“Look at them… aren’t they cute?” Aphrodite says with a playful smile on her face while looking down upon the earth.

“Cute? More like annoying! They must really hate each other. They fight so often and they always threaten to kill each other! I like these two!” Ares says happily.

“Of course you would like the fighting.” Aphrodite sighs. “They really don’t hate each other you know…they are just too scared or proud to admit their true feelings. It’s wrong, and they know it. But really, they do belong together. It’s so romantic!” Aphrodite says dreamily.

“Humph. Love. If they love each other so much, why do they constantly hurt each other, not just physically, but emotionally?” Ares challenges.

“Because they are both scared! Think about it, they are mortal adversaries. In every fiber of their being they are supposed to strive to kill each other, yet they do not. Why do you think that is, if they hate each other so much?” Aphrodite challenges back. Ares grumbles and moans.

 “Why are we even talking about two pathetic mortals…er, I mean, one pathetic mortal and one pathetic immortal?” Ares asks throwing his hands in the air.

“These two aren’t just any body. They have purpose…I can see it. I was immediately drawn to her energy, but his is just as enticing as the girl’s. I can see their true feelings, even if they cannot.” Aphrodite tells him.

“So tell me again why that’s so interesting?” Ares asks trying to be patient.

“I want to play a game.” Aphrodite says and smiles like a five year old on Christmas morning.

“A game?” Ares says wearily. He knew what her ideas of games were: Try and match up the most unlikely couple on the face of the planet. They played often, betting on her games. He had to admit that she won a lot, but he got in his fare share of winnings too. An evil grin plays across his face.

“Alright, I’ll take you up on your bet. What are the stakes?” Ares asks.

“If I loose, I’ll make any girl you want fall in love with you. If you loose….” Aphrodite says, a small smile curling up her lips. “You’ll just have to end the next two wars peacefully.” Aphrodite tells him.

“ARE YOU MAD?! You want me to call PEACE?” Ares says curling up his nose as if she just told him to eat human feces.

“Take it or leave it.” Aphrodite says, knowing full well he would accept. The only thing he valued more than war was sex.

“Fine.” Ares agrees, somewhat reluctantly.

“Good. Now…what shall we do to intervene a little…?” Aphrodite asks herself as she taps her index finger on her lip.

    “I rather liked the intervention last time we played…do you think that suitable for these two?” Ares asked curiously. The outcome of the last game fell in his favor. The two ‘pawns’ had killed each other. That was a good night for the God of War.

    “Hmm, it could work… from the whole ‘parker’ thing I saw her go through, she doesn’t just ‘give it up’ for anyone…” Aphrodite says out loud to herself. Such an intervention could awaken the couple’s desire for each other.

    “Or maybe like the time we locked the Puritan and the Wiccan in the same room? I liked that one!” Ares says quickly. He had won that bet, the two had killed each other. But this was Aphrodite’s game, and it was her intervention. It’s a good thing his turn to pick the intervention was next time.

    “No I think I like the first idea better. Yes. I shall will it so.” Aphrodite says happily, and Ares groans. He should have kept his big mouth shut.

    “Slayer, move your ass! I don’t fancy getting shredded up into lil’ bits here!” Spike yells at her twenty feet away. He is currently ‘distracting’ the second demon while she fights off the other one.

    “Gee that would be SO tragic!” Buffy says sarcastically as she takes another swing at the demon with her ax. After a couple more swings she finally beheads it and it collapses to the ground.

    “Argh! Slayer!” Spike shouts as the demon tears its claws into his chest. Buffy quickly runs up behind it and with a swing of her ax she beheads the second one as well. Spike is sitting on the ground holding his bloodied side, panting for un-needed breath.

    “You okay?” Buffy asks with all the interest of asking a stranger ‘how are you today?’.

    “Just peachy. Took you bloody long enough to get ‘slice and dice’ off my back here!”

    “Sorry, I was busy actually doing stuff.” Buffy says and Spike glares at her.

    “You know, when a bloke risks his un-life to help you out, you’d think you’d at least be a little nicer to him!”

    “Yeah, like you’re not getting paid to do this.” Buffy says.

    “Well a bloke’s gotta live somehow. It’s a lot better than bein’ chained to your watcher’s tub while drinking blood out a novelty mug!”

    “Ugh, why do Laithron demons blood have to be so…slimy and chunky?” Buffy says curling up her nose at the corpse on the ground.

    “Donno, but it’s a lovely shade for you.” Spike says as he points to a few spots of it on her jacket and skirt.

    “Oh damn it! Yuck! Great, this is my favorite skirt too!” Buffy complains.

