Buffy. She fell asleep at the last one.** He shrugged out of his internal thoughts as Nick motioned that he was ready to move. Angel relaxed and let Nick fly him out on the last leg of the journey. This really is a great way to travel, he mused. **It's probably a good thing my breed never developed this ability. In the old days, I would've been able to inflict a lot more carnage if I'd been able to do this.**
He scanned the horizon as they flew. It was really quite an experience. Nick didn't fly like a bird or Superman or anything else he had ever seen. It was more like he just sped from one place to the next. Like that comic book The Flash. **I wonder how it works. Willow'd probably be able to explain it.** They flew over the buildings at a distance that was too close for comfort. His eyes had trouble tracking everything as it sped. Nick's senses probably focused in on what he needed. He noticed that Nick never spoke as he flew. He would bet that one or two of Nick's senses cut out as he flew. As little sensory information as possible would be good in a situation like...
They had landed. Angel looked around. They were on the roof of what should be the performing arts center. He looked to Nick. His eyes had glowed golden as they flew, but now they were back to their original human color. His eyes scanned the roof for the door, but Nick had already moved ahead of him. Coming to the door Angel moved to kick it in, when Nick stopped him. He glared at him and growled. Nick had finally had enough. “Can you can it already? I know you're uptight, but I'm getting tired of the whole growling thing. And... we do not need to kick in the door. There are other ways.”
Angel backed down. He smirked, Nick was being either extremely brave or extremely foolhardy. He was hardly in the mood at the moment to be confronted on anything. People as well as demons had been dismembered for less. He watched as Nick actually picked the lock. Angel'd give his eye teeth to discover where he'd picked that little skill up. His companion always seemed so law abiding. Even as a vampire, he probably had always gone by the book.
Entering into the building, Nick headed towards the elevator. This'll be the best bet. He turned to Angel, who was at least trying not to growl and snarl so much. “This should be the fastest way down. The elevator, in the off hours, is down at the basement floor. We can fly down and --- what the hell?”
Angel had just leaped into the open space where the doors had been forced open. Nick looked down and listened for the impact. **Angel didn't fly, did he?** He heard the distant sound of two feet hitting the elevator car. **Well, I'll be damned--** Nick flew into the space and glided to the bottom. As he came to a stop, Angel was ripping the top off of the elevator car. Nick gave up on trying to figure him out, and just followed him into the car. As they entered the cellar, they each took their bearings.
Angel and Nick exchanged a look. They really didn't need their preternatural senses to tell them which way to go. It was quite clear, judging by the sounds of fighting. Angel pulled a large sword and a battle axe out of the bag he had brought. Handing the sword wordlessly to Nick, they moved deeper into the darkness.
Part Five
Natalie found herself, quite to her surprise, enjoying herself. They were fighting three very ugly, very strong – well, things! **I guess they could be troll witches. They do kind of look like the picture in that book.** However, the book hadn't mentioned anything about the smell. Personal hygiene was obviously not a priority.
Drusilla and Buffy had each paired off with one of these things, leaving Janette and Natalie to fight the remainder. Janette was strong, but apparently her strength was pretty evenly matched by – it. Nat kept on swinging the axe, occasionally making hits on the thing. At first, she had been very nervous. She'd been afraid to hit Janette. She knew that Nick would never forgive her if anything happened to her. It was funny. She knew that Janette was jealous of her, but she knew the truth. Nick could move on from her. But, not from Janette.
“Nat!” Janette screamed. “Now is not the time to think!”
Nat started out of her thoughts as the creature lashed out at her midsection with a wicked looking knife. She flinched backwards as Janette kicked at the creature. However, not quite in time. She winced in pain as she felt the knife cut through her side. She fell back against the wall, dropping the axe. The thing came at her again. She tried kicking it away. It was like kicking a tree. It was futile. Janette managed to occupy it for a few minutes while Nat recovered herself. She knew they had to kill it. They couldn't just keep on this way. She looked down at the axe and back up at the thing. She'd never get to it in time.
Buffy was getting really disgusted. These troll-bitches were just too ugly and stinky. Her foot shot out and she kicked her adversary against the wall. It just got up again and moved in closer. **Damn! We have to kill these things. I really don't think I'll be able to just snap their necks – I'd have to find them first.** She spotted Natalie's discarded axe. It looks like this is a standard slice-and-dice. She dove forward in a somersaulting movement for the axe.
Drusilla giggled, wrinkling their nose. The thing may have been a good fighter, but she really didn't like the smell. **Even stepmummy and that death doctor notice it. It's that awful.** She clawed out at the creature's eyes. It hardly even fazed it. Hmmm... The creature hit her, propelling her forcefully onto the ground. **Oooh!** Drusilla simmered. **My new dress is all dirty!** She leapt up and attacked the creature with new-found rage.
Janette chuckled at the sound of Drusilla's rage. She flew at her adversary throwing her down. Her main advantage in this fight turned out not to be her strength, but her speed. Unfortunately, she and the creature were pretty evenly matched in strength, but her speed was really helping out. She just worried about Natalie. Although, she had to admit, she'd been really impressed with Natalie thus far. She'd never thought that Natalie could've lasted this long. But, she had a fire inside her. **Who would have ever guessed?** She caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. Natalie! She'd pulled something out of her pocket. Janette stepped back to see what she was up to.
