Taste of Juliet
by Megan
Chapter Twenty-Six
Buffy hadn’t been able to find him. She had wandered the streets and cemeteries of Sunnydale till she was exhausted, but she failed to locate him. Feeling heartsick and unsure she crawled into her bed and again cried out her misery. Her determination to make things better waned in the dark and her bravery died a subtle death. She felt flayed, emotional shreds hanging limp from her heart. She didn’t know how to make this right.
When she woke up it was obvious that there was a problem. For the first time in a week she clung to Willow as they made their silent way to Giles, finding all of Sunnydale to be doing the wacky no talky thing, and purchased a couple of mini whiteboards so they could get their point across. It was kind of fun- in a disturbing we know what the big bad is this time, kind of way. Arm in arm they giggled heartily- despite no one being able to hear them- and Buffy felt carefree for the first time since Spike had been returned.
Her smile faded when she came face to face with him on entering Giles’s flat and pain once again filled her eyes. She couldn’t believe that they were finally within touching distance and she could try to fix things, but they were all unable to talk. She lowered her eyes in momentary defeat and disappointment, missing his flash of hope when he spied the ring on her other hand.
Olivia, the friend that Giles had forgotten to tell anyone about, held out her hand in greeting, and the girls joined the others in the main part of the room. Jollity abounded as they took comfort in knowing that no embarrassing slide pictures were needed this time; just the wait for darkness and the emergence of The Gentleman and their gross side-kicks, a good fight and an almighty scream. It even came as no surprise to Buffy that she didn’t have the dream this time, no warning. They didn’t need it really, having all major pitfalls plotted in advance.
As the day wore on and the promise of darkness finally made itself known, Buffy withdrew further as she became aware of the lengths Spike was going to insure that she didn’t come close to him. Her body keenly felt his withdrawal from her, and it was all she could do to retain a grip on her duty to protect the innocent when she wanted to collapse in a heap and bawl her eyes out. She just wanted him to forgive her- to let this pain stop. She would do anything for him to take her back, except maybe letting him kill Xander. A small smile graced her lips, but she countered it immediately with a little sniffle. Even seeing Angel every day with the torture of not being able to touch had not felt this horrible, this hopeless.
The day was spent playing tic-tac-toe on the whiteboard with Willow, and silly board games with Xander and Anya. The fun was absent though, as they all realised how much better the games were with bursts of accusation from losing players. Spike watched tv, and they were all grateful for even the noise of Passions in the otherwise silent room.
Buffy’s stomach was all tied up in knots as darkness finally fell and in unspoken agreement, Spike fell in at her side. They left the others behind, searching out the evil afoot. Her insides clenched painfully at the thought that their silence with each other tonight was not entirely due to the spell on the town. Another tiny piece of her broke, and she felt like a wounded soldier marching beside her saviour, but who was denied the chance of fulfillment.
It didn’t take them long to notice the grotesque floating figures of The Gentleman, their loonybin sidekicks doing the hunchback shuffle alongside and ahead of them. It was macabre in its predictability and Buffy laughed in silence at the futility of it all. Here she was with the love of her life, about to meet the man who wanted to be the love of her life, only to be on a mission to release an evil bond on her scream. She shouldn’t be doing this. She should be at Spike’s place –hurrah!- lying wrapped up naked in his arms showing him in the depths of his skin of her devotion to him.
They fought back to back, each wielding a heavy sword, slashing through those that stood in their way. Once they reached the building that housed the collected hearts of The Gentleman’s victims, they glanced at each other and their eyes locked in pure heat. Buffy tried to wordlessly convey her feelings, holding her breath and hoping that he could read her correctly just like every other time that he had. Without any indication of his comprehension, he turned away and started to fight. She gave him one final, yearning look before bolting up the staircase where she met Riley and a Gentleman eager to rip out her heart. The side-by-side combat she tried on with Riley felt wrong and she wondered why she had never discerned the difference. Joining battle with Spike had always been exhilarating, matched strength-to-strength she never had to worry about him holding his own. Riley had limits though, while she had eventually pointed those out to him brutally, it didn’t stop her from realising that it was just another area of mismatch that she had ignored.
With the Gentleman otherwise occupied, she lunged for the box, pulled off its lid and let out an almighty scream. The high-pitched sound continued as all their heads exploded and she inwardly celebrated the destruction of yet another threat.
When she turned around she was face to face with Spike. Once again silence reigned despite the renewed ownership of their voices, and she held her breath in anticipation. She groaned as Riley elbowed his way into the small standoff, but rejoiced anew as she heard the possessive growl of her mate. It was the first time she had thought of him thus and she revelled again in the man that she belonged to. Spike’s eyes slid from hers to lock hatefully on the bulky commando that stood too close to Buffy and he suddenly lunged past and grabbed her right hand.
With a jerk, she was brought before him, her breath hissing in anger at his brutal way of grabbing her. Her eyes lightened however in shock when he violently pulled the ring from her finger. She cried out in denial as her heart finally shattered, great chunks falling from her chest, and she knew that she could never ever repair it. Tears streamed down her face- and she found it difficult to see from her blurred vision- when his finger came to her chin to raise her eyes back to his. He gently swiped at the steady torrent of tears making tracks down her face and he smiled warmly as his other hand regained her left, raising it in front of them. Without a word he replaced the ring on her finger but before she could lower her eyes to look at its return to its rightful place, he kissed her hard yet passionately. Abruptly he hauled himself away from her mouth and disappeared from her view and the clocktower in a burst of vampire speed and grace.
