Ten Thousand Days - 3 - Vicarious
by Valyssia
Don't Lie
[reviews]
Neither the brave nor bold will write us the story so; we won't give pause until the blood is flowing. I need to watch things die from a good safe distance. Vicariously, I live while the whole world dies. You all feel the same so, why can't we just admit it?
Sunlight beamed down on Buffy as she stood at the bow of the ship watching the shore approach. The massive cargo ship listed heavily starboard as its keel dug deep into the sandy ocean floor. Standing with feet spread and knees bent slightly, the vampire seemed completely unaffected by the violent movements of the vessel continuing to plow slowly forward.
Peels of laughter like those of a naughty child poured from her as crowds of people ran for safety. Buffy plunged fearlessly over the railing. Falling at least forty feet into water that might've been barely over her head, she collapsed to take up the impact as best she could. It was still like getting hit with a ton of bricks. Bones snapped under the strain. Lying perfectly still under water for a moment, she was amused when a well meaning human tried to pull her to safety. Patiently 'playing dead', which was a touch too accurate not to be giggle worthy, she allowed the young man to toss her over his shoulder, and carry her onto the beach.
A chuckle finally slipped out when the man tried to restart her heart with CPR. She curled into a ball laughing while he reeled from the shock. Reaching up, she seized him by the sides of the head and purred, "My hero," as she twisted him onto his back, planting a tender kiss on his lips. Seconds later, sinewy muscles and tendons ripped as she kneeled on his chest and wrenched his head from his body. Staring into the lifeless eyes, she chirruped, "There can be only one." After she managed to calm enough of the giggles away, she picked a fleeing target, and threw the head with all her might. The small bikini clad blonde woman was struck so violently that she sprawled out face first into the sand and lay unmoving. Her voice thick with mirth Buffy added, "Or two...or two-thousand...depending on who you ask and when."
Leaping to her feet, Buffy ran to the fallen blonde and grabbed her by the hair, lifting her from the sand. Her eyes shifted deep amber as the demon surfaced. She sank her fangs into the young woman's neck, and wrapped her arms around the tanned slender form of her prey. Compressing the blonde's body until bones snapped, she drained it and stood, kicking the corpse face-first back into the sand.
The parking lot was gridlocked when she reached it. Those that took notice of her screamed and fled. There had already been several fender benders and her arrival caused several more. Spying what she desired, the vampire set off purposefully toward a muscular man on a Japanese sport-bike who was waiting on traffic near the exit. A guttural snarl announced her arrival, and the man turned to the source of the noise. His eyes filled with terror as he tried to maneuver the motorcycle around the car in front of him.
Standing with her arms crossed, Buffy allowed the man to guide the motorcycle almost to freedom before she struck. "I like your bike," she cooed as she flipped the sidestand down, killing the engine with the built-in safety device. She grabbed the man by the back of his shirt and slung him off the motorcycle into a sign post. Her face split into a wide grin when she glanced over to check the fate of the man. His body had been cleaved in two by the now mangled metal post. Buffy tossed a leg over the machine, and flipped the stand up. Pulling the clutch in, she hit the starter switch, and exited through the grass onto the main highway.
***********
Buffy guided the Fireblade between two large warehouse buildings in an industrial park east of San Francisco. Her devious nature caught up as she coasted down length of the building. Revving the engine produced a satisfying deep throated growl that echoed off the buildings. She snapped the clutch out and brought the front end of the motorcycle into the air. Gripping the fuel tank firmly with her knees while controlling the amount of loft with the throttle, she rode the wheelie to the last bay door on the building before setting the nose of the motorcycle down. Ninety miles an hour to zero, before the parking lot ran out, came with a price that was paid in the form of the other end of the motorcycle lifting off the pavement.
Xander exited the building in time to watch the better part of the show. He was disappointed not to see Willow, but happy all the same that she managed to miss a close-up view of the production he was witnessing.
Dipping the bike into a low graceful turn, Buffy aimed at Xander and snapped the throttle open. Shutting down and grabbing brake in time to just brush his knee with the front tire.
"Buffy, quit screwing around. We got trouble," Xander said impatiently, staring the blonde down as he spoke.
Sweeping the sidestand down with her boot, Buffy grinned and switched off the engine. Locking eyes with Xander, she silently commanded him to be calm.