    “Yeah, I guess slaying just  isn’t fashion sense compatible.” Spike says with a chuckle.

    “You should talk fang breath. It’s on your duster too.” Buffy says with a giggle. Spike looks down at his favorite coat quickly and sees several large splatter trails of the demons blood.

     “Bugger! Demon blood is hard to get out too!” Spike says. They start walking again off to find the next batch of trouble that always seems to be brewing in Sunnydale graveyards. After walking for a few minutes Spike notices that Buffy has a perplexed look on her face and keeps wiping her forehead, swallowing and rubbing her stomach.

    “You okay slayer?”

    “I’m fine.” She says quickly. Spike can tell she is lying. He can hear that her heart rate has sped up a little.

    “You don’t look okay.” He says taking note of her paled complexion.

    “I don’t know…I feel kind of…”

    “Sick?” He asks, quirking an eyebrow.

    “I-I’ve never really been sick before… I don’t know.” Buffy says. Spike sighs and places his hand on her forehead.

    “What are you doing?” Buffy asks defensively.

     “I’m checking your temperature damn it, hold still.” He tells her.

    “Spike, you’re dead. How the hell can you tell what temperature I am when *you* don’t have one?”

    “Humans are 98.6, I can tell the difference between 98.6° and 98.2° blood. What makes you think I can’t tell the difference in *your* body temperature? You have a fever slayer.” Spike tells her.

    “That’s impossible, I don’t have a fever! I’m not hot. But it is freezing out here.”

    “Well that’s the beauty of a fever love, they don’t make you hot, they make you cold.”

    “That doesn’t make any sense! Why would you be cold if your body is hot?”

    “I don’t know! Ask your bloody watcher, I’m dead, remember? Human illnesses aren’t my specialty!”

    “They aren’t mine either! I don’t get sick….! I’ve never been sick!” Buffy says. They walk in silence for a few minutes, but then Buffy nearly stumbles over.

    “Woah…I feel really dizzy.” She says as she holds a tombstone for support.

     “Christ, can you walk? I’m taking you to the watcher’s.”

    “He has a name fang breath, it’s Giles. I don’t know…I kinda feel like I’m on a boat.” She says as she releases the tombstone and holds out her arms for balance. She nearly stumbles again and Spike takes her by the shoulder to steady her.

    “Your in bad shape. No more patrolling for you tonight.” He says as they take slow steps so she can get her bearings.

     “How the hell did I get sick? Maybe it’s because of the demon…” Buffy mumbles to herself.

    “Donno love, I’ve never heard of Laithron demons. Where the hell did your watcher…er, Giles dig these things up anyway?”

    “I don’t know. I got the ‘Slayer’ call from him.” Buffy says and then imitates the call she got from Giles earlier that evening: “Buffy, there is a Laithron demon lurking about in the graveyard. I need you to go patrolling at once.”

    “How James Bond-ish. Are you sure he didn’t say: ‘In ten seconds I will self destruct’?” Spike jokes. That would be something to see. Buffy rolls her eyes.

    “No but I think he said something about the blood…” Buffy trails off, suddenly remembering Giles’ warning.

    “Oh shit.” Buffy swears at herself. “I completely forgot! He said ‘don’t get the blood on you, its poisonous!’”

     “Bloody hell!” Spike says as he quickly grabs her in his arms and runs to Giles’ house.

     “Watcher!” Spike kicks at the door with his foot since his arms are currently carrying a very dizzy slayer. A few seconds later a tired looking Giles opens the door. His eyes go wide the second he sees Buffy and Spike.

    “What happened?”

    “She got some of the demon’s blood on her, she’s sick.” Spike says as he lays Buffy down on the couch.

    “Dear Lord. Buffy I told you not to get the demon’s blood on you!” Giles says.

    “Oops.” Buffy says timidly. Giles sighs and removes his glasses.

    “How are you feeling?” Giles asks.

    “Cold, tired, achy, dizzy and thirsty.” Buffy tells him.

    “She has a temperature of 100.2° last I checked.” Spike says as he walked into the kitchen and got a glass of water for her. She drank it quickly.

    “How do you know that?” Giles asked. Spike groans, really not wanting to go over it again.

    “He has a built-in vampy thermometer.” Buffy says. At Giles’ questioning looks Spike walks over to her and puts his hand on Buffy’s forehead again.

    “She’s 100.6° now.” Spike says masking the worry in his voice. Giles gets up and walks into his bathroom and fetches his thermometer. He places it in Buffy’s mouth and removes it a minute later to check Spike’s accuracy.