With trembling hands she looked down at the ring and smiled. He still wanted her, he still loved her, and apparently, he still meant to marry her. With a laugh of delight she flung her arms around Riley before realising he was the wrong arms for her to be in, and she took off after Spike.
She wanted to be embraced by home once again.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Buffy couldn’t find him. She searched everywhere she could think of until the sky began to lighten and surmised that he just didn’t want to be found. Disappointed, she crossed her arms over her chest as she slowly made her way back to the dorms. She felt that she was constantly on the edge of tears these days, and she so desperately wanted things to be better with Spike. She still caught her breath in a moment of pain when she thought of him taking the ring away from her permanently. She was so grateful that no matter what damage she had done to their relationship, it wasn’t so far gone that he wanted to be rid of her for good. Her relief was tempered, though, by the frustration she felt at never being able to find him.
Realising that she had yet to inform Giles of the fate of The Gentleman she headed back away from campus. Not like she was ready to sleep yet anyway. She was far too wired. She knocked loudly on his door and gave a startled gasp when Spike drew it open. All the culminated stress of the week and not seeing him collided with her relief at being within touching distance and she hurled herself into his arms. Afraid that he still might push her away, her arms clung to his neck as she pushed herself into his body as closely as she dared. Long moments dragged before she felt his arms creep round to hold her to him and she finally let out her held breath in a muffled sob. The tears had again returned but she didn’t realise she was crying until he gently pulled her away and her vision of him was blurred.
“I am so sorry,” she sobbed, her arms still entwined about his neck like she would never let go.
He cocked his head to the side as if to contemplate the depth of her apology, drawing her back to him as her misery became obvious.
“We have to work this out. I can’ stand the sight of you runnin’ every time something happens an’ you doubt me.” His breath shifted her hair and her body tingled, rejoicing to be back in his arms. Buffy knew it was where she belonged; with him, by his side for as much life as she had left, and she couldn’t believe that she had wasted a whole week by being insecure about his love. She needed to start having faith in him before she lost him.
Still not having the courage to raise her eyes and look at him, she whispered into his shoulder.
“I know I love you. I know I feel wrong when I’m not with you. I’m sorry I doubted you and before you say it, I know that if I hadn’t taken off I would have been happily in your arms picking out wedding cake for the past week.” She pulled away and took a small step back, letting her arms finally slip from his shoulders and fall to her side, miserable and defeated. “I don’t know why I reacted like that. I guess I was just so overwhelmed, and I was happy. I’m not used to being so happy. It was such a big thing to let a vampire bite me. I only allowed Angel to save his life.” She turned away but pushed on despite his angry growl. She knew that this statement could not be left unexplained or Spike could be on the road in minutes to make Angel pay. She wasn’t too stupid to know the possessiveness of a mate.
“He was poisoned, Spike, and only a Slayer’s blood could save him. I did everything I could to get Faith for him but I wasn’t able to. So that just left me. If it makes you feel any better, he nearly killed me.” Her dry chuckle fell into a silent room. ‘Okay’, she thought, ‘near death does not amuse the dead guy,’ and she wiped the smile from her face.
“I was afraid, okay? You proposed, and you claimed me, and if I had been thinking straight and not forgotten about Willow’s original spell then yeah, I guess I would have known that it wasn’t as artificial as that other time. But I hadn’t remembered and it was a shock when Giles reminded me. I was afraid that you wouldn’t want it or think that we only did all that together because of a spell. I wanted you to want those things so much, and I had waited to be with you so everything would be perfect.” She stopped and took a breath before turning back to look at him and suddenly sucked in another in erotic impulse. Visions of the two of them writhing around his bed, the sheets in disarray and the physical effect of his bite raised her heartbeat alarmingly and she couldn’t find a steady image to help ground herself. His eyes. God he’s so beautiful. Her brain shut down as she clung to that indrawn breath, her lungs burning as she drank him in. Her hands buzzed with the urgent desire to locate his skin, the humming of her body steadily increasing as she felt impulse control surrender itself to sensation. She forgot everything and her body began to shut down as she forgot to breathe, her only concern to never lose sight of those eyes again.
Spike caught her as she began to collapse. The shock of falling kick-started her back into motion and she sucked in great gulping breaths, feeling like a princess cradled in his strong arms.
“Oh boy,” she rasped in surprise. “That was way intense.”
Spike grinned, rather impressed at having an immobilising effect on her. The memory of the past week returned though, and his grin faded as he lowered her again to standing.
“If I see you ‘having coffee’ again with Captain Cardboard I’ll rip that bloody ring off for good.” His voice was pure anger and Buffy hadn’t heard it like that in- well- ever if she was honest.
She remembered those first hours of him being back and his flirting with Anya and her back stiffened.
“And if I see you flirting like you did with Anya then I’ll rip your d….um…head off.” She smiled brightly for the first time in a week at his tortured grimace before once again launching herself back into his arms.
