DISCLAMER: The characters in this story aren't mine. They belong to Joss Whedon.
SPOILERS: Some slight series 6/7 references
CATEGORY: Spike,
RATING: NC17 het sex
SUMMARY: What happened between Spike getting his soul and returning to Sunnydale(?)
FEEDBACK: Would be delightful!
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~Part: 1~
The Kenyan village of mud huts slumbered peacefully within the safety of its thorn fence. The darkness was velvety and cool. Even the cattle, were sleeping quietly in their corrals. Looking at the calm scene it seemed impossible to believe that the village was built around a hellmouth and that the villagers were used to supernatural occurrences. Suddenly the peace was shattered from a blast of thunder from a cave above the village. A half naked white-man was ejected from the cave and lay huddled on the ground. The sleepy villagers gathered around the man and muttered, not unsympathetically about his injuries. He was cut, burnt and badly bruised about his head and yet he had survived. It was rare for anyone, human or monster to escape Mapanga-Mola, the Cave god.
The chief lent forward over the injured man. It was up to him to decide what should be done with the survivor. The man was gibbering in what appeared to be English so the chief prodded him with his foot and asked, in English.
"What are you, man or monster?"
The creature glared at him with wild eyes,
"What's it to you tosser?" he growled. The chief kicked him hard in the ribs.
"Alright! Since you ask so nicely, I'm a monster!" he paused to cough up some blood, "What about it?"
"Do you have a name, monster?"
"Yeah! It's Spike. Now if you nice people will point in the direction of the airport I'll be on my way!"
He made an attempt to stand up, but passed out. Perhaps he was dead. The chief pulled him up by his white hair and pulled up one of his eyes. The eye tried to focus then rolled up in his head while the creature made a faint sound of protest. The chief reached his decision. "Esther, Naomi, Ruth!" the women stepped forward, heavy-eyed, already suspecting their roles, "You will take care of this monster! If he survives I will personally give a heifer each to you husbands!"
The women seemed pleased with this prospect and between them carried the stranger to the empty hut used for visiting dignitaries. Once there Esther got the fire in the centre of the room going and the other 2 women cleaned up the unconscious man. They efficiently washed him with soap and water and cut off his torn and bloody jeans. Naomi admired their handiwork,
"You know, he's really quite cute, for a white man."
"Bit pale and skinny though," Esther commented adding more wood to the fire. "He could do with feeding up and plenty of sun."
"Can't say I noticed!" Ruth said dourly. Now the monster was clean she could see how bad his injuries were. She was unsure that he would survive the night. Also she had noticed that however charmingly human he looked he had no pulse or heartbeat and there was no warmth to his skin. If he had not groaned or moved occasionally she would have said he was already dead.
By the time the fire had become comfortingly warm Ruth was busy with bandages and salves. Her patient, however had begun to regain consciousness and was making dressing his wounds difficult. He kept trying to fight Ruth off and yelling in English. (The women assumed it was English as they only spoke Swahili.) Ruth could see that he desperately needed to rest as well as to have his wounds dealt with. From her medical bag she took a sedative made of herbs and poured it into a cup then offered it to the delirious creature. The semi-conscious monster seemed to think she was trying to poison him. No amount of coaxing would persuade him to drink it. Finally Esther and Naomi had to lie on either side of him to restrain him whilst Ruth tried to give him the drug. This seemed to be working well, in fact too well. Spike said to the uncomprehending women,
"Ladies. This a pleasant surprise!" then kissed them both on the cheek. Both women dissolved into peals of laughter.
Inwardly, though, Spike was plotting, "Should I eat them both, fuck one and eat the other, or fuck them both, then eat them." He kissed them on the cheeks again whilst he made up his mind. The women seemed receptive and a strong erection began to throb between his legs. He had just decided "Sex first then feed" when everything went horrible wrong! He was engulfed with a heavy gray tidal wave of shame. He hated himself for planning to kill and use the women. For the first time in his unlife he knew that killing was wrong. Really understood it, and the self-loathing grew as the countless lives he had taken came flooding back to him. Spike sat up on the bed, his legs crossed before him, buried his face in his arms and began to bawl his eyes out. When offered the sedative again he took it like a lamb.
