Rating: ? Haven’t decided yet. This portion is PG
Pairing: S/W
Summary: An alternate ending to “Lovers Walk.”
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
Dedication: To all the Willow/Spike writers. . .this might be our year yet! In particular, to Jonquil...Blinded with Science and In the Company of Wolves are amazing stories. I highly recommend them! And the Beldick Motel is a real establishment. It’s just blech!
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~Parts: 1-2~
“A spell. For me. You’re gonna do a spell for me.” Spike growled.
“Uh. . .w-what kind of spell?”
“A love spell! Are you brain dead?” Willow rolled over, clutching a pillow to her chest but still the phantom words echoed in her sleeping mind. “You lie to me and I'll shove this through your face! Do you want that? All the way through to your brain!”
“No. Please no.” Willow turned over again. “Nightmare.” She mumbled, still deep in her own dream. Tears began to leak from her eyes as she shuddered on the bed, cowering from the phantom Spike.
“That smell. Your neck. I haven’t had a woman in weeks.” The vampire groaned.
“Whoa! No! Hold it!”
“Unless you count that shopkeeper.” Willow thrashed in the bedcovers and still the images flashed in her mind, cringing before Spike, Xander laying helpless and bleeding on the bed. There was no place to run to, no where to hide.
“Now hold on! I'll do your spell for you. . .and. . . and. . . I'll get you Drusilla back. But there will be no ‘bottle in face’ and there will be no ‘having’ of any kind with me. Alright?”
“No! Don’t, please don’t, Spike–“ Willow cried, clutching the pillow tighter.
”Please don’t what?” A British accented voice asked. She heard it, clear as anything. She was awake suddenly, as if she’d been doused in ice water. Please. . .please. . .please. . .let it be Giles, gulp, that would be weird and require therapy but not deadly. Or Wesley! That would be annoying but not fatal. Unless you could die from boredom. But somehow she knew it wouldn’t be either. Willow’s eyes flew open and reality settled in.
It wasn’t a dream.
“No! This isn’t happening!” Willow screamed as she sat upright in bed. The room was under a veil of darkness. . .and she could barely make out the shadowy form of Spike beside her. Willow shut her eyes very deliberately. One. . .two. . .when I open. . .three. . .my eyes,. . .four. . . there won’t. . .five. . . .be a vampire. . .six. . .there staring. . .seven . . .eight. . .at. . .nine. . . .me. . .ten. She opened them. But ‘shadowy Spike’ was still there and a throaty chuckle issued form his obviously hoarse throat. A match flared and sparked a glowing ember on the tip of a menthol cigarette. He blew the smoke out in a hazy swirl, leaving the aroma of burned mint in the air.
“Glad to see you joined the land of the living, pet.” Spike drawled. He laughed at his own unintentional joke. “Well, at least one of us is. Living that is. So maybe I’m welcoming you to the land of the dead.”
She was made mute by terror all she was aware of was her heart’s thundering beat and her quick breaths. A light flicked on and Willow’s eyes were assaulted by it’s brilliance. She put her hands over her eyes, partly trying to adjust and partly to block out the view of her blond captor. What you can’t see. . . a cold metal weight settled on her right wrist and a lock snapped. . .will drain you dry and leave your body on your friend’s doorstep. Spike had handcuffed her! Before she could struggle, he pulled her arm over to the headboard and snapped the other cuff into the metal frame. She was now attached to the bed. No means of escape now. Some snippet of their earlier conversation . . .or terrifying exchange of words as the case may be. . . came back to her.
“I haven’t had a woman in weeks.” Woah! ‘Having’ is bad, bad thing. Any kind of ‘having’ a vampire would do at least. She frantically tried to remember the rest of the conversation or what happened next but she couldn’t. “W-w-what am I doing here?”
“Don’t remember how are little tete-a-tete ended, do you?” Spike asked gleefully, resting his head on his elbow as he watched her like she was the morning’s entertainment. Spike loved to watch humans squirm. It beat television, for the most part. Willow fervently hoped she wasn’t about to be a t.v. breakfast. She chewed on her lower lip as she searched for words. “Um, no.” Her eyes skittered away from him and she looked at her surroundings, they were different from earlier. She realized that they weren’t in the burned out factory anymore. They seemed to be in a cheap hotel room. The walls were a dingy brown, the bedclothes had mystery stains on them, and a half-ripped sign on the back of the door proclaimed that they were at the “Beldick Motel”. Willow thought she saw a rat scuttle under the bed.
