Disclaimer: Joss owns the characters of BTVS. I am not making any money off of this fic. Please don't sue me. Beta'd by AtheneHahn

A/N: Written in answer to Redwolf50's Challenge 109. Challenge details at the end.

by Jackofspikes

Chapter 49

The next couple of weeks flew by. Everyone was first kept busy with the search for the correct spell for the Inca Mummy's seal, followed by the news that Joyce's gallery had managed to net Joan and William a huge fortune with the auctioning of the Treasure of Amara. The two super-beings happily went house hunting and managed to find a gorgeous three story Victorian with immediate occupancy not too far from Revello that not only catered to all the needs of Joan and William, but knowing that eventually the house would belong to Buffy and Spike; it got their stamp of approval too.

The large ground floor library was quickly utilized by Giles, and all of his tomes were soon settled in their new home. The spacious living room was unanimously voted the new scooby headquarters and three of the five bedrooms were designated as Scooby retreats...to be used as needed. One of the remaining two bedrooms was given to Spike, while the master bedroom and it's beautifully restored adjoining bathroom was the one area in the house that was listed by Joan as being completely off limits to anyone one but her and William.

Joan had announced in no uncertain terms that the room was theirs, much to the delight of the bleached blond Pure Vampire. Unfortunately, they had been so busy with spells and plans and shopping and moving that neither one of them had been ready to take their relationship onto the next level. They had discussed it and both wanted their first night 'together' to be a memory making experience, and for that they needed Spike to visit Giles and a night off from everything... and maybe the next day too. William had been pushing for two days, but Joan had just grinned and hit him over the back of the head while she told him he was still evil.

The older slayer had been so intent on making sure Ethan Rayne would not be a continuing thorn in the side of her younger self that when Buffy casually mentioned that Cordelia had invited her to a frat party, Joan did not immediately remember the significance of the invitation. It nagged at her though, prodding her unconscious until the point where she gave up what she was doing and concentrated on what it was that was bothering her.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed as she finally remembered her and Cordelia's fun night of being the sacrificial lambs to a big snake. Grabbing the phone she rang the only person she could think of that was available to give her and Buffy a lift to the party. Giles had talked Spike and William into driving him in the Desoto to L.A. to collect the books the watcher had in storage. Oz hadn't been introduced to the group yet, and Cordy would be already at the party.

"Mom?" Joan said as the number she was ringing was answered.

~*~*~

A group of figures dressed in hooded cloaks encircled the large well in the floor of the basement. One, standing on the stairs to the upper levels of the abode lifted his sword as he spoke, "Machida," he reverently incanted the name as he moved down the stairs to join his brothers.

"In his name." The rest of the group followed his lead.

Again the leader spoke, "We who serve you, we who receive all that you bestow, call upon you in this holy hour."

"In this holy hour," the group recited.

"We have no wealth, no possession... except that which you give us. We have no power, no place in the world... except that which you give us. It's been a year since our last offering; a year in which our bounty overflowed. We come before you with fresh offerings. Accept our offering, Dark Lord, and bless us with your power. Machida!" His voice rose in exultation.

"Machida!" his followers cried.

Tossing stones into the well at the centre of the basement one at a time, he continued, "Come forth, and let your terrible countenance look upon your servants and their humble offering. We call you, Machida."

"In his name. Machida." The words echoed through the chamber, rousing the three girls that had been chained to the wall.

As the group waited for the arrival of their demonic benefactor, Cordelia took stock of the situation. This was all Buffy's fault. If the blond had agreed to come then maybe she would have a chance of getting out of here, but noooooo....little miss boring had point blank refused to come. Loser. Now what the hell was she meant to do? Looking over at the two girls with her, she was fairly certain that the one she didn't know, with the scanky hair and the dirty clothes and the half dead look about her was probably going to be of more assistance than the girl she did know. Harmony Kendall was just NOT the person you wanted with you in this sort of situation.

As the demon rose from the well, Cordelia screamed. Half man and half snake, the creature snarled at the three girls. They were his offering, his token, his dinner. He revelled in their fear.

"For he shall rise from the depths, and we shall tremble before him." The demon's priest continued the ritual.

"You know, it's probably the smell that causes that. I mean seriously, personal hygiene becoming an issue...ew." Joan quipped as she lightly skipped down the stairs.

The priest snarled at her as he moved to intercept her, sword drawn. "You dare?"

Effortlessly batting the steel away, Joan slammed him with a right hook and turned her gaze back to the demon dismissing the boy as inconsequential before his body even hit the floor. "Hey, reptile boy! Lets dance."

"No woman speaks to him," one of Machida's followers yelled as he tried to rush the focused blond, only to be thrown back against the wall for his efforts.

"Buffy!" Cordelia yelled in relief before remembering that she had decided that this whole situation was the small blonde's fault in the first place.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'," Buffy snarked from the stairs as she followed the path of her older self. "Don't even try blaming me for this, Cordy!"

While Joan faced the beast the ritual had called, Buffy faced the human followers, muttering all the time about stupid frat boys, cheerleaders, and their delusions of grandeur.

Cordelia watched silently, still in shock that not only did she NOT know that Buffy had a sister that looked enough like her that, except for the hair, they could be twins, but worse, neither blonde seemed to have any fashion sense at all.

~*~*~

"Pet?" William spoke quietly as he held her in his arms in their brand new bed in their brand new home. "How long do you think it will be before we can take that break we've been talking about?"

"Well, we should have some time after Halloween before Ford turns up." She turned in his arms so that she could smile up to him. "Why? You getting frisky, honey?"

Scooting down the bed so that they were nose to nose, William turned his lust filled gaze onto her. "What makes you think that, gorgeous?" His husky voice reverberated though her whole body, teasing her.

In what seemed like slow motion he moved forward until his soft lips met hers.