Chapter Twelve
Spike and Buffy walked in silence through town, each lost in their own thoughts. Buffy was worried about her mother and Giles, and the evil known as the Watcher’s Council. She wished that they would just go away. But from what Spike had told her, they didn’t take kindly to their orders being disobeyed. Of course, that just made her feel a WHOLE lot better about them going. What if the Council used them as bait to get to her? Which would then trickle down to Spike. She didn’t like the thought of any body being in danger because of her. On flip side, at least they would be out of Angel’s reach. Of course, the thought of her first love just brought on a whole new onslaught of thoughts.
She stole a glance at the man walking next to her, feeling her undead heart swell with unspeakable emotion. Buffy couldn’t believe that she had fell so hard, so quick for him. It went against everything she had believed about Angel. He was supposed to have been her soulmate. But, their relationship, even before he lost his soul, had been fraught with mistrust, and just a little bit of fear. It had been thrilling, and romantic, and forbidden. A Slayer falling in love with a vampire. Unheard of. Or so Giles had told her. Everything between them had held a fine edge of desperation, and almost Romeo and Juliet type of quality. The whole star crossed lovers syndrome. Of course, if she had actually sat back and remembered the Bard’s tale of tragic love, she would have realized that it was indeed that. Tragic. She probably would have back pedaled away from him and then she wouldn’t be what she was now. A pang sliced through her when she realized that she wouldn’t have met Spike, if that had been the case. And, despite it having happened at a rapid fire pace, he was her world now.
She looked again at the silent man next to her. He was such a quagmire of contradictions. He could be cold, yet fire radiated from his eyes. Tough, yet caring. Cocky, yet at the same time insecure A killer, but not single minded. He did his duty, but he also questioned it. It was like, the magic users and scientists had inadvertently gotten a perfect (or not so perfect) combination of vampire and human. She was pretty sure that the end product was not the design.
Spike, on the other hand, had his own set of worries. He wasn’t any happier about the Watcher and Joyce jetting off to England than the Slayer. But his worries were based on experience. The Council was an old, stodgy institution. Older than the Crown itself. And they liked to think that they ruled their Slayer’s and Watchers with an iron glove. Spike knew better. Since the day he had been released into the vampire population, he had seen the lengths they would go to. He had been called on more than once to take out a rogue Watcher. Giles had been in danger of meeting him, during his days of youthful rebellion. When he had managed to get himself together, and set out on the path that had chosen him, Spike had been called off, and sent to New York to deal with the turned Slayer there. The vampire felt a little guilty that he hadn’t done anything more to convince them to stay. But he knew, that people had to follow their own path. They probably wouldn’t have listened to him anyway. Joyce had that my daughter’s in danger vibe. Hell, Giles had it too. He just hoped it worked in their favor, and not against them, like Spike was sure it would do. He didn’t like the thought of Buffy unhappy.
He reached out, and gripped Buffy’s hand. She immediately turned it and linked her fingers through his. A smile curled his lips as he looked down a their joined hands. This had been an unexpected, yet very pleasant fix to this whole bollixed trip. Of course, he still had to deal with Angel. And he knew that was going to be less than pleasant. The older vampire would be furious when he realized that Spike had claimed Buffy. And that she had accepted his claim. Not that Spike was afraid of Peaches. In fact, there wasn’t much that he WAS afraid of. Buffy getting hurt was probably the only one that he cared about, though. He would do anything and everything to keep that from happening. Nobody touched what was his.
With this thought, Spike pulled her into the security of his arm,. She sighed contentedly, and wrapped her arm around his waist. Her scent tickled his nose, the feel of her curled against him forced more pleasant thoughts into his mind. A low growl emitted from him as he remembered the night before. Her answering growl went straight to his groin, and he was just about to suggest buggering off the patrol and heading back to the motel room, when a shriek to their left pierced the night. Buffy was away from in a shot, leaving him to follow or stay put. *Once a Slayer, always a Slayer* he thought with some annoyance. He was going to pummel whatever ugly they found for screwing up his plans. With a burst of his preternatural speed, he caught up with her.
Together, they burst through the gates to the playground, and saw a small group of teenagers huddled together between a small throng of vamps.
“See what happens when you fornicate in parks?” Buffy said, rolling her eyes at the stupid, and obviously drunk teenagers. The vampires turned, and, glared.
“Go find your own food. These are ours.” The tallest vamp, the apparent leader, growled.
“Whatever. Like I would feed on teens any way. With the junk they eat, they’re full of sugar and fat. Not exactly the way to keep my girlish figure.” she smiled at tall/vamp, disarming him. Spike stood behind her and stifled a laugh. He had quickly assessed the situation, before Buffy had started to talk. There six of them, all in game face, all fledgling or pretty close to. They weren’t any of Angel’s, or Dru’s. Two looked like seventies rejects, their clothes the updated nineties style of an age that should have been left dead. Another had long brown hair, and ripped jeans and an Ozzy Osbourne t-shirt. Spike couldn’t fault the gits taste. Tall vamp looked like he had watched to many vampire movies, and was dressed accordingly. Dark pants, white button down shirt and shiny black shoes all shouted ‘I’ve see Dracula two hundred times. Don’t I look cool?’ All that was missing was the damn cape. The last, was a female. Small and frail, she looked haggard and worn. Spike felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. She reeked of sex and chemicals. She was probably the other vamps’ whore, and was paid in blood and drugs.
