Chapter 16: Pawns
Dawn awoke with a groan, pushing herself up off of the dirt floor with shaky arms.
“For a minute there I wondered if you would ever wake up,” Rick’s softly-accented voice echoed through the small cavern.
Dawn’s head still spun with the hypnotic force that had pushed her into unconsciousness, but she managed to rise to her knees anyway to face her captor. “They’re all coming after me,” she informed him right off the bat. “You’re not going to get away with this.”
Rick looked down at her from his position above the cave entrance and sighed. The cave they were concealed in appeared to be a small enclave in the side of a rocky hill. The dirt floor and walls were littered with stone outcroppings, but there was still enough soil for tree roots to line the high ceiling.
Rick was crouched back on one of these roots, far out of her weaponless reach and also easily able to block her from reaching the exit. Even more damning was the fact that her jacket hung up on the root beside him; it was warm enough in the cave itself that she wasn’t uncomfortable, but she could still hear the wind howling outside and had no doubt that she would freeze before she could make her way home.
Dawn grimaced. Without some kind of back-up, she didn’t see how she could escape. He’d already proven much faster than her, and she doubted her strength would match up to his, either.
“You have noticed by now that you cannot escape without my permission?” Rick questioned softly, staring down at her with those eyes like red marble, gaze emotionless, distant, inhuman.
Dawn backed up against the far wall in case she needed to make a fighting stand and scowled up at him. “Whatever you want from me,” she snapped, “you’re not going to get it.”
Rick shook his head at that. “I had hoped that you would try to understand,” he said with a weary sigh. “After all, you are not entirely human yourself, are you?” Through the red filter of his eyes, the bright green light that shimmered around Dawn glowed even brighter with the adrenaline rushing through her system.
Dawn bit back a gulp at that. “Wh-What do you mean?” she asked shakily.
Her mind was reeling at the implications, however. The last time her existence as the Key had been important. She could still see her sister’s lifeless form at the bottom of that tower, Spike’s broken and battered body sobbing over the woman he loved, the hot red blood dripping down her stomach.
She had felt more helpless that night that she ever had in her existence, and ever since she had sworn that she would never put those she loved in danger again. Despite the apocalyptic force that stirred in her very blood, she would be an agent to save this world, not destroy it.
One of Rick’s eyebrows rose in response to the slight tremor in her voice. That obviously hadn’t been the response he’d been expecting. “I can see it, you know,” he said, somewhat puzzled. “The energy that surrounds you, composes you. It shines like a beacon.”
“Stay away from me.” Dawn’s voice sounded hollow and scared even to her own ears, but she couldn’t let this happen to her. Not again.
“You think I judge you?” Rick asked, concerned now. “Surely, they have told you by now what I am.”
“All the more reason for you to stay away from me,” Dawn hissed vehemently.
Rick sighed in that tired way once more. “I would have thought you more tolerant,” he commented sadly, “given that you treat a vampire as family.”
“You’re nothing like Spike!” Dawn shot back. “He would never hurt me.”
“And I have done you such great harm, have I?” Rick countered.
“Kidnapping, putting me to sleep, and let’s not forget all the attacks earlier,” she said coldly. “If you think I’m letting my guard down around you for one second.” She let the threat trail off. Given the horror stories Veronica told her, she was thoroughly prepared to fight to death if that was what it took.
“I should not have attacked and instead sacrificed my own life?” Rick countered. “And it was not I who put you to sleep – you saw the Haunting take me.”
“Oh, and that makes me feel a lot better,” Dawn retorted with a roll of her eyes. “Is that what it traded you for your aid? Me?”
Rick’s brow furrowed at that. “I have aided the Haunting no more than you have,” he insisted.
“Don’t lie to me,” Dawn countered wearily. “I saw the two of you join forces.”
“You mean you saw it possess me,” Rick shot back defensively. “I barely fought it off before it used my body to kill you!”
Dawn frowned slightly at this. Rick was caught. Didn’t he know that? Why was he still bothering to defend himself? “We know you’ve been working together,” she insisted a bit more hesitantly. “Your cover’s blown.”
“My cover, yes,” Rick agreed, gesturing to his vacant red eyes. “But I’ve got nothing whatsoever to do with-“
“The book!” Dawn countered with triumph, overcoming the foolish doubts that were creeping into her mind. “We know you took it.”
Rick blinked at that, puzzlement apparent on his brow now. “What book?” he asked, baffled.
“The one you stole from my room this afternoon?” Dawn provided sarcastically.
Rick merely shook his head.
“While Buffy was distracted?” she hinted.
“I have no clue what you are talking about,” he insisted. “I stopped by to see if you were there, and since you weren’t and your sister was otherwise occupied, I left.”
“With the spell book,” Dawn insisted.
A worried look crossed Rick’s features at that. “The one that would tell us how to kill the Haunting?” he asked. “How can we kill it without the book?”
