Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all the characters contained within. I hold no claim on them.
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Set during Buffy versus Dracula and then goes seriously AU after that! Buffy is missing and Spike is the only one who has noticed. Where is Buffy and why is Spike the only one who is worried? Will the peroxide vampire be able to find her before it's too late? What has happened to the Scoobies and will they save Xander before he really becomes Dracula's butt monkey?

Chapter 10

“Think we shoulda told Spike about you know what?” Whistler leant against the cabin and stared up at the sky. He waited for a moment and then nodded to the silent response.

“Fine! Let him find out on his own. Sometimes I have no idea what you guys are on!” With that he shimmered out of sight.

*********

Buffy glanced over at Spike and gave him a small smile.

Spike peeked through his long lashes at his Childe and returned her smile bashfully.

Buffy slid closer to her Sire and rested her head on his bare shoulder. She sighed. Despite everything that had happened, she was content. Buffy felt safer with Spike than she ever had. Everything they had been through in that last twenty-four hours had brought the erstwhile enemies closer.

Spike reached over and laid his hand over Buffy’s stomach, his fingers absently massaging the soft skin.

Buffy wriggled closer. Warmth spread through her stomach from the sensation of Spike’s soothing massage, chasing away the lingering aches that Kendra’s magicks had left.

“Feels good,” she hummed happily. Pushing her head under Spike’s chin she inhaled deeply, drawing in the earthy male scent of her Sire into her lungs. She felt safe and loved.

Spike rested his head on top of Buffy’s. He felt content, for the first time in his unlife.

“You okay?” he whispered.

Buffy nodded. “Yeah, bit shell-shocked, so much has happened so quickly…I guess that it’ll take time to adjust to everything.”

Spike snorted. “Understatement of the century, pet.” He pulled his Slayer onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her slight form.

Tilting her face up towards him Spike gazed into her eyes. “You’re amazing, you know?” He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“I…can’t …thank you enough for getting me away from…” Buffy trailed off at the loud rumble that emanated from Spike’s stomach. She raised a fine eyebrow at Spike.

“Sorry pet, kinda spoiled the moment, didn’t I?” Spike grimaced as his stomach rumbled again.

Buffy clambered off his lap.

“Hey, come back!” Spike pouted. Buffy disappeared into his kitchen. “I was enjoying the cuddle.”

Buffy ignored him as she searched for blood for Spike, guilt flooding her. ‘All I’ve done is drink from him until he’s starved…’ Grabbing a bag of blood she dumped its contents into a mug and heated it in the microwave.

“Buffy?” Spike shifted and watched the small woman curiously.

Buffy glanced over, guilt colouring her face. “I’m sorry…” she whispered.

Spike cocked his head; his vampiric hearing had barely caught her near silent apology. “What are you sorry for?” he asked genuinely confused.

Buffy grabbed the mug and came back to the sofa. She handed the blood over and sat down next to Spike, the vampiress curling her legs underneath her.

“For draining you, you must be starved…” she replied guiltily, staring down at her hands.

Spike glanced at Buffy over the top of his mug, surprise colouring his sea blue eyes, he gulped down the dregs of blood and placed the mug on the floor. Reaching over he took Buffy’s slender hands, enveloping them in one of his. Spike looked at them for a second, amazed that they were so deadly and yet so feminine.

“Never feel bad about drinkin’ from me, Pet. It’s my honour to help in any way I can…” Spike mentally grimaced at his inner William revealing himself.

“But you’re starved, I could hear…” Buffy squeaked as Spike pulled her against his muscled form.

“Never mind about me, luv,” he growled. Buffy shivered at the sensation of her breasts pressing against his chest, her thin shirt offering little cover, and her nipples hardened.

“I would give you my last drop of blood if you needed it,” he purred. Spike felt her firm nubs through the thin material and pulled her even closer. He could feel them rubbing against his chest and a low growl escaped from his throat.

“Mmph! Spike…” Buffy’s face was cradled against his collarbone, unable to resist allowing her tongue to trace along it until she reached the hollow of his throat. She swirled her tongue in the dip, savouring the taste of the vampire who held her so gently. ‘Yum…he tastes so good!’