    “100.6°.” Giles says and raises his eyebrows. Strange.

    “Okay, now that we’re all fascinated by Spikes ability, can we please cure me?” Buffy says impatiently.

    “Right, uh, sorry. I’ll begin research at once.”

    “Begin?? You mean you don’t know already??” Buffy shouts.

     “Well…um, no.”

    “You mean you sent her after this creature that you knew was poisonous and didn’t bother to find out the cure, just in case she got it on her??!” Spike shouts at him furiously.

    “I told her to be careful of the blood!” Giles defends himself.

    “Oh right, like accidents *don’t* happen! It’s the friggin’ Hellmouth Watcher!” Spike shouts back.

    “GUYS! Can you stop fighting and figure out how to cure me already??” Buffy shouts at them. Spike and Giles look down at her, and then look back at each other.

    “She’s right. Break out the books watcher.” Spike says and takes a few steps back to get some distance between them before he decides, chip or no, he would rip out the watcher’s throat.

    Giles sighs, feeling guilty. Spike was right, he should have researched a cure before sending her after the demon. Not only are there no coincidences on the hell mouth, Murphy’s law exists, usually times three. Whatever can go wrong, will always go wrong.

    “Right. I’ll get on it.” Giles says and walks to the bookshelves.

    “How did you find out there were Laithron demons here in good ol’ Sunnyhell anyway?” Spike asks.

    “I was out walking and I saw one.” Giles says.

    “What is a Laithron demon?” Spike asks.

    “I’m not entirely sure. I’ve heard of them but I don’t know a whole lot. I just know that their blood is poisonous.”

     Spike rolls his eyes. How these people ever managed to constantly thwart his plans, he would never know.

     “Well that’s a start.” Spike mumbled sarcastically under his breath. If he wanted to help Buffy, he would have to play nice. And he wanted to help Buffy. It went against every thing that he is, but he wanted to help her. He didn’t want to examine why.

     “Okay, so now the girl is infected by the Laithron’s blood. Now what?” Ares asks impatiently.

    “They shall find out the cure.” Aphrodite says simply.

    “And how are they supposed to do that? You know that mortals do not possess the texts for demon Gods.”

    “They will now.” Aphrodite says and takes out a large book.

    “You can’t give them that!” Ares shouts at her.

    “I’m only going to let them borrow it! I’ll get it back after she is cured.”

    “Or if she is dead.” Ares says with a wistful grin. Aphrodite rolls her eyes.

     “War gods…!”

     Aphrodite quickly reaches her hand through the portal and places the book along with the watcher’s other books. With any luck, it will be the first book he looks through. One of the wars that she and Ares were betting on was brewing, and could erupt at any time.

     Earlier, if anyone in the room had been paying attention, they would have notices a large book being placed on top of Giles’ bookshelf. But Spike and Giles had been arguing over the fact that Giles had sent Buffy after a poisonous demon that he didn’t even bother to research.

    So as the two Brits headed to the bookshelf, the book that Aphrodite had smuggled in for them was the first that Giles picked up. His brow furrowed when he looked at the cover.

    “That’s strange. I’ve never seen this book before, I don’t believe it is mine….”

    “Weird symbol on the front…it looks Greek.” Spike says.

    “Hmph. Oh well, might as well look through it.” Giles says with a shrug and takes the book over to his chair while he flips through it. Spike grabs another book from the shelf and sits with it as well. After a few minutes of reading, Giles spots something.

    “I think I found something.” He says, not looking up from the book.

    “Ah, yes, here. Laithron demon.” He says reading aloud: “Laithron demons, minions to the realm of Laithron, where the Gods sometimes dwell.” Giles reads.

    “We fought minions of Greek Gods?” Buffy asks wearily.

    “It appears so, ducks.” Spike says. Buffy moans.

    “No wonder the bastards were so hard to kill.” Buffy says absently rubbing her forehead. Giles continues reading.

    “The minions are often sent to the mortal realm to carry out the orders of the Gods. The blood of the Laithron demon is extremely poisonous. If a mortal is infected and not cured…the result is death.” Giles says, his voice breaking when he read the last part.

    “Okay, so what’s the cure? All for the cure here.” Buffy says quickly. She is still lying on the couch, with a wet washcloth on her forehead and a blanket on her.

    Giles reads the rest in silence.

    “Dear God no!” Giles says closing the book and throwing it on the ground like it was diseased.

     “What? What is it? Giles?” Buffy says.

    “No Buffy. There has to be another way.” Giles says as he gets up and grabs more books from his bookcase.

