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Spike. It had to be Spike. "That sneaky evil undead Billy Idol-wanna-be /bastard/," swore Xander.

"But I thought he was helping us!" cried Andrew.

"He doesn't help anyone but himself," said Xander. "He must've fed us the information, knowing we'd go after the Chraka." He slammed his hand down on the table.

"And you paid him good money for that information," interjected Anya. "You should demand a refund."

"But he's not a sorcerer, right?" asked Jonathan. "What can he do with it?"

"Sell it," said Warren. "Trade it, hold it for ransom - how could you let him get it?" he demanded of Jonathan.

"Me? I was working on the destruction spell while your lazy ass was dozing away! You should have been watching it!"

"It's not Warren's fault! Spike's a creature of evil. Men of honor such as ourselves wouldn't expect such deceptive tactics," declared Andrew.

Xander shook his head. "I should have known. His price was way too low for that info." He looked at Anya. "Where's the club your friend works at? Maybe Spike's meeting this Thorn guy there."



Twenty minutes later they were armed to the teeth and standing outside an unmarked warehouse in downtown Sunnydale. A single door lead into the building, guarded by a burly man and a velvet rope.

"You sure he's in there?" asked Warren.

"Makes sense," said Xander. "If he's trying to make some sort of deal, he'd have to meet the guy somewhere. But how do we get inside?"

"Windows?" suggested Warren. They looked up at the tiny, filthy windows near the top of the building.

"Yeah, if you're Spiderman," scoffed Jonathan.

"Windows are an option," said Xander. "Something more direct might be better."

"In the movies, there'd be some hot chick who'd flirt with the bouncer and distract him while we slip in," sighed Andrew.

"Anya's already gone to bed and you do not want to wake her up unless there's an apocalypse," said Xander. "Even then, there'd better be coffee and waffles waiting."

"Well," said Jonathan. "I do know a spell. It's called a glamour..."



Boredom was par for the course for a bouncer. Freddy liked his job, generally. You met all sorts of interesting folks at the Club, and it fit in with his school schedule. He'd even learned a bit of magic from the patrons. Late nights got pretty dull, though. Everyone who was anyone was already inside, and he'd rather be home reading Beowulf for his midterm.

Until the hot brunette chick walked around the corner. Legs up to her neck, blouse open to her belly button and a skirt the size of a postage stamp. He took a moment to admire the view before wondering - why would a woman dressed like that be out alone this late at night in Sunnydale? She saw him and smiled. She sauntered up to the velvet rope and wiggled her hips.

"Hey there, big boy," she said in a low, sultry voice.

Vampire? No, didn't have that vamp vibe. Sorcerer? Yeah, that must be it. She did have a faint shimmer of magic around her. Anyone walking around around Sunnydale alone in those heels must be pretty confident - and therefore pretty powerful.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" he asked politely. She tossed her hair and thrust out her chest. He revised his assertion. She simply oozed sexuality, which set off a flashing red warnings in his head. Must be a succubus. He shuddered inwardly and kept his eyes on her face.

"I was supposed to meet a friend here, but I'm afraid I'm running a bit late. I think he's already gone inside." He thought he heard a chuckle from behind him, but before he could look, her purse slipped out of her hand. "Oops," she giggled, and bent over slowly to retrieve it. His heartbeat increased as her skirt slid up her thighs but he remembered finding Old Tony's body and resolved to stay strong. Best to get her out of his sight as fast as possible.

"You're welcome to go inside and look for him," offered Freddy, lifting the velvet rope and stepping aside to let her in.

"Thanks a bunch!" She flashed him a smile as she slid past him. Once she was safely inside, Freddy let out a relieved breath and replaced the rope. He was safe, and if the folks in the Club couldn't resist a succubus, they didn't belong there.



The interior of the Club resembled an old European castle. Tapestries lined the walls, alternating with flickering lights made to resemble torches. In the center of the room a spit turned over a large fire. Men and women in simple grey outfits circulated carrying trays of drinks and plates of food to patrons seated at small tables. Demons in long robes mingled with human-looking people in the latest fashions. Many wore weapons of one kind or another. A large spiral staircase twisted along the edge of the room and lead up to a loft with more tables. The woman spotted three young men partially concealed in the shadows next to the staircase. They snickered as she approached them.

"'Hey there, big boy,'" mocked Warren.

"That's funny. You're a funny guy," said Xander. "Jonathan, can you take the spell off me now? Hey! My eyes are up here, buddy!"

"Sorry, I just - they're right there!" Jonathan cancelled the glamour spell and the woman morphed back into Xander.

"Aw, bad visuals!" exclaimed Warren.

Xander frowned at him. "Were you mentally undressing me?"