Spike failed to stop the whimper that escaped his throat at the sensation of Buffy’s soft pink tongue exploring his skin. He tilted his head back, offering his throat to her ministrations. “Feels so good, kitten,” he moaned.

“Tastes good, too,” she answered pertly. Her tongue traced the small scars her fangs had left on his alabaster skin; Buffy was secretly pleased that he bore her marks.

Buffy didn’t know what to do with her hands so she wrapped them around his waist and rubbed the small of his back.

Spike’s hands curled around her shoulders and up into her long hair. He pulled the scrunchy loose and tossed it to the floor; his fingers returned to Buffy’s fine locks and threaded through her long tresses. Spike gently pulled her head back so he could look into her eyes. Only to find them closed in contentment, Buffy’s lashes fluttered against her cheeks for a moment before they opened.

Spike gazed into her lust darkened eyes. “What are we doing here?” he asked nervously, Spike ignored his inner demon screaming for him to plunder Buffy’s soft body.

Their feelings were new and raw; Buffy’s turning had also changed the playing field. Spike needed desperately to know what the diminutive vampiress was intending. He knew that there were some feelings between them, but they were something he was unused to. They were fragile and completely alien to him.

Dru had been a fickle lover despite his devotion and tenderness. She had slept with others. Spike tried to ignore the memories of Angelus, Fungus and Chaos demons that his dark haired Sire had taken to her bed, cuckolding him over and over again. Spike was determined that if he and his Childe were to start something here then Buffy had to be aware that there would be no one else- he didn’t want to ever be someone’s second choice ever again.

Buffy regarded him solemnly; he was such a contradiction. Bad boy rebel and tentative poet and lover, with a fragile heart that loved completely. She had seen it all every time he had given his blood to her. Her heart ached at the vunerable expression on his face.

Buffy slid a hand around Spike’s waist and reached up and ran her fingers over his sharp cheekbones, tracing his lips over and over, Buffy took a deep breath and smiled. “All I know, Spike, is that in the last few days you have saved me from the bastard who turned me, looked after me, protected me and…” she looked up coyly at her mute Sire, “loved me…”

Buffy leant forward and brushed her lips over the tip of Spike’s nose. “All I know is that you’ve been here for me, seen me at my worst and taken care of me when I was unable to.”

Spike took a deep, unneeded breath. He opened his mouth only to feel Buffy’s fingers pressing against them. She shook her head, “I haven’t finished, Mr Interrupter!” She squeaked when Spike’s blunt teeth nipped her fingertips, and her iris’s dilated. Buffy slipped her fingers into his cool mouth and tried not to groan when he suckled on them. Buffy shifted and wrapped her legs around Spike’s waist, grinding herself against his jean-clad erection.

“As I was saying, Whistler and Kendra were right. I do have feelings for you, I’m not sure what, but if…Oooh…” Buffy’s eyes crossed when Spike wrapped his agile tongue around her index finger.

“That’s nice,” she took a deep breath. “What was I saying?”

Spike released her fingers and pressed a tender kiss into the palm of her hand. “You have feelings for me,” he prompted.

“Right, yeah…I’m not sure where they come from, but I want to explore them with you.”

Spike swallowed nervously. “What about Captain Cardboard?” He hated asking, but it needed to be said.

Buffy gazed at Spike as he threw down the verbal gauntlet. The blonde sighed deeply, knowing that she was going to have to be honest with herself about Riley. Something she had avoided for weeks. “I…well…recently I’ve…” She stumbled over the words that were lodged in her throat, knowing once they were said she and Riley would be over.

“Go on, luv.” Spike smiled reassuringly. His heart leapt with joy, he already knew what Buffy was trying to say, but for her to put it in words was huge.

“I’vekindagoneoffthewholeideaofnormal,” she blurted out.

“So, normal doesn’t do it for you?” Spike asked teasingly. He had known that the soldier boy would never have been enough for his Slayer. She needed more.

Buffy nodded.

“I’m a bad person, aren’t I?” She wailed.

Guilt filled her - not for the final admission that she and Riley were of the past, but because she felt so relieved about admitting it to herself.