Without pause, Xander intoned, "Yes master...errr...mistress...uh... I mean your most excellent Buffness." Trying to process what was happening, he stuttered, "Bu-but...mistress...errr... Giles and Andrew are here and pissed doesn't begin to describe—" cutting off when his mistress commanded him to with her eyes.
"Get them, and bring Faith too," Buffy directed her minion. As Xander departed, she mused, "The bug-eating is a good look for him." The slayer stood on the pegs, and dismounted the motorcycle like a horse. Cocking her hips to the right, she placed her hands on her waist.
Giles followed Xander out the door. When his gaze met Buffy, he began in a heated voice, "Exactly what do you think you're doing, you arrogant little girl?"
An amused grin washed over Buffy's face as she surveyed the watcher. "You're just not as impressive as Quentin Travers, Giles...might have something to do with that whole 'open mic night' experience at the Espresso Pump back home. Keep trying, though—sure you'll get better in time."
"Answer me," Giles barked. Standing toe to toe with the small blonde, he did his utmost to command authority.
Buffy rolled her eyes. Taking a step back so she could meet the watcher's gaze without craning her neck, she commanded, "Go wait over there, Giles," pointing at the picnic table on the other side of the lot. "Oh... and take your pet with you," she added, glaring at Andrew.
Giles was utterly befuddled as to why he followed the order, but he did. Entirely ignoring the litany of questions Andrew was bombarding him with, the watcher set his attention on the exchange that transpired across the parking lot. His unease grew as he observed. The straw that caused the entire mess to come crashing down was when Faith dropped to her hands and knees just after Xander had disappeared inside the building. He was speechless as he watched the dark haired slayer crawl across the lot on Buffy's right. The blonde seemed to notice the problem and corrected it about midway. As she turned back to glare at Giles he nearly had a heart attack.
"I'm sorry. Did I break your concentration, Giles?" Buffy growled in a deep feral voice that was disturbingly nonhuman.
Andrew slumped to the ground and began to tremble as he peered into the face of the demon.
Buffy grinned wolfishly when she glanced down at Andrew. A large wet spot had developed in the crotch of his Dockers. She advanced, turning her full attention to Giles. "You were saying?" she prompted.
Giles mouth opened, but no sounds came out. The result was a series of gulps and mouth exercises that he guessed looked decidedly too fish-like for dignity's sake.
"That's what I thought," Buffy concluded. Leaning over to Faith, she whispered, "Move the bike over here." Returning her focus to Giles, she snarled, "Did Miss H. ramp you up that she spilled what you said about Will?" All the color seemed to flow out of the watcher's face. He shrunk away and collided with the picnic table. Moving much faster than she knew he could possibly perceive, she caught Giles by the throat as he fell, lifting him off the ground.
Screaming at the top of his lungs, Andrew scrambled back, slamming into the picnic table. He was stunned to find himself rising off the ground completely untouched.
Buffy held a gasping Giles in one hand while she lifted the little geek to his feet by magic. Approaching Andrew as the older watcher began to shudder in her hand, she hissed, "Got something special for you, Andrew. You'll love this." Drawing in a deep breath, she wheezed it back out, then repeated the process. Then, in her best James Earl Jones voice—which was pretty bad by any standard—she intoned, "I find your lack of faith disturbing." She reached out and slowly drew her hand into a fist as she compressed the geek's throat by magic.
Giles had begun to convulse by the time Andrew fell unconscious, so she dropped the elder watcher to the ground. A wicked grin infected her features as she stooped over the younger watcher and punched a hole in his chest, snatching out his heart in one swift precise movement.
The heart was cast absently aside when Buffy turned her attention to Faith. Lifting her hand to her mouth, she started to lick her fingers as she gazed at the other slayer. Once her hand was clean, she forced her features back to the human mask. "Come here, Faith," she purred soothingly.
Faith started to speak, but felt her mistress's desire for silence, so she remained quiet. Simply complying with the request, she walked over and took the hands offered her, peering down at the ground in supplication.
"No clue why, Faith...and not gonna waste a lot of time thinking about it...but you're the one person here I give a crap about," Buffy whispered. Slipping around behind the brunette, she commanded, "Lose the top."
Not even stopping to consider the order, Faith peeled her shirt off, and turned to face the vampire.
"Now the bra," Buffy directed, watching the other slayer simply comply without question. As the garment hit the ground she shed her jacket and embraced the other woman. "You know...I think it's something Will made me see. Thing is, years ago, when you came to town, I wasn't— Things were just different," her hands moved over the other slayer's body as she spoke, "I'm going to give you what I wanted more than anything this morning," she whispered.
