Chapter 6---Indiana Spike Ashes & Sparks
Previously: Illyria has located Spike in a sleepy Yucatan town called Porto Gordo demanding his help. Needless to say, he's not exactly thrilled until Fred makes an appearance.
In this chapter, Illyria & Spike explore the jungle.
Chapter 5 Indiana Spike
Music: She’s Just Killing Me, ZZ Top
He followed her path as she marched directly through the tangle of lianas and razor-bladed undergrowth, the night air becoming dense and humid the further from the sea they tramped. High, thin clouds did little to obscure the brilliant star-shine as the moon fell behind the dense canopy of the trees. The sullen hum of the insects and night creatures were a constant irritation to his already uncertain nerves. She hadn’t spoken since her imperious demand at the Mermaid, merely continuing to stalk deeper into the blackness of the jungle.
She paused for a moment; casting from side to side as though she had a focus, then lost it. Illyria was certain there was something of hers near--- she felt it calling to her, but still the feathered serpent blocked her path.
As her frustration grew, her temper became more imperious and overbearing.
“Attend me, vampire. You will search here.”
“Look, your majesty, I don’t need your bossy…”
“You will not speak to me in that manner.” She backhanded him, sending his body careening into a tree trunk. Spike shook his head and staggered to his feet with a snarl.
“If it wasn’t for Fred, I could give a good goddamn whether you ever found your bloody gateway!” He slugged her, sending her bouncing across the clearing and into a stand of old trees.
“Imbecile. You are less than an insect, a maggot in my ear. You will serve me as I command.” She slammed him through the underbrush and into a massive boulder. A gash on his forehead blinded him but he still staggered forward in a rage.
The ground beneath his feet shook and with a groan collapsed in a shower of loose earth and stone beneath his feet. He disappeared down a black hole in a flurry of dust and furious cursing. He tumbled to the bottom and landed knee-deep in noxious water.
Spike shook the blood from his eyes. “Bitch!” he roared at the top of his lungs.
A mob of leathery-winged bats flurried and scratched in a panic to escape, rushing from their sleeping place, leaving Spike standing in a damp pit filthy with guano and writhing with copious vermin.
He stared up at her, his vampire face forward and golden eyes glowing in the gloom of the hole. He checked his surroundings for a weapon or a way out. It was at least fifteen feet to the surface, a bit further than he could leap straight up. There had to be another exit for the bats. The walls were worn and showed some signs of being man-made.
He edged around, sliding in the slime and muck, to a drier spot. A partially fallen wall opened up into a larger space beyond. He pulled a few more of the stones down and stepped through. These walls were thickly carved with glyphs and stone faces leered at him in the murk. His eye was caught by something glittering in the pit. He stepped nearer. A hideous idol carved in stone and decorated with golden medallions glared at him from a rock ledge.
“Well, call me Indiana Spike. Looky-looky what I found.”
He reached for it, but was stopped by the armored hand of Illyria. “Do not touch that, vampire. That belongs to me.”
“I’d like to know how you call it yours. I just found it.”
“Simpleton. Can you not see?” She snatched it up and shoved the carving into his face. “It is a carving representing my true form and those of my enemies. It is a sign. We are close to the gateway.”
“Yeah, and what’m I supposed to do-start digging? I don’t bloody well think so. I’m not an archaeologist. I don’t even know where to look!”
“You assured me that the Burkle-shell could decipher the answer. I begin to think you have another agenda. This is not allowable. You belong to me. You are to serve me alone.”
“Ain’t your servant nor your pet nor your slave, neither.”
Illyria lowered her head mulishly and glared. “You are not to speak to me in that low manner. I could destroy you with a glance.”
“Yeah? Well, why don’t you then?” He dared her, “You seem to think I can just conjure up this temple for you out of thin air. Told you before, I ain’t what you need. What you need…”
Illyria’s head swiveled and she leapt from the hole in the ground to the jungle above, dragging Spike along by one hand. She slung him down roughly and he skidded into a tree trunk. She strode to his fallen form and gripped his shirt with one hand and shook him.
“What is it? You will give it to me now.”
“Can’t. Not a thing. A person. Like Wesley. What you need is a Watcher.”
Illyria’s head jerked back as though she’d been slapped. Just for a moment, Fred’s sad brown eyes shone through Illyria’s glowering façade, but then as quickly faded away. She glared at him again.
“You will bring me a Watcher, vampire.”
“Well, seein’ as how I ain’t exactly Mr. Popularity ‘round about Watcher Central, and seein’ as how most of ‘em got exploded back in London, I don’t think you’ll be able to just call ‘em up and request one.”
“You seem to delight in hindering my path. There is always an excuse for your lack of assistance. You will find a Watcher or your Burkle will be destroyed.”
He ground his teeth in frustration. “You may not recall this, your high and mightiness, but the Watcher’s didn’t give a merry be-damned the first time we asked them for help. How’d you figure they’d want to help now? I’d have to have a damned good reason for them to volunteer to help a vampire and a…goddess.” He turned and paced off into the jungle. “I’ll do what I can.”