**Mon dieu!** Natalie had thrown a glove – a surgical glove filled with some liquid right at the face of the demon Janette had been grappling with. She wrinkled her nose as the scent hit her. **Quelle odeur! Acide!** The creature screamed, covering its face with its hands.
Buffy grabbed the axe and leapt to her feet in an attack posture. The troll-witch that had been fighting Janette and Dr. Lambert was screaming. **What's this? Hell! I'm sure not going to... well, there's something about a gift horse.** She rushed forward swinging the axe, neatly severing the creature's neck and screams. The other two looked at her and then at each other nervously. Drusilla's face broke into a quite dreadful smile. Buffy shuddered involuntarily. Her eyes met Dru's. **What's this?** Dru's eyes were lit up as with a special secret. She turned to Janette and Dr. Lambert. **Her, too?** Janette was looking as if she was expecting something. **A lot like Dru... Like...** She controlled a shudder as she felt the familiar feeling of a vampire approaching... **Of course! Angel! And, Janette's Sire?** That would explain why Janette was looking that way. She looked at Dru. “Which way?”
Dru nodded towards the performing arts centre. They were coming that way. **Good! Good!** This should work. Janette shook her head and pointed the other way. **Ah! Her sire was coming that way.** Buffy motioned towards Dru and she grabbed the other demon. She held her until she could feel the vampire from the way Janette motioned getting closer. Janette was quite strong, so her sire should be more than capable.
Dru giggled as she grabbed her demon. **Yes! Yes! Stepmummy had such a good idea. I just have to wait until Daddy is close enough... Almost.. Near... Now!** She twirled the demon about it and thrust it towards where her Daddy was approaching. She giggled in glee. **Daddy'll tear it apart, he will!** She turned to look at her stepmummy. She smiled as her stepmummy tossed her demon in the opposite direction. Dru scented the air. **LaCroix! Now we can see if he can be as brutal as I likes my boys to be. Like Spike.** She sighed dreamily, remembering how he had driven a railroad tie down that man's chest. She still remembered it clearly, even though it was over a century ago.
Nick and Angel were rushing around the corner towards the girl, when Nick was suddenly hit by something. Something very ugly. Nick looked up at a very inhuman face. He wrinkled his nose. And smelly. He started to scurry backwards when he glimpsed a flash of metal from the corner of his eye. **What the hell!** He looked up just in time to see Angel swinging a broad sword in his direction. **Damn!** He froze, praying to whoever a vampire prays to that Angel didn't decapitate him too! He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping at least it would be quick. He felt the swish of air as the blade came down. He felt something cool on his chest. **Hmm... I wonder? Blood? But it doesn't smell---**
“You can get up, Nick.” Angel intoned looking down and shaking his head in amusement at his partner. The poor boy was going to have to get used to him, he really was. Angel looked up at the sound of giggling. He rose an eyebrow as he looked at the two women giggling at him. He would never have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself. Dru and Buffy were standing next to each other giggling. Like two high school girls.
Nick got up, picking disgustedly at his now very dirty, very smelly shirt. He was never going to get the whatever it was out. Never. The smell was just disgusting. He looked over at Janette and Natalie. They were safe. A little banged up, but safe. There was another of those creatures on the ground near their feet. He could smell blood. Not too much, but... **Damn! When I think of what I would've done if I'd lost her!** He strode quickly over and drug her too him.
“Nicolas! Non! Tu répugnant!” Janette cried out, struggling in his arms.
“Ma chérie, I am sorry.” Nick soothed, stepping back and caressing her face with his hand. He opened his mouth when they heard a struggle. They spun around to see the last remaining demon flying through the air.
Nat had been cringing at the display between Nick and Janette when the final creature came flying through the air. Obviously LaCroix didn't like it anymore than they did, she thought. Then, she was surprised to see Buffy toss the axe through the air. It flew end-over-end towards the flying creature. No way, Nat thought, shaking her head. **There is NO way that she can hit it. Absolutely ---** “Oh my God!”
Angel and Drusilla looked at Nat's shocked face. Dru started to giggle. **The poor, poor dear is really going to have to learn. Slayers should never be underestimated.** Dru turned as she felt the hand on her arm. It was LaCroix. She gave him a big smile.
“You came!” She gave him a big hug. She could still feel the violence and rage barely contained under the surface. It smelled delicious. Then her Daddy keened. She stiffened and let him go. Daddy could be very irritable. And people got hurt when Daddy was irritated.
LaCroix felt colder than he had ever felt before when she pulled from him. He looked to Angel with exasperation. **Couldn't he understand? Damn, this was going to only end in bloodshed.** What was he to do? There was no going back. He knew that. He knew that as soon as he'd heard Nick tell him what Drusilla and the others had gone to do. He'd felt cold terror and rage fill him at the thought of something happening to Drusilla. He hadn't spared a thought for his daughter – Janette. **Damn! This will never end well.**
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