    “Giles! Tell me!” Buffy says getting worried. Giles turns and gives her a ‘you REALLY don’t want to know’ look.

    Curiosity gets the vampire and Spike picks up the book. He finds the page Giles was reading and reads. His eyes go wide when he read the cure.

    “Bloody hell.” He says under his breath.

    “Spike. Tell me!” Buffy says. Spike looks down at the book and back at her.

    “Uh…I think you should read it. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He says nervously and hands her the book. Her eyes go wide and she quickly shuts the book when she reads the cure.

    “Giles is right. There has to be something else.” Buffy says quickly.

     For another hour the watcher and the vampire scour every book Giles has and come up with nothing.

    “I don’t believe this…there has to be another way.” Giles tries to sound confident, but his voice betrays him. Spike opens the Greek God’s book and reads the cure again, to make sure he read this right:
  The only cure for a Laithron demon’s infection is for the infected one to make love with their mortal enemy, the person they hate the most. Both parties must consent willingly, orgasms must be achieved or the infection will spread and the infected one will die.

     “Er, watcher…this says ‘the only’ cure. That usually means that there isn’t another one.” Spike says.

    “Shut up Spike. You will not touch her.” Giles says.

    “Oh come on! What makes you think I’m the one she hates most?” Spike says, but he already knows the answer. It is definitely him. Matching glares from the Slayer and the Watcher say that it wasn’t just Buffy that ranks him in the top ten people to hate list. Spike sighs.

     “You think I’m happy about this?” Spike says. Actually he *was*. He was more than happy. He had…feelings for Buffy that he couldn’t explain. It wasn’t the same feelings he had for Dru…that was different, but somehow similar. With Dru everything was twisted and dark. This feeling he had for Buffy was beautiful and warm. It made him feel like he was alive. Made him wish that he were alive.

    “Oh God…why me?” Buffy says, her hands covering her face.

    “This is the hell mouth. Weird shit happens.” Spike says.

    “This isn’t just weird, it’s sick. Demented. WRONG.” Buffy says.

    “Gee slayer, I was thinking the same thing.” Spike says. On the inside his feelings were hurt. Yes, the fact that she though he was disgusting hurt him more than any of her punches and kicks could ever hurt.

    “There is no other way.” Giles says defeated, hanging his head down.

    “What? Giles, you cant be serious!”

    “Buffy, I don’t want this to happen any more than you do, but I don’t see any other way. It said that the infection would spread and kill you!” Giles says fearfully.

     “Giles…I don’t want to die…” Buffy says as her eyes filled with tears as they embrace in a hug. Her skin is so hot from the fever it nearly scorches him.

    “Buffy your burning up…if your not cured soon…” Giles says quietly as they disengage from the embrace. She nods sadly.

     “I’ll do it…I don’t like it, but I’ll do it.” She says defeated. Giles looks back at Spike, who is leaning against a darkened corner wall. He had been watching them. The shadowed look on his face is haunting, but it doesn’t give any hints as to what was on the vampire’s mind. Giles walks over to him.

    “Will you help her?”

    The words come out of the Watcher’s mouth unwillingly, full of hate and warning. Spike looks up at him and nods slowly, knowing that right now is NOT the time for smart-ass replies and taunts.

    “You hurt her, kill her or upset her in anyway I will personally torture you for months before I kill you, do you understand me?” Giles says seething with hatred, showing a taste of what Ripper could bring the vampire. Spike simply nods again.

    Giles turns from him and returns to Buffy. What a fucked up night.

     “Ha! I knew that they would do it! This bet is as good as won!” Aphrodite says cheerfully.

    “You forget that the real cure isn’t just the sex. It’s the love.” Ares says proudly. Surely they would NOT pass that test.

    “Trust me, if they didn’t want to do this in the first place, they wouldn’t be doing it.” Aphrodite says knowingly.

    “If you insist. We’ll just have to see, wont we?” Ares says.

     Buffy climbs, or rather crawls out of the bathtub filled with cold water. She was all gross and sweaty from the fever, and she wanted to try and cool down before she had to….ugh, she didn’t even want to think about that.
 That damn cure! She didn’t even want to think about what she and Spike had to do! Make love! Not just sex, but LOVE! She didn’t even know if she could conjure feelings like that with him…could she? God, she was as good as dead.

    “The Gods must be demented.” She mumbled to herself as she wiped the water from her skin with the towel. In a few minutes Spike would be touching her…pretty much everywhere. She didn’t know why, but it really should bother her more than it did. She was way too stubborn to admit it, but she was actually kind of curious.