"Good boy," Ruth said and patted the side of his face. He allowed her to finish bandaging his wounds but seemed unable to stop weeping.
Naomi noticed Spike's neglected erection. She was impressed and drew her friend's attention to it.
"Ume!" Esther shrieked in appreciation and awe. Even serious Ruth was amused! The women crowded round to admire their patient's erection. No don't misunderstand, these were married women who knew what an aroused man looked like. Spike, though, caught their attention. His ivory-pale shaft rose from twin heavy balls and a mass of dark curly hair. The head blushed pink and bulbous but none of this was what caught their attention. They were amazed by the length and breadth of the organ. He was palpably larger than anyone they had seem before. At the same time, they agreed he would not be uncomfortable, just pleasurable.
The women began to snigger raucously, comparing him to their husbands and lovers, then discussing what they would do if they got him alone. They were confident that the young man could not understand what they were saying. Spike however looked up from his mourning and saw where their attention was focused. He swiftly turned over onto his front, then curled round so that they could no longer gawk at his privates. The women covered him with soft blankets and ensured that there was enough wood on the fire for it to last until morning. Then they left the softly sobbing vampire to sleep for what was left of the night.
The next morning Ruth brought a sulky-looking girl to the hut. Spike's first reaction to dive under the covers and yell at Ruth until she closed the door-flap. His next reaction was to look at the girl and think to himself, "Ah breakfast!" The now familiar wave of guilt and shame hit him with a vengeance. Spike tugged hard on the hair on either side of his temples and screamed "Just leave me the fuck alone!" then lay sobbing with his head in his hands.
"Oh that's nothing dear," Ruth told the now terrified adolescent, "Wait until he gets upset!" Ruth then when on to explain to Spike that the girl's name was Sarah and she was coming to take care of the hut. Gather firewood, fetch water and clean. Of course Spike didn't understand a word but at least managed to pull himself together enough to stop crying, for a while. Ruth gave him a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt and then tried to spoon feed him with little maize porridge. Spike refused to be fed, like a grumpy toddler and when he finally tasted the goop he spat it out on the floor. It tasted like wallpaper paste!
Over the next few days the women of the tribe tried desperately to find something that the deranged white-man would eat. He lost track of the smiling women coming with bowls of food that could not nourish him. Off course they also came to have a look at the creature and gossip about his personal "monster". Spike tolerated them and occasionally tried one of the dishes, but it was useless. He had not fed since he was in America and the ordeals in the cave had drained his energy. He needed blood to heal. He looked with loathing at Sulky Sarah as she did her chores about the hut. She was young and tender and full of pints of mouth-watering blood! Of course Spike could not eat her because of the chip, but his soul continued to punish him for wanting to.
Spike had never known the difference between right and wrong. Before he had a soul he had just aped the behavior of those he was with. He was totally amoral but functioned equally well as a Scooby or as part of Darla's family by merely acting like those around him. The soul, however was like suddenly being able to see when you've been blind all your life. Everything was the same, but Spike's perception of it had changed radically. He remembered the first movie he had seen in color and it was like that but terriblely different. With some effort he managed not think about the thousands he had killed in the past. He was sure that if he dwelt on this he would never recover any shard of sanity. He stayed firmly in the present, which came naturally. Unfortunately the soul even made him feel ashamed of random feelings of lust and his natural desire to feed and kill. Spike could not control his thoughts when he was so weak with starvation and it was making him crazy.
~Part: 2~
Esther was worried about the strange young man, who she had to remind herself was a monster. Ruth had said that if he would not eat he would die. Esther did not want this to happen, not just because her husband would not be given a heifer but rather as she might have done if she lost an animal which she had hand-reared. She was fond of the unstable foreigner and hoped he would consume what she had brought. Her husband swore by it to give him strength. She thought she might mix it with a little milk to make it more palatable to the European.