Faith trembled under the touch as the little blonde vampire drew her right nipple into her mouth, suckling greedily at the firm pink bud. Her head fell back and a moan escaped. Buffy deftly unbuttoned the fly of Faith's jeans, and slid a hand inside. She quivered and slumped, jutting her hips forward to meet the touch.
Buffy lingered, lazily kissing and caressing each breast while her hand traced tiny circles in the moist folds of Faith's sex. Eventually she turned her gaze up to look at the other slayer. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open. Low raspy sighs were emanating from her as if by no will of her own.
Pivoting behind the brunette again, she gently guided her to lean back as she pressed her fingers inside. Faith trembled and gasped when she started a supple cadence. Wrapping her free arm around the other slayer, she caressed her breast. Using her cheek, she cleared the locks of brunette hair away from Faith's neck and began to suckle and kiss the tender flesh.
"Oh god, B., harder," Faith cried out. Her hips bucked against the vampire's hand.
Answering the demand, Buffy nimbly slipped another finger inside, and increased the speed and firmness of the strokes. When the brunette grunted her approval, she seized the nipple she'd been toying with between her fingers and twisted. Faith's knees went weak and Buffy placed a leg forward to support her weight. Throaty cries echoed off the walls of the warehouses as she slipped the final finger home, pounding at the brunette's core in answer to the cries for more. "Like to be fucked, don't you, Faith?" she whispered. The other slayer convulsed in her arms in answer.
Buffy felt the first waves of climax wash over her victim and sunk her fangs into the tender neck in response. Shifting her bite slightly, she lanced the jugular and the blood spurted freely down her throat as a reward. Her hands continued the dance as long as the convulsions continued. Faith drifted away, finally falling silent in her arms.
Giles, uncertain if it was magic or paralysis that kept him unmoving on the ground, peered up at the vampire in horror as she slipped her hand from the other woman's pants, and carefully laid her out flat on the cold pavement. "Monstrous," he condemned as Buffy placed Faith's hands on her stomach and draped the discarded shirt over her chest.
Buffy approached her former watcher, licking her fingers to clean them once again. When she finished suckling Faith's cum from her hand she finally hissed, "You think so? I gave her something few will get from me," meeting his reproving glare.
"And that is?" Giles snarled.
"An easy death. Goddess knows you won't," Buffy replied matter-of-factly.
Glaring with complete malice, Giles asked in a sharp reproachful tone, "And Willow? What of her?"
"She's dead, Giles," Buffy replied. The vampire dropped to her knees at her watcher's waist, waiting expectantly for the accusations to commence.
"I suppose this is the last thing I should care for now, but as a point of academic curiosity would you tell me how you are moving around by day?" Giles queried pensively.
Her face shifted back to human, she licked the blood from her lower lip, and a bright smile covered her features. Snickering softly, Buffy turned her gaze to the ground in front of her. "You know you're going to die, but you just gotta keep asking the questions," she shook her head, "'Kay, Giles...one last answer, slayer to watcher. It's the necklace Will and I made. No clue why, but it works like that Ring of Armani thing Spike was all hot and bothered about years ago."
"The Gem of Amara," Giles corrected gently. Pausing to reflect, he asked, "May I see the necklace? Call it a final request."
Buffy snorted. "Whatever." Grinning broadly as she moved to straddle her watcher's chest, she responded, "Can't do that, Giles. I sorta ate it."
Giles eyes grew large behind his glasses as the petite, blonde vampire climbed on top of him. "Oh dear," he gasped when she grabbed the sides of his head.
The warehouse furthest from them exploded in a massive mushroom of fire and raining debris. Allowing Giles to enjoy the show first, Buffy eventually began to wrench her former watcher's head from his body. She was much gentler this time, taking care to keep him conscious and aware of her actions as long as possible. "I want you to take this experience with you to hell for betraying us, Giles," she snarled while the body under her convulsed. Giles tongue lolled to one side, when she pulled again, he reflexively bit it off. She sensed the instant his heart stopped. In that second, she jerked, taking his head clean off.
Rising to her feet, Buffy snatched up her jacket and whispered, "Thanks, Xander...you always were a pal...even when you were a bug-eating butt-monkey." The screams of the dying filled her senses as she turned to watch the inferno. A charred form caught her eye. It was hopelessly pinned by the rubble, yet it fought and called out. "So much for 'The Summers-Rosenberg School for Gifted Teens'... Class dismissed," she whispered as she slipped into her jacket. Tossing a leg over the Honda, she fired the engine and pulled away.