“Not surprised, I rapped you pretty hard on that brainy head of yours.” He didn’t sound sorry about it.
She touched her free hand to the base of her skull and noted some tenderness, that’s why there was dull ache. Her fingers carefully drifted to her neck and she noted two puncture marks but he hadn’t drained her. There was some dried blood on her neck but not an excessive amount. She didn’t even feel light headed. What else was she missing? “Oh!” Xander! “Where’s Xander?” Her eyes darted around the room.
“The boy?”
“Uh-huh.” Let him be alive, let him be alive, let him be alive. . .
“I left him back in Sunnydale, pet.”
“And he was alive when you left, right?”
Spike smirked. “Yep, sleepin’ soundly.” He tilted his head as he continued to watch her. “Think I even left the door ajar for him. Not that I care about that git. I was carrying you out and couldn’t be bothered to shut it.” He only left the boy alive because he hadn’t been hungry. Killing wasn’t that much fun if the victim wasn’t conscious and able to scream anyway. Made the meal boring. What was the point if there wasn’t any theater with the dinner? Willow sighed in relief. Then, stiffened. “Did you just say we’re not in Sunnydale anymore?”
“Yes.” That’s all he had to say on the subject. He picked up a half-empty bottle of mescal from the night stand and took a hearty swig. “I don’t care if I ever see that bloody place again.”
“Oh. . .but. . .but. . .why am. . .I–“ Not dead? Not suffering from too much blood loss? Er, in your bed? “Why am I here?”
“That’s a good question, luv.” He took another drink from his bottle. He held it tightly, like a life line. Great! He didn’t even have a plan. There was nothing more dangerous than a demon who acted on instinct. Especially a male demon. Wait a minute, no plan meant no imminent demise for her right? “Oh.”
“Oh? You’re not going to get hysterical or plead for your life?” Spike looked put out.
“Uh, no. Did you want me to?” Maybe he liked begging. She could do that if it meant she got to live longer.
He thought about it a moment. “No, not really. I feel another effin’ headache coming on. You screamin’ wouldn’t help it any.”
“Hangover?” Willow asked. Good, maybe he’ll pass out or get sick and then I can skedaddle.
Spike pressed his hand to his forehead. “Yeah, been having a lot of those lately since. . .”
Willow nodded. “Since Drusilla left.” She said softly, finishing his sentence for him.
Spike’s eyes grew angry. “Don’t even say her name!” He vamped out and snarled at her.
Willow shrieked and jumped off the bed, but couldn’t move very far because of the handcuffs. She pulled at them furiously, causing them to clank against the bedframe. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you.” She tried desperately to placate the vampire.
He growled at her as his hands reached to drag her back onto the bed by her arm. He pressed her back into the mattress with his body as he gripped her chin with one of his hands. “Never say her name to me again! Understand?” Willow nodded as best she could with his fingers digging into her jaw. “You aren’t worthy to even speak of my goddess, my ripe wicked plum. . .” His face crumpled just as soon as his speech had begun and his arms went around her. He sought comfort in the embrace of her soft warm body, crying forlornly.
Willow’s heart was pounding so hard, she thought it might leap from her chest.
“Y-y-you’re going to be alright.” She said shakily as she placed her free hand on the back of his head. Sad Spike was easier to deal with than mad, homicidal Spike. His hair was smooth and softer than it looked. A vampire is crying on you and you’re thinking about his hair?! Get a grip, Rosenberg.
“No, I’m not.” He moaned. “Never be alright again without her. I’m nothing without my black beauty.” Spike put his face into the crook of her neck, tears soaking her skin and making the barely closed wound sting. She flinched but then she felt his tongue lave her bite marks. That wasn’t as unpleasant as you might imagine. For some reason the sight of his mark on her was comforting. Someone in the world belonged to him. Even if it was a mortal who was friends with a Slayer. He licked his lips as he pulled back to gaze down at her. “Do you know what you are?”
Willow gulped, her face blotched with hectic color. “L-L-Lunch?”
Spike surprised her by laughing. Really laughing. With her, not at her. He pulled back and sat beside her, a couple of tears running down his face.“You really don’t know, do you? Even though you’ve been working with the Slayer and the Watcher.”
