"There's something big going on," said Buffy, sitting next to Spike on a tombstone, still on alert. "We've slain so many vampires tonight, I totally lost count… and they just keep on coming.

"I know," said Spike distractedly.

He had perceived that familiar smell again on the last vampires they had slain, as if…

"And the increase began all of a sudden, a few days ago, as if somebody is creating an army," continued Buffy, distracting Spike from his train of thoughts. "And the weather is so cold," she added shivering.

"Something's odd," said Spike pensively. "These vampires we've been slaying lately, there's something about them… I can’t put my finger on it."

"They're all male," said Buffy lightly. "But that's not too unusual."

'Dru,' thought Spike suddenly tensing and starring in front of him with wide eyes. 'They smelled like Dru.'

"Spike, what?" asked Buffy.

"Nothing," he said standing up. "Let's call it a night."

"Wait! Something's wrong and I want to know what!"

He was about to say something when four vampires walked in front of them.

"Oh well! If it’s not Spike," said the biggest of them. "Our mistress wants to see you. And she sent us to fetch you."

"Well," said Spike flippantly. "I don't want to see her. So move along or I'll kill you!"

Of course, the stupidity of these vampires was not different from any other fledglings. As one, they attacked and Spike was glad for the distraction. Maybe this interruption would divert Buffy’s attention from her questions, questions he was not ready to answer, not before he confronted her.

In less than 3 minutes, the vampires were dust and Buffy looked at him.

"Let’s go home, shall we?" she asked smiling.

Grinning, Spike followed her home, the questions obviously forgotten, to his immense relief.

They walked home silently, tired from their night of patrolling. Once home, Buffy went to check on Dawn, while Spike took a shower.

Buffy walked into her room after her shower and found Spike sitting on the rocking chair, starring at the room distractedly. He hadn't even dressed. He still had his towel around his waist.

She looked at him from the door. The lights from the street were reflecting on his muscled chest. She liked to lie against this chest, to feel his powerful arms around her petite frame. She felt so secure in his arms. He was so strong, and she knew she could always rely on him. He had become a solid presence that comforted her, and let her be who she was, without trying to change her. He had fallen in love with the real her, not a facade her. And she knew now that she loved him for him, too.

For a long time, she had thought that the chip made him who he was but now, she thought otherwise. He had proven himself again and again, and she knew, deep inside her heart, that if the chip was to stop working, he would still be the same man he was right now, sitting on her… their chair.

And she remembered how wonderful this man was.

His eyes looked up at her and she smiled. Slowly, she walked towards him and straddled his lap. The towel she was holding to her chest parted a little and she knew he could see some of her nakedness.

He pulled her towards him to hug her in his arms and she could feel his half-hardened sex on hers through the towel that was separating them. She looked at him and she knew he could see as much longing on her face as she could see on his.

Her lips approached his and she kissed him sweetly. She let her towel go and encircled his neck with both her arms. He pulled her closer to him and answered her kisses gladly. Slowly, he stood up, letting their towel fall to the floor, and carried her towards the bed, the bed they had shared quite often lately. He pulled the blankets away and laid her on it. He lay next to her and covered them both.

They looked at each other for a few minutes, silently admiring each other. Timidly, Buffy's hand found its way to Spike's face and she gently touched his squared jaw. He closed his eyes and kissed her hand. She then felt a timid hand on her breast and she gasped, surprised at the unusual coldness of the touch.

She took her hand away from Spike's face and she lightly touched his chest, his stomach and finally, found his now fully erected sex. Spike moaned softly.

"Buffy," he whispered. "Buffy…"

Buffy had the incredible desire to taste him. She pulled the blanket over her head and began to kiss his shoulders, his nipples, his chest, his stomach, and then, she took him in her mouth. He was cold, but he felt good and right. And she felt his hands on her shoulder and on her head, caressing her through the sheet that was hiding her from his view.

She sucked on him, alternating between playing with the head of his penis with her tongue, and taking him deep in her mouth. She began to move back and forth, pressing her lips hard around his sex, her hand pressing on the hilt of his erection. She took his balls in her other hand, caressing them lovingly. She could hear Spike moan, enjoying it, like she wanted him to.