***********
The sun was setting, lighting the western sky in hues of crimson and gold when Buffy pulled into the driveway of a suburban home. Sitting peacefully for a moment, she stared off into the distance, simply enjoying the view before dismounting the motorcycle. As she made her way to the front door, it swung open. "Been expecting me?" she asked her tone utterly aloof.
Angel looked the petite blonde over before he confirmed, "Suppose you might say that. After the mess you left at Zuma Beach, wasn't hard to figure out that you'd eventually come here."
"Let me guess... You showed to stop me...or maybe—" Buffy cut off mid-thought as she scanned Angel's face. Snickering loudly, she struggled to gain control before she finished in a voice thick with mirth, "You want to ensoul me? Oh, now that's funny." Her body shook as she laughed at her former lover.
Angel appeared crestfallen. He worked to compose himself, finally offering matter-of-factly, "That was sort of the plan, yeah."
A wicked grin infected Buffy's features. "Look, Angel, fresh outta cookie dough. Thanks for the sentiment but, fact is...the baking—it happened—cookies got eaten by someone lots better at the eating than you. She's dead and I'm not far behind her. Now if you'll hand Dawn over, it'll simple this up lots. If not...it's gonna get ugly."
Angel crossed his arms. "Can't do that, Buffy."
"You sure? That's your final answer?"
Angel nodded. It was the last act of his unlife.
Buffy stood for a moment and looked at the shriveled black heart she held in her hand. "Huh... Looks a little like a raisin," she reflected in an offhanded manner, then casting the heart over her shoulder. She didn't even bother to try and enter the house. A bored sigh escaped her as she peered through the doorway. "May as well come talk, Dawn, 'cause I've got a tank full of gas and a lighter that says I can make you leave. No big to me how we play it."
"You wouldn't..."
A silent laugh shook Buffy's slight form; she tilted her chin down and put her palm to her forehead, shaking her head. When she looked up, Dawn stood just out of reach with Spike and Illyria on either shoulder. "Did you call all my demon ex-lovers?" she asked, appearing very amused. "Correction... Sorry 'Smurfette'...never fucked you, but if you wanna go after I kill the kid and the Q-Tip—think I've got a block of free time."
***********
D'Hoffryn blinked as he peered down into the pool. Spike made an indignant remark about the Q-Tip comment and the screen slowly faded to snowy static. "Oh, you've got to be kidding. That's it?" he snarled. Stalking around the pool he fiddled with the remote.
"I'm sorry, but we're only allowed two hours for the demo, sir," the blond man replied apologetically. His thick, crooked features lit up as he regarded the demon. "This Summers woman is quite the character. I can see your interest," he offered offhandedly.
"You don't know the half of it, and we'll be keeping it that way," D'Hoffryn replied in a frank manner.
"I'm sure I don't. So will you be interested in purchasing our product, sir?" the blond man prompted genially.
"I believe so, Mr.—?" D'Hoffryn confirmed.
Offering his hand to the demon, "Ah..." the man intoned, "Yes, the name is Spike. Not to confuse, of course." He nodded toward the pool where the vampire who shared his name was last seen.
D'Hoffryn clasped the hand briefly and nodded. "Yes, it seems like a fine product. Of course, I have Direct-TV and Tivo...and this," he offered, flipping the channels he settled on a view of a petite, blonde woman in bed with her partner.
The salesman watched the toned muscles of the woman's shoulders flex while she rocked in a languid cadence over her redheaded lover. "Is that—?" he asked, peering intently at the display.
"Yes, that would be Miss Summers," D'Hoffryn confirmed. Pausing to reflect as he watched the two women, he grumbled, "Never a more vexing pair."
"There are of course many more channels to choose from. That is, once the service is activated," Spike remarked hopefully.
D'Hoffryn nodded. "Lloyd, please pay the man and bring me a bowl of popcorn." A smile tugged at his gaunt features as he watched Spike and Lloyd leave the room. Several minutes passed while he sat patiently awaiting the return of the salesman. He sat and silently watched the blonde make love to her redheaded counterpart. "Their time will come," the demon wrung his hands, "All too soon," he smiled, "Until then...something to pass the time."
Spike reentered the room with Lloyd in tow. "Thank you for your business. Do you have any questions about the product?"