“I know there are a lot of issues. I need to trust and believe in you- and I do already, really- I just get frightened and I guess I don’t believe in myself much.” She allowed her cheek to rub against his as she pulled herself back so her lips were just the smallest breath away from his. She looked up into his ocean blue eyes and sunk at an alarmingly swift pace. She gulped frantically, feeling that earlier sensation start to consume her senses and she brushed her lips against his in a desperate attempt to fall back to earth. “I love you.” Her voice was husky and rough as her hands started to wander absentmindedly over his shoulders and down his arms. “I need you.” She licked his neck before biting just hard enough to leave a mark but not break the skin. “I want you.” Her voice barely drifted above a whisper as her lips found his again and remained, drawing him in and losing herself again in the heady rush of desire.
His hands played over the fabric of her shirt, teasing artistic circles over her back and the steady bubbling of intense arousal invaded every skin cell and exploded in a gush of molten heat beyond her control. She surrendered mindlessly to the feeling of his tongue encircling hers, swiping sensually over her bottom lip and her fingers, now in his hair, tightened their grip as a swirl of desire expanded in her belly. He pulled her body in closer, rubbing his leg against hers, his erection hardening against her stomach. As his hand began to pull her top up at the front and snake its way to her lace covered breast, they were torn apart by duel throat clearings from the stairway.
“Oh, bloody hell. Couldn’t you have stayed in your own bloody bed?” Spike turned wild, flashing yellow eyes to Giles and Olivia who were smiling bemusedly as they continued into the room.
“Yes, well,” Giles cleared his throat. “As enlightened as I am, I am not prepared to walk in and see my Slayer in naked activities with her vampire betrothed.” His eyes strayed to the ruby ring that once again dominated Buffy’s left hand, rather happy about it in some way mysterious to himself, but glad that Olivia had pointed it out before they felt a need to interrupt. “Some of us never want to be blinded ever again.” He smiled rather gleefully as he and Olivia headed for the kitchen.
Spike looked back at Buffy and laughed at her charmingly pink complexion before bending and giving her a quick kiss on the pulse point of her throat.
“You do know they’ve been doin’ it like rabbits ever since she got ‘ere, don’ you?”
Buffy blushed again and decided to change the subject.
“So,” she started, her lips being drawn back to heaven but stopped just shy of the entry gate as the loud activity from the kitchen broke through her haze.
“Do you have a thrall on me?” The pout on her lips enticing nothing but lusty thoughts from the vampire.
“I don’t have thrall, kitten. You know that.”
“Then why do I keep spacing out?” Her eyebrows crinkled in cute confusion and he laughed out loud.
“I’ve always been bad, baby. You’ll just have to work it out for yourself.”
He grabbed a blanket from the floor beside the door and wrapped it around himself. Before she knew what he was doing he had whipped open the door and disappeared.
“Damn.” She stomped her foot hard. “Bye Giles.” Her shout definite just as the front door slammed once again and she was gone, leaving Giles and Olivia smiling lewdly at one another over their steaming cups of tea.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Buffy was entirely grateful that the Slayer package included speed to match that of a vampire’s when she caught sight of a black and white blur disappearing near the Bronze. At least she finally knew where he would be, and in a burst of adrenaline she sprinted after him. He was waiting at his apartment with his door open, leaning up against the doorjamb with a wicked, leering grin on his lips.
“Not sure what I can do for ya today, Slayer. Gotta rest up for tonight.”
She stopped in front of him, gasping for breath and cursing the same Slayer package that didn’t give her the vampire skill of not being winded from a distant sprint, until she realised that would make her dead. Huh! Can’t win ‘em all!
“Oh? What plans did you have for tonight?” That bottom lip pouted at him again and she grinned on the inside at his focused concentration on it.
“Important stuff. The Scoobies invited me out to the Bronze.”
The pout turned automatically into a frown.
“It isn’t safe for you to be out and about. Riley could recognise you at any mo….” Her voice died as her eyes widened in fear and alarm. “Oh my God, I told him you were a vampire. He’ll be looking for you.”
When she mentioned Riley’s name Spike’s eyes flashed angrily, but he hauled the Demon back in and grabbed her in a hug instead of berating her.
“We are goin’ to sort the Initiative out soon, pet. Finn won’t get a chance to hurt me. Besides, we’re back together and while we are he can’ get near me. He doesn’ know where I live. It’ll be fine. ‘Specially the sooner you come in and we can shut the bleeding door.” His brow raised in question and she flushed puce at the first thought that streaked through her mind.
“Ah, I thought you needed some sleep.” She swiped his lips flirtatiously with her finger as she followed him over the threshold and the door swung closed behind her.
He held one hand, raising it to suck erotically on her pointy finger as he dragged her, walking backwards, toward the bed. A quick glance behind him reminded him that he hadn’t made it for a few days, too angry at her to bother, and certainly not thinking when he stepped out last night to back her up with The Gentlemen that she would be returning with him. He shrugged his shoulders. For the plans he had, a made bed would be wasted.
Her eyes closed involuntarily when he closed his lips over a second finger and the strong sucking pressure of his tongue on her digits reminded her of other places where his tongue created magic. Her stomach shifted on another wave of lust. He pulled the fingers from his mouth with a pop and her eyes fluttered back open to look at him in a daze. He still held her arm suspended out in front of her and as his hand loosened its grip she let it fall to his fabric-covered chest. Buffy scrunched her face in disbelief. ‘That T-shirt has to go’, she determined and before Spike could offer a preventative shout, she had torn it clean down the middle and was tugging it down his arms. He let out a feral growl as he grabbed her around the waist and launched them both at the bed. He twisted gracefully in the air so that he landed on top of her and their mouths fused. She tried to wrap her arms around him but he would have none of that. She had started the violence by sacrificing his favourite t-shirt, thus she would have to suffer the consequences.