"Buffy! Stop! You'll make me come!"

But Buffy didn't stop. She wanted to give him the pleasure she felt he deserved for being here with her, loving her, and accepting her for who and what she was.

Groaning, and trying inefficiently to push Buffy's mouth away, Spike came, spilling his seed in his Slayer's delicate mouth. Buffy, for the first time of her life, felt sperm in her mouth. The taste was particular but, fighting the urge to gag, she swallowed it all, making Spike shiver with pleasure.

When she was done, she found her way out from under the blankets, trailing kisses along Spike chest and shoulders. She emerged right at his face and kissed him deeply. She looked into his blue eyes which were looking back at her with a mixture of surprise and contentment at what she had done to him. He realised that, not too long ago, she would not have gone that far with him, the thought of swallowing his seed disturbing her. But now, he could see it was different. She had accepted him on a totally new level and he only wished that some day, she would love him like he loved her.

He simply didn't know that she did, she had never told him.

His mouth found hers and hungrily, he kissed her, wanting to give back all the pleasure and satisfaction she had given him.

He pushed her on her back and rolled over her. He captured one of her breasts in his hand and the other one with his avid mouth. She was so soft, and she smelled so good. On top of her vanilla scent, he could smell her arousal and his sex responded to her, wanting to be deep inside her. He could feel her pull at his head, trying to bring his mouth to hers.

"I'm burning to feel you inside of me," she whispered, suppliantly.

But Spike took his time. Kissing her neck and her jaw, he began to tease her clitoris with small pressure from his erection. Buffy gasped and shivered under him. She wanted to feel him inside of her so much that it hurt.

"Please, please," she begged, crazy with desire.

When he penetrated her, slowly, lovingly, Buffy grabbed his neck and held on to him tightly, her body shaking and shivering with the intensity of her pleasure. She moaned, biting his shoulder and closing her eyes. She could already feel the climax build inside of her.

If at all possible, Buffy's reaction to having him inside her now was stronger than any other time they had made love since he had gone to the Initiative. She was in total ecstasy. This was another indication that something was different, that her feelings toward him had changed. And Spike thought that making love to her had become so much more intense and pleasurable. There was nothing he liked more than seeing his Slayer giving herself totally to him, and enjoying it so much that she became lost in him. He loved to see the pleasure on her face, feel the tension in her body, and hear her moans of release.

He felt her inner muscles contract on his sex and she moaned with her release. Giving her time to recuperate, he stopped moving inside of her, and concentrate on gently kissing her face and neck. Once she had calmed a little, he began to move in her again, bringing her to a second climax, and his own release.

Saying her name like a hymn, he came when he felt her inner muscles contract powerfully around him.

God, he loved her, he loved to make love to her.

He collapsed on her chest, letting her caress his back for a while before rolling to his back, and pulling her close to him.

It wasn't long before sleep claimed his spent Slayer.

Spike made sure his Slayer was fast asleep before he got out of bed. He knew, without a doubt, who was raising this army of vampires and he wanted to confront her, alone. He didn't want Buffy to get in the way and, considering what had happened the last time Dru was in town, he surely didn't want his ex-lover and his Slayer in the same room together. No, they needed information and having the two of them in the same place was surely not a good way to get any…

Bloody women!

Quickly, Spike got dress and walked out of the room. A few minutes later, he was on his way towards the industrial sector of Town. He didn't know for sure where Drusilla was but he was fairly certain he would find her at the old warehouse. It was the only place big enough to contain a considerable amount of people, or vampires, and Drusilla always thought of the place like home.

His suspicions were confirmed as soon as he neared the premises: he could feel her and all her insanity.

'How did I stay with her for so long?' he thought, almost disgusted with himself. 'Was she that worth it, that convenient?'

He easily walked towards the building, avoiding the guards that were posted all around. These minions were like all the others: fairly incompetent and not at all in league to deal with a Master vampire like him. And, of course, they were so numerous and noisy they wouldn't even hear a train go by.

He found Drusilla in the middle of the warehouse, dancing to music only she could hear, holding Miss Edith in her arms. She was surrounded by two dozens vampires who were feeding on a long dead body.