Esther ducked under the door flap of the spare hut, making sure it was properly closed. She walked towards the patient's bed where he was reclining wearing the donated jeans and t-shirt. As usual he shied away from the light when she opened the door flap but then, with a blur of speed Spike snatched the jug out of her hands and gulped down the entire contents! He stood with new life coursing through his body.
"Thank you Esther," he smiled, "You saved my life! How did you know?" Esther smiled back uncomprehendingly.
"Oh well," Spike thought, Got to thank the lady, it's only polite!" He kissed Naomi chastely on the lips. Naomi was surprised for a moment and it was Spike's turn to be surprised. She wrapped her arms around him and began to kiss him with enthusiasm. Spike hesitated for a moment expecting his soul to stop him, then wrapped his arms round the black woman and began to kiss her expertly. He moved his hands down to caress her plump buttocks, then had the feeling of being watched. Spike opened his eyes and he saw Sarah watching with her mouth hanging open in shock.
"Um, Darling." he indicated Sarah to Esther.
"What are you staring at you ignorant girl! Go and collect some fire wood!"
"But there's plenty."
"Out! Now!" Sarah ran out of the hut and Spike grinned although he had not understood a word of the exchange.
"You have a pretty smile!" Esther told him. Spike took her in his arms and began to kiss her luxuriously. His hands found their way down to fondle her bottom again and began to surreptitiously pleat up her long, brightly printed skirt. It had just got past her knees when Esther noticed what was happening.
"What on earth are you trying to do? If you want to feel my pussy here it is!" She dropped her panties to the floor and kicked them away, then guided Spike's hand to the warmth and dampness between her legs. Spike was mildly scandalized by her directness, but began to circle her engorged clitoris with his middle finger. She was gasping with pleasure and Spike decided it was time for a little pleasure of his own. With his free hand he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans. His erection sprang out and Esther needed no encouragement to fondle it. She gently wrapped her fingers around his sturdy shaft and with a gossamer touch began to caress him.
"It's not porcelain, woman! It won't break!" Spike guided Esther's hand into a firmer more robust rythem.
"I hope this isn't going to just be a hand job!" He thought. Spike realized that he had not had sex since that humiliating time with Anya at the Magic Shop. The time when everybody just happened to be watching! By now he was directly touching Esther's nubbin and she was panting with desire. He slid 3 fingers inside her, whilst continuing to massage her love mound with his thumb. She came noisily and gasped,
"If you don't fuck me soon, I'm going to die!"
Spike smiled at her affectionately wishing she would show some sign of wanting sex! Esther was now using both hands on his cock and he was close to coming, "Better than nothing, after all!" he told himself philosophically. Suddenly she stopped pleasuring him and pulled away.
"Hey! Is that it, then?" Spike began, then saw that Esther was sitting up on his bed, legs open in an unmistakable invitation for sex. Swiftly Spike pulled his jeans off. He was a little disappointed that Esther was still dressed but knelt before the Nubian beauty and kissed her passionately. With the head of his now weeping cock he teased her, rubbing it over her clit and right to the mouth of her opening then pulling it away. Always touching, never penetrating. Drusilla had loved this game, he recalled. Soon it was too much for them both. Slowly, carefully he penetrated her always wary that his soul would stop him. Esther accommodated him comfortably.
"Mzuri?" (good?) he asked from his very limited Swahili.
"Sana mzuri!" (very good!) she smiled.
Gazing deeply into her eyes be began to move inside her.
"Sana sana mzuri!" he moaned and Esther giggled. Her full breasts jiggled under her t-shirt. Spike loved breasts of any shape or size but thought that big black ones were probably going to be his favorite! He pulled up her top and started kissing them, saving the nipples for last. Esther froze, but Spike didn't notice. He took one of the moist nipples in his mouth and for a blissful moment suckled. He had no idea why but there was sweet satisfying taste in his mouth. Before he had a chance to understand she had pulled him away and covered her breasts. She snapped incomprehensible at him. He understood the look though. On Drusilla it had meant "Do that again and I'll put your goolies through a mangle, dear!"