“If you’re not here to steal our dinner, get the hell out.” Tall vamp said, snarling at her. Spike stepped forward immediately, game face on. His growls and snaps told them that they were in the presence of a Master, and they had best respect his lady. Buffy smiled prettily at him, before turning to scowl ferociously at the others.
“Now, that’s not very hospitable of you.” she said, pulling a stake out of the waistband of her jeans.
“Shit. The Slayer.” One hissed. The other’s looked confused.
“I thought she was turned.” One said stupidly.
“She was.” Another answered.
“Then why she going to kill us.” the girl asked, earning her a smack from tall vamp.
“Nobody said you could talk.” He growled, sending the girl cowering to her knees. For some reason, this little act of violence against the drugged out vamp caused Buffy to see red. With a howl, she leapt at the one closest to her, staking him before he knew what hit him. Spike was ready to leap into the fray, until he noticed the violence in which she was going after them. The second unfortunate vamp that got in her way, lost his head. Literally. She walked through the cloud of dust, her demon at the forefront, with blood in her eyes. One tried to get away, and she was on him in an instant. He flinched when she grabbed his arm, wrenching him around, pulling the arm free from its socket. She smacked the vamp that tried to attack her with it, sending him flying arching through the air with the impact. He landed at the stunned Spike’s feet, unconscious. One arm shrieked in pain and humiliation, the stake in Buffy’s hand flying with deadly precision to his heart. The arm in her hand exploded into dust with the rest of his body. Tall vamp finally broke out of his stupor and launched at her, only to have her meet him half way. Her tiny frame slammed him back to the ground, her fist smashing into his head. The force of her blow sent her hand into his head, the gore clinging to her it exploding into dust when she ripped his heart out with her other. She got up off the ground, and stalked over to the last one, that was still out in front of Spike. With a roar of triumph, she sent her retrieved stake into his heart. The resulting poof of dust seemed anti climatic considering the amount of violence she had just dealt out. He watched as her features melted back into her human form, before she turned on her heel and stalked to the group of teenagers.
“Don’t come here after dark, again.” she snarled, her demand met with several nods of the head. They stared at her with wide eyed fascination that was a combination of awe and fear. “Go. Now.” At those words, they scampered off, not looking back once. Buffy watched them for a moment before turning towards the crying female vampire on the ground. Spike shook himself out of his surprise, a wide, impressed grin spreading across his face. Pulling out a cigarette, he lit it as he swaggered over to join her.
“You’re safe now.” Buffy was saying when he walked up to them. She was kneeling on the ground next to the girl, lightly stroking her dark hair. She raised her eyes to the Slayer, fear evident in her face. She looked warily between Spike and Buffy, waiting for the stake to come. In a way, it would be a relief. Hell couldn’t be much worse than this.
“Why aren’t I dead?” she asked, her musical voice tremulous. Buffy didn’t really have an answer.
“He shouldn’t have hit you.” was all she could come up with. She felt for Spike’s hand, pulling him closer when he slipped it into hers.
“He was my sire. It was his right.” The girl said, confused. The Slayer had let her live. She couldn’t wrap her drug addled brain around it. Buffy snorted at that.
“That is the most neanderthal thing I have ever heard.” She said, even though she knew it was true. She felt Spike’s hand tighten on hers, knowing she had crossed an invisible boundary. Some things in vampire etiquette you just didn’t question.
“Stake me.” Buffy’s eyes widened at the girls’ quiet request. “Please.” She rose up onto her knees, her hand gripping Buffy’s free one. “I was in hell before I was turned. But this, this is worse. I still want the drugs, only its worse now. I can’t go an hour, a half hour without them. And the blood. Sometimes I think I’m going crazy, cause I don’t know which is worse, the bloodlust, or the drug lust.” she gave a bitter laugh a that. “Please, stake me. Hell has to be better than this.” Tears fell in earnest now, her golden eyes begging the Slayer to do her job. Buffy had no idea why she hesitated, this was her God damned duty after all. This wasn’t the way normal vampires acted, they didn’t beg for death.
The longer she looked at the female vampire, the more she knew she had to do what she asked.
“What’s your name?” That got her blank stare, but she answered.
“Tracy.”
“Well, Tracy, it was nice to meet you.” With that, Buffy plunged her stake into the girls heart, thank you falling from her lips as she melted into dust. As the particles settled to the ground, Buffy crumbled to the ground and buried her face in her hands, ragged sobs ravaging her throat. Spike dropped next to her and gathered her up in his arms, holding her close and whispering softly into her hair. His arms tightened around her, lending her strength as she wept for herself, for Angel, for Tracy, and for Spike.