'Bloody Hell! They don't have any class!' thought Spike repulsed.

And he remembered that, not too long ago, he wouldn't have cared… Bloody Slayer, she had really made a kitten out of him.

As if she had felt him, Drusilla suddenly stopped dancing, and looked at the door where Spike was standing.

"My little Spike! I knew you'd come," she simply said.

Her eyes were more insane than he remembered.

"Have you seen my new family?" she asked, looking at her childes feeding from the dead body.

"Yeah! Pet! I saw… Why did you come back?" he asked, slowly walking toward her.

The feeding minions were totally oblivious to the master vampire approaching their mistress.

"I got this voice in my head, it keeps singing to me," she answered looking around her like the demented person that she was.

"And what does it sing, Dru?" asked Spike gently, not getting any closer to her.

He knew he could get it out of her if he asked gently.

"'Flow, Flow, The blood flow, Build two armies of one hundred, Mix their blood in a marmitte, Mix, Mix the blood in a marmitte. And the drinker will summon thee, To open the gate and have a party,'" sang Drusilla laughing and dancing. "Miss Edith loves the song in my head."

'What’s a bloody marmitte?' wondered Spike.

"Do you hear anything else, Dru?" he asked out loud.

"The voice in my head said that we need a big family."

"And why would that be?" asked Spike, stepping closer to her.

Drusilla stopped dancing and looked at him suddenly distressed and upset.

"She tainted you!" she accused. "The Slayer! I smell *her* on you!"

"Dru, why would you need a big family?" he asked again, ignoring her accusation.

"No! No! No!" said Dru, grabbing her head in her hands. "You're hers now… You're an enemy of the cause, an enemy of the drinker."

Drusilla collapsed and started sobbing, rocking her body back and forth.

"My Spike is an enemy…" she cried.

The minions raised their head, alarmed by their mistress’ sobs and looked at Spike curiously. Spike decided to leave discreetly before things got out of hand. Anyway, he had some information to begin his search. He would definitely need the witches’ help on this one. All these ramblings about a drinker of blood might mean something to them.

He grinned at Dru’s minions and began to walk towards the door. To his immense surprise, they didn’t follow, to preoccupied were they with taking care of Drusilla.

Spike was on his way to the Magic Box when he fished in his pocket for his pack of cigarettes. Realising he didn’t have any left, and how physically and emotionally exhausted he was, he stopped walking.

‘First, a stop at Willy's might not be a bad idea,’ he thought, changing direction.

Meeting Drusilla was always a challenge to a man's mind, or a vampire's. Spike had loved her so much and deep inside, he still felt a little something for her. He wondered if Buffy still had this same ache for Angel. Since he didn't really like to think about the Poofter, his damn soul, and his impendent redemption, he thought about Drusilla again…

Not that he wanted redemption or anything…

He had loved Dru a lot. He had done everything for her. But she had left him. Now he wondered how he had actually stayed sane all those years with her. He had shown a marvellous amount of patience at the time, especially in her psychotic episodes and when she had wanted to play. He did not know if he would be able to go through her games anymore. He remembered the pain they had caused their human victims, and sometimes, the pain that she, Angelus, and Darla had inflicted him.

Angelus and Darla. These two had been a pair. And they had hated him so much.

When Drusilla had turned him, he had been a lunatic romantic poet. He wondered if Buffy would have liked what he had been…

Being new at doing evil, he had been pathetic compared to Angelus and Darla's cruelty. They both were savage beasts, and he never had had their respect, even after he had killed a slayer. After that, they only had been jealous that he actually managed it, especially since they thought he was an incompetent idiot.

And Drusilla had been so proud of him. But she wasn't in love with him, never in love. He was her toy that 'Daddy' had allowed her to have. He had been such an idiot. He was lucky he hadn't lost his sanity.

Willy's was awfully quiet that night. Only one other demon was in the bar, and there were no other vampires.

"Spike! It's been a while!" said Willy cheerfully.

Willy was never happy to see Spike but today, he seemed to be, which only meant that something was dramatically bothering his business.