Her eyes shot open in alarm, unaware that she had spoken aloud during her destructive act. “But every T-shirt you have is exactly the same!” She tried to reason with him.
“Not true, Slayer.”
She gave him a pointed, sad look, and he amended.
“Not true, Buffy.” And though he had drawn her arms above her head and held her wrists in a firm grip, he claimed her lips with gentleness born from extreme devotion. Their tongues swirled together, tasting and licking each other into blissful reunion, eager to catch up on the sensuality they had been denying themselves for the past week. Her body was pinned flat to the bed, his positioned limb to limb against hers so that she was unable to move out from beneath him. But she could wriggle, and so wriggle she did, smiling into the kiss when his stiffening shaft became rock hard against her. The smile turned into a hungry groan and she opened her mouth wide, attacking his lips almost savagely so that her message could not be misinterpreted. She wanted more, much more. And she needed it now.
His grip loosened, allowing her to capture her fingers in his hair and she marvelled at how soft it was once she worked out the gel, letting his adorable curls begin to spring forth.
With a thought that seemed urgent she wrenched her lips away from his.
“I know it was a bad time and all, but when you were in the basement of the high school after getting your soul back, you know, all unhygienic and stuff, your hair was longer.”
“Yeah? Didn’t have a mirror,” he deadpanned. She looked at him with a poker face for all of two seconds before her face split and she let forth a round of hysterical giggles.
“Take my word for it, blondie. It was longish, kinda shaggy, with the peroxide almost grown out so that only the tips were white, and it was all curly. Man, you looked hot.” Her voice became tinged with admiration with a touch of passion.
“Really?” He quirked a brow at her in fascination.
“Oh yeah. Completely ravishable.”
“So, what? You want me to grow my hair out?” He looked at her as if she were crazy.
“Oh, absolutely. And then when you tried to come out of the basement and dressed different?”
His eyebrow hovered just under his hairline, suddenly extremely apprehensive about her increasing fervour to turn him into her Ken doll.
“What? The Leather?”
“Ohhh yeahhh…” she sighed, horniness making her arousal fragrant and he was hard pressed to keep his hands to himself till they had sorted out her makeover euphoria.
“And the blue shirt. Clingy. Where’d you get that stuff anyway?” she asked absent-mindedly, her eyes glazing over in lust. He wasn’t sure she actually required an answer as she was obviously lost in the future created memory of him wearing leather and blue.
“Not sure,” he offered anyway. “Probably not somewhere good.” His voice was tinged with sadness.
Her eyes blinked back into focus and she forgot about how that blue top molded to his body in favour of actually ogling said body. She licked her lips in hunger as her hand caressed the skin on one shoulder and drifted downward toward his chest, pinching his nipple hard. He shivered and moaned, and in his distraction she pounced. In one fluid move she had reversed their positions and he now lay underneath her. She straddled his hips, happily grinding her steaming pussy into his hard cock and bent forward, running her tongue first over a hardened nipple, down, down to dip into the smooth arcs of his waved abdominal muscles. Her body flashed hot and the cool surface of his skin against her fiery mouth did little to quench her need.
Her mouth made it to his throat and she grabbed hold of a patch of skin and sucked hard, her still covered breasts brushing inappropriately against the hard wall of his chest as he arched upwards in ecstasy, little darts of desire shooting directly downwards.
“More,” he called as the pressure of her mouth lessened, and she smiled before capturing his mouth again for a too brief kiss.
“I know someplace better I can suck,” she told him conspiratorially and he sucked in a breath of fierce anticipation.
She allowed her body to move down till the buckle of his belt was exposed. In his bliss he lay motionless and she knew it would be up to her to get him naked if she wanted it to happen soon. Once unfastened, the first button came undone almost as if by will alone and within seconds, his pants were dragged down and off his legs; his glorious cock standing proudly waiting for her praise. Her eyes grew in sudden apprehension, wondering what the best way to tackle this new experience would be. She lowered her head in determined intent then, mere centimetres from the smooth plane, she hesitated, knowing inherently the angle was all wrong. She tilted her head left, then right in silent contemplation, before darting down quickly and swiping her tongue over the flattened bell at the top, curving around the slit that already secreted his flavour. Wrapping a hand around his length, she dipped her lips again to the head and slid the edge of her tongue inside the slit, gathering up his fluid and warming internally at his tortured growl. In an abrupt movement of confidence she enclosed all of the head within her mouth and sucked hard, allowing a few centimetres of his cock to further invade her mouth. Loosening her grip slightly she allowed the length to glide past her tongue and down her throat, stopping when she sensed her gag reflex about to kick in.
Below her Spike began to writhe in pleasurable discomfort, hands entangling in her hair as she energetically bobbed up and down, allowing saliva to coat her lips and smoothing the ride. Her fingers found his balls almost in surprise and she took them gently to hand, loving the feel of the smooth skin and the heaviness of his sac. She moaned, becoming more and more turned on by her selfless act but knowing all to well how he liked to reciprocate.