"What! No, no way!"

Andrew cleared his throat. "Um, we're on a mission, guys."

"Right," said Xander. "Anyone spot Spike?"

"He's up there." Andrew pointed to the balcony where Spike's bleached hair stood out in the dim light.

Jonathan nodded. "Okay, what's the plan?" He looked expectantly at Xander.

"Plan? Um..."

"What? No brilliant plan from our fearless leader?" asked Warren.

"Shut up, dumbass. Give him a chance." said Jonathan.

"It looks like he's alone," volunteered Andrew. "Maybe he hasn't made the exchange, or whatever, yet."

"Good," said Xander. "Ok. I'll go talk to him. Find out where the Chraka is. You guys - try to blend in, but be ready to back me up. Remember, he can't hurt us."

"What about the other, uh, people?" asked Andrew.

"They can probably hurt us," nodded Xander. "Thus the blending."

"Right," said Jonathan.



Spike was sitting at a small table near the railing, sipping a thick, red drink that Xander didn't want to know the ingredients of.

"Oh, bloody hell!" exclaimed the vampire when Xander slid into the other seat at the table. "What do you want?"

"What do you think?" asked Xander. "Hand over the Chraka and I won't have to put a stake through your heart."

"Ooh, I'm utterly terrified," smirked Spike. "Wonder Carpenter and the Fearsome Threesome are after me. However will I get out of this? Gosh, I wish I were in a heavily guarded club where humans are on the menu, not the invite list." He glanced pointedly at the spit turning downstairs.

Xander's stomach turned, but he resisted looking down. "And how do they feel about neutered vampires? They know you gotta beg money from humans to buy blood?"

Spike's grin grew wider. "Not going to be an issue after tonight. I know a guy. And I've got something he wants, thanks to you. Now why don't you bugger off like a good boy and I promise I won't kill you tomorrow."

Great. An evil sorcerer would get the Chraka, and Spike's chip would be deactivated. How much more badly could he screw up this gig?

"If your promises were worth anything, Buffy wouldn't have had to leave Sunnydale," snapped Xander.

Spike's smile disappeared. "Yes, well, never was meant to be a hero," he said. He looked down at his drink, then downed it in one gulp. He gestured to the waiter for a refill. He looked up at Xander again and forced the smile back to his face. "Guess the pointy teeth should've given that away. 'Bit knew I was a monster. Never should've counted on me." The waiter brought another drink which Spike gulped down.

"Look, I'm -" Xander swallowed an apology. Damned if he was going to apologize to Spike for making him feel guilty. If Spike even could feel guilt. Must just be the huge amount of guilt surrounding Dawn's death and spilling over onto anything touching it that made him even think about apologizing to Spike. "It shouldn't have happened like that," he finished lamely.




Warren, Andrew and Jonathan took seats at the bar, where they could keep an eye on Spike and Xander.

Andrew lay his head down on the bar and closed his eyes. Jonathan poked him in the side.

"Hey!" said Andrew. Jonathan poked him again. "Stop it!" Andrew opened his eyes to glare at Jonathan.

"Well, don't sleep, doofus. We're on the job," said Jonathan.

"I can't help it. I'm tired," sighed Andrew.

"You had three cans of Mountain Dew," pointed out Warren.

Andrew closed his eyes. "Even the mighty goddess Caffeine cannot - hey!" Jonathan had poked him again. Andrew drew a stake and brandished it. "Do that again and I'll stake you!"

"I'm not a vampire, moron!" replied Jonathan.

"A stake through the heart will kill many a creature!" declared Andrew. Warren reached over his shoulder and took the stake out of his hand. "Hey!"

"Do you think you girls could attract a little more attention?" Warren whispered.

"Sorry," said Andrew guiltily. Jonathan didn't say anything, but he stopped poking Andrew. They watched Xander and Spike in silence for a few minutes.



"Spike," said a vaguely familiar British accent. "Didn't know you were bringing a date."

"Didn't plan to," groused Spike. "Boy's obsessed with me. Can't leave me alone."

A man in long, red velvet robes sat down at their table. He had a short, grey beard now, and a scar across his left cheekbone, but Xander knew that face.

"Thorn Magenblod, I presume," said Xander.

"Can't go flashing the name Ethan Rayne all over Sunnydale now, can I? Some folks 'round here have it in for me."

"Is that why you've got the new look?" asked Xander. "Or have you just been watching too many movies?"

Ethan adjusted the collar on his robes. "Clothes make the man. You should know that, soldier-boy."

"How did you get out? I thought the Initiative had locked you up and thrown away the key."

Ethan laughed. "My dear boy! I'm a British citizen. And I have some very influential friends. Wasn't worth creating a diplomatic incident over little ol' me."

