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.