Chapter Thirteen
“You stupid, cock sucking ego maniac.” Buffy snarled as she rubbed her sore ass. “Arrogant, brute. Asinine, EVIL vampire.” She walked across the library, ignoring her friends who were scattered around the table, looking shocked at her words. Spike bit his cheek to hide his smile, placing a cigarette in his mouth. He was sitting on the stairs leading up to the stacks, shirtless, and not even breathing hard. He had been training with Buffy for over an hour now, and she had landed on her butt more times than he could count. Something that the Slayer took great exception too.
“So, Buffy. Training not going so well?” Xander asked, raising his hands in defense when Buffy shot him a glare. “Okay, I’ll just go back to sitting here, staring blankly at this book.” He muttered, doing just that. Willow shot him a sympathetic smile before gluing her eyes to her own book. No way was she going to get involved in the torture session that had been in progress. Just better to study, so she could get good grades and get into a good college, far away from here. Like, Taiwan.
“It would be going better if I didn’t have the Marquis de Sade as a trainer.” Buffy spat, snatching a bottle of water off the table and draining half of it.
“Why, pet. I didn’t know you thought so highly of me.” Spike said, his wicked grin counteracting his innocent tone. Xander choked on a laugh, and the others made sure to have their attention elsewhere as the tension brewed around them.
“Fuck you.” She growled.
“Original.” He rolled the unlit cigarette over his bottom lip, drawing Buffy’s eyes involuntarily to the action. Scowling again, she looked away. She WOULD NOT be turned on when she was mad at him.
“Well, it’s kinda hard to think up something clever when my ass is throbbing.” She said, her eyes widening when she realized how that sounded.
“Gross. Could you two please keep your bedroom gymnastics to yourselves?” Cordy sniped, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
“Sure, we could always go find a storage closet.” Buffy shot back. Cordelia just arched an eyebrow, then got up to start gathering her stuff. Once she was done, she looked at Xander, then turned to gracefully stalk out of the library. Xander looked at his friends sheepishly, grabbed his books and hurried after her. Spike chortled at the lap dog impression.
“That boy is so whipped.” He snorted. Oz’s lip raised in his own version of a smile, before his eyes fell on Willow’s stern face He immediately dropped them back to his book, any signs of agreement with Spike stripped from his face.
“Ready to try again, luv.” Spike asked, tucking the cigarette behind his ear. She slid him a sly smile, then straightened, moving towards him with a lethal grace. Spike’s eyebrow shot up at the look on her face, wondering what she was about. Once she reached him, she leaned into his body, dropping her arms around to rest by his sides, one knee braced on the step below him. Spike felt his body respond to her nearness, her scent. His eyes flicked briefly to the now scarlet Willow, and her wolf boyfriend. She was trying desperately to disappear into her chair, apparently worried that they were about to do something she really didn’t want to see. Oz was sitting across from her, seemingly oblivious to the sexual tension that charged the room.
“I. Can handle. Anything. . . you dish out.” she purred, her mouth hovering just above his. Then, with a wicked grin, she cupped his groin, her action shielded by her arm. Spike jumped, and found himself torn between throwing her on the ground and seeing how red Willow could get, and beating her within an inch of her unlife.
“Slayer.” he growled in warning, eyes flashing yellow. She just smirked at him and walked to the cleared out area, dropping into a fighting stance.
“Come on Spike, teach me.” She said, her voice barely a whisper. This time, Spike landed on his ass.
Druscilla hummed softly to herself while sitting in the middle of the large bed. Her white gown was spread around her, the color a shocking contrast to the black satin bedding. She calmly brushed Miss Edith’s hair as Angel thoroughly destroyed the room around her. His howls of rage permeated the air, the sound of ripping cloth and splintering furniture combining together to form an odd sort of background music.
He whirled on her suddenly, hauling her against him, causing her to drop the doll.
“You’re sure?” he growled, yellow eyes flashing.
“Miss Edith told me it was so.” she said, a tear slipping from her eye.