    “Ugh, I did NOT just think that!” Buffy says covering her face with her hands. She then used the towel to get dry her hair as much as possible, and then she put on the robe Giles let her borrow. God this had to be the weirdest night of her life. She slowly walked to the door, so that her spinning head could function. When she opened the door, Spike was standing there with his back against the wall waiting for her. She eyed him wearily.

    “Relax slayer, I’m just here to make sure you don’t fall over.” He tells her. She let him take her arm to steady her as she walked.

    “Where is Giles?”

    “In there.” Spike said motioning to the living room. They make their way in and Spike helps her sit on the couch. Giles is into his third glass of scotch.

    “I can’t believe I’m going to say this…” Giles says out loud to himself.

    “I will…leave for an hour, and give you two some…privacy.” Giles says, wincing at the word. “I made sure Spike fed just incase.” Giles says wearily. Spike rolls his eyes.

    “You can use my room, after which I will burn the sheets and exorcise the room thoroughly.” Giles says taking another large gulp of scotch. He’s going to need a lot more. Buffy nods in understanding. Right now she could use a couple drinks herself. Giles stands and puts on his coat. Buffy wobbles to her feet and gives Giles a hug.

     “Right then. I’ll be back in an hour.” Giles says uncomfortably and walks to the door. He turns and gives Spike a warning look and then walks out the door.

    Buffy and Spike just stand there for a moment in awkward silence, not knowing what to say.

    “Well…um, I guess we should…uh…” Spike says, motioning to the upstairs.

    “Uh…right.” Buffy says feeling like her head would explode. She starts to walk toward the stairs on unsteady feet, but Spike has other ideas. He swoops her up into his arms and starts walking to the stairs.

    “What are you doing?” Buffy asks angrily.

    “Unless you want to crawl up the stairs by yourself, I though this would be a little easier.” Spike says ignoring her protest. Buffy opens her mouth to say something, but shuts it again when she realizes how gentle Spike is being. Actually he hasn’t said or done anything that would be typical ‘Spike’ behavior ever since they found out what the cure was. He stayed silent and hadn’t said anything that could be interpreted to being snide or mean. As weird as it sounded, he was actually being…nice. When they got to the bedroom Buffy got really nervous. Oh God, that’s where they would…oh God.

     He placed her on the bed gently, sitting with her feet over the side. He knelt down beside her and looked into her eyes. It shocked her. His look wasn’t anything but caring. This was SO not what she was expecting. She could instantly feel herself melting under his gaze. He picked up her hand in his and pressed his cool lips to the back of her hand, kissing it, a gesture saying that he respected her and wouldn’t hurt her. The feel of his cool skin against her feverish one sent jolts of pleasure through her. Oh God, was she having this reaction to Spike? Well, he was pretty damn sexy. Those dark blue eyes spoke volumes if you really looked into them.

     He turned her hand over and kissed her palm, slowly trailing kisses up her arm. He stopped at the elbow and looked up at her. Her eyes her half closed and her lips slightly parted. He carefully brushed a lock of hair out of her face and caressed her face, drawing it closer to kiss her. Cool lips on hot ones instantly awakened something within them, and the kiss turned from tender to passionate and wanting. He couldn’t get enough of her, and her of him. Something hit them so quickly they didn’t have time to think about what it was, but just act on it. Whatever it was it felt wonderful and they didn’t want it to stop. The fact that this was *Spike* that she was kissing didn’t matter to her anymore. All that mattered was the feel of him, the gentle yet forceful caresses, and this burning desire that coursed through her very being. They broke their kiss only to remove his shirt and then resume where they left off. This wasn’t about a cure anymore. This was about passion and desire. Something that neither of them allowed themselves to admit they felt, but here it was, in the open and they could allow it.

    He climbed up on the bed with her lying down so that he was half on top of her, one leg in between her thighs and one hand kneading her breast through the robe while he kissed her. It felt incredible. Hot against cold, light against dark. She ran her hands down his muscular back, enjoying the movement of his muscles under her hands.
 She moaned as his hand traced down her stomach and pulled on the tie that held together her robe. Pushing the cloth back his hand moved back to her breast and played with her nipple. Her moan of pleasure nearly drove him crazy. The air was suddenly thick with the scent of her arousal. He needed to keep his head or he would loose his control right then and there just from touching her. He didn’t understand it, he’s never had this reaction to anyone before, never had this much passion- this much need and want before, even with Dru.

     His hand slid down her stomach, past her belly button and paused when he heard Buffy’s quick intake of breath. His fingers ventured farther down and found her ready for him as he stroked her sex. A deep pleasure-laced moan escaped her throat. His expert fingers rubbed against her clit, sending jolts of pleasure through her.