“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Maybe he was going crazy. Well, it was understandable, after being with a mad woman for so long maybe it had rubbed off on him. . .and he’d never been what you would call well-adjusted. Spike traced his mark with a fingertip. “Knew it when I bit you. I should have smelled it sooner, but I was drunk. Not thinkin’ straight,you know. You’re a vampire in the making, pet.”
“You want to make me a vampire?” Yipes! And here she was, tied and helpless. Why didn’t the Watcher’s have an emergency hotline number should could call? You know, the Vampire Intervention Team or something. Spike raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t say that. I said, ‘you are a vampire in the making’. You have the ability to be a master vampire.”
She scrunched up her nose. “Well, yes. And every other human that walks around Sunnydale at night. All it takes is a bite and then he sucks your blood and you suck his--”
Spike rose one eyebrow and licked his lips as his eyes traversed her body. “Yes?”
He waited but she was mute. “You were talking about sucking, I believe.”
“I don’t remember.”
“A likely story.” Spike took another drink. Maybe there was more to this quiet little country mouse than he had thought. After all, she had the genetics to be a master vamp. “You know, luv, vamps made that way can only be minions. Master vampires must have a special kind of blood.”
“Oh.”
“You don’t look too excited.” Spike chuckled again and reached for his bottle.
“It isn’t like winning the lottery or anything. Unless its like an evil lottery.”
Willow said cautiously, she was rewarded by another laugh.
“Oh, but it is.” Spike’s eyes took on an expectant gleam, his tongue snaked out to outline his lower lip. “For both of us.”
“You’re going to turn me?” Can this day get any worse? Woah! Better not ask that, even mentally. Ask and you usually received. Especially near the Hellmouth.
“Not tonight.”
“Okay. Great. Not dying tonight. I can live with that.”
Willow frowned. “Not that I was trying to pun, Buffy usually does that and she’s so–“
”You’re going to be my revenge.” Spike said, speaking to himself, a crafty gleam in his eye. “On all of ‘em. Drusilla, Slutty, and best of all. . .Angelus.”
Willow was confused. “I’m confused again. Revenge. . . ? How?”
Spike took another swig. “I’ve never made myself a childe, not in all my one hundred and fifty some years. Dru wouldn’t let me, said that she didn’t want to share me with anyone.”
“Okay. So, you’re going to turn me to. . .what? Make her jealous?”
“That’s right, little girl. You’re going to be my masterpiece, the most vicious vampire ever turned. I’ll turn you loose on all of them.”
“Aack!” Willow cried, unthinkingly. All she could see was her inevitable entry in the Watcher’s Journals with a picture next to her vitals. She’d probably be in leather or something equally provocative. Somehow, that bothered her more than being bitten and drained and then. . .no, the bitey and dying part was definitely worse.
“That bothers you?” Spike asked, still amused by her thought processes. At least she wouldn’t be an eternal bore.
“Well. . .yeah. Not big on the killing thing.”
“You will be.”
“But I won’t make a good vampire.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because. . .because. . .not big with the killing.”
“Yes, you said that reason already.” Spike said.
“Uh. . .I’m afraid of the dark.”
Spike laughed. “You won’t be with Big Bad looking out for you.”
“I don’t look good in black.”
“Yes, you do.” Spike reached out and touched the fluffy pink sweater. “You’d look better in it that this.”
“Hey, my mom bought me this!” Willow cried.
Spike nodded, apparently having a silent conversation with himself. “We’ll need to get you some new clothes, I can’t be seen with you in these things.”
“But you were yesterday.”
“Yes, but I was intending to use you and eat you. You’re family now. You’ll be my childe and I can’t be embarrassed by you.”
“Childe.” Willow shuddered. “Wow, you’ll be my dad.”
Spike flicked his cigarette ash on the floor. “No, I’ll be your sire.”
“Sire. Oh, because I’ll belong to your bloodline. The Order of Aurelius.” Willow was speaking hypothetically. She had no intention of pledging the ‘vampire fraternity.’ She was simply curious about the process.
“Exactly, pet.” He looked proud.
“So, you had this gene too?”
“Yes, but I was turned in the bad old days.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I was made in an alley. I had no training until after I was a vampire. That was before vampires were forced to limit their numbers.”
“Why are they doing that?”
“Not enough food.”
Food. . .people. “Oh, I see.”
“Don’t look so tense, luv. They’ll be plenty for us to eat.”