Puzzled and a little disappointed Spike smothered Esther's face with kisses, by way of an apology. Soon they were delighting each other again. Spike would have liked to switch from the missionary position to something more erotic, but thought his new lover might not be experienced enough. Esther, however, was thinking, "I wish he'd change positions! Still perhaps they don't know any others where he comes from!" She kissed him kindly.
"Darling," he begged, "Bite me!" Esther picked up his meaning from signs and bit him viciously on the ear. The delicious pain was enough to destroy the last of Spike's restraint. He thrust himself deep into the African woman and came hugely, howling with pleasure. As he lost control his game face flickered on for a second or two. "God he really is a monster!" Esther realized and was swept away with the power of her orgasm.
They lay spent for a minute, then Esther got up and started looking round for her knickers. Spike was watching her contentedly when at last the soul made it's presence felt. The familiar tidal-wave of shame engulfed him. He had just used Esther to satisfy his lust without showing her any affection. "Now wait a minute," he tried to reason, "She used me just as much as I." Even in post-coital bliss his soul could make him feel dreadful.
"Come and give me a cuddle, love." He asked reluctantly holding out his arms to show what he meant. Esther sighed, exasperated.
"It's easy for you! You just lie round the hut looking handsome all day! Me, I've got things to do. I've the washing to get done, the hut to sweep, maize to pound, the chickens to feed, vegetables to weed, the baby to feed, cook my husband's. Oh alright!" Spike switched his irresistible pout on her!
~Part: 3~
Later as she was doing her washing Esther confided in her friend Naomi.
"You know there was something about him I just couldn't resist." Naomi sniggered. "No, not just the size of his cock! He was a bit odd though! My Thomas would never dream of sucking my breasts - not when there's a baby to feed!"
"And there always is a baby to feed with you."
"Sorry!" Naomi was childless. Something to do with her husband's testicles and a charging rhino. Esther changed the subject quickly. "He has to be cuddled afterwards like a virgin bride!"
"No!"
"Yes! And he likes to have his ear bitten, hard! It makes him come!" Both women screamed with laughter forgetting their washing and the harsh realities of life for a while.
An hour or so later Naomi appeared at Spike's hut complete with a jug of fresh, warm cow's blood. Spike had already decided that she was easily the most attractive of the three nurses. She was slim and supple with high cheekbones and huge, dark mischievous eyes. He took the jug gratefully, turning away to drink, in case his face changed. When he turned back Naomi was lying naked on his bed, toying seductively with her nipples. Spike didn't need a second invitation. Tugging off his t-shirt he lay down next to Naomi and asked,
"Can I play with those too?" Naomi smiled without understanding but brought his hands to her pert breasts. He cupped them gentlely in his hands for a few moments then began to caress them with circular movements. He could feel her nipples were already hard as bullets and she was moaning with arousal. Spike's lips met hers and he kissed her blissfully. Naomi was trying to undo his belt.
"Here, let, me," he offered obligingly and as a bonus unfastened his flies too. Naomi chuckled with delight when she saw Spike's swollen member and began to kiss and lick it as if it was an outsized delicious candy. Spike was slightly embarrassed by this enthusiasm, although her ministrations felt great. He had just managed to kick his jeans off when Naomi straddled him and impaled herself on his not inconsiderable length.
"Er, yeah, just help yourself, luv!" Spike muttered, "Why do women always have to be on top these days?" Naomi's eyes were closed in rapture and she was riding him hard and fast. "God, she really needs me!" he realized. "Darling, a little slower, please. um.. pole pole?" It was no use. Naomi was like woman possessed. Spike pulled her forward a little and licked one of her now sweat covered breasts, then took a nipple in his mouth and sucked. She cried out in orgasm her pussy tightening around him and Spike lost what little control he had. He groaned as his cum rushed into her, as cold and dead as he was.
