Dueling Hearts
Chapter One
AN: Skimmed over the ep since I assume you guys know what happened and no need to waste space. Just jumped to the parts that changed. A big thank you to Thianna for betaing, I’m writing her a bday prezzie but I can’t post it here. It’s up at my archive, my LJ, Love’s Bitch, and fanfiction.net
The drive down to South America was pretty boring and long. Spike kept stopping off at towns to find him some amusement with the locals, making a little mayhem and getting himself some pleasure from his victims’ bodies. He was on the road again immediately afterwards, determined to go find his dark princess.
His hand lifted as he studied it boredly while driving. A ring was missing. A pretty ruby one he had bought awhile back. He pouted slightly as he realized he must have lost it in a scuffle or something like that.
Ah well, he could knick another one off of the next victim he came across who had something shiny that caught his fancy. Perhaps he could also get something to woo his princess with if he made sure to pick his victim well. He glanced at his watch then up at the sky before taking the turn hard with squealing tires and a devilish grin.
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Willow sat there while Anya pulled out all manner of strange things for the spell that she had talked the redhead into doing. The other girl was going on about how the spell would go and what it would do, but Willow only half listened as she studied the ring on her finger. Gawd, this girl had already gone over all this several times. She treated her like she had no brain or something.
This was a really pretty ring. A nice sized ruby on top and made of a rosy coloured white gold, it was probably worth a good bit. She had found it outside the Bronze a couple nights back, lying in the back alley forgotten. Inside had been inscribed “Love’s Bitch” and after recent events, it had given her a small, sad smile as she put it on her finger.
“Are you listening, girl?” Anya demanded sharply to draw her attention back.
“Yes, for the millionth time, yes,” Willow snapped.
The ex-demon shot her a look and finished setting up the spell. Minutes later, they were looking at each other blankly as the light died then Anya growled.
“See, this is what happens when I get useless humans to help me,” she snapped and started gathering everything up again. “You weren’t listening to me when I tried to explain very carefully what to do and now you’ve botched the whole thing up!”
“I did listen,” Willow said softly, twisting the ring on her hand nervously and brushing off the last bits of sand that were caught there.
Anya wasn’t listening, just muttering darkly, “Stupid, stupid humans.”
That was it. She stood up and kicked at Anya’s hand when she reached for the book, causing the woman to snarl up at her. They glared at each other a moment before the redhead started for the door.
“I tried to help, even though I thought this was a bad idea. I’m done being everyone’s bitch and next time you see me, you better turn and walk in the other direction,” Willow shot back before slipping out the door.
It was true. She was fed up after a day of Snyder and Percy taking advantages of her brains and willingness to help people. Her friends referring to her as if she were a dog and a geyser, meaning to refer to her like she was some old woman as if it were better. Then this bitch asking her for a favour and not having the decency to appreciate the girl going out of her way to help on something so risky. That was it, it, it! She was going to be a new Willow. Well, after she went home to finish her homework. Then, then, she would be back as her new Willowness.
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Elsewhere in Sunnydale, while a pale vampiress was looking around confused in the warehouse, another vampire plummeted into the Welcome to Sunnydale sign. He sat up and brushed himself off, a bit flabbergasted at the sudden disappearance of his prized DeSoto. He smoothed his hand over his gelled locks before getting up to glance around.
“Bloody hell, this place really is a hell hole,” William muttered. “It sucked up my bloody car!”
Then he felt it, the tingling left over from the magic in the atmosphere. Was this the Master’s idea of a welcoming home? Having some witch magic away his car the moment he gets into town? Stupid. He shouldn’t have come when the bat-faced, old pervert had called for his assistance. He only came because he had nothing better to do and for some reason, the call of family had been a bit too luring this time.
With a grunt, he lit up a cigarette and made his way into town. Might as well find the asshole responsible for this and make them pay after getting his car back. As he made his way through the town, he started to realize the place wasn’t at all as he had been told it was like. The vampires were definitely not in charge here and it was as if the humans were oblivious to what was lurking in the shadows waiting to eat them. And so, the clues to the obvious were starting to build up in his mind.
He needed to feed and it would be easy with the little happy meals on legs just strutting about, right there for the picking – all wearing bright colours and the tightest clothes. His eyes latched onto a woman as she turned the corner, wearing a dress of shiny red that if it was any shorter she would be showing him what colour underwear she was wearing. He smirked and rubbed a hand down over his swelling groin before following after her. Bingo. His first meal of the evening.
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Vampire Willow came running out of the school, heading back across town to the Bronze. How dare these cattle lock her up and put her in these hideous clothes! She seethed, promising to make them pay before she drained them dry. At least then she would have some fun in this stupid dimension. It was going to be so easy taking over this town, even without the Master. Stupid cattle.
She paused as she sensed another of her kind. Family. It brought a hopeful gleam to her golden eyes as she glanced down the street in the direction of the sensation. It made her hopeful as she was starting to get lonely in this place. This stupid place where everyone thought she was that pitiful girl with the horrid fashion sense. The way she herself had been until the Master had saved her from that retched existence and shown her the fun of being a creature of the night. The joys of being the one to mess with the jerks that had picked on her as a human and get them to scream before she played in their blood.
William. A smile curled her lips. Oh, this was going to be the best fun if he was about. She liked him a lot, not that she would ever have let on in front of Xander. Well, maybe she would have just to get him all hot and bothered and in the mood to play rough. Just the way she liked it.
“William, so did you get stuck in this boring place, too?” Her bottom lip poked out as she strode over to meet him. She plucked at the horrid top, “You wouldn’t believe the horrible things they did to me.”
“Stuck in this place?” he questioned with a tilt of his head. “So, you know what’s goin’ on here?”
“Yeah, the little brat that looks like me and was wearing these rags brought me over to this dimension by accident. Apparently, she brought you, too,” her finger traced down his chest. “They don’t know you’re here, I’m sure. Do you think they have another William running about, too? That would be great fun... unless he’s as pathetic as my double.”
“Don’ know, haven’ run int’ anyone that knew me until you, luv,” he glanced around as he processed what she had said.
“Then perhaps you don’t have a double here, at least not in this town,” she smiled up at him, trying to get his attention. “I was on my way to the Bronze where I have a bunch of cattle cornered, waiting for me to come slaughter them. I’m sure it’ll be lots of fun. Why don’t you come along and have something tasty to eat.”
William considered the offer for a moment then shook his head.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll just go suss out this new place then find a place t’ lay low for a bit,” he told her and stepped away from her wandering hand.
The vampiress pouted for a moment, then shrugged before turning to head off towards the bar. More lovely fear tainted blood for her. He would want to have fun maiming the slayer, too, if he came along. She wanted to do that.
William turned to head towards the opposite side of town, shaking his head. Stupid chit. At least she was good for something: providing a distraction for him. As she had pointed out, those white hats didn’t even know he was here. They were only aware of her and were sure to try to either stake her or, knowing righteous white hats as he did, send the “poor misplaced vampire” back to her own dimension. He would be lying low and studying this new dimension before making his presence known, and they wouldn’t know he wasn’t from around here. That thought probably wouldn’t even cross their minds when he made his move and feasted on their trembling necks.
tbc...