A weight was lifted from her shoulders- Buffy felt finally free.

Spike chuckled and pressed her face against his chest. “No luv, just honest. Never really got what you saw in the git.”

“Kinda like me,” Buffy added.

“Really?” Spike was surprised at her honesty.

“I never got you and Harmony.” She shivered delicately at the memory of the brassy blonde girl. “I guess you weren’t with her for her conversational skills?”

Spike shook his head regretfully, “company is’all…” He refrained from adding that he had been drawn to the vapid vampire because she had known Buffy in High School.

“Is that what I am?” she asked timidly.

Spike stood, pulling her up with him and gazed fiercely into Buffy’s hazel eyes.

He cupped her face in his hands and his blue eyes were filled with determination. “Never! I swear on my unlife I love you…” Spike mentally slapped himself, ‘I said it! Bloody brilliant, you told her now she’s gonna laugh at you! You soppy nit…’

Buffy’s face filled with glee.

“You do? Really?” She threw her arms around Spike and kissed him soundly.

Spike reciprocated her kiss, pulling Buffy off her feet and urging her legs around his waist. He was relieved his admission of love was greeted with joy and not scorn. Spike began to walk them towards the staircase. Pulling reluctantly away from her luscious lips, Spike rested his forehead against Buffy’s and looked deep into her eyes. The hazel orbs were flecked with lavender - Buffy panted and squirmed against his arousal.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Childe of my heart?” Spike swallowed nervously; he had to ask one more time before they went too far.

He couldn’t bear it if she shot him down now. But Spike had to know she was sure.

Buffy knew that this was it. Her next words would change everything irrevocably, but her instincts were guiding her. As a Slayer Buffy knew that her instincts were never wrong. Wrapping her arms around Spike’s shoulders she leant forward and ran her tongue around his ear, giving the lobe a gentle nibble for a second before she whispered into it.

“I’m sure. I want you Spike, and I want everything you have to offer - your body, heart and your love.”

*********

“Why is Xander chained in the training room?” Riley asked as he walked into the shop.

Giles and Willow glanced up from their books.

“He keeps trying to hurt himself. I was worried I may not be able to stop him,” Anya answered. She glared at the closed door to Buffy’s training room.

“What? Why?” Riley walked over to the research table and sat down. Giles’s eyes flickered to the soldier’s neck before he removed his glasses and began to polish them.

“Mr Giles?” Riley managed to stop his hand from flying to his neck, to check that his bites were covered.

“We rescued him from Dracula earlier today, and well, his thrall appears to have been lifted, much like the blinding spell we were all inflicted with.”

“Blinding spell? What are you talking about?” Riley interrupted.

Willow’s normally cheerful face was clouded with rage; she channelled her guilt over forgetting Buffy into anger towards Riley.

Tara leant forward and placed a calming hand on her love’s shoulder. “The spell that made us all forget Buffy…you know, your girlfriend?” She hissed. Guilt was making her lash out more than she normally would, but Riley’s complete lack of interest in Buffy’s whereabouts was galling.

This lack of interest added to his new and interesting addiction of being chomped on by vamp whores, equalled Buffy hopefully kicking his sorry ass to the curb. Willow smiled grimly at the thought of Riley being given the boot. ‘Normal? Pish! Look where normal gets you!’ Willow tapped her fingers waiting for Riley to reply.

Giles cleared his throat and hid behind his book. Anya watched expectantly from the cash till, ‘this should be interesting…’

Riley flushed in embarrassment, he had forgotten Buffy but had been distracted by his late night assignations. “Where is she? And you still haven’t explained why Xander is trying to hurt himself.”

“Riley, Xander is the reason Buffy disappeared,” Tara explained gently. She realised that none of the others were going say anything. “He took her to Dracula…”

“What!” Riley stood kicking his chair backwards. “Where is she?”

“Spike rescued her…” Tara yelped when Riley reached over and grabbed her shoulder.

“Separate,” Willow yelled. Riley flew backwards. Willow strode over to him, eldritch fire in her eyes.