“Exactly why you stole it,” Dawn said, but her voice was getting more hesitant. Rick was already found out. There was no reason for him to deny this, unless.
“I want it gone as much as you do,” Rick insisted vehemently.
Dawn’s voice wavered now. “B-But you’re helping it,” she countered. “Working for it?”
“It’s trying to kill us all!” Rick seemed shocked at the accusation.
Dawn’s brow furrowed as she reassessed the situation. “You’re not working with the Haunting?” she said, puzzled.
“No!” Rick exclaimed in relief that she seemed to be catching on at last.
“Th-Then why are you.?” Dawn began before her eyes widened. “It was just me you were after, then,” she accused.
“You are surprised?” Rick countered, his voice its usual quiet timbre.
Dawn instantly took up a defensive stance. “Sadly so,” she agreed, “but you’re not going to take me without a fight.”
A scowl crossed Rick’s brow, and his reddened eyes narrowed. “You do not understand.” he began.
“I think I understand perfectly,” Dawn countered with a look of grim determination. “And you’re either going to let me out of here,” she informed him matter-of-factly, “or you’ll have to kill me while I escape.” A deep breath, and she ran for the exit.
Rick started in surprise for a second before he leapt down at her.
* * *
Lena awoke with a groan, rubbing at where one of her antennae had been painfully nicked in the fall. She blinked twice, opened her eyes, and.
“Aaaaiiieeeee!”
The sudden wail halted Tucker right in his tracks outside the door to the lodge. “What in tarnation.?” he paused in his efforts to find some decent back-up to help save Dawn and scanned the snow-covered front yard in vain.
Lena’s ears perked up at the distant voice, however, and she let out another scream. “Help!” She nervously spun around in place in the underground room, watching the red eyes that surrounded her in terror.
Tucker frowned at the cry, recognizing the nasal pitch of Lena’s voice. “Where the hell are you?” he demanded, trudging off into the snow in the direction where he’d heard the cry for help.
“They’re closing in!” Lena screamed back, fumbling in vain for any weapon she might have on her person. She came up empty and screamed again.
“Where are you?!” Tucker shouted back, slightly alarmed now.
“Underground!” Lena shouted out. “There’s a hole beneath the snow!” She watched the eyes warily.
Tucker instantly froze in his tracks. “And what good’s it gonna do if I fall in it?” he demanded, irritated.
“You can help me fight.” Lena began before she froze mid-speech. It suddenly occurred to her that the red lights around her hadn’t moved once during their little shouting match. In fact, she didn’t think they’d moved at all since she’d woken up. “Wait a minute.” she began, slightly confused.
The red eyes didn’t respond in the slightest.
“You still out there?” Tucker’s voice sounded through the layer of snow that had formed over the opening to the underground room.
“Be careful of the trapdoor!” Looking up now, Lena could see that was what she’d fallen through. By some magical force, the snow wasn’t falling into the underground room but rather concealed the entrance.
“Duh!” Tucker shot back, long branch now in hand as he felt around on the ground before him. “You under attack or what?”
Lena frowned and took a cautious step towards one of the pairs of red eyes. “Not sure,” she replied. Nervously, she reached out one hand when she stood directly before the eyes and felt.wood? “It’s a statue.” she realized slowly, tracing the carved outline of one humanoid form.
At that moment, Tucker’s branch landed right on the opening. “Shit!” he exclaimed as the ground suddenly gave way beneath his support.
“You’re right above me,” Lena provided.
“Noticed,” Tucker agreed. “How far down are you?”
“About ten feet.”
Tucker let out a weary sigh. “You got a light?”
“No,” Lena shook her head before looking at the glowing red around her, “not really.”
“I’m dropping down my flashlight,” Tucker informed her, “and then I’m gonna get some rope. Just shine the light up through the snow so I can find you again, all right?”
“All right,” Lena agreed, watching the flashlight fall through the snow-covered opening above and deftly catching it.
“You got it?”
She turned on the light. “I got it,” she agreed.
“I’ll be right back, then,” Tucker said before heading back to the inn. Honestly, how many women needed saving tonight?
Lena let out a weary sigh and directed the light at the statues surrounding her, fully able to see them for the first time. A shiver ran up her spine at the demonic figures that circled her. Most were humanoid in shape but sported features of animals, demons, and some hideous deformities she didn’t even want to begin to guess at. The only things the figures held in common were the glowing, red eyes and rows of horns that crowned their heads.
Lena shivered slightly, and not from the cold. There was no doubt whatsoever in her mind that this place was the site of some ritual, and whatever it was, it felt old, powerful, and dangerous.
* * *
Rick was faster, but Dawn was more desperate. He landed right on her back, but she managed to twist beneath him and knee him right between the legs. He let out the characteristic ‘oof!’ of universal male pain, and she shoved him off, aiming a hard fist to his jaw.
Her hand stung from the force of her blow but, more importantly, Rick slumped to the ground for an instant, arms limp. It was the only second she needed to yank his jacket from his shoulders and pull the knife he’d stolen from Veronica from his belt.