“He’s claimed her?!” he roared in shock and anger. NOBODY took what was his. Nobody.
“Yes, my Angel. The Slayer belongs to him now.”
“Unless I kill him.” A feral smile split her lips, and she ran a hand over his ridges.
“That’s right. He’s betrayed us both. It’s time for him to lose his head.” she giggled giddily, her own demon surging forward with the promise of violence. Angel returned her smile, then threw her back to the bed, turning on his heel to go to the door. Flinging it open, he hollered for his minions. Once they arrived, fear shining in their eyes, he started barking out orders. After making sure that he was understood, he slammed the door again and turned back to Dru.
“It starts tonight.” he said, leaning against the door. Finally, the Slayer would be back where she belonged, and Spike would be taken care of. He felt a pang of disappointment that he wouldn’t have Spike to kick around for a while, but in the light of the claim, dead was better.
Druscilla watched him from her prone position on the bed through half closed eyes. She didn’t mind that Angel wanted to keep the Slayer alive for the time being. It would be amusing to have her to play with for awhile. But she wouldn’t allow it for long. That nasty girl took her Spike, ruining her dreams of a happy family. So, she’d let Angel have his plaything for a time. After that, the Slayer would die. Painfully.
Buffy slid onto the table in front of Willow, leaning over to see what her friend was studying. Oz and Spike had gone to pick up some food and blood, leaving them alone in the library. Spike and Buffy had trained for an hour more, her slight advantage over him wearing off much too quickly. Buffy had spent a great deal of time wiping the floor with her ass, again. She was kinda glad to see him go, in that *I’m pissed off at you because you didn’t let me win* way.
“What’s that, Will?” she asked, seeing the words, but not in any way being able to read them.
“The spell that cursed Angel.” the red head answered, not making eye contact with Buffy.
“Uhm. Why?” She asked, staring down at the paper. Confusion and a touch of shock crossed her face.
“Well, I,…uhm. I just wanted to see if maybe I could do it.” she said, fiddling with her pencil.
“Again, why?” Willow looked at her then, her eyes bright.
“I just, I just don’t want to see anything happen to Angel. Even if you don’t love him any more, do you want to see him die?” Buffy scooted off the table, a conflict of emotion swirling through her.
“Angel, no. Angelus, with a passion that I have never felt for anything. You don’t know what it was like, Will, to wake up to him and Druscilla. The things they did. . .” Buffy trailed off, wiping tears from her cheeks. She would NOT cry for that any more. Spike was her world now, and he made up for all the pain that they had inflicted. “But, Angel. No, I don’t want him to die. A part of me will always love him, Will. But, is it fair to do that to him again? To make him live with the things he’s done since Angelus reemerged.” She questioned, waving her hands in the air.
“I, I don’t know. Don’t you think he would want to be back with his friends?”
“What friends? Xander barely tolerated him. Cordelia quit acknowledging him when he didn’t fall panting at her feet. Giles watched him like a science experiment. And my mom HATED him. You and Oz were the only ones that tried to be friendly.” Buffy reminded her. She so didn’t need the problems that would arise if Angel came back *That’s selfish* she told herself, scowling. Willow was watching her, twisting the pencil through her fingers.
“I’m sorry, Buffy. I won’t do it if you don’t want me too.”
“No, Willow. I can’t tell you not to. Do what you feel is right.” she told her friend with a smile. Willow smiled back, nodding her head. A loud crashing in the hallway drew their attention away from Angel and spells, and they rushed out to see what was up.
They skidded to a halt in the hall when they saw the flaming minion barreling towards them.
“What the. . ? ” Buffy started, pulling out her stake just in case the vampire got in a good hit before it combusted.
“Angel has the Slayer. He wants you to come alone or she’s dead.” he said, managing to get the message he had been sent to deliver out before he exploded. Willow shrieked, covering her head as pieces of flaming vampire drifted around her. When she looked up, Buffy was gone.
