Chapter 1

 

 

Buffy felt a tingling in her neck; it usually meant Angel was near so she craned her head around her friends not listening to them.  She couldn’t see him; strange……..

 

“Buffy!  Come on, you love this song.”

 

“What?  Oh, yeah.  Willow, have you seen Angel tonight?”

 

“Sorry?  I can’t hear you…”

 

“Angel – has Angel been here tonight?”

 

“I haven’t seen him.  Were you supposed to meet him?”

 

“No. I just….never mind.  Ok, let’s dance.”

 

Buffy, Willow and Xander hit the dance floor at the Bronze.  Xander spun off to the sidelines hitting unsuspecting dancers as he moved in his own unique and totally uncoordinated way.  Buffy began to lose herself in the music and put the tinglies down to anticipation, nothing more.  Willow stared at her friend, admiring the way she moved so unselfconsciously and wished that she could have half of her confidence.  She leaned forward to talk to Buffy as they danced.

 

“So, how’s the preparation for Parent-Teacher night coming?”

 

“Oh, so so, you know?  Can’t pin Sheila down long enough to make any plans so I guess it’s just me.  At least if I don’t mess up, she’ll be the one getting booted.  Makes me feel bad, but hey – I have enough to do without worrying about my mom grounding me for the rest of my life.”

 

“Yeah, I guess.”

 

Xander came hobbling back into view having skinned his shin in his efforts to groove.  He allowed himself some distinctly non-platonic thoughts as he watched Buffy strutting her stuff then reined in the inner perv demon and joined his friends in some light shimmying.  Buffy seemed spooked, kept looking past them and over her shoulder.

 

“Buff; you’re particularly ‘aaaargh’ tonight; what’s the what?”

 

Buffy shivered.  She was sure she sensed Angel; she never had the tinglies with any other vampire, Giles was always ragging on her about it.  ‘Hone your senses’ and all that.  But still she didn’t see him.

 

She did keep catching the ever so blue eyes of a blond hottie who gave her shivers up and down her spine.  But it couldn’t be him she sensed.  Maybe Angel was just doing that watching thing, wanting to keep to the sidelines until there were less people about.  That would work; she liked it when there was just the two of them.

 

The blond in question walked forward out of the shadows and towards the table they’d just vacated.  His eyes were riveted on her.  She watched, fascinated as he licked his lips then caught his full lower lip between white teeth.  God; he was such a delicious sight.  Whoa Buffy; slap down that ho and think of your undead boyfriend!

 

She turned away, deliberately breaking eye contact and renewing her boogie efforts.  When she glanced back, peeping from beneath her lashes, the blond was gone.  She ignored the inner Buffy who pouted at the loss.

 

I did a stupid thing last night / I called you / A moment of

weakness / No, not a moment / More like three months of weakness

 

“I love this song!” Willow mouthed to Buffy.  Her friend nodded her agreement.  The music was getting louder, the dancing more frenetic.  Xander managed to never find the beat, and the two girls giggled as they watched him jerk and twitch completely randomly.

 

I'm one step away from crashing to my knees / One step away

from spilling my guts to you

 

“So, do you know that guy who was completely macking on you?”

 

“What?  Willow, I have no idea what you mean.”

 

“A guy?  Macking on Buffy?  Where?”

 

“Oh, he’s gone now, but he was totally into her.  And oh was he cute!”

 

“Willow, may I remind you that I have a boyfriend; and I think he’s the jealous type.”

 

“So; do you know him?”

 

“No, sheesh!  And I don’t even know who you mean.”

 

Buffy blushed at the lie; she knew exactly who she meant, was having a hard time putting the vision of him out of her mind.  No, she didn’t know him.  But she’d like to.  Even though she completely loved Angel, she got a real buzz out of the gorgeous stranger obviously eyeing her up.  Hey, she was still only sixteen……

 

I'm doing all right / No, don't feel sorry for me / Really I'm

all right / I'm one step away from crashing to my knees

 

Tinglies again.  Where was Angel?  This was really freaking her out.

 

A shiver hit her when she heard the velvet voice speaking.   She’d give good odds that it was her beautiful stranger.

 

“Where's the phone? I need to call the police. There's some big guy out there trying to bite somebody.”

 

BAM!  Hit to the gut with a double whammy.  Buffy sprinted from the dance floor and out the back door.   Xander and Willow stared at each other, motionless in the midst of the dancing throng until their brains caught up with them and they headed out the back to catch up to Buffy. 

 

They skidded to a halt as they rounded the corner into the alley.  Buffy was fully occupied dealing with the vampire who, as the stranger had said, was trying to bite somebody -  a young girl in fact.  She spotted her friends just as the vampire swung at her and managed to sidestep so he grounded his fists in the metal door behind her.