"Sorry, Sweetheart. I normally last longer." he started before realizing that the language barrier made apologies impossible. Naomi snuggled up to him gratefully and Spike pulled a blanket over them both. At least she seemed to have enjoyed the encounter. Spike was congratulating himself for having had 2 shags in one day, when he realized that Naomi was softly sobbing into his chest. He first reaction was anger. He thought, "How the fuck can she be disappointed, when she took charge?" but his new soul made him feel compassion for her. He kissed away her tears and whispered,
"What's the matter, baby? Tell your Uncle Spikey all about it." Of course she did not understand his words but knew his tone was kind. She told him all about her husband and the accident with the rhino, which had left him impotent. She admitted that he was a good husband and a kind man. He was also a very big strong man, a warrior and nobody dared have an affair with her. She said that she hadn't had sex for years. Of course she could not have babies." Spike nodded sympathetically, his head tilted throughout her explanation, not understanding a word. He then decided he knew just the thing to cheer them both up.
He began to kiss her, slowly and luxuriantly. When Naomi reached for his sex he caught her wrist and stopped her. Naomi's whole world became the kiss, his mouth on hers, his tongue lazily taking possession of his. Just when she felt that she could not bear being touched a moment longer the monster slipped his fingers into her cleft and began to gentlely stroke her clit. Naomi spread her legs wide and began to sigh in time to the rythem of his fingers. The sensation of warmth and well-being became stronger. She reached forward and took hold of her lover's cock and began to caress it. He smiled his approval at her and Naomi came. She ached for him to be inside her again. She started to handle the his shaft more roughly. He grinned wickedly and slipped 2 of his fingers inside her. It felt great, but of course it was still not what Naomi needed.
"Please Spike, please!" she pleaded as his fingers played a symphony inside her. She was almost disappointed when he took them out, and turned her over so that she was lying on her tummy. He kissed her a little awkwardly from behind then reached down to fondle her breasts, more roughly now. Naomi moaned with pleasure parted her legs and tilted her rear in invitation. Spike didn't need asking twice and slowly slid his tool into her wet pussy. She purred with pleasure and he moved one hand to the front to rub her clit and the other hand up to play with her tits. He moved strongly but unhurriedly inside her, savoring every second. Naomi was in heaven. She parted her lips and turned her head for a long loving kiss. Her orgasms to her were sweet and beautiful like the little flowers that spring up suddenly in the rainy season. She could tell that her man was reaching his climax, his thrusts were becoming more urgent and rapid. He was breathing as heavily as she was, but his skin was cool and he was not sweating. "The man's a monster!" she reminded herself not caring in the least.
Spike made one viciously hard final thrust and roared with pleasure. A whole garden of tiny flowers blossomed inside Naomi. They kept their position long after there was any point, trying to hold on to the magic. After a while Spike moved so that he was laying beside Naomi and took her in his arms.
"No tears this time?" he asked. She smiled and lay her head on his chest. "I think I might learn to love this one," Spike thought, "She's a bit dippy and hormonal, but when did that ever put me off?"
So time passed. Spike's injuries healed completely and with miraculous speed. The curious tribeswomen brought fresh cow's blood to the white monster regularly. Often they would allow him to repay them with sex, but not always. Spike found that he did not offend his soul if he;
Remembered their names. Remembered their likes and dislikes. Always gave them an affectionate cuddle afterwards.
For some reason it took him a while to persuade them that he did not have to be bitten to make him come and his ear became extremely sore! Sometimes Spike wondered if they had a rota, because he never had more that 3 or less than 2 ladies to visit him a day. He felt rather like a whore, being paid in blood for sex. However, he had always quite fancied being a whore, so this was fine!