Spike leaned on the table to get between Xander and Ethan. "This is lovely small talk. Can you get the bloody chip out of my head now?"

"So impatient," sighed Ethan. "All right, give me the Chraka."

"How 'bout I show it to you, you take the chip out, then I give it to you?" asked Spike.

"No good." Ethan shook his head. "I'll need the Chraka to get the chip out."

"Whoa, wait a minute," Xander said. "That's our amulet."

Ethan looked at him. "Ah, yes. Spike mentioned you were fetching it for him. I suppose you should have a reward, as well."

"I don't want a reward," said Xander. "I want the Chraka back."

Ethan considered this. "No, I think I want to keep it. But it's only fair for you to have some payment. How would you like that little girl back? Dawn, is it?"

Xander felt like he'd been slapped. Could Ethan really do that? Could he have Ethan bring Dawn back, then get the Chraka from him? How risky would it be?

"Wait a minute, you said you couldn't do that!" exclaimed Spike.

"Can't bring her back to life, no," admitted Ethan. "But I could recreate her. Another construct, just like the old one. Or different, if you like. She could be your sister, this time," he said to Xander.

The hope inside him died. "She wasn't a construct," said Xander. "She was a girl."

Ethan waved his hand. "You'd never know the difference. I'd fix your memory."

"No," said Xander and Spike at the same time. They glared at each other.

Ethan shrugged. "Very well. Spike?" He turned to the vampire, who handed him the Chraka. Ethan dangled it from its chain, watching the stones catch the light. "Nice," he admired.

Xander saw his chance and grabbed for the amulet. His hand had barely moved forward when Ethan smirked at him and gestured with his empty hand. Long red tendrils of light stretched between his hand and Xander's throat. Xander gasped for breath and tried to peel the tendrils away from his neck, but his hands went through the light as though nothing were there.

Ethan tucked the Chraka into his robes. "Just a moment," he said to Spike.

"Oh, take your time," smiled Spike. He leaned back to watch.

Warren, who was still watching from the bar, jumped up and poked Jonathan. "Challenge him!" he whispered, pointing to the mage.

"What? Are you nuts? No way!"

"Come on! I have a plan!" Warren insisted.

"No!"

Warren rolled his eyes and turned to Andrew. "Challenge him. To a mage battle."

Andrew lifted his sleepy head.

"Me? But I can't-"

"Trust me. Challenge him," whispered Warren. Andrew looked at him for a moment, then nodded and stood up.

Jonathan just shook his head.

Andrew marched out to the table. "I challenge you to a battle of magic!" he declared.

Andrew winked at Xander. "Don't worry," he whispered.

Ethan smiled. "Hello, dear boy. What are we playing today?"

"I challenge you to a battle of magic and honor!" Andrew announced loudly. By now, everyone in the room was watching him.

"Cute," said Ethan. "Tell you what, let me finish up here --" He gasped. The red tendrils choking Xander disappeared. Blood trickled from the mage's mouth and he pitched forward. More blood gushed from a wound on his back. Warren stood behind him, holding a dripping stake. Spike looked at it longingly and licked his lips. Xander stared in shock. Had Warren just done what he thought he'd done?

Warren dropped the stake and wiped his bloody hands on Ethan's red velvet robes. He turned Ethan's body over and reached into his clothes to find the Chraka. He tucked it into his own pocket.

Xander strode over to Warren and grabbed him by the arm. "What are you doing?" he asked hoarsely.

Warren looked at him like he was stupid. "Stopping the evil sorcerer!"

"He was human! We're not murderers!"

"He was evil," declared Warren. "About to maybe destroy the fabric of reality and oh, yeah, kill you. Did you forget already?"

"No, but there are other ways --" began Xander.

Jonathan ran over and tugged on Xander's arm. "Can we have this discussion elsewhere?" he asked.

They looked up and saw several large and not nearly human bouncers headed toward them.

Warren stepped forward and spoke out, "We have just defeated the Magi Thorn Magenblod! Uh, so, you better back off!"

"Oh, please!" Spike rolled his eyes. "Just kill them."

Andrew turned to Spike and said in a loud voice, "Why not kill us yourself? If you have no fear of the wizard Warren who struck down the mighty Thorn Magenblod, then challenge him yourself."

The other patrons in the bar looked over at Spike.

"He staked him. From behind! How hard is that?" asked Spike. "Anyway, not my job."

"So you do not fear him?" asked Andrew.

"Hell, no. Would you just kill them already?" Spike glared at the bouncers.

Andrew approached Spike. He took off his stake bandolier and tossed his watergun aside. "Bite me, then. I, who am under the protection of the wizard Warren. If you do not fear his power, than feed upon me." Andrew tilted his neck and pulled back the collar of his shirt.