An hour later, Spike followed her into his hotel room. She walked in the room, throwing her jean jacket across the bed, then flopped down on the mattress. She had cried for what had seemed like hours, but in reality had been only a few minutes. When she had quieted down, she had felt lighter. Less worried than she had been. It was like, all of a sudden she had realized what she was, and what her life would be like now. But, it wasn’t bad. Tracy had been so lost and desperate, BEFORE she was turned. Buffy didn’t have that problem. She was still who she had been, her friends still loved her, her mother still loved her. And she was in love, REALLY in love with a man who was just as much an anomaly in this new world as she was. But, it was alright. She would be alright.
Spike had just settled next to her on the bed when she began to laugh. It was a good, healthy laugh, full of happiness and joy. He looked at her, his scarred eyebrow raised in confusion. She rolled on her side, tucking a hand under her cheek to look at him. Giggles still suffused her, and he found himself smiling in return.
“What’s so funny luv?” He asked, laying next to her and running a finger down her cheek.
“Everything. Nothing.” This caused his eyebrow to shoot up further, eliciting another fit of giggles from her. “I just realized, that this life isn’t’ going to be so bad after all.” She told him, leaning forward to brush a kiss against his lips. “I have my friends and family. For a little while. And I have you forever. I’ll never have children, no more tan. No normal life for me. But that’s okay.” she told him, her eyes dancing. He felt his heart swell in his chest as he looked at her. That haunted look that had been just behind her eyes was gone. So to was the last remnants of the girl she had been. In it’s place was look of happiness so pure, it almost burned him. The woman she had become in the space of an hour, was even more beautiful, and more intriguing then the girl he had worshiped for hours just the night before. He leaned in and kissed her smiling mouth, exhilarated that he had eternity to learn who exactly who she was.
“You were quite the little hell cat, tonight, baby.” He said when he pulled back. She looked a little embarrassed, but her smile never slipped.
“Yeah. What WAS that, anyway?” she asked, hoping he could tell her.
“That, was just a hint at the power you have singing under your beautiful skin.” he said, sliding his hand up her arm. She shivered in pleasure at his touch. She didn’t think she’d ever get enough of him.
“What’s that mean.” she asked, sliding closer to him. *Too many clothes* she thought, setting her nimble fingers to work on the buttons of his red button down. He had luckily shrugged his duster off when they had walked in, so she didn’t have to fight with that.
“You, my dear, are a Slayer turned vampire. You had extraordinary power before you were turned. Now you have the added power of a vamp. Combined, you should be more powerful than most master vampire’s. Save for the really old ones, like the Master.”
“I beat him.” she reminded him, pushing his shirt away from his shoulders. He chuckled at her words and her antics, finally sitting up and shedding the offending material, as well as the t-shirt underneath. Laying on his back next to her, he pulled her against him. She rested her head on the hard planes of his chest, her palm flattened against his stomach. She slid it in lazy circles, loving the feel of rippling muscle underneath.
“Before you ravish me, let me finish.” he said, chuckling at her pout.
“Fine.” she huffed, settling next to him to listen.
“That master was just an example. My point is,”
“And you do have one.” She quipped, snickering when he growled.
“My point is,” he continued, each word clipped with mock anger, “With the proper training, you could be one hell of a force to reckoned with.”
“Well, you’re a Watcher,” he couldn’t help smiling at the annoyance in her tone. She really hated the fact that he got paid. “Watch me.”
“Not a Watcher, luv. They just never took away my title.”
“Or your paycheck.”
“Well, no. What about Giles?” he asked, wanting to change the subject.
“He’s not here right now. Plus, I don’t think he can be called my Watcher anymore. I kinda got turned. Don’t know what that does to his job security.” She said, getting tired of the conversation. She began to place open mouthed kisses against his chest, flicking her tongue across his nipple. She smiled when he purred in response.
“Alright, then. We’ll start tomorrow.” He said in a rush, yanking her on top of him and molding his mouth against hers. She responded eagerly, fisting her hands tightly in his hair. He broke away to yank her shirt up, pulling her up further to capture a hard peak in his mouth.
“Oh God,” she moaned, arching into him and throwing her shirt to the side. His fingers dove to the clasp of her jeans, ripping them open. He shoved his hand into the denim, his fingers like missiles, intent on only one purpose. He plunged two fingers deep inside her, his tongue laving and teasing her nipple alternately. Buffy braced her arms on the bed, her hips thrusting against his hand as he brought her quickly to orgasm. She was still spasming when he flipped her on her back, making quick work of the rest of their clothing. He then fell into her arms, their mouths fusing together as he slid his cock deep inside her fluttering core. He rode her hard, each thrust seeming to push him deeper. She met him stroke for stroke, her inner muscles squeezing mercilessly around him. They tore away from each others mouths to plunge their fangs into each others throats, their dual climaxes slamming through them simultaneously.
“Just a warning, luv.” he said, raising his head to pierce her with his eyes. “I’m not as nice as Giles.” She quirked her eyebrow at him, her unneeded breaths coming in rapid pants. He smiled wolfishly down at her, his own breathing ragged.
“I bet you’re just a big pussycat.” She told him, before flipping him over and riding him into oblivion.