 

He regrouped but Buffy grabbed his arm and twisted it up behind his back.  She shouted to Willow and Xander, “Get her out of here!” and heaved a sigh of relief when Willow grabbed the girl and pulled her away. 

 

The vampire was seriously pissing her off now, so she vented her fury by hitting him in the face.  But she couldn’t keep this up all night.

 

“And a stake would be nice!”

 

Xander zoned for a moment then turned and rocketed back into the Bronze.  He didn’t spot the man hidden in the shadows.  Seconds later he passed him again on his return journey, stunned to find Buffy lying on the ground with a vampire looming over her.  He didn’t catch what the vampire said but Buffy managed to kick him in the face and knock him backwards as she sprung to her feet.

 

The vampire spoke to someone behind Xander and he turned to look.  Buffy tried to see too whilst once again fighting on the ground.  The shadows were too dark; Xander turned back to his friend as the scuffle continued.

 

“Buffy!” Xander shouted, throwing the stake her way; she caught it effortlessly and sunk it into the chest of the vampire who crumbled to dust above her.  Xander rushed forwards, offering his friend a hand up.  They both forgot about the unseen person the vampire had called to.

 

A figure faded into the shadows even further.

 

“Well, that was easy enough.  Though I was a little worried when the vamp had me down.  Bit sooner with the stake might have been nice…”

 

“Hey, Buffster – just helping you get a good work out, you know?  Didn’t look like you were having too much trouble.”

 

Buffy raised her eyebrow at him, brushing the vampire dust off her as she walked forwards.   Willow rounded the corner at a run, colliding with Xander’s back with a thud.

 

“Sorry! Sorry!  Is it all over, did the vamp get pooofed?”

 

“Uh huh, one pile of dust as ordered.  She get home ok?”

 

“Yeah, she’s a bit shaken asking me all kinds of questions.  Told her it was a student prank that went wrong and I think the old Sunnydale blinkers thing kicked in.  She’s safe anyway.”

 

“Good; now…….where were we?”

 

The trio giggled and linked arms as they sauntered back into the club.  Blue eyes watched and made notes.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++

 

Buffy was painting the banner – as predicted, alone.  Sheila was a no-show so she’d rounded up Xander and Willow to give her a hand, Giles and Miss Calendar sauntering in to make up the gang.   Of course, all Giles did was talk at her about some nonsense or other so she tuned him out.  Not helping at this stage, what with Snyder on her back and having to do double duty as the Slayer due to the increase of vampire activity.  And what was with that?  Buffy realized it was possible that Giles had turned up to tell her the reason so tried to focus on his voice.

 

“…..and I think it’s possible that it’s because of that.”

 

Oh.  He’d finished. 

 

“Erm, could you run that by me again?  Kinda wasn’t listening.”

 

Giles sighed, removing his glasses and taking out his ever-present handkerchief to polish the already polished lenses.  “Really, Buffy.  I do wish you’d pay attention.  I don’t do this for fun, you know.”

 

“Oh, right.  And I do.  Giles!  Look at me…….I’m living three lives here and none of them let me just be Buffy.  Four if you count the dutiful daughter thing.  Can you just tell me again without the snippy?”

 

“Very well.  There is a festival, the Night of St Vigeous; apparently vampires celebrate it to remember a time of mayhem.  You have to stop them.  Brief enough for you?”

 

“Very funny.  Alright, I’ll slay.  But not tonight.  Tonight I do dual duty as the daughter and the student; I can wave goodbye to one of my other jobs at least as the banner making is all…but….done!”

 

She smiled as she filled in the last letter. 

 

“Let’s hope that the vampires know not to bother you then.”

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++

 

Other than the mandatory ‘Mom-meets-Principal’ debacle that got her grounded for two months, Parent Teacher night went off without a hitch.  Sheila never turned up so she got the expelled card and all seemed perfectly normal for a Buffy Summers’ school night.  Buffy had been sent straight to bed with a plate of woefully unappetising sandwiches for company, her mom scowling at her and bemoaning her fate at giving birth to such a delinquent daughter.  Said daughter bit her tongue and swallowed the ‘but I save the world’ retort; her life sucked sometimes!  Still, she waited a little and slinked off into the night to fulfil her sacred duty.

 

It was a beautiful night, actually.  The moon was full, the air was fresh but not cold.  Xander and Willow had patrolled with her earlier but sensing her need to be alone left her to it by 11:00 p.m.  Her mom was always grounding her, but strangely never thought to check that she was still in her room.  Must be part of the slayer package, having a trusting mother.  Buffy was actually humming the song she’d danced to last night in the Bronze and twirling her stake in her fingers.  She felt happy to be alive.  The only thing she needed now was a good slaying and she’d be in bed and dreaming of Angel kisses before she knew it.

 

Talking of…..

 

“Angel.  Come out now…….I can feel you; vampire slayer, hello?”

 

No response.