“Um...yeah.” Willow agreed. She was surprised to hear her stomach growl.
Spike heard it too. “You need some food.”
“I am hungry.” Now, that her death wasn’t imminent.
Spike looked at the phone doubtfully. “I doubt they have room service.”
“Oh, well, I could just run down to the corner store. It’ll be no problem, I’ll even–“
”I don’t think so.” Spike said, giving her a quelling look. “You’re staying in my site at all times. Can’t have you going off and blabbing this to Slutty.”
“Buffy.” Willow corrected automatically.
“You say Slayer, I say Layer.” Spike retorted.
“I suppose we could order a pizza and you could have a slice of mushroom while I have a slice of pizza man.”
“NO!” He smirked at her. “I mean. . .I’m not hungry. Nope, feeling fine.”
“We’ll have to break you of this morality habit you have, pet.” Spike said. “But, I’ll be gentle. . .for now.” He fished the key to her cuff out of his jeans pocket. “We’ll go to the vending machine down the hall because its still shady at this time of day. Just so happens that I want a Baby Ruth.”
“Okay.” Willow brightened. She looked at her hands. “Uh, thanks.”
“Don’t thank me, pet. This isn’t going to be easy.” He could almost hear the wheels in her mind churning. “Don’t even think of trying to get away. I will hunt you down to the ends of the Earth.”
“Why?” Willow asked, shocked by his demeanor.
“Because, pet, you’re my V.I.T.”
“You’re Victim Ingesting Treat?”
“You don’t know how rare you are, do you?” Spike laughed again. “Your one in a million, especially considering your history with Dru and Angel. They’ll both be jealous . . .and Buffy will be terrified of my Vampire In Training.”
~Part: 3~
Spike took Willow by the elbow and escorted her out to the waiting Desoto. To her it resembled a waiting hearse. She had the sudden urge to run but her vampire companion bent to place his mouth next to her ear. "Bite your tongue if you know what's good for you, pet. Draw attention to us in any way and I'll snap the neck of every human I can get my hands on. Understand?" Willow nodded, she swallowed the lump in her throat.
She couldn't help but stare at a group of teenagers who were talking beneath the halo of light shone from a street lamp. They were laughing and happily chattering away. It made her feel miserable and very much alone. As alone as you could be with a 6 foot tall blond vampire attached to your side.
Spike manhandled her into the car and then sprinted over to other door to slide in next to her. She determinedly crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the window sightlessly, making her displeasure known. "You want to play the pissed off little prisoner? Go right ahead. Still doesn't change the rules." He fired the car up and the sped out of the parking with a disgustingly chipper look on his face. Vampires!
A few miles later, Willow pressed her hand against the cool glass of the car window and idly traced little stakes going through the hearts of stick figure vampires with her fingers. She indulged in the fantasy of Buffy coming to her rescue. The Slayer would say something like, "This is for taking Willow!" Then, she would plunge the stake into the demon's heart and a cloud of dust would appear. Yeah, a great big puff of dust accompanied by loud , frightened screams. Serves you right, Mr. Growly Face. She suppressed a grin.
"Havin' fun play-staking me, pet?"
"Actually, Buffy did. Not me." Willow groaned inwardly. "I mean, w-what are you talking a-about? I was drawing little-"
"Don't lie to me, it doesn't suit you." He jammed the cigarette lighter in and pulled a smoke from his pocket. "I'll figure you out eventually." He glanced over at her briefly, still mindful of the road. "After all, we have eternity." He deftly lit the cigarette with one hand and popped the lighter back in place.
Not if I have anything to say about it. Willow humphed to herself. "You know second hand smoke is dangerous. If you are exposed enough to it, you could-"
"You don't have to worry about that love." For a wild minute, she though Spike was going to put out his cigarette. Instead, he said. "You won't be alive long enough for it to matter, luv. So what's the bloody big deal?"
Ack! Geez, he would try to make her feel better by talking about her death. "Yeah? Well, it makes me cough now." She hacked a little bit, sounding like Xander's cat Mo when it had a fur ball.
"That's cause you're not used to it." Spike held out his menthol cigarette to her.
"No, I don't smoke. It'll make me sick."
"Nonsense. Little nicotine never hurt anyone. Take a puff." She reluctantly took the smoking cylinder. "That's it. Go on then."
"I really don't want to. . ." He fixed her with a look. "Alright already." She brought it to her mouth.
