……………………………………….Wake up…………………………….wake up Spike….....

Spike opened his eyes and saw the angel holding him in her arms, he was in a place of light and he winced as it was bright.

“Where…” Spike asked.

“Safe, for now, but you need to wake up, they need you more than ever,” She said.

“What happened?” Spike asked.

“You failed to enter the portal in time, Varek is counting it even though you fell short one single second…” She said.

“No…. It was all for nothing…” Spike sobbed openly.

“...No… not yet,” She said with determination “There’s still a way, but I need to take some risks to aid you in this regard, I believe in you, Spike,” She said before his vision went white.

“How do-” Spike woke up “-You know my name?... Huh?” Spike looked around and saw he was still in Varek’s office and he turned to see the two dogs growling at him, looking hungry, but he remembered they were ordered to stay put and not eat him… most likely, yet…

Spike got up looked around and tried to leave the room but one of the dogs snapped at him making him back up.

“Tch, I need to find Varek,” Spike said.

“No need boy, I am here,” Spike turned and saw Varek walking around a corner hallway towards the room… and he was covered in blood…

“No…” Spike said in horror as Verak reentered the room.

“...What did you do to my family…” Spike asked.

“...” Verak simply looked at him dismissively.

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” Spike grabbed him by his shirt.

And promptly got thrown against the wall with a mere shove from Varek.

“AGH!” Spike grunted as he slid to the ground.

“I would ill advise you to touch me like that boy… nevertheless I will say I have not harmed them… yet, I was merely dealing with some miscreants who tried to break in and take back their contracts,” Varek said.

“....I don’t understand… I was only a second late… can’t you look the other way this once? I did so much for you!” Spike said as he got up.

“I’m afraid not boy, the deal was made and you failed… again, I was generous enough to give you the chance to win, you surprised me though, you managed to steal back all my contracts that the other demons refused to return, so look at the bright side, you made me smile,” Varek chuckled as he made the blood vanish off of his suit with a snap of the fingers and he gestured for Spike to follow him.

Spike stood in defiance and Varek looked back at him.

“Shall I leave you with my hounds to feast on instead?” Varek asked.

“....fine,” Spike said despondently as he followed Varek.

For the first time he left the office and went into the area outside and he saw multiple shadowy beings working on computers.

They seemed to be working endlessly and seemed exhausted.

Spike ignored them however and he walked on with Varek further into the building.

Looking behind Spike saw both hounds following him… likely in case he runs away.

“Where are you taking me?” Spike demanded.

“You're angry with me aren’t you boy? You wish to kill me now so that I cannot harm your family is that it?” Varek asked out of the blue.

“Of course I’m angry with you! I did all that only for you to-”

“I know, but as I said before, it is merely business, you see, in hell, your position in the hierarchy is everything, there are even levels to determine ones influence in this realm of torment, I am a greater level four demon, one of notable influence,” Varek said.

“And the other demons I faced?” Spike asked.

“Two, lesser three at best,” Varek chuckled and Spike felt nervous, this guy must be quite strong then if levels also mean power “So I would refrain from trying to be the hero, it’ll save the cleaning crew some time,” Varek said with a sickening grin.

“....I still don’t know where we’re going…” Spike said.

“No need to worry, We’re here,” Varek opened the door and gestured Spike in.

Knowing he didn’t have a choice Spike walked in and smelled something horrible as Verak walked in as well.

“I simply wanted to show you an example of why I am feared among my brethren,” Varek chuckled as he snapped his fingers and the lights in the room flickered on.

Spike noticed something out of the corner of his eye and looked…. He wished he hadn’t… he REALLY wished he hadn’t…

Corpses… of all his previous enemies were strewn about in a lobby area…

From Chipper Rippers to Aurum, they were all… dead.

“I think I’ll keep the room like this, it’ll serve as a decent warning for any who attempt to stiff me from now on,” Varek chuckled.

Spike wanted to look away but he couldn’t… he looked to each one and saw how they died.

There were several dead Chipper Rippers and Phil was laying against a wall, his lower jaw ripped off and a chunk of his head missing.

Several cultists were ripped apart and Dalso’s head was split down the middle.

Topsy was lying against another wall with the side of his face smashed in and his right arm was ripped out.

Darla is just a pile of strings and buttons with her bow on top.

There were several gnomes in several areas… their pickaxes stabbed into their heads.

Kruger had been split wide open with his own chainsaw.

Louie was hidden by his chair but there was blood all over it.

Frosty Franky laid on the ground with his head ripped open.

Moon was decapitated with her own whip.

Zeke laid against a wall covered in scratches and his own nightstick shoved down his throat.

Joy was laying on the ground with her own knife stabbed into her neck.

And Aurum was simply torn to pieces.

Spike stared at the individual gory scenes with horror… and vomited on the floor.

“Thanks for that, now I’ll have to clean that up…” Varek sighed.

“Y-you….t-they all…” Spike said.

“They thought if they teamed up and attacked me as a group they could get their contracts back, how naive,” Varek said.

“I-I-” Spike suddenly heard chuckling and he turned to see Moon’s head chuckling.