“Never, EVER touch Tara like that again!” She yelled angrily. Anya appeared next to the furious redhead, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Sorry,” Riley mumbled unconvincingly. He glanced over at Tara. Giles stood next to her, glaring back at the fallen man. Riley pulled himself up and leant against the bookshelf behind him. “Spike has her and you guys are all okay with that?”

“We don’t have a choice at the moment,” Giles explained tiredly.

“Well I think we should go get her back, now!” Riley exclaimed. “ I can’t believe you’re alright with that filthy animal being near her, and god knows what else he’s doing!”

“Enough!” Joyce’s voice rang through the silent shop, breaking the frozen tableau. Joyce and Dawn came down the steps.

The youngest Summers’ blue eyes glittered in pride at her mom’s behaviour. She childishly stuck her tongue out at Riley and joined Willow and Anya. Joyce came to a halt in front of Riley; the ex-Initiative soldier dropped his eyes, unable to withstand the motherly wrath directed at him.

“I will not tolerate you being so unkind about Spike! Out of us all he was the only one who noticed my baby was gone and he rescued her. I know my daughter very well, Riley, and if she wanted to leave Spike, she would!”

“But he’s dangerous,” Riley offered weakly. He was unwilling to add that he was jealous of Spike and felt threatened by the vampire. He tried to suppress the memory of Buffy talking in her sleep; her whispered groans of the vampire’s name still chilled his blood.

He had never mentioned it to Buffy, happy to stay in denial.

Now Riley felt threatened- Spike had Buffy and he wasn’t happy about the situation. Riley glanced over at the closed door, wishing his Spike bashing buddy Xander was here to back him up.

“No Riley, Spike cares about Buffy. He would never hurt her,” Dawn interjected.

Riley looked down at Dawn and then back up at Joyce. “You can’t believe that!”

Joyce and Dawn nodded, “we do,” they chimed at the same time.

“But, he’s a vampire…” Riley trailed off weakly.

Joyce’s hand snapped up and she pulled his turtleneck away from his throat. Revealing the multiple bites that now adorned his skin. “And it would appear you are intimately acquainted with vampires.” Joyce glared disapprovingly at Riley.

“Good Lord!” Giles came over. “You’ve been bitten how many times?”

Riley shrugged off Joyce’s hand. “It’s nothing…”

“I think you are in more danger of being hurt by a vampire than Buffy is!” Anya pulled a face at the bites. “That’s disgusting! Have you any idea what you are exposing yourself and us too?”

“I don’t need this!” Riley pushed past Joyce and ran from the Magic Box.

**********

“Well, that went well.” Willow stared out the window watching Riley storm down Main Street.

Tara wrapped her arms around Willow, calming her with her soft touches.

“Joyce, are you alright?” Giles placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“No…I really thought he was good for Buffy and now, all I can think is he didn’t care enough about my baby girl to keep himself safe. What caused this? Why does he need to be bitten?” Joyce turned to Giles, worry etched over her face.

“There are many reasons, he may enjoy the rush…the danger…” Giles hesitated. He didn’t want to explain about the sexual reasons or that maybe Riley was drawn to the dark.

Anya bustled over. “There are other reasons as well. I can fill…” Before she could say anymore Xander began to yell.

Joyce looked over at the door. “When did he wake up?”

“A few hours ago…” Anya rushed to the door and disappeared into the room.

“Has he said anything about what happened?” Joyce demanded.

Everyone shook their heads.

“Should we go in and help?” Dawn asked nervously.

“No. I think he needs Anya for now.” Giles helped Joyce sit down. “Tea?”

“The universal cure all?” she smiled at the older man. “Yes, I would love some.”

The remaining Scoobies sat quietly and sipped their tea.

“What!” Anya’s scream was heard through the door.

Everyone’s heads whipped round as she burst through into the Magic Box. Tears were streaming down her face.

“Anya, what happened?” Willow rushed over and wrapped an arm around the weeping ex-demon.

“Buffy…she’s…oh god!” Anya wailed.

“I’m sorry…” Xander cried through the door. “So sorry…Oh god, I want to die. It’s all my fault…”

“Anya dear, please. What did Xander say about Buffy?” Joyce asked worriedly.

“Dracula, he turned her…”

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