Spike watched breathlessly as she took a drag off the cigarette. Her pretty little mouth around the big bad smoke. She blew out the smoke and coughed loudly, not that prissy fur ball crap from earlier. He pounded her on the back. "Good, eh?"
"Yeah." She managed, voice hoarse. He took it from her limp hand and slid it back in his own mouth. Mmmm. . .nicotine and Willow together. Potent combination.
Willow sat back in her seat. One night with the vampire and I'm already smoking. God only knows what will happen after a few more nights. Could prostitution and blood lust be far behind? She had to get the hell away from him. Soon.
*********
"I'm bored." Willow announced. She stared at the yawning blacktop before them. "I'm not used to not doing anything. There's always school, or research, or hanging with the gang. I never sit this long without doing something."
"I could suggest an activity but I doubt you'd go along with it." Spike sent her a sultry look.
"No, I don't feel like making a donation to your personal blood bank right now." Willow said wrapping her arms around herself.
"That wasn't what I had in mind, pet. It's not like I could sink my teeth into your delectable little neck and still see to drive." Spike pointed out. "But, there are other. . .activities we could try."
Willow played dumb. "Oh, look there's a license plate from Ohio. How about that? Let's play the License Plate Game."
Spike snorted. "Alright then. Be a good girl while you can. That'll all change soon enough."
Not if Buffy kills you. Willow glanced around the floorboard. "Don't' you have any books in here? Or a magazine? I could settle for that." She needed to escape from this place, even if it was mentally.
"What does this look like, pet? The bleedin' bookmobile? I think you have me confused with Peaches."
As if. "Everyone carries books in their car." Willow insisted stubbornly. "But all I see in here are empty alcohol containers."
"Everyone? I don't think so. Just stuffy old watchers. Or broody over-gelled vampires. And there are only a few bottles. "
"You have enough to supply a bar."
"Fine, there's a lot. Now, why don't you be the good girl you think you are and be quiet so Daddy can drive, alright? Or sift amongst the trash, look for lost treasures."
"I don't have to call you that, right?" Willow shuddered.
"Sire will suffice, when the time comes I think." Spike bit the inside of his cheek. He had to watch himself. She wasn't Drusilla. She was one of those modern girls who would be offended by depending on him. And he didn't want that either. Being a nursemaid got old after the first decade or two. He wanted a partner in crime not a patient.
Willow slid her hand under her seat gingerly. "I wont find anything icky under here, will I? Like, er, body parts?"
"No, I dispose of them after I'm done eating." Spike said in all seriousness.
Gee, how considerate. He was a tidy murderer. "Okay." She stuck her hand under and pulled out a journal. It had fairies on the cover and wasn't written in. It even had a pen attached to it. However, the edge was faintly spattered with a dry brown substance. Blood?
"Uh, Spike?" Willow held it out between two fingers. "What's on this?"
"Blood, I'd imagine." He said disinterestedly.
"Oh." Damn it. She was afraid of that.
"What? Go ahead and scribble away pet. Not like she'll be needing it anymore."
The unlucky girl had met her demise at the hands of the blue eyed demon. She'd no doubt been taken in by him. She bit her lip as she contemplated the stained book. She decided she was going to write in it even though it had seemed disrespectful at first. She needed to occupy her mind, organize her thoughts. Besides, its bloody condition would give her good incentive.
Willow placed her pen to the page and scrawled on the first line. "Willow Rosenberg, Vampire Captive. Day One."
**********
"Where are we going, Spike?" Willow asked as she continued to write in the journal.
"A vampire's Mecca."
She dropped her pen. "You mean (gulp), we're going to H-E-L-L?"
"You don't have to spell it. It's not a bad word and, believe me, I would know. I swear in several different languages."
"I don't wanna go there. Hell, I mean, I don't even like red. And plus, hello! Demons. I bet they wouldn't-"
"Calm down, luv. Why would I take you there? It's too bloody hot and they don't have cable." He sped up. "We're going to Vegas."
Willow brightened, not that Hades wasn't on their travel agenda. "Vegas! I've always wanted to go there. . ." She trailed off as she saw Spike smile smugly. "But not with you."
But that didn't wipe it off his face, it made his grin bigger. "Quite annoyed with me, aren't you?"
"No, you don't bother me at all." Willow then scribbled in the journal. 'My captor is obnoxious at times.'