By the time Rick returned to rather painful reality, Dawn had the blade at his throat and easy access to the escape route. He winced inwardly at his miscalculation of her abilities.
“All right now,” Dawn panted, a dangerous hint in her voice, “you are going to tell me exactly what is going on right now, or I’ll slit your throat and sort it out back at the nice, safe inn.”
“It’s safer here,” Rick countered automatically.
The blade at his throat dug into the skin slightly. “Explain,” she demanded in a no-nonsense tone.
“The Haunting,” Rick hastened to do so. “It has never reached me out this far.”
“Yeah, great,” Dawn said sarcastically, “so out of the frying pan and-“
“I meant you no harm,” Rick insisted.
“That’s a funny definition of ‘harm’ you’ve got.” Dawn’s grip tightened. “And I’m losing patience,” she informed him.
“Then, what do you want me to tell you?” Rick demanded, exasperated.
“What exactly it is we’re doing out here would be a nice start,” Dawn suggested, looking around somewhat anxiously. “You working alone?”
“I’m not ‘working’ anywhere!” Rick protested. “You chased me out here. And then I was possessed, and the Haunting nearly killed you, so I figured it would be a good idea to retreat to safety.”
“That’s a nice story,” Dawn scoffed, “except for the kidnapping and attacks.”
“I feared for my own safety,” Rick countered. “Would you have acted differently?”
“Nice try,” Dawn said sarcastically, “but the games you’ve been playing with me are hardly innocent.”
“What games?” Rick demanded.
The knife cut deeper, causing one drop of red blood to slide down the metal edge. “I know what your kind does,” Dawn hissed.
Rick’s own eyes narrowed at that. “And I thought you were different,” he retorted, anger in his voice.
Dawn had never heard him sound so passionate about anything before. It surprised her. “You lied to me,” she insisted.
“Of course, I lied to you,” he shot back. “Everyone who knows the Kayeri thinks them an abomination. How else can I survive but to conceal what I am?”
“Yeah, that must be rough,” Dawn retorted coldly. “None of you victims like you. How truly tragic.”
“I have no victims,” Rick insisted. “If I lived as a Kayeri, do you honestly think I would be trapped in this frozen wilderness working as a demon hunter?”
“So you’re.what then?” Dawn demanded. “Just a misunderstood innocent?”
“Yes,” Rick said vehemently.
Dawn rolled her eyes. “You honestly expect me to believe that?” she countered.
“You trusted me well enough before you learned what I was,” he pointed out.
“Except for the whole lying to me part. And stealing the book.”
“I didn’t steal the book!” he persisted. “And I had to lie to you.”
“Oh? Really?” Dawn didn’t sound pleased with the admission.
“This is what always happens,” he insisted vehemently. “Everyone who finds out what my father was. Do you know how many hunts I have had to evade? How many times I have fled for my life? They killed my mother when they found out that she had willingly bedded a Kayeri, you know. They would just as easily kill me. Just like you.” He tensed against the blade before closing his eyes wearily. “I merely wished to help. I-I didn’t plan to get close. I just.you were so kind, and then I saw that you were concealing your own identity, and I watched how you could trust a vampire, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, you would understand.”
It was easily the longest speech Dawn had ever heard from him. There was also this note of pleading in his voice – of finality – that made her for the first time doubt her presuppositions about what had happened tonight.
“It doesn’t matter anymore, though, does it?” Rick countered. “I am tired of running, tired of hiding – especially from you.” He trailed off.
And Dawn loosened her grip on his throat.
His demon eyes opened wide in response to that, and he turned to look at her in disbelief.
“I shouldn’t believe you,” Dawn pointed out, still keeping the tip of her knife trained on him.
“Then why do you?” he countered curiously, head cocked to one side in a manner oddly reminiscent of Spike.
“Because I know all too well that even demons with the worst reputations aren’t always all bad,” she countered before her brow furrowed. “That, and we’ve been set at each other’s throats all evening. It smells suspiciously like Haunting work to me.”
“It plays with us as pawns,” Rick agreed.
Dawn nodded grimly. “So you get one more chance to work with the team,” she decided. “But keep anything from me again.”
“You do not hold your own secret?” Rick countered, focusing intently on the green light that surrounded her. “Or perhaps you also understand what it means for the very nature of your existence to put you in danger.”
“Perhaps,” Dawn responded evenly. She gestured up to the ceiling with her knife. “Get my jacket,” she requested, watching his leap up to the ceiling with an impressed whistle. She took her coat gratefully from his hand and returned his own jacket to him. “We need to get back to the lodge,” she decided. “If the Haunting’s been using us as puppets all night, I don’t even want to think what it’s been doing to the others.”
* * *
And, back in the soft, warm bed in the lodge, Buffy stirred slightly into wakefulness. A terrific yawn, a few smacks of her lips, and she awoke to find.