“Buffy!” His urgent call shocked her out of her lusty daze and she looked at him wondering what was wrong and nearly gagged as the flow of his cum invaded her mouth. ‘Oh,’ she thought, the corners of her mouth tilting up in catlike satisfaction, and she drank him up voraciously. As the lust continued to thunder in her ears she allowed him time to come down from the high he had disappeared to and lapped happily at the remaining fluid on his cock. When she had finished she lay beside him, her smile happy and loving. They looked into each other’s eyes, Spike’s a little dazzled, as she played again with his hair. They lay close enough to gently nibble on the other’s lips, still looking intently into each other’s eyes, never wanting the intimacy to diminish. But reality set in as his eyes began to droop, and she realised they were both tired, but groaned and flopped backwards when she knew she didn’t have the luxury of sleeping. Classes called, and Willow really shouldn’t be left to face Professor Walsh on her own.
Not wanting to give up play quite yet, Buffy rubbed her fully clothed body against Spike’s naked one and displayed the pout that had become a frequent feature so far today.
“Did you want something, pet?” he asked, a smile teasing his sexy lips as his lids drifted determinedly shut.
She took pity on him and smiled happily. She had him back. That was all she wanted.
“Yeah,” she replied, satisfaction heavy in her voice. “You!” She kissed him softly then prepared to leave. He grabbed her wrist in a lightening move as she had crawled off the bed.
“Where you goin’?” His voice was weary, barely coherent but he tried to cling to wakefulness for a little while longer to know where she was heading off to.
“I have classes,” she explained patiently, rubbing her hand soothingly over his brow and taking a blanket to cover him. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay. Be good, baby. Love you.” And he slept, his body stilling as in death. She refrained from squealing, her heart so full of emotion that her body trembled. ‘He called me baby again’, and she almost floated out of the apartment on a dreamy cloud of achievement. She finally had all she wanted, and nothing upon nothing would take it from her now.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Although their day had been organised around lectures, research and food breaks, Buffy and Willow’s togetherness had been frequently marred by awkward bursts of silence. Buffy’s marked lack of courage in approaching Spike about their troubles in every way matched her similar approach to Willow. They hadn’t discussed the spell gone wrong or the almost disastrous effects it had on her blooming relationship with the newest vampire with a soul. No number of cookies could penetrate Buffy’s week-long miserable certainty that she had allowed a break of monumental proportions to fester between herself and Spike. Now that they had made up though, she was feeling delirious in her happiness; she was a giver. The manner of her giving earlier this morning had a giant grin plastered to her lips.
Once again Willow looked at her friend and sighed at all the missed opportunities for mending the trust that she had smashed to pieces with her badly thought out spell. It seemed like much too heavy a burden to bear that not only was she grieving about the finality of her own relationship, but she had to assume the responsibility for driving a stake in Buffy’s newfound happiness as well. Not to mention Xander’s perverse fixation on all things demon and their locations-see how to avoid them at all costs!
They may have spent the majority of the day together, but there had been no lighthearted humour to break through the tedium of classes and study, and this had Willow decidedly nervous. Buffy’s occasional enormous grins here and there sided with her continued cold shoulder treatment made Willow even more so. They had made it back to their dorm room after a quicker-than-usual walk from the library, Buffy intent on finding something red to wear out on their trip to the Bronze. Suddenly weary, Willow collapsed on her bed and sighed loudly.
“Buffy, are we going to get past this?”
Buffy stopped in the frantic search of her closet and looked hard at her bestfriend. She registered the wounded expression in Willow’s shining eyes and decided that enough was enough. She had never felt the need to punish her friends before, for any infraction- and it was unfair for her to start now. Besides, now that she was all Honest Buffy, she could admit that most of the fault lay at her own door.
“I’m sorry, Will. I haven’t intentionally been ignoring you.” At Willow’s raised eyebrow and her lips pursed in her standard resolve face, Buffy deflated. “Okay, there was a little bit of avoidy Buffy. I was scared. I know you all think I’m crazy for letting myself fall for Spike, but I really had no choice. God, I love him so much it tears at my insides.”
Buffy laughed at Willow’s grimace. “I know, I’m all with the colourful imagery.”
“Well, torn insides can be good. I think. I mean, can’t they?” Willow did her clever, cute ditzy routine and Buffy laughed, but then her mouth grew serious as she drew them back to their healing chat.
“I thought I’d ruined it. It wasn’t so much that you cast the spell that upset me. It was more that I had finally let him have me after waiting and I was afraid that I only did it out of some magical compulsion. I know: Stupid, thy name is Buffy. It would have happened anyway, sooner or later, and I just blew everything out of proportion. Just call me The Big Over-reactor!”
Buffy stopped and wondered at the shocked look on her friend’s face.
“What did I say?” Buffy started to get nervous as Willow opened and closed her mouth several times without even one little burst of sound.
“Will?”
“You…you…gave yourself to Spike?”
Buffy’s grin almost split her face as she collapsed back on her bed with dreaminess clouding her face.
“Oh, did I!”
“Oh Goddess. I bet that was some good times.”
“And then some…” Buffy suddenly snapped upright and glared at the redhead. “Not you too! First mom, then you. Spike’s bod is not for anyone else’s eyes, just mine.” The possessive flare of fire in her eyes had Willow backing down fast.
“Sorry, not poaching. I’ve had my demon guy. No more for a really…really…while. Maybe even never! I’m thinking of trying for a different kind of lifestyle.”
Buffy choked, though not unkindly, and offered a conciliatory smile to Willow before adopting a relaxed pose.