     Buffy had never felt anything like it before. With Angel it had been passionate, yes, but nothing like this. Angel had been gentle, not wanting to do anything too creative because she was a virgin. With Parker he wasn’t creative either. Straight and to the point, missionary style. But this…oh God, what was Spike doing with his hand? Blinding jolts of pleasure were coursing through her, driving her crazy with want and need.

    “Spike…” Buffy panted breathlessly, her voice echoing her desires.

     “Let it go baby, just let it all go.” Spike was saying almost as breathlessly as she was. She didn’t understand, he didn’t even need breath, why was he panting?

    His eyes roamed over her writhing form taking in all of her cries and moans of pleasure. He could tell by her surprised moan when he first touched her there that no one else had bothered. He would have to amend that right away. He wanted to give her as much pleasure as he knew how. They might just stake him after this, so he wanted it to last and last.

    “Oh God, Spike…!” Buffy shuddered, her climax building.

    “Let it go…” He coaxed her again and she cried out, her orgasm shooting her over the edge.  Her body relaxed as she panted breathlessly. When she opened her eyes she saw Spike staring at her intensely.

    “What…was that?” Buffy panted out.

    “That was an orgasm.” Spike said with a grin.

    Oh God. All those times she thought she had had an orgasm…those were NOTHING compared to this.
Spike caressed her cheek and kissed her softly. The kiss quickly turned into dueling passions again, her vigor renewed. She pulled him to her, needing to feel his body against hers. He ground his pelvis into hers, needing to feel her hot center against him and she gasped at the feel of his hardness even through his jeans, pressing against her. The extent of his arousal was clear, and it had to be incredibly painful for him. Her hands traveled down from his chest to the button on his jeans and started to undo them with trembling hands, she wanted him so badly. When the zipper finally came undone he quickly discarded his black jeans, and returned his attentions to her. She boldly took hold of his shaft and started stroking it, slowly at first but then quickening her pace.

    “Christ, pet…” Spike tried to say something, but he was unable to talk as she stroked him faster. She was touching him, and he could barely stand it. He had to be in her *now*.

    “Buffy…I need to feel you…” Spike groaned out between un-needed breaths. She continued to stroke him and a deep growl escaped his throat as he lost control and flipped her on her back and lay on top of her. He kissed her fiercely, lust and need overcoming his sense of control. He *needed* to be inside her.
 He poised his rock hard shaft at her entrance and looked into her eyes, silently asking her if she was ready. In response she claimed his mouth in another kiss as he thrust into her.

     “Oh fuck pet…your so bloody hot.” Spike grunted out in shock, almost expecting to incinerate from her heat. It took him a minute to realize that he hadn’t moved since burying himself in her. Gathering all of his control not to cum right then and there, he began to rock himself in and out of her, slowly at first, then quickening the pace as their needs built.

    “Spike…” Buffy moaned breathlessly. She was thrusting in time to meet his, their coupling becoming more passionate than she ever thought it would be. It wasn’t just about the sex. There was something deeper at play here, passion. A person could have sex all they wanted with whomever they wanted, but it would never feel as good as this did without passion. The gentle caresses, the knowing looks, burning desires and feather light kisses on tender skin. The blinding and searing pleasure that rocketed through them just from a kiss, a touch, a look.

     His hand reached between them where they were joined and his finger rubbed at that torturous little nub of flesh, sending her spinning out of control.

    “Spike please….” Buffy panted out, her voice telling him she was almost there.

    “I’ve got you baby…God I’ve got you.” He says, suddenly realizing this is what he has wanted all this time. He wanted her. He wanted her body, her soul, her heart.

     His realization sent him over the edge, he pounded into her angling himself in a position that he knew would pleasure her beyond no end. She screamed out in response, seeing stars behind her closed eyes as her orgasm erupted hard, a force to be easily compared with all the force behind a volcano erupting. As her vaginal walls clamped around him from her orgasm his own ripped through him, sending powerful spurts of his cold semen into her. His cock pulsed for what seemed like hours. Unable to control himself as he collapsed on top of her, he confessed his revelation.

    “God, I love you Buffy.” He moaned out. As soon as he said it the words registered in his mind, realizing that was probably a very stupid thing to say to the Slayer. Instead she said nothing, but pushed him over onto his back and curled up against him, laying her head on his shoulder. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and held her close, basking in disbelief of the nights’ events. He was holding the slayer in her arms, and had just confessed his love to her after having the most mind blowing, earth shattering sex of his un-life. He had no idea how this petite blonde who had the strength of ten men and was the sworn enemy of his kind had ever captured his heart, but she had.