Although he enjoyed his decadent new life he began to feel restless. Some nights he would tip-toe past the snoring Sarah out of the hut. Making sure that the dozing sentry was not looking his way Spike would leap over the thorn fence encircling the village and then run flat out for as long as he dared towards Kilimanjaro, before having to return just before sunrise. Every time he got a little further and felt himself growing stronger. The running somehow helped him to think and he knew that he must return to Sunnydale, that he must settle things with Buffy for once and for all. Every time he even thought of Buffy he was ashamed. Now it was so very obvious that trying to force himself on her was wrong. His soul could not give him the key to understanding Buffy, but he still loved her and wanted to become worthy of her.
Spike's inner turmoil was made worse by the fact that he was in love with Naomi. It wasn't the overpowering, complex all consuming love he had for Buffy. Spike's love for Naomi was way simpler, based mostly on lust and affection. They did not even speak the same language - although Spike's brothel-Swahili was coming on nicely from his encounters with the ladies of the tribe! He knew that he would miss her desperately when he returned to Sunnydale. Occasionally the warriors' hunting trips took them into the foot-hills of Mount Kilimanjaro and they were away for days on end. With Naomi's husband away the lovers were able to spend the night together. They both cherished this time together. They had all night to make love and lie in each other's arms. It was on such a night, when Spike had been in the village for perhaps 3 months, that Naomi placed Spike's hand on her belly and told him,
"Spike, my darling, you've given me a baby!" Spike stroked her tummy for a minute, uncomprehendingly then,
"Hey, you're pregnant!" he grinned, "That's wonderful!" He gave her a big hug and such a warm kiss that Naomi had to push him away before they were too distracted.
"No. Soon my husband will see and he'll have to kill the father!" Spike did not understand that his rival was a eunuch and so could not have fathered the baby. Naomi, meanwhile, did not understand that Spike was dead, as was his DNA and he could not have made her pregnant. They both tried to explain in mime and hand gestures. Naomi cried, Spike wanted to cry and in the end they just curled up together and slept.
Spike cradled her slightly distended belly. In a way he wished it was possible for him to be a father. He had heard some strange rumors about Angel and Darla having a child, but had dismissed them. He started to sleepily imagine what life would be like if he was married to Naomi. They would have their own hut and she would be pregnant all the time, because he loved her so much. All their beautiful black children would run to him when he came back from the hunt with a kill and they'd cry "Daddy! Daddy!" and he'd pick them up and swing them round. Of course he'd have to be human and black, so that he fitted in, and could go out in the hot African sun. He was just wondering if being black would make his pride-and-joy even bigger when he fell asleep.
~Part: 4~
When Spike woke up Naomi was gone and it was late morning. Sulky Sarah sat glaring at him for awhile then brought him some hot water to wash and shave with. Spike felt anxious, a new emotion which he blamed on his soul. He knew he had hurt Naomi but equally knew that however much he might want it to be otherwise the baby was not his. Sarah took the dirty water away and tidied the bed while Spike waited passively. He needed to start doing things for himself again.
The door flap opened and an older woman came in. She was carrying a jug of blood so Spike naturally took the offering and like the true professional he'd become ignoring her age said,
"Won't be a mo, me old china. Just get yer kit off." To his surprise the woman laughed,
"I thought they said you spoke English!" Carefully balancing the jug Spike hugged her, "You can speak English!" he pointed out rather redundantly. She introduced herself as Lydia, the wife of the chief and explained that everyone in the village above a certain age spoke English.
"We were taught by Miss Agnes Brown, who was a missionary. She taught us so that we could read the bible and learn to be good. She would not understand about the Mapanga-Mola and its powers. In the end she went to confront the Cave God and we never saw her again."
Spike was horrified at the thought of the missionary trying to confront the terror in the cave. Even he had had the fight of his life. A few months before he would have found the concept hilarious. "I'm really changing he thought," but said, "So after she died the younger people did not learn English."
"And you mixed solely with the young women." Spike had the grace to blush a little, "Women of childbearing age who wanted to have your baby - after all any baby of the monster who survived the Mapanga-Mola would give strong sons to the tribe!"
"So they just wanted me to make them pregnant!" it was a crushing blow for Spike's ego, "Their husbands didn't mind?"