Spike chuckled, glad he'd gotten under her skin. He knew she was writing all matter of awful things about him. He'd have to snatch that journal later and get some insight into his childe. Probably make for some fascinating reading.
*******
Las Vegas. It was a brightly lit, glittering jewel in the middle of a barren desert. She gawked at everything as Spike drove up the main thoroughfare. The streets were crawling with people even though it was in the middle of the night. All of the hotels and casinos were brightly lit with neon signs. There was a carnival atmosphere here, as if everyone was taking a break from reality.
Spike pulled into The Luxor parking lot. It was a humongous pyramid situated behind a replica of The Sphinx. Wow. Willow was impressed, despite her status as a vampire hostage. It might be the last thing she ever saw, she might as well enjoy it.
"Let's go in, pet."
"Okay." Willow said, reaching for her door.
"Not so fast." Spike hopped out, rounded the car and opened her door for her. Willow looked at him strangely but got out of the vehicle. "What do you say?" Spike asked, sounding like a preschool teacher admonishing a rude child.
"Don't kill me until I've at least seen the inside?" Willow said boldly. She more or less figured out that Spike enjoyed it when she was 'spunky'. She'd give him what he wanted as long as she got to stay alive longer.
"Actually, I was hoping for a thank you, pet, but that'll do." He took her elbow. "Draw any attention to us and-"
"I know, I know, you'll kill some people." She said tiredly.
"No, that wasn't what I was about to say. Be careful of drawing too much attention to yourself, the place is crawling with vampires."
Hold on! "What? There's lots of the undead inside?"
"I wasn't kidding earlier, luv. This is Vampire Mecca."
"What do you mean?"
"We run this town. Took it over from those nancy boy mobsters years ago."
"Vampire run Vegas?" She said incredulously.
"Did I stutter?"
"B-But this is a clean place now. Don't families come here?"
Spike's grinned in delight. "A vampire doesn't live by gin-soaked card sharks alone, does he? Every once in a while we crave something younger, sweeter." He eyed her throat and, unbidden, his ridges came to the fore. "Innocent. Helpless."
"Eep! Uh, Spike, I--"
He shook his head and his human features repaired. "What's wrong? Did I scare you?"
Willow swallowed down her fear. "Please!" She scoffed. "I come from Sunnydale, you think a pair of fangs is gonna give me a wiggins? Takes more than that."
A wide smile split the vampire's face. "Atta girl, Red. Give 'em hell. Just remember to act that way inside."
"Yeah. Inside. With all the vampires." Willow repeated morosely, staring at the door they were rapidly approaching.
"Chin up. You belong to the Big Bad, now. No one's coming for you when you're with me. I just don't want a bunch of vamps sniffin' around what's mine." He pulled her against his side. "Course we'll have to formalize this arrangement with a little ceremony."
"And what does that entail?"
"Eager, are you?" He chuckled. "You'll find out very soon." He pushed her through the large entrance.
***********
The interior of the hotel was opulent. It was decorated in Vegas-style Egyptian glitz. There were banks of slot machines that were jangling noisily as they paid out quarters or nickels. They were all topped with glowing lights. There were tables on the opposite wall with all matter of games: black jack, craps, and poker. Snaking through the center of the hotel was a scaled-down version of the Nile.
"Wow." Willow breathed, marveling at it all.
"We'll play later." Spike promised. "I have to go greet the stuffy ruler types now, though. We've already been spotted."
"How?"
He pointed to the ceiling where round video machines were enclosed in the ceiling. "Vampire eyes in the sky, luv." He took her hand. "Come on then."
"Oh, I'll just wait for you here." Willow tried, she really didn't want to see any more vampires.
"Fine." Spike said. "Why don't you sit down over there and wait for the next vamp to walk by who's in need of a little snack?"
"They wouldn't even notice me. This place is full of humans too!" Willow argued.
"Believe me, Red. Pretty girl like you." He reached out and smoothed a lock of red hair from her face. "They'll notice you. Besides, you just walked in with a vampire, they're bound to be curious."
"Oh." She followed behind him as he lead down to the arcade on the lower level. "The big guys are down here playing Tomb Raider?" She asked, skeptically.
"Hardly." He led her into a dark corner where a statue of a handsome young pharaoh stood.
