Banner by Selene

Chapter 6: Something Wicked, This Way Comes

Dawn, Buffy, and Spike were sitting at the kitchen table. Spike was explaining to Dawn how he came back. Buffy had heard the story earlier so she just sat quietly to the conversation flowing around her. Spike’s story was interrupted quite frequently by Dawn’s, “No ways! Reallys! Uh uhs! and Wows!” Once he finished retelling his tale, he asked Dawn what she had been up to.

“Not too much. We traveled a bit during the summer, and then decided on Rome as a place to live. It’s way different than Sunnydale. I’m back in school. It’s actually kinda fun. Way better than before.”

“That’s good, Niblet.”

“Yeah, and now that Giles is in charge of the new Watcher’s Council, we don’t have to worry about money. Buffy’s actually getting a paycheck. Can you believe it? And, the Council even footed the bill for this place. Neat, huh?” Dawn asked.

“’Bout bloody time,” Spike grumbled. Buffy just smiled ruefully.

“It’s getting late, Dawnie. Better get started on your homework. I’ve got to go get ready for patrol,” Buffy said as she stood up from the table. Spike stood up as well.

“I’m comin’ with, if it’s all the same to you, pet. Maybe I can show your little slayers a thing or two. Will the ‘Bit be ok here?”

“She’ll be fine. This place is surrounded by a protection spell, thanks to Willow. It was one of the things she managed to take care of once we finally settled on a place to live. Giles insisted.”

“’Lemme just grab my jacket and round up the girls. I’ll be right back.” Buffy walked out of the kitchen and headed up to her room to get her jacket and a few weapons. On the way back out into the hall she called the girls. They began to trickle out of their rooms and followed her back downstairs. They weren’t surprised to see the blond vampire waiting for them.

They didn’t stay out on patrol long. It was kind of hard to sneak up on the “baddies” with such a large group. They weren’t exactly the most quiet. However, they did manage to find a few minion vampires to dust, so all in all, it wasn’t a bad night. The girls got to practice their hand-to-hand combat skills, and Buffy was grateful to have an extra pair of expert hands keeping an eye on things.

Once back home, the girls headed up to bed. They needed to get some sleep so that they would be ready for their tutor tomorrow morning. The young slayers didn’t go to a regular school like Dawn. Buffy didn’t want to worry about having to answer any questions posed by school officials. So, the council sent tutors to teach the girls English, science, math, and history. They also learned about religion, relics, demons, and magic. Every little bit helped, right?

Buffy walked through the place double-checking the locks. Spike trailed behind her. Once she was satisfied everything was secure she headed upstairs to her room.

“The girls are good. A little green, but the slayer instincts are there.”

“Yeah. I’m afraid I’ve been a little hard on them.” Spike just looked at her quizzically. Buffy glanced at him, but didn’t comment as to why. The last thing she need to do was voice her recurring nightmares and the steps she had been taking to deal with them and prevent them from reoccurring.

“Now that you’re here you can help me with them. You are staying, right?” she asked a little uncertainly.

Spike enveloped her in his arms. “Just try to make me leave.”

Pulling slowly out of his embrace she told him, “I’m gonna go check on Dawnie real quick. I’ll be right back.” It was a little after eleven. Dawn would probably be asleep, but Buffy always checked on her. Just to be safe. Buffy no longer took things for granted. Cracking Dawn’s door open, she stuck her head in the room. Dawn was snuggled under the covers, fast asleep. Re-closing the door, she headed back to her room.

~*~*~*~*~

Spike waited in the bedroom for Buffy. He wasn’t sure exactly where he stood with the slayer. True, they had made love, but he didn’t want to presume anything. With nervous uncertainty, he prowled around the room. Hearing Buffy walk back down the hall towards him, he stopped his pacing and went to stand over by the window. Lifting the curtain away from the window, he peered out at nighttime Rome. Everything was quiet. Almost too quiet. ‘Not good,’ he thought to himself.

Buffy pushed open the door, then shut and locked it behind her. ‘He feels it too. I knew I had reason to worry.’

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who can sense it.” Turning away from the window as her voice broke the silence, he looked at her, his head cocked to the side.

“It’s too bloody quiet.”

“I know.” Walking over to him, she laid her head against his chest. Spike wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

“Wonder if this has something to do with the chest that showed up on Angel’s door back in L.A.”

“Huh?” she asked as she looked up at his face.

“Nothin’, luv. Just thinkin’ out loud.” Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her over to the bed and laid her on top of the covers. He pulled off her shoes, then shucked his own. Climbing onto the bed he stretched out alongside of her, pulling her back into his arms.

“It’s just that when things show up mysteriously, for no reason, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Before I left L.A., Wesley received this chest containing some scroll. Didn’t know where it came from.”

“I’ll ask Giles tomorrow when he calls and see if he’s heard anything, knows of anything. I don’t like this quiet. It’s just a feeling I have, nothing tangible. I’m worried, Spike.”

“Don’t be, luv. I’m here now. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He leaned in and kissed her ear, whispering, “Now rest. It’s been a long day.” It killed him to say those last seven words.

Turning in his arms to face him she said, “I don’t want to rest. Love me, Spike.”

‘Oh, thank God!’ he thought. “Always, pet,” sealing his vow with a searing kiss. Clothes were quickly shed, and then Spike was once more sheathed inside Buffy’s liquid heat. Home. Soon, all thoughts were gone as he was caught up in Buffy’s radiating heat.

~*~*~*~*~

The Outskirts of Rome

The cloak-clad figure stood staring at the rising fire in the hearth. He seemed transfixed as he stared at the flames, as if they were talking to him in a language only he could understand. A manservant stood in the corner of the room, awaiting word from his master. In his hands, the servant held the book that would aid his master in ridding the world of all the new slayers.

“Bring it to me.”

The servant walked quickly forward, coming round to stand in front of his master, his head bowed. He held the book up. Red eyes glanced quickly at the cover of the book before fading to black, then he opened book. His hand hovered a moment over the book. Magically, the pages began flipping. Halfway through the book, the pages stopped, coming to rest where the man needed. Quickly, he scanned the pages, then let forth with an evil laugh. ‘This is almost too easy,’ he thought.

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