Ashes & Sparks
In this chapter, Illyria & Spike explore the jungle.
Chapter 5 Indiana Spike
Music: She’s Just Killing Me, ZZ Top
He followed her path as she marched directly through the tangle of lianas and razor-bladed undergrowth, the night air becoming dense and humid the further from the sea they tramped. High, thin clouds did little to obscure the brilliant star-shine as the moon fell behind the dense canopy of the trees. The sullen hum of the insects and night creatures were a constant irritation to his already uncertain nerves. She hadn’t spoken since her imperious demand at the Mermaid, merely continuing to stalk deeper into the blackness of the jungle.
She paused for a moment; casting from side to side as though she had a focus, then lost it. Illyria was certain there was something of hers near--- she felt it calling to her, but still the feathered serpent blocked her path.
As her frustration grew, her temper became more imperious and overbearing.
“Attend me, vampire. You will search here.”
“Look, your majesty, I don’t need your bossy…”
“You will not speak to me in that manner.” She backhanded him, sending his body careening into a tree trunk. Spike shook his head and staggered to his feet with a snarl.
“If it wasn’t for Fred, I could give a good goddamn whether you ever found your bloody gateway!” He slugged her, sending her bouncing across the clearing and into a stand of old trees.
“Imbecile. You are less than an insect, a maggot in my ear. You will serve me as I command.” She slammed him through the underbrush and into a massive boulder. A gash on his forehead blinded him but he still staggered forward in a rage.
The ground beneath his feet shook and with a groan collapsed in a shower of loose earth and stone beneath his feet. He disappeared down a black hole in a flurry of dust and furious cursing. He tumbled to the bottom and landed knee-deep in noxious water.
Spike shook the blood from his eyes. “Bitch!” he roared at the top of his lungs.
A mob of leathery-winged bats flurried and scratched in a panic to escape, rushing from their sleeping place, leaving Spike standing in a damp pit filthy with guano and writhing with copious vermin.
He stared up at her, his vampire face forward and golden eyes glowing in the gloom of the hole. He checked his surroundings for a weapon or a way out. It was at least fifteen feet to the surface, a bit further than he could leap straight up. There had to be another exit for the bats. The walls were worn and showed some signs of being man-made.
He edged around, sliding in the slime and muck, to a drier spot. A partially fallen wall opened up into a larger space beyond. He pulled a few more of the stones down and stepped through. These walls were thickly carved with glyphs and stone faces leered at him in the murk. His eye was caught by something glittering in the pit. He stepped nearer. A hideous idol carved in stone and decorated with golden medallions glared at him from a rock ledge.
“Well, call me Indiana Spike. Looky-looky what I found.”
He reached for it, but was stopped by the armored hand of Illyria. “Do not touch that, vampire. That belongs to me.”
“I’d like to know how you call it yours. I just found it.”
“Simpleton. Can you not see?” She snatched it up and shoved the carving into his face. “It is a carving representing my true form and those of my enemies. It is a sign. We are close to the gateway.”
“Yeah, and what’m I supposed to do-start digging? I don’t bloody well think so. I’m not an archaeologist. I don’t even know where to look!”
“You assured me that the Burkle-shell could decipher the answer. I begin to think you have another agenda. This is not allowable. You belong to me. You are to serve me alone.”
“Ain’t your servant nor your pet nor your slave, neither.”
Illyria lowered her head mulishly and glared. “You are not to speak to me in that low manner. I could destroy you with a glance.”
“Yeah? Well, why don’t you then?” He dared her, “You seem to think I can just conjure up this temple for you out of thin air. Told you before, I ain’t what you need. What you need…”
Illyria’s head swiveled and she leapt from the hole in the ground to the jungle above, dragging Spike along by one hand. She slung him down roughly and he skidded into a tree trunk. She strode to his fallen form and gripped his shirt with one hand and shook him.
“What is it? You will give it to me now.”
“Can’t. Not a thing. A person. Like Wesley. What you need is a Watcher.”
Illyria’s head jerked back as though she’d been slapped. Just for a moment, Fred’s sad brown eyes shone through Illyria’s glowering façade, but then as quickly faded away. She glared at him again.
“You will bring me a Watcher, vampire.”
“Well, seein’ as how I ain’t exactly Mr. Popularity ‘round about Watcher Central, and seein’ as how most of ‘em got exploded back in London, I don’t think you’ll be able to just call ‘em up and request one.”
“You seem to delight in hindering my path. There is always an excuse for your lack of assistance. You will find a Watcher or your Burkle will be destroyed.”
He ground his teeth in frustration. “You may not recall this, your high and mightiness, but the Watcher’s didn’t give a merry be-damned the first time we asked them for help. How’d you figure they’d want to help now? I’d have to have a damned good reason for them to volunteer to help a vampire and a…goddess.” He turned and paced off into the jungle. “I’ll do what I can.”
Ashes & Sparks