“And who would be making you think of this ‘different’ kind of lifestyle? Would she be a pretty blonde into magic?”
Willow blushed. “I hope you don’t mind. I asked Tara to come to the Bronze with us.”
They shared a genuine smile of warmth as they rose and continued searching for the definitive ‘wowing’ outfit before heading off to find the rest of their party.
They met up with Tara before leaving campus and Buffy received her first compliment for the night as they walked happily toward the Bronze.
“Wow, Buffy. You look amazing.”
Willow looked a little jealously at Tara, but shrugged. No use getting upset over her admiration of a strictly heterosexual girl, especially one with a vampire boyfriend. Then she looked at Buffy closely and took in the satisfied smile, the gentle flush on her cheeks, the long satin red dress and heels that would be hell to slay in should the need arise, and her eyes widened.
“Thank you, Tara. You look pretty good yourself.”
Tara looked down at her plain black skirt and wispy cream shirt and raised a questioning brow at Willow. She giggled.
“I think Buff is in Happy Land. Everything is beautiful.”
The two girls shared an amused smile and looked at Buffy, who walked along with stars in her eyes. As they neared the alley behind the Bronze, they heard someone calling out to Buffy and slowed; Willow pulling on her best-friend’s arm to gain her attention when it appeared she hadn’t heard her own name called. The three turned, and as Buffy’s spine stiffened as her eyes found Riley. She looked quickly around the alleyway; glad to see that he didn’t have his commando friends staked out strategically- or at least, not that she could see. Then again, that wouldn’t be hiding, she thought to herself nervously.
“Hey Riley. What’s up?”
His smile was bright with pleasure and she suddenly knew that he hadn’t gotten the message that she was taken. Unease shivered across her skin and she knew that after tonight, they all needed to reconvene at Giles’s and come up with a plan. The threat of the Initiative had to be neutralised soon, or Spike would never be safe.
In an act of desperation, she ran her left hand up her right arm and allowed it to rest on her shoulder, the ruby of her ring glinting in the streetlight, dim though it was. His eyes rested briefly on the stone before pointedly ignoring it and turning back to her face.
“So, Bronzing tonight huh? Would you save me a dance?”
She shifted uncomfortably, glancing sideways at Willow before offering nervous consent.
“Sure. One dance. It would be my pleasure.”
He seemed disappointed that she didn’t intend for more, but sucked it up and rocked on his heels, hands in his pocket looking for all the world like a nervous school boy chatting up the girl of his dreams.
“I’ll see you later, Riley. We’re meeting some people inside.” Her smile wasn’t frosty, though she fully wanted it to be, and they turned and left him standing in the doorway. As they disappeared within the pumping walls of the Bronze, Forrest and Graham appeared from their hiding places, dressed head to toe in standard issue army gear, their weapons resting at ease.
“You have your orders?”
They nodded solemnly. “Take down Hostile 17. We’ll come and get you when he has been neutralised.”
Riley showed his consent with the quick dip of his chin and disappeared through the door that had swallowed so many young people already tonight.
~@~@~
Buffy stood a little inside the door and allowed her eyes to sway back and forth, looking for her target. She nearly fell over in shock when she located him, sitting silently, sipping at a beer; with Xander. A smile lit up her face, glad that her friend was trying, and she made her way toward them.
As if sensing her, Spike was suddenly on his feet and facing her. The sight of him had her steady progress stumbling to a halt and she sucked in air desperately thinking she was very much about to pass out. He stood there, proud, his strong legs encased in black leather and his powerful shoulders the hanger for an impressive electric blue pullover, the waist loose and hanging. It wasn’t latex and it didn’t cling, but the dryness of Buffy’s mouth told her that it so didn’t matter. The man was sex on legs, and thank God he was all hers. Her eyes sought his and her world tipped to its side, uncertain how to reassert balance. She wondered if she was ever going to have equilibrium around him again.
Neither of them had moved, staring their fill at their mate and wishing for all the world they could be somewhere a little less public. Images flashed through Buffy’s mind and she was finding it difficult to breathe, suddenly uncomfortable with how revealing her skintight, ankle length red satin dress was without a bra.
As a little reality began to filter back into her conscious state she became aware of the quiet gasps of admiration, both male and female, and she puffed up with knowledge. He was hers, and dammit, it was time to make the room know it.
Her steps quickened until she finally reached his side and her lips became glued to his. In full view of everyone, including her friends and Riley, she engaged in passion and heat and wild but sure love as if her last seconds on earth depended on it. The minutes ticked by with barely a person in the club moving, all watching the clinch between the two hot blondes, fascinated as Spike’s hands slid over the smooth surface of her dress until he cupped a breast and tweaked an achingly hard nipple. The electric pulse that hit her violently in the gut had her gasp and pull away, finally noticing the enraptured gaze of the people surrounding them. An embarrassed flush deepened the colour of her face and she buried her head against the soft blue wool of Spike’s shirt, sighing happily at his amused rumbling.
He took her hand and dragged her to the dance floor, wrapping his arms intimately around her body and holding her close enough that she was aware of every one of his tense muscles. They swayed hypnotically, leaving their friends to gather drinks and their own libidos after the scorching display had ended only to begin again amongst a crush of avid dancers. Anya had arrived in the interim and commented happily about the quality of orgasms she was positive Buffy would have experienced by now, all to the chorus of groans from her own table. Tara ducked her head, timid but excited. Under the table she held Willow’s hand.