"What? Oh, come on!" Spike sighed. "I've got a chip in my head," he explained to the bouncers. "Can't bite humans. Even worthless ones like these. Now come on! They've slaughtered one of your patrons!"

"A chip?" Andrew shook his head sorrowfully. "A likely story." He turned to the bouncers and the other patrons. "William the Bloody fears the power of the wizard Warren and he lives. Thorn Magenblod did not fear Warren, and there he lies." Andrew swept his hand towards Ethan's lifeless body. "Our business here is complete. Step aside so we might leave this place, and no harm will come to you."

The bouncers looked at each other and shrugged. "Get out, and don't come back," one said. Spike groaned and slumped forward, slamming his head on the table.




Xander didn't say a word on the drive back to the Magic Box. Jonathan watched nervously behind them the whole way, but no one followed them.

Once inside the shop, Jonathan laid out the supplies for the destruction spell. "Okay, give me the Chraka," he said to Warren.

Warren dangled the amulet playfully in front of the shorter man. "Here you are." Jonathan reached for it, and Warren pulled it upward. "Whoa, too slow!"

Xander snatched the amulet from Warren's hand and punched him in the face.

Warren stumbled backward, hand to his cheek. "What the hell?"

Xander handed the Chraka to Jonathan and turned back to Warren. "This isn't a game! God, you just killed someone back there. Do you even care?"

"What's your problem?" yelled Warren. "Hello, we're heroes! He's a bad guy! I stopped him! What, should we have slapped him on the wrist and sent him so he can be back for the next episode?"

"I don't know!" Xander yelled back. Warren blinked in surprise. Xander took a deep breath and ran his hand over his face. "I don't know," he repeated, more calmly. "I just - we can't kill people. Ever. If it's a mistake, you can never, ever take it back." He looked at Jonathan and Andrew, who were standing nearby, staring at Xander in shock.

Jonathan spoke up first, clearing his throat. "Uh, besides, murder's illegal. It's kind of hard to fight evil if you're in jail." Andrew nodded.

"Okay," said Warren slowly. "So, what do we do with evil humans, then?"

"Tasers?" suggested Andrew.

Xander nodded. "Good idea. I'll have Anya order some tomorrow."

"Then what?" asked Warren. "We can't just dump them in the street. They'll come back."

"If it's something they can be arrested for, we send them to jail," said Xander.

"What if it's not? We couldn't have dropped this guy off with the cops and a note saying, 'He's going to destroy the world. Make him stop,'" Warren countered.

"Maybe a memory spell?" offered Jonathan. "I've read about a couple of them -- I think I could do that."

"Oh, yeah, like /Amazing Spiderman #40/!" said Andrew. "Where the Green Goblin totally forgets Spiderman's secret identity and everything."

Xander nodded, chewing on his lip. "Good idea. Look, we'll deal with it as it happens. You know, case by case? But if this is going to work, we have to agreed on this. No killing. Ever."

"What if it's the only option?" Warren asked quietly.

"It won't be," said Xander. "It can't be." Never again, he thought.

"If it is," began Jonathan. Xander shook his head. "If it is," Jonathan repeated firmly, "then we all have to agree on it. Uh, okay?" He looked at Xander, then Warren, then back at Xander. "Deal?"

Warren nodded. "Deal," he said. He looked at Xander.

Reluctantly, Xander nodded as well. It didn't mean much, since he'd never agree to kill someone, but if it'd stop the others from trying anything, it was worth it. "Deal."

"Deal," agreed Andrew.

"Okay. Good," said Jonathan. He turned back to his spell ingredients and laid the Chraka in the center of the table.

Xander watched the Chraka melt and dissolve in the spell until it was gone. Just like Dawn, along with any hope of -- he stopped that thought before it could finish. No point in wallowing. Couldn't change the past, even with magic. Better to move ahead. "Okay," he said once the spell was finished. "Meet here tomorrow at six for patrol."

He walked back to the workout room behind the shop, not waiting for an answer. Seemed like a good time to hit the punching bag. And if anyone noticed the moisture on his cheeks, well, he usually worked up a sweat when working out.



Author's Notes: Much thanks to Veggiebelle for insisting that I write this, to Blinky the Tree Frog whose Change inspired me to write a multi-chapter fic, to Lizbeth Marcs, whose stories inspired me to get off my butt and finish it, and to everyone who took the time to read the whole story. Special thanks to Bitterbyrden and Dylan Adams for beta-reading and occasional hand-holding. I couldn't have done it without you guys.

Also, check out Empty Veins, a ficlet from Dylan Adams showing Buffy's POV during the prologue to this story.