Chapter 4
Spike swung along the darkened street as he headed for Ric’s place. Dru would be surprised to see him, he’d rarely shown up at this new little hangout, because he’d been distracted by organizing their affairs and making nice with the various demons clans and their various grumblings and rumblings, He wanted nothing to do with those squabbles, but a vampire of his years couldn’t be ignored and he’d found himself being recruited and courted by various sides. Dru with her madness had been mostly left alone and he’d kept her ability to see as quiet as possible, lest some decide she’d be a valuable addition to the cause.
He entered the courtyard of the open air bar and ground to a halt as he realized that the dark-haired beauty whose tongue was buried in the cavernous mouth of a Chaos demon while she stroked his slimy tentacles was his very own Drusilla.
“Hey now, Drusilla, what’s this love?” He struggled to keep his voice even as she turned slowly away from the creature and eyed him coldly.
“My Spike has found another. I’m all alone, must find someone new for me,” she replied.
“Luv, Princess, Dru, what are you talking about? There’s no one but you, there’s never been anyone but you. Look what I got you my sweet.” Spike reached in his pocket and withdrew the jewels as he ventured towards her while the Chaos demon looked on in confusion.
“Nasty stones, they’re like her eyes.” Dru swiped a clawed hand at him and knocked the necklace into the dirt at his feet.
“Whose eyes, Dru? What are you talking about?” He looked at her in desperation, knowing where this argument was going.
“The nasty Slayer. Why can’t you kill her?”
Spike suppressed a growl of frustration. “The Slayer? I don’t care about the Slayer luv, you’re the one who keeps bringing her up! I haven’t said a word about the bloody Slayer since we left California. She’s on the other side of the planet, Dru!”
Dru rolled her eyes as she glared at him, “But you’re lying! I can still see her floating all around you, laughing. Why? Why won’t you push her away?”
Spike clenched his fists, willing away the memory of his recent daydream and the stained sheets back at the villa. “But I did, pet. I did it for you. You keep punishing me. Carrying on with creatures like this.” He gestured to the Chaos demon, who to give him credit, looked thoroughly confused by Spike’s appearance.
Spike tuned him out as he watched Drusilla’s expression grow sorrowful. “I have to find my pleasures, Spike. You taste like ashes.” As the other demon edged away from the confrontation at Spike’s glare, Drusilla captured his attention again. “You can’t blame the ghoul, Spike. You’re all covered with her. I look at you… all I see is the Slayer.” She swept past him, leaving the discarded necklace in the dust as she called for the departing demon to wait for her.
Spike swept up the jewelry and departed for home, knowing there had to be a bottle of JD somewhere on the premises.
~*~*~*~*~
Two days later, when Dru had still not returned and he’d finally sobered up, Spike remembered the other purchase from his visit to Edward’s shop. He removed the small book and began to flip through the pages, his excitement slowly mounting as he read the tales that seemed less farfetched than one might expect.
The mention of certain landmarks, some items he recalled from his last extensive stay in Sunnyhell, began to gel and he realized he might just be sitting on a gold mine, the holy grail of the vampire world. He’d heard about the Gem of Amarra before, the enchanted jewel which granted invincibility to the one to wear it, protection from sun, fire, stakes, all the foibles that could end his immortality. This was the key to his problems. Find the Gem, slaughter the pesky Slayer and rid himself of this obsession, then win back his fickle sire.
His mind made up, he threw together a few items, carefully packed the book, and prepared for the trip back to California. He’d left his car stored in Vegas after his last trip, not willing to risk the long drive in his pride and joy. He’d stop there first and pick her up, maybe acquire a little specialized aid in finding what he was looking for. He shoved aside the niggling questions about why he needed to prove himself to Dru yet again and focused on the goal – finding the Gem.