“Buffy?” she turned and ran back into the library, mouth gaping open at the amount of weaponry the Slayer was grabbing. “Buffy, what are you doing?” she asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“What do you think? I have to go help her.” She finished shoving the tools of her trade into her knapsack, and pulled it on.
“You can’t go there by yourself. He’ll kill you.” Willows eyes were wide with fright, her skin now a pasty white.
“No he won’t. I’ll go, get her out. Then I’ll wait fir Spike.” Buffy answered, dread filling her chest. Her mind conjured up visions of what was going to happen to her once she arrived. But she had to go. Kendra needed her.
“But, Buffy. . .”Willow began again.
“Willow. Just tell Spike when he gets here.” Then she turned and left, hoping Spike wouldn’t be too mad at her.
An hour later, Spike and Oz walked back into the library, a comfortable silence stretching between them. Spike liked the young wolf, he didn’t put pressure on you to be all chatty. And his humor was quick and unexpected. When he walked in, he immediately sought out Buffy, stretching his senses out when he didn’t see her. Willows’ worried and scared face finally came to his attention, when he whirled on her.
“Where is she?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. Willow scampered back from him, retreating to the curve of Oz’s arm.
“I tried to stop her. I did. But, we were talking, then we heard. . .crash. . .and fire, vampire. Angel has Kendra. Buffy, left. . .said to tell you.” Willow stammered, her voice breathless. “I tried to stop her.” she finished, tears welling in her green eyes. Spike’s own eyes drifted closed for a brief second, his mind rapidly working through the gibberish she had sprouted. One of Angels minions had shown up, apparently on fire, to say that the master had the other Slayer. Buffy went to save her.
“God dammit!” he shouted. Willow shrank back from his anger, her eyes huge. Spike sighed, forcing himself to calm down. “I’m sorry, Red. Just pissed is all. Not at you. Buffy.” Her eyes returned to normal, and a slight smile of understanding touched her lips.
“Giles gets that look a lot.” she said, referring to his annoyed and scared face. *that girl has no idea what she’s walking into.* Spike was cursing himself to hell and back. He should have known that Angelus would pull something like this.
“Damn!” he said again. The phone on the desk rang just as he was ready to storm out of the library. He snatched it up with a growl, not caring who was on the other end.
“Well, Spike. What’s wrong? You sound tense.” Angel’s voice drifted through the phone, the pleasantness of the words not covering the menace in the tone.
“Peaches. If you’ve done anything to her. . .”
“What? She’s mine Spike. I’ve only reminded her of that fact.” Spike felt nausea roll through him at that. He vowed to repay every hell that Angel was doing to her. “But, this call isn’t about her. Directly. I want you hear at sundown. If you’re late, she’ll suffer more than she already has.”
“I’ll be there, you Pillock.” Spike snarled, slamming the phone down so hard it shattered. Willow squeaked in surprise, while Oz merely raised an eyebrow. He stared at the destruction for a moment, fear and anger raging through him.
“Spike.” Willow’s small voice broke through his haze and he turned to look at her.
“Yeah?”
“Uhm, I can do the curse.” she said in a rush. Spike just looked at her, his face blank. “You know, to get his soul back. I can do it.”
“So?” he asked.
“W-well, I thought it might help. If Angel was Angel again, you wouldn’t have to fight him, and he would stop hurting Buffy.” she said this last part quietly, to horrified to say it louder.
“I have no problems killing him, Red.” She nodded her head, casting her eyes toward the floor. Spike studied her for a moment more, then turned to stride out of the library. Sundown couldn’t come soon enough. As soon as he was gone, Willow turned to her boyfriend.
“Go to the payphone and call Xander and Cordy. Tell them I need their help.”
“What are you going to do?” he asked, already seeing it in her eyes. The power that she had been slowly discovering shined bright in their depths.
“I have to try.” was all she said, before she set into a flurry of motion to gather her supplies. With a sigh, Oz left her to call the rest of the Scooby gang.