"Well, you see, they wouldn't know it was not theirs. Not until it was born half-caste at least, but by then you would have been gone. They would be strong children, good for the tribe. You appear to have got several of the women in the family way, Mary, Esther, Elizabeth, Miriam and of course poor Naomi."
"Now wait a minute," Spike felt this had gone too far, "There's no way I'm the father! It's got to be their husbands. I can't make babies!"
"Come on, you're a strong young man! From what I've heard you had no trouble satisfying the women!"
"But I'm a vampire!" Lydia looked blank "I've been dead 130 years! I live on blood and never go out in the daylight, did nobody think that strange?"
"We drink our cow's blood, it's perfectly normal and we thought you were worried about burning your pretty white skin." Spike smiled. "Besides, how could you be dead if you're talking to me now and amusing yourself with the ladies. That's not what I'd call dead!"
"Elizabeth, I'm undead." Suddenly Spike was totally serious. He took the older woman's hand and placed it over his still heart. She tried to take his pulse, nothing. "Feel how cool my skin is, even on such a hot day. I have no reflection." Lydia was beginning to look uneasy. All she'd come to do was resolve a lover's quarrel, but this white man was stranger than anything she'd seen in all her years of living on a hellmouth. She put his hand over his still heart again and shuddered.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you!" he smiled, "Mind if I drink that blood you bought?" Lydia watched the vampire gulp the blood down and thought she saw his face change for a second. Spike wiped his mouth on his hand then asked,
"So why is it such a problem that Naomi is expecting? It must be her husband's, like the others."
"No, Naomi's husband was gored by a Rhino and his testes were severed. He's a very possessive and none of the men in the tribe would dare to make love to Naomi." At last it was all beginning to make sense. It explained why she was so very eager to make love their first time and why she insisted the baby was his. What if it was? What should he do?
"You must leave as soon as possible!" Lydia told him. "That way, with you gone she can say that she was overcome by the white monster and he gave her a baby." Spike knew that he was capable of rape and his soul hit him so hard that he wanted to cry. All he could manage was,
"But I love her!"
"Then you must do the right thing. There's a coach-load of tourists coming to see our native dances and to buy our crafts tomorrow. You should get aboard it and I believe it will take you to the airport in Nairobi."
"Does it come in the daytime? Only."
"The sunlight, of course. Well I'm sure you'll be able to find somewhere out of the sun. How about where they put their baggage?" Spike nodded sadly. The dream was over.
Spike had no visitors that day. He sat and brooded, slept, then brooded some more. Somebody brought a second jug of blood, which Sarah brought in grinning all over her face. Spike laughed,
"In your dreams, Sweetheart," she handed him the jug, "Come back when you're grown and you'll be a right catch!" she grinned and went off to get firewood, or whatever she did. The phenomena of Sulky Sarah smiling cheered Spike up for a short while but soon he was lonely and brooding again.
Night came and he went for one last glorious run over the Serengeti. The stars were out and he could sense predators but none of them came near the sprinting vampire. Spike wondered if this time he could reach the mountain before he had to return but of course it was impossible. He wondered if it was also impossible for him to become what Buffy deserved, even with a soul. Already he'd been unfaithful to her more times than he could count, even fallen in love with another woman. He knew he must not brood on it, that way lay madness.
Next morning he was awakened by music and knew the tourists had arrived. He washed and dressed and soon Naomi came in. She looked tired and as if she had been crying. Spike felt a pang of sympathy for her and wrapped his arms round her. He kissed the top of her head and whispered,
"Kwaheri, Naomi," and she answered, "Kwaheri," (Goodbye) and sobbed on Spike's shoulder. He lifted her chin and examined her tear-stained face. He was overcome with emotion and kissed her deeply and lovingly. Almost inadvertently his left hand found its way inside her top and caressed her breasts for the last time. He became aware that Naomi was rubbing his already hard cock through the fabric of his jeans. He wanted her so badly and yet he knew that it was too late. The holiday romance was over. He removed his hand and pulled down her top and regretfully removed her hand from where it was working.