     “Spike…?” Buffy finally regained her voice.

    “Yeah pet?” Spike asked softly as he absently stroked her hair.

    “Is it true? I mean…did you just say that because….” Buffy paused, unable to continue the sentence. “…Or did you mean it?”

    “That depends luv. Are you gonna stake me if I tell you?” He asked cautiously.

    “No. But I might kick your ass.”

    Spike chuckled.

    “Fairs fair luv.” Spike said, taking in an unneeded breath. “Yeah, I meant it. How the hell you did it, I’ll never know.”

     “Me? What did I do?” She asks incredulously.

    “Made my undead heart beat again, Buffy.” He said seriously, looking into her eyes. For a few silent moments, they look into each other’s eyes almost searching for truth.

    “Y-you’re serious…” Buffy says, her brows furrowing in wonder.

    “As death, pet.” Spike says.

    “I-I don’t know what to say…” Buffy says in shock.

    “Don’t say anything pet.” Spike says as he captures her lips in another kiss. It quickly turned into more.
 Buffy was still in shock. *He loves me? When did that happen? I thought he hated me...* And she hated him….right? *God, I can’t even lie to myself.*

    Buff pulled away from the kiss for air. She was panting heavily. When she finally calmed a bit she looked up into his blue eyes again. She felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn’t lie to him.

    “Spike…I think…I think I love you too.”

    The only word to describe the look on the vampires’ face is bliss. Pure bliss. His mouth captured hers again and they battled hungrily. Soon he had her pinned beneath him making love to her again. This time their orgasms collided so forcefully, Spike let out a monstrous shout and Buffy screamed.

    “Jesus…I think they might have heard us in LA luv.” Spike panted out. Buffy shook her head sleepily.

    “Nope, I think more like Seattle.”

     Spike chuckled as he kissed her forehead.

     “Wow, I’m beat.” Buffy said, barely able to keep her eyes open.

    “Yeah, it must be from all the near death and mind blowing sex.” Spike said as he got under the covers and pulled her up next to him.

    “Sleep luv, we have another ten minutes or so until the wa-…Giles gets back.” He says stroking her arms, his own eyelids unable to stay open.

    “Okay…but just for a minute.” Buffy said, already falling asleep, curled up in Spike’s embrace.

    They both realized at that moment how perfectly their bodies fit together. They were so comfortable in each other’s arms it was almost scary. Almost.

    Just as Buffy began to drift off into sleep, a rumbling noise woke her. She lifted her head from Spikes chest and peered at him.

     *My god! He’s purring!* She thought amazed. Angel never purred…! She wondered what was causing it. She nuzzled her warm cheek against his chest and tightened her arm around his waist, and sure enough the purring got deeper as his arms tightened around her.

    “Spike?” Buffy said softly.

    “Mmm?”

    “You’re purring.”

    One blue eye opened sleepily, slowly followed by another. His brows furrowed for a moment as the sound was still softly emanating from his chest.

    “I am...” He said as much as a statement as a question. The sound suddenly stopped.

    “I like it.” She said quickly, urging him to start again.

    “Can’t say that’s ever happened before, luv.” Spike said.

    “I think it’s sexy.”

    His blue eyes looked down at hers quickly. A lascivious grin spread across his face immediately and the rumbling in his chest started up immediately.

    “In that case luv, I’ll purr all the time.”

     Buffy laughed sleepily and snuggled up to him again, drifting off to sleep in the arms of her purring vampire.

     “Ha! I won!” Aphrodite smiled triumphantly.  Ares groaned and rubbed a hand over his face.

    “Great. That’s one for the Watcher’s diaries. ‘Vampire Slayer falls in love with soulless vampire...!’” He said sarcastically, still looking through the portal at the lovers with a glare.

    “I told you! I sure know how to pick them!” Aphrodite complements herself.

    “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Ares says wearily. Then he perks up suddenly.

    “Hold on a second…there might be some carnage in this after all.” Ares says with a small grin on his face, watching the scene through the portal.

    “Oh dear God.” Giles winces when he sees the vampire and his Slayer cuddled up together on his bed.

    “I am definitely going to need more scotch!” Giles said out loud and hurried downstairs to the liquor cabinet. He poured himself a generous glass and downed it in one shot. He then poured himself another.

     Suddenly the front door opened as Xander and Willow entered, Willow laughing at something Xander had said. Giles looked up as he was ready to down his second glass.

     “What are you two doing here?”

    “G-man, glad to see you too.” Xander quipped.