 

“Angel.  Come on, I’m in a perfectly good mood that I’d like to keep and while I appreciate your stealthy guy vibe, I know you’re there.”

 

Nothing.

 

Buffy mumbled under her breath.  “Ok, not big with the loving of stalker guy.”

 

She rounded a crypt, her mutterings caught in her throat as she almost walked into the blonde Adonis from last night. 

 

“Oh!  Hi there!  Didn’t see you, sorry!”

 

He dropped his head and looked at her from under dark lashes.  Buffy watched, open mouthed as he patted himself down to find a cigarette which he then placed between perfect lips, gripping it between his teeth.  She followed his hands with her eyes, unable to speak as he made the simple task of flipping a Zippo and lighting his cigarette the most sensual thing she’d ever seen.

 

Spike grinned; the Slayer – all hot and horny for him.  Well wasn’t that just a bonus?  Drusilla had convinced him to play his cards close and not attack tonight as he’d wanted to.  She told him the sodding stars were anxious – daft bint!  But he’d played along – mattered not to him when he offed the slayer, just so long as she was dead.  Hell, the way things were turning out he might even get a bit of touch before he drained her dry.

 

“Is that so, pet?  What you doing out here all on your own at night? All manner of beasties lurking to waylay a juicy morsel like yourself.”

 

“Oh, don’t worry about me.  I can take care of myself.  I’m stronger than I look.”

 

Quite honestly, the way he was sweeping his eyes over her, lingering just beyond the time that would be deemed respectable, ignited her blood and made her mouth go dry.   Seems like the moisture was needed elsewhere……………

 

“Still, I’d feel better if I walked you home.  Don’t want it on my conscience if anything happened to you, now do I?”

 

Buffy nodded, quite unable to form words and certainly unable to deny him whatever he asked.  Was he a hypnotist?

 

“Erm…that’s very kind of you Mr…..?”

 

“Spike; just Spike.  It’s a nickname, but I go by it all the time.  And you are?”

 

“Buffy – Buffy Summers.  Nice to meet you…Spike.”

 

“Shall we?”

 

Bemused at her inability to refuse him anything, Buffy linked the proffered arm and started to walk out of the cemetery. 

 

Yet, there it was again.  The tingle, the specific vampire tingle that told her that her vampire was nearby.  She stopped, pulling her companion to a halt.

 

“What’s the matter, pet?”

 

“What?  Oh, sorry……I just get the feeling I’m being followed by…….oh never mind.”

 

They ambled on, Buffy oddly comfortable in the companionable silence.  This was weird.  She’d only just met him but he seemed so familiar.  She had no idea what impulse had her linking his arm with a total stranger.  And the arm felt snug cradled against her side, right temperature and…………….. A sudden chill stroked icy fingers down her spine.  She turned her head slowly as she walked, holding her breath as she swept her eyes up and across their linked arms, his muscular bicep, his chest….She knew what she would find when she saw his face.

 

Pushing him away from her, she reached into her coat for a stake.

 

“You’re a vampire!”

 

He laughed, his ridged brow and fangs glinting in the moonlight.  Lazily he clapped his hands, amber eyes glinting with amusement.

 

“Yeah?  What gave it away?  Man, callin’ yourself the Slayer.  What happened to that special ability to spot a demon, love?  Not feeling up to it tonight?”

 

Buffy faltered a little.  Why hadn’t she been able to spot he was a vampire straight off?  Was it the fact that he was drop dead gorgeous and had her forgetting anything but baby blue eyes and sculpted cheekbones?  Way to focus, Buffy!

 

With a snarl she launched herself at him intending to stake him on first contact; Spike sidestepped easily, laughing at the thrill of fighting his third Slayer.  This was just bloody marvellous!  He’d only just come to this deadbeat town and his prey was already putty in his hands.  A part of him watched, detached from it all, and conceded that this girl had something special.  Yeah, she was hot – no doubt about it.  And kind of innocent too, very young and still with the baby face.  But the way she moved was far from innocent, and it hit him in the groin, his cock stiffening as she circled him for another shot with the stake.

 

It would be a pity to off her really; she was just begging for a good rogering.  Maybe he’d drain her a little, keep her conscious then……Odd feeling, that.  He shook himself out of his reverie, ignoring the twinge of unease he’d felt at the thought of forcing himself on her.  He’d done it before, revelled in it in fact.  But somehow he felt as if he wanted her to want it, plead for it – want him. 

 

He dropped to avoid her spin kick, shooting a punch to her abdomen from the ground.  The Slayer cried out in pain and he smirked; he was still the Big Bad despite his disturbing thoughts.  Before she recovered he moved in to grab her from behind, pinning one arm up between them and reaching to expose her neck, fangs ready to strike.

 

A harsh light flooded the cemetery, strong gusts of wind following in its wake.

 

As the light faded, the vampire and the slayer lay entwined on the ground, unconscious.

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