Gods And Monsters

Chapter Fourteen:

It was almost two in the morning when Spike nodded off. His head lolled onto her shoulder, his posture slouched and breathing slowed. Hel sat next to him, restless. Her hands opened and closed repetitively, slender fingers clenching and unclenching.

She shot to her feet, unable to contain herself any longer. "I need to leave."

Startled awake by the unexpected jostling, his head snapped up. He dragged himself upright and groggily rubbed at his eyes. "Leave?"

She headed for the front foyer, but he leapt from the sofa and caught her wrist within the circumference of his grasp before she could reach the door. She spun around, infuriated by his insolence.

"Let go of me." Hel snapped, eyes blazing.

Suddenly alert, his hold on her did not loosen. "What's wrong?"

"I- I have to get back, I have to..." She swallowed, fingers trembling at her sides. "They need me."

"Who needs you? Hey," Spike took her by her slim shoulders, gripping them in the vice of his strong, but gentle, hands. "You need to calm down. Calm down, love. Tell me what's wrong."

Physically, she stood directly in front of him, but he knew by the distance in her empty gaze that her mind was far, far away. She was manic, her humanity dominated by raw instinct. Her eyes were feral. "No. You don't understand, you can't. They need me. I have to..." Hel trailed off, the urge screaming from the depths of her being beyond words.

"What do you need?" He demanded, eyebrows knit together in concern. "Tell me."

At long last, she met his gaze. "They need me."

"They? Who are they?" As realisation finally dawned on him, his eyes widened. He released her. "Okay." He nodded once. "Show me."

Within a matter of minutes, Spike found himself struggling to keep up with the brisk pace of her long strides along the sidewalk. He gave up on speed-walking and broke into a jog in order to catch up to her.

"Hey! Where the Hell are we going?"

"I have to find them."

"Find who?" He pressed, becoming impatient with her vague responses.

She said nothing more.

Spike rolled his eyes, sighing with resignation. "Have it your way, then." He grumbled.

Rounding the street corner, she strode down another block of paved sidewalk before arriving at the wrought iron gates of a cemetery. A hefty chain linked both sides, sealed by a large lock. She considered picking it, but decided against it; that took time, and she wasn't patient enough at the present moment.

"Looks like it's locked, love."

Hel was undeterred, and to his astonishment, hooked the toes of her bare feet into grooves between the stone and began climbing the wall. Once she reached the ledge, she swung over one leg at time. She dropped down, landing lithely on the ground, and he scaled the barrier as well, following soon after.

The grass was damp, droplets of dew chilling the naked soles of her feet. She could feet the darkness against her flesh like a second skin, soaking into her pores and warming the blood that surged within her.