    “Late night research, remember?” Willow said. The look on Giles’ face told her he didn’t. “You know…military weirdo’s running around Sunnydale…? The soldiers that are implanting doohickeys in demons and Vampires?” Willow elaborated. Giles eyebrows shot up in realization and he quickly set down his glass.

    “Right, right. Sorry, it must have slipped my mind.” Giles said.

    “So where is Buffster?” Xander asked looking around. Giles winced.

"I think you two are going to need to sit down. I know I do.” Giles said as he motioned for them to sit. He started to tell them about the demon Buffy and Spike fought, as well as the poisonous blood that made Buffy sick, when Spike came out of the room from upstairs, followed by Buffy. They made their way down the stairs when everyone turned and looked at them, taking in their appearance. They were completely disheveled. Spike was wearing only his black jeans, while Buffy was wearing the bathrobe, loosely tied around her. Spike’s hair was messed up, free and curly from it’s usual slicked back appearance. Buffy’s hair was no better- tangled and wild looking. But what got everyone were the huge smiles that were plastered on both of their faces, and the fact that they were holding hands.

“Hey guys, what are you doing here?” Buffy asked curiously.

“Uh, late night research party, remember?” Willow said in a small voice.

“What the hell is going on here?” Xander asked.

“That is what I was trying to explain…” Giles said uncomfortably.

“And why the hell are they holding hands?!” Xander says, ignoring him.

Both blondes look down and suddenly realize that they were holding hands. Out of instinct they quickly released their hold, but felt a pang of remorse of the loss of the other’s hand.

“Xander do shut up and let me explain!” Giles said loosing patience. The teens and the vampire looked at him in shock at his outburst.

“I’m sorry, it’s just been a terribly disturbing night.” Giles apologizes and runs a hand through his hair.

Giles pulled out the book from the Greek gods to show to Willow and Xander, knowing that they would have to read it for themselves to believe it. After reading the passage Willow just had a stunned look on her face, but Xander had a look that was a mixture of disgust and anger.

“You let him touch her!?” Xander shouted at Giles.

“We didn’t have a choice!” Giles shouted back.

“He could have killed her!”

“Uh…he is right here.” Spike said raising his hand. Xander and Giles ignored him.

“Don’t you think I know that?” Giles said heatedly.

“I don’t know, did you? How could you agree to this?!”

“I didn’t agree to anything! The decision was Buffy and Spike’s!”

“Oh like either one of them were rational enough to make that decision!”

Spike wanted to tear the pillock’s head off for the things he was saying, but fortunately for him, the Slayer had similar ideas in her head. Xander found himself on the receiving end of a knuckle sandwich.

“Christ Buffy!” Xander said looking up at her from the floor, holding his jaw.

“Xander, I’m only going to say this once, so listen and don’t you dare forget it! I’m sick of you getting jealous every time my love life enters a conversation. You don’t have *any* right to judge my decisions, YOU GOT THAT? I don’t want to EVER hear your opinions on who I can and cannot love!” Buffy says, staring the boy directly in the eyes, her body language clearly stating every hint of her slayer strength behind every move she made.

All Xander could do was nod mutely, still clutching his jaw

“Good.” Buffy spat out.

“Because I'm in love with Spike, and I don’t want to hear another word!”

More shocked silence fills the room.

“Where did I put that scotch?” Giles says dejectedly.

“HA! Violence!” Ares says happily. Aphrodite rolls her eyes.

“Yes well, that’s all the violence you’ll be seeing for quite some time Ares. Pay up!” Aphrodite says triumphantly. Ares groans.

“Fine, fine. Peace it is.” Ares says miserably.

“Awww, cheer up. If you get too bored you can watch the Slayer any time you want. She gets her fair share of violence every day. And now with the vampire around, he’ll find out soon enough he can help her. Twice as much violence. Two for the price of one”

Ares seems to cheer up a bit at that news.

“No time to pout, the war is about to begin.” Aphrodite warns him.

“Fine, lets go.” Ares says and the two Gods walk into the portal leading them to the next realm.

“Wait! We forgot the book!!” Ares turns to go back to Liathron, but the portal has already closed.

“Oops.” Aphrodite gives him a timid look. Ares sighs.

“You’re taking the blame for that!” Ares grumbles and walks away. Aphrodite grins maliciously behind his back.

She didn’t forget the book at all. She meant to leave it there, for the Vampire and the Slayer.

Back in Giles’ apartment, the book lay on the coffee table. In the coming years it would help them advert several apocalypses, and serve as a reminder of the day two mortal adversaries found love.

The End