“Hee…heh…heh…” A voice croaked and Spike saw she was grinning at him.

“I told you… this would happen…” She chuckled.

“Still not dead yet? Hurry and die, you’re souls will be repurposed later, but they won’t take a living demon,” Varek said looking annoyed at her clutching onto life.

“You're… a monster… a genuine monster,” Spike said.

“A demon,” Varek said checking his watch “So tell me boy, are you as confident now?” Varek asked.

“...Take me instead…” Spike pleaded.

“Hm?” Varek said.

“I got you their contracts, let me make one request, take me instead of my family,” Spike said tearfully.

“.....No,” Varek said.

“Why?” Spike asked.

“Because we made a deal, deals are law here, I gave you an out and you still didn’t make it, I’ve given you a chance too many, especially with an angel getting involved, you never did find her again didn’t you,” Varek said.

“I-I” Spike attempted.

“Not that it matters, I’ll find and deal with her soon, first, I will end you for wasting my time,” Varek said as he held up his hand and it sharpened into claws.

“.....Forgive me… Rarity… Lance…. Scout… I did my best…” Spike said looking down as Varek raised his claw.

“Heheheh, take this to heart boy, never… deal with a devil,” Varek said before swinging his claw down to decapitate Spike…

And a glowing hand caught his.

“Hm?” Varek looked up and saw the angel standing there “There you are, I was waiting for you to show up, I nearly had to kill him to get you to show yourself,” Varek said.

“I was preoccupied,” She said before she raised a hand and blasted Varek with a beam of light sending him flying into a wall.

His hounds growled and lunged but she blasted them away as well and then grabbed Spike who looked at her in shock and they disappeared.

“....Heheheh, so we’re playing this game now… alright,” Varek said as he walked out of the hole in the wall he had created and he dusted off his shoulder “Then let’s play,”

Spike was plopped down in an alleyway and he stood up and looked at her.

“You… who are you? Why are you helping me?” Spike demanded.

“...I-” She didn’t get to say when they heard a noise and she narrowly teleported avoiding a stabbing hand that aimed for her heart, she stood by Spike and looked to see Varek.

“Yes, do tell me, why do you intrude in a realm that’s not yours and interfere with MY business?” Varek asked as he looked thoughtful “Could it be that you know him? But how I wonder,” Varek said.

“...I caused his suffering in the first place before I ascended to heaven, and I am righting my wrong, even if it breaks the rules,” She said.

“Caused my suffering?... What do you-” Spike questioned but she stood in front of him

“I won’t let you take his happiness away! He has a family now and a happy life ahead of him,” She declared.

“You bore me with your defending of a mortal, all I care about, is completing my transaction,” Varek said.

“Transaction?” Spike said.

“It’s how my business is really run, I give mortals money, take juuuust long enough that the amount increases to the point that they cannot pay it back, and I claim their soul, it has been that way since ancient times,” Varek said.

“...You never had any intention of letting me go free did you?” Spike asked with growing anger.

“Heheheheh, look at it this way, you had a good ten years at least,” Varek said with a grin and a shrug.

“YOU MONSTER!” Spike yelled and he tried to run at Varek but the angel stopped him.

“Stop! You cannot beat him directly,” She said.

“...Then It really was all for nothing…” Spike said looking distressed.

“Well, if we’re done, I’ll kill you now and claim his soul,” Varek began to move towards them.

“Wait! I have an offer,” She said.

“Oh?” Varek raised a brow.

“Yes, a deal, in writing,” She said.

“A deal?” Spike asked.

“And why should I make a deal with you? Why shouldn’t I just take what I need now?” Varek asked.

“Because I know what kind of demon you are Varek, you love challenges, deals that benefit you, and toying with mortals hopes,” She said.

“....I admit you have me pegged, and my curiosity is piqued, go on,” Varek said.

“One last game, winner take all, Spike wins, you let him go and never bother him or his family again, you win… you can take me instead,” She said.

“What?!” Spike said in shock.

“And why pray tell would I have any concern regarding this challenge? I could claim you now,” Varek said.

“I can also take my own life and fade to oblivion here in this realm, then you won’t have an angel's soul, think of it Varek, the bragging rights and possible promotion from delivering the soul of an angel to darkness?” She said.

“.....You're right,” Varek said with chagrin but also interest… she was right, he could gain a lot from obtaining an angel if he claimed Spike it was just another mortal soul, but her soul… yes…

“You don-” Spike said but she smiled at him.

“Worry not, this is my atonement,” She said.

“Atonement for what?” Spike asked but Varek spoke first.

“I accept, your bargain benefits me greatly if I win, and in return I’ll cut Spike loose from my deal, but now it’s your soul in the balance, you are aware right?” Varek asked.

“I’m aware,” She said.

“Then let us not waste any time,” Varek said snapping his fingers and they teleported into a dark room with a table in the center, Spike and the angel on one side and Verak on the other.

“Let’s play…” Varek said with a grin.

Author's Note

They say the path to hell is paved with good intentions, where will Spike's path lead?