In their intimate circle the two blondes seemed oblivious to all around them, but Buffy could feel the bounce of energy bounding off Spike, and knew he was on alert.
“Finn’s here,” he whispered into her hair.
“Know.” Her mumbling heated the patch of fabric against his shoulder and he smiled.
“Not much dressed for slaying tonight, are you?”
She lifted her head and smiled saucily.
“Don’t have any plans for killing vamps tonight.”
“Do you have plans for doing anything else with vamps tonight?”
“Maybe.” Everything was implied in that one word and she smirked when she felt him hardening against her hip. Then he crushed her closer to her body.
“You drive me bloody wild. Do you know that?”
“It’s mutual.” Her breath had moved up to his neck and all his nerves stood to attention.
“What you did this morning? Oh baby, you’re remarkable.”
Her teeth scraped the flesh of his neck and he released a tortured groan.
“I fully expect payment for services rendered,” she told him, running her fingers through his ungelled curls and she smiled, delirious with her world.
“So, you like the new rags?” He pulled her gently away, just a fraction to see her happiness as she nodded enthusiastically.
“Like is way not a strong enough word. I can’t decide if I want to strip you, or just look at you dressed all night.”
He chuckled, and she wondered if she had ever heard him laugh out loud before. She had seen many smirks, and perhaps snorts of amusement, but laughter? She didn’t think so. Her insides warmed and she cosied into him again.
“Sorry, didn’t have time to grow the hair. I left out the gel, though.”
Her fingers itched to touch him all over and the warmness his words initiated spread through her like wildfire.
“I can’t believe that you want to change for me.” Her husky whisper resulted in a harder jab against her thigh.
“Not change. Jus’ alter.”
They snuggled happily, swaying to the beat as they lost themselves in the combined heat of their desire, and the rush of the room.
They were unaware of the change in song so were shocked when a deep voice broke into their preoccupation.
“Buffy, you up for that dance now?”
She looked up at Riley, her lusty daze taking time to make sense of why he was interrupting them.
“Sure Riley, can you just hold on a second?” He nodded once and stepped away, and it made her nervous that he didn’t give her a bit more privacy with her mate. Knowing he didn’t have the capacity to hear a whisper in such a loud atmosphere she turned Spike’s head away from the interloper and listened to her instincts.
“I promised him one dance. It’s not coffee,” she tried to joke, but it fell flat at his warning growl. “It doesn’t mean anything. I think it’s important though to keep an eye on him.” He pulled away and began to walk away, resigned to her decision, and all of a sudden self-preservation kicked in. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back to give him a quick kiss. “Don’t go outside. I didn’t see anything, but I have a feeling that Riley is after you and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has his friends out there waiting to recapture you.” He tipped his head in reluctant agreement before returning to the table and entering the conversation, she turning back to the suddenly loathsome company of Riley.
Chapter Thirty
The moment she ditched Riley, Buffy knew that he was angry, and her sense of unease grew. She didn’t think it would help to approach him about anything the Scoobies knew at this point, knowing that he himself was still in the dark about Adam. But as she looked at Spike, now sharing a companionable game of pool and tense laughter with Xander, fear crawled along her nerves and gathered at her tingly spot at the base of her skull. She wrapped her arms around his waist when she joined him, tightening them in hope that she wouldn’t have to ever let him go, and looked over her shoulder at Riley. He continued to look at her and glare at Spike.
Deciding there was nothing they could do about it for now, she turned her attention back to her friends and gave herself up to the fun of the night. A night of music, laughter and friendship was just what they needed after the emotionally tense time the last couple of weeks had consisted of, and she was glad for this chance to relax. And to admire, she thought wickedly. She could barely keep her eyes off the sexy leather clad ass of her man and so the threat of Riley Finn easily diminished as the night wore on.
They determined that it was time to head home once the first round of yawns made their appearance. Amid calls of goodnight and amused, knowing winks from the girls to Buffy, they all headed out the doors and off in different directions.
Not long alone, Spike dragged Buffy closer and played at nuzzling her neck.
“We’re bein’ followed, luv. Don’t think we should go straight home.” Though he whispered, his cool breath caused tingles to flutter along her skin, but her short kiss was her acknowledgement.
They wandered hand in hand toward the cemetery and for the first time it occurred to her that they might be in a fair amount of trouble. She wasn’t sure how many were following, although she instinctively knew that Riley was among them. And she had no real knowledge of their weapons, though she was willing to bet on a taser or two. They were human, so at least physically they held no challenge for her- just her stupid dress- but Spike was defenseless. She would be on her own during the fight, but the threat against her mate already had the fury whipped up within her and she could feel the adrenaline begin to flood her body.
Bending down with the appearance of fixing her shoe, she gave a destructive tug to the slit of her dress and it now reached way up her thigh. Spike had next to no time to admire the flash of her flesh before they were attacked. He could hear the whizz of an arrow and without looking, his arm flashed and caught the projectile, centimetres from his chest. He looked up and was alarmed as he caught Buffy’s pale face and shocked eyes.