"Mug of O neg," ordered Spike, sitting at the bar.

Willy obliged and served Spike.

"That'll be $15," said Willy putting the mug in front of Spike.

"$15?! Bloody Hell! That's three times what you charged me a month ago!" said Spike surprised.

"Hey, body," said Willy. "Blood is not an easy found commodity nowadays… And a guy has to survive."

Spike paid.

"So, what's up Willy? You scared your clients away?" asked Spike sipping at his blood.

At least, it was good and reasonably fresh.

"No… Well, I hope not. I heard there's this big thing coming to town."

"What 'big thing'?" asked Spike, pretending not to be interested.

"Well, see, apparently there's a lot of vampires moving in and a lot of newbies fresh from the graves around… Which could explain in part why there's such a shortage of blood…"

Spike hadn't noticed any shortage of blood supply since the Slayer and the Nibblet had been the one to get him his pig blood lately.

"Yes," said Willy pensively. "There's something really big on the move."

"And what would that be?" asked Spike with his most intimidating tone.

And Spike saw Willy begin to fret uncomfortable. The short man had surely realised that he had spoken too much and Spike wouldn't leave before he told him everything he knew.

The last occupant of the bar left on his own business, leaving Spike and Willy by themselves.

"N-no need to hit me!" said Willy still nervous. "I'll tell you what you want to know… Anyway, there's nobody here to convince you got the answers out of an unwilling me!"

"So spill it!" said Spike, amused at the bartender and somewhat puzzled by the fact that the short man still thought he could hurt him.

Habits definitely died hard.

"Well, apparently there's this new mage in town," began Willy.

"Mage?" asked Spike frowning.

"Yes. And this mage is planning a ceremony of some sort… You know, something big."

"And what does that have to do with blood supplies?"

"Apparently, his ceremony needs vampire’s blood… and a lot of it, too."

"Hum! An army of 100 vampires blood, or two…" said Spike pensively. "That would do a number on blood supplies…"

"That, I don't know," said Willy. "But I surely don't like this guy… He's bad for business," added Willy, looking at his empty bar.

"Anything else that I should know?" asked Spike, finishing his mug and standing up.

"Yeah! I've heard your ex’s name quite a few times…"

"Yeah! I know. The sodding nut head is in town."

Willy took the news without comment.

"Well, Willy, if there's anything else, you know the Slayer's phone number."

And Spike left, not even bothering to leave a tip. He was supposed to be evil after all…

It was almost dawn when Spike came back to Buffy's house. Not wanting to wake up his Slayer, he went to the basement. He took out his bag of money and began to count it, to have an idea of how much he had left. He hadn't really kept track of what he had spent so far, like he should have done, but hey! What use did a vampire really have for money? A normal vampire would only need to rob a happy meal on legs or two, but he wasn't a normal vampire anymore. He was developing a bloody conscience because of his bloody adoration for a bloody Slayer! He was so pathetic, even the Poofter would laugh.

He was so concentrated on brooding and counting that he didn't hear the girls walking upstairs. He only realised that they were awake when one of them opened the basement door and began to come down the stairs.

Panicked, Spike looked around to find somewhere to hide the money and, finding nothing, he lay down on top of it, putting his hands behind his head, just on time to see Nibblet appear.

"Spike? We thought you’d gone to your crypt."

"Nope. Came back late. Thought I would use the basement for the day… It's a lot quieter," said Spike defensively.

"Yeah! Right! Like the basement is more quiet than a cemetery!" said Dawn, somewhat amused by Spike's obvious nervousness.

She didn't know why Spike was acting that way but he sure looked like a kid who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Dawn put her dirty clothes on the floor next to the washer and looked with amusement at Spike.

"Want me to turn off the light?"

"Nope. I'll do it."

Dawn began to walk toward the stairs.

"Spike, by the way, you have a twenty under your shoulder… Maybe you should be more careful with your money."

"Thanks, Nibblet. I'll open a bank account!"

Laughing, Dawn left him.

Spike let out an unnecessary breath and sat down.

"Yeah! I guess I'll have to open a bloody bank account!" he told himself.

TBC...