"No, darling, we must go, upesi!" (fast) he mimed running on the spot and was rewarded by a giggle from his lover, "I must be covered from the sun, see?" He wrapped his 2 sleeping blankets around him, then briefly held his hand in a shaft of sunlight coming through the door. There was a sharp searing pain and a cloud of smoke. Naomi held her hands to her mouth in horror. "Upesi!" he reminded her. After one final loving kiss that strained Spike's resolve to breaking point he was totally covered in blankets and running towards the coach, guided by Naomi.
When they reached the coach Gus, the driver was waiting. He was a white South African, sunburned, balding and sweating profusely in the hot African sun. He leisurely opened one of the luggage holds and asked Naomi in Swahili,
"Why all the blankets? He cold or what?"
"He's a monster, and can't stand the sun!"
"A monster? You didn't tell me that." Spike interrupted, yelling,
"Get me out of the sun for fuck's sake!"
"Alright, mate, keep your hair on!" Gus switched to English and helped the by now smoking vampire into the luggage hold. Spike emerged from the blankets and grinned at the astonished driver.
"Thanks for your help."
"No worries. It's not going to be too comfortable though." He handed over 2 large canteens, "One for water the other to piss in - don't confuse them!" This was obviously meant as a joke so Spike laughed obligingly. The driver made to close the hold.
"Already?" Spike asked.
"Why, scared of the dark?" Gus jeered. "I need to close it now so nobody suspects anything."
"Say goodbye to loverboy then," he told Naomi, in her own language. Self-consciously she leant into the hold and kissed Spike on the check, like a sister. Spike returned the kiss in the same fashion and the door was slammed shut.
Now they were alone Gus grinned at Naomi.
"Miss me, baby?" He glanced round, then tweaked her nipples hard through her blouse. Naomi did not react, so he put one hand on her crotch and began to rub through the thin material of her skirt. Naomi grinned,
"Of course I missed you, wicked man! You've been away for months."
"Sorry, couldn't be helped. Still I'm here now!" he leered, "Want to fuck? We've got time, if we're quick."
So Gus and Naomi made their way to the backseat of the coach to play their favorite game of hide the salami.
Spike did not weather the journey to Nairobi well. It was not the heat or the darkness or the cramped conditions that damaged him. It wasn't the fact that nobody had explained to him that the airport was a good 270 km away and there was an overnight stop before they got there. He had heard Gus and Naomi having sex and gone into a frenzy of rage, roaring and thumping the walls of his prison. Of course he was ignored and soon had to lie silent but furious as the passengers boarded the coach. He was heartbroken that Naomi had used him to explain away her pregnancy. That she'd deceived him but worst of all she'd made him love her first. That seemed to Spike to be the pattern of his existence; love, be used and then be discarded. As his anger subsided he became maudlin and sobbed for a while. Drusilla, Buffy, Naomi, even that cretin Harmony, it seemed to Spike they had all made him love them, used him, then cast him aside like a soiled tissue.
Spike thought bitterly about his past relationships, and that was his downfall. Trapped in the darkness his past began to unfold before him and most of it was bad, very bad. His soul took him through the full Technicolor, Surround Sound, Stinkorama of every vile deed he had committed and he suffered. By the time they reached the overnight-stop he was a gibbering, weeping mess. The torment caused by his soul clawed away at his sanity.
Finally, the Safari Tours Coach reached Nairobi and after the passengers had been unloaded the driver unlocked Spike's luggage compartment. He was worried that the stowaway might have been killed by the heat and lack of air, monster or not. There was no movement and he shone his flashlight on the heap of blankets in the corner. With a terrifying shriek the crazed creature that had been Spike lunged at him, then clutched his head in agony.
"Poor Tom's a' cold!" he yelled at the now petrified South African, before capering off into the night in the direction of the landing strip. He found his way into the hold of a plane heading for America and once there the insane shell of a vampire was drawn to the Hellmouth.
The End