Without warning she shoved him hard to the ground and spun on her heel, intent to make whoever fired the arrow pay. They were only metres away now, just the three of them, and they stumbled to an uncertain stop at the fury of her face. Riley had warned them about her- that she could fight demons- but the three still did not know her true identity and so were unprepared for her speed and force in attacking them outright. Graham received the first punch, being the one who held the crossbow in his hands, but only for seconds longer. It hit the ground as he grabbed his face, so caught up in his pain that he was unable to defend his friends against the whirlwind that was Finn’s ‘peculiar’ love interest.
Without seeming to break a sweat she had relieved all three of their weapons, tossing them to Spike, who was still sitting on the grass, and walloped them all but good. It was only once they all lay on the ground- groaning- that Buffy came back to herself and she stepped back, slightly horrified at the damage she had done. Seeing the arrow still in Spike’s hand had her stiffening her resolve, however, and she turned to the three commandos, conspicuous in their balaclavas, with a complete look of fury creasing her face.
“Riley, if you so much as raise an eyebrow at Spike again, I will beat you. That goes for Forrest and Graham too.” The pure hatred in her voice took second place to their shock that she knew their identities, and they ripped off the black covering.
Quickly recovering from his surprise at the attack, Riley took charge of his small group and hesitantly stepped forward.
“Wouldn’ do that if I were you,” Spike called as he finally stood up, judging the danger to be greatly reduced, and not a little peeved at Buffy’s manhandling him to the ground.
Riley glared at their hunted subject, but nevertheless took heed of the warning and stepped back.
“He is an escaped Hostile, Buffy. We have to take him back into custody.”
“Over my dead body you will,” she spat at him furiously. “I meant what I said. You touch him, you die.” She stood with her hands on her hips, almost daring them to make a move.
“And just for the record, he isn’t a Hostile. Not 17 or otherwise. He is my fiance, he is my mate, he is my lover, and he is my vampire. Furthermore, he has a soul and he is a champion. He has a purpose in this world and I will not allow him to be taken away from me. You go and tell Professor Walsh that!”
The three commandos gasped in shock. Initially Riley thought she had guessed who his comrades were as they always hung out together, and it would make sense that they might all work together. But for her to know who the head of their operation was, that was a serious information breach.
“How do you know about Professor Walsh?” The question originated from a much harder voice, the voice of an army man, not a man on the brink of infatuation with this tiny girl, whom he now realised was stronger than he and his men combined.
She laughed.
“I know all about your stupid operation. I know you’re called the Initiative, and that you think you’re fighting demons, and finding ways to neutralise them- trying to protect the world. In fact, I know more than you do. I know that good old Maggie is shooting you boys up with stuff to make you stronger, but that it will affect your heart and without having an operation, you will die.” Her eyes were intent on Riley’s to see if he got it, and she was satisfied when he flinched. Maybe he didn’t fully believe her, having been unaware that he was a test subject, but she was happy for the seed to be planted. “I also know the real plan, boys. The one that she hasn’t told you and the rest of your unit about.” They looked at her in confusion, and her lips turned up at them in a cold smile. “Ask her about Adam. If you want to talk, you know where to find me. But don’t wait too long. If Adam gets loose, innocent people are going to die and I know that was not your mission.”
She returned to Spike’s side and put her arm around his waist.
“In the meantime, call off the hunt for Spike. Or you will get more than a few broken bones.”
They stepped aside in grudging appreciation as the blonde couple returned the way they had come, and with heated discussion the whole way, they decided to return to base and do some detecting.
Buffy and Spike walked quietly, Buffy on edge at noticing that though her arm was wrapped around the waist of the vampires, his arm hung limply at his side. She could actually feel the animosity humming through his body, and so feeling rather nervous she hesitantly pulled away, gulping when he immediately put his hands in the pockets of his pants, his jaw clenching in a not so subtle indication of his irritation.
“What’s wrong?” she asked him in a little voice and he spun at her, furious.
“You shoved me to the bloody ground, that’s wha’s wrong.”
Her eyes enlarged at the charge and her heartbeat picked up in apprehension.
“Spike, they nearly staked you. What was I supposed to do?” She was wary of that line that would amplify his uselessness in the situation and for once she steered clear of it consciously. She could sense his frustration at not being able to defend her- let alone himself- and having been there once before herself, she could understand his hostility.
As she stood in place on the sidewalk, he paced back and forth before her, her eyes following every single step he took. All of a sudden he deflated, his shoulders slumped in defeat as he rubbed his hand unhappily over his face. Looking through his duster pocket he located an old pack of cigarettes and frantically searched for a spare. He came up empty and he turned a suspicious glare at Buffy. She giggled nervously.
“Umm, sorry?” She offered by way of explanation and he tipped his head to the side to contemplate her. As suddenly as his agitation had arisen, it was gone again, replaced with a calculating smirk.
“I think you owe me, little girl.”
She was mesmerised by his lips and she could feel the heat rush through her body, moisture dampening her panties at the sexy low rumble of his voice.
“Spike?” She stepped slowly towards him, almost hypnotised by the sexual promise his eyes projected. “If I come home with you, would you sing to me?”
He quirked an eyebrow in surprise before a lusty grin had her captivated once again.
“Oh baby, I’ll sing all right.” Strutting up to her in his own sexy way, he gathered her back in his arms and placed a wet, sucking kiss to her neck, laughing softly at her tortured groan. “I’ll sing to you all night.”
With that exquisite promise drifting on the air, she grabbed his hand and with a speed known only to Vampires and Slayers, she pulled him back to his place.
To be continued
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