D'Hoffryn accepted the bowl of popcorn Lloyd offered him, and remarked aloofly, "No, that'll be all."
Bowing deeply, Spike thanked the demon kindly for his business and set off out of the room.
Dipping his hand into the bowl of popcorn, D'Hoffryn fished a few kernels out and popped them into his mouth as he absently started to channel surf.
Channel 2357: A petite woman with sandy blonde hair was tied to a metal bed frame. Buffy circled her, golden eyes moving over the slight form of her captive. "I could peel you like an apple. I could take you apart joint by joint. I could rip your clothes off and ride you till you're a mass of bruises. Not that you're my type, but hey...eternity, meet boredom," the vampire Buffy snarled as she began to saw at a rib next to her victim's spine with the blade of a serrated knife.
"Hum... That has promise... I may come back to it," D'Hoffryn remarked offhandedly as he noted the channel.
Click.
Channel 2358: Standing in a cemetery facing Angel, Buffy droned on, "I make it through this, and the next thing, and the next thing, and maybe one day I turn around and realize I'm ready. I'm cookies. And then, you know, if I want someone to eat—"
Click.
"Well, that was vulgar," D'Hoffryn remarked. A look of utter disgust fixed on his gaunt features. Turning his attention back to the display, he snickered.
Channel 2359: Buffy lay naked, chained face-down across a metal bench. A leather clad Willow circled her with a rectangular wooden paddle in hand. The redhead drew back and smacked the slayer hard across both cheeks of her already-scarlet ass, hitting the black latex plug that protruded from her. A deep throaty growl emanated from the blonde as the bench shuddered dangerously when her muscles involuntarily flexed.
D'Hoffryn rolled his eyes. "If that's what you really want, slayer, I know this Fyarl demon that'd be happy to help scratch that itch." The demon grabbed his Big Gulp from the table next to him and took a sip.
Click.
Channel 2360: Willow lay unconscious in a hospital bed wired to every sort of medical monitor known to man. Buffy was at her bedside sobbing, holding her pale hand. "There has to be something we can do," she choked thickly through her tears. Giles walked up and put his hand on the blonde's shoulder to comfort her.
D'Hoffryn returned the beverage to the table and grabbed a handful of popcorn, shoving the kernels into his mouth. "If the witch dies this could lead to some intriguing vengeance," he remarked, again noting the channel.
Click.
Channel 2361: Buffy stretched out, holding her hand high over her head as she snarked, "Sorry, Spike...you gotta be at least this evil to ride this ride. Know you wanna, but I'm over it...a girl needs some standards." She tilted her hip to one side and placed her hands on her waist. "You guys are running short on time 'cause I'm running outta patience," she added, turning to make her way back to the motorcycle in the drive. Illyria stormed out the door behind the vampire, ignoring the protests of her peers. The Hellgod bared her teeth and snarled as she grabbed the little blonde vampire by the shoulder and spun her.
D'Hoffryn smiled, settling in his chair. "Ahh...yes... Here it is."
***********
Buffy nestled her head into the curve of her lover's shoulder and sighed contentedly. "And then something happened. I let go. Lost in oblivion. Dark and silent and complete. I found freedom. Losing all hope was freedom," she whispered. But it isn't. Stupid quote. Not if you still care about anything... Gotta give up the caring, and I can't. Suppose that means I need to find a way to hope again. Goddess! Listen to me... Someone who looks forward and all she sees is pain... And I'm a leader? There are people resting their hopes...their faith in me. How fucked up is that?
Her hand moved to caress away the unrest she could feel in her partner as Willow asked. "Did you say something, Buffy?"
A feeling of peace washed over the slayer. She relaxed completely, allowing the tension to ebb. And then there was Willow. "Nothing... Just my busy head this time," Buffy whispered sleepily.
A/N: Now that you've successfully navigated the dark waters of my personal insanity. Only the sections with italics (internal character thought) count towards the whole of the story. They were real.
Channel Guide (Credits)
Channel 2357: Mabus - Shadow Sun
Channel 2358: That god-awful speechy swill Marti Noxon dribbled out to make the Bangles happy in S7.
Channel 2359: Carol Clarke - Pick a story, any story...
Channel 2360: Pretty much pick an injury themed story, but what I had in mind was a particularly good piece by Red Willow called Dispelling the Darkness.
Channel 2361: Me!!! This is the short snarky continuation of the show D'Hoffryn was watching.