It was blocked by a row of huge video machines and swathed in shadows. The pharaoh held a crystal ball in his grasp and it was lit by glowing energy. Willow couldn't help but hold her hand over it, she could feel the magick in it. "Place your hand upon my crystal ball!" The statue beckoned in a booming voice.
She pulled her hand away and raised an eyebrow at Spike.
Spike waggled his eyebrows at her and pressed her up against the machine. She could feel him behind her, tall, strong, and whipcord lean. Her hand nearly brushed the globe. "You heard the man, pet." He whispered. His cool lips ghosted over the pink shell of her ear. He placed his hand over hers and they grasped the crystal ball together.
It felt like she was being torn apart. She and Spike were sucked through the ball and spit out somewhere else They landed on a hard brick floor. They were in a room lit by torches on the wall. It was crumbling, dark and dank. In other words, prime vampire property. Willow winced as she stood up. Her arm, her side and her hind end were all sore from where she'd landed on them.
Spike had fared better, having supernatural strength had its benefits. "You alright?"
"No, I've been kidnapped by a vampire, sexually harassed by a crystal ball, and thrown on the floor. This hasn't been my best day ever." She dusted off her legs and glared at him, too pissed off to be Miss Humor-the-scary-vampire-girl.
"Calm down, luv." Spike grasped her arm and slid his hand gently over one of the purple and black marks that were rapidly spreading across her forearm. "Mmm. . .you bruise easily, don't you?" He brought her arm to his nose and inhaled, savoring the scent of her blood trapped within her delicate white skin. His tongue rimmed his lips and his eyes were full of hunger. Whether it was for her blood or other parts of her neither one of them was sure. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?"
Willow was caught in his carnal stare and for the briefest moment, she was really tempted to say yes.
"I have something you can kiss too." A male voice said from behind Spike. He whirled only to be clocked by the large vampire. "What are you doing here, Spike?" Willow looked him over. He was obviously a body guard type. By the look of him, he wasn't very old. He couldn't even maintain a human facade. Master vampires rarely went around in vamp face, it scared off the prey.
Spike jumped up and rammed his fist into the big vamp's gut, doubling him over. He hit him across the back and vampire fell flat on the floor. Spike grasped a stake from his jacket pocket and slammed it through the other vampire's back. He exploded into a very large dust cloud.
Someone clapped from the shadows. "I see age hasn't slowed you down, William." A beautiful fair-haired man appeared. He stood under the meager light of a torch on the wall.
"Penn." Spike acknowledged, nodding slightly. "So, you are the new Master." It wasn't a question.
Penn gave a half smile. "Yes, it would appear The Slayer has made a dent in our leadership. First, Darla, then The Master, and she's had her claws in Angelus for quite awhile now. I'm now the oldest demon in the Master's line since our sire has been soulled." His gaze fastened on Willow who had pressed herself against the wall. She recognized pure evil when she saw it. This vampire was every bit as deadly as Angelus in his glory days. "And who did you bring me?"
"Er, she's actually mine, Penn." Spike asserted.
"A new toy?" Penn nearly purred. "I'd be delighted to play with you."
"No, she's my V. I. T."
Penn came closer to the girl. "William the Bloody's finally going to take a childe?" He asked, surveying the girl who shrank against the wall. He sniffed her. "She may have the blood but she doesn't have the moxie. She's quaking like a leaf in a breeze."
Willow reigned in her fear. Predators sensed the stuff, it made them crazy. She ruthlessly tamped down on it and glared at the beautiful man. "No, I'm shaking because its too cold in this place. What's a matter? Forget to pay the electric bill again?"
Penn got in her face. "What's your name, little girl?"
"Willow." She said, raising her chin a notch. She could see Spike over the vampire's shoulder and he looked both pleased and ,weirdly enough, relieved by her behavior. "Now back off, your breath could kill flies." Whohoo! Buffy would have been so proud.
Penn smiled. "Good choice, William. She'll make a fine addition to the family. If I'm not mistaken, there's a ceremony to perform." He backed away and pulled Spike to his side, the two vampires walked into another room. "Are you two staying for dinner?"
Willow shook her head as she followed them. There wasn't much point looking for an escape route. She'd only be surrounded by vampires. She pulled her journal from the back of her jeans. She was already mentally composing something about misogynistic vampires and Angel's apparent fascination with blonds. She hoped the ceremony didn't involve the exchange of any fluids. And. . .(GULP). . .did he say something about staying for dinner?
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