************************************************************
Spike stood up quickly and crossed the room, nearly
knocking Willow over in his rush. Damn, he needed some
distance, a cold shower, and maybe some bloody whiskey. He
managed to keep his voice even. "Now that we have the look
right, let's call up the bloody poof and arrange a
meeting."
"No! We can't!"
"And why not?" He asked slyly. Now she would beg off
again, and he would let it go, secure in the fact that he
had won. He wouldn't even brag. Well, maybe just a little
bit.
"I don't know how to talk to him, yet!"
"What do you mean, you just walk up and-"
"Angel's not like other guys. He's not even like other
vampires. It has to be perfect." Her eyes widened.
"Do
you know how to flirt with him?"
"I most certainly do NOT! Do I look like a great poof to
you? Just because we used to hang out together and live in
the same house, does not mean anything happened! I was
completely wrapped up in Drusilla the whole time!" He
crossed his arms and ended with a huff.
Willow took a moment to control her giggles. "I wasn't
implying anything. I just figured since you, as a vampire,
have been hit on before, and because you know Angel that
you could help me."
"You want me to teach you vampire flirting techniques?"
"Well, yes."
"To use on Soulboy?"
"Uh-huh." She moved up onto her knees. "Oh, please, would
you?"
His eyes narrowed. "You're really serious about this."
"Oh, I can just picture it!" She gushed. "Angel and I,
in love, together, sharing intimate moments and smoochies!"
She ended with a big sigh. Spike looked like he was about
to throw up.
"I don't know if Peaches is ready for 'smoochies.'" Spike
was about to end the whole game when an idea crossed his
mind. "Alright, luv. I'll tell you what we'll do.
I'll pretend to be Angel, and you hit on me. Then I can
help you perfect your strategy.
He put on his duster and leaned against the wall. He gave
her Angel's patented "wracked by guilt but pensive and
brooding" look.
Willow stared at him. Hit on Spike? Her heart started to
pound. She wasn't sure she was brave enough. He smirked
back at her. She could see by the look in his eyes that he
didn't think she was brave enough either.
She flashed him her "resolved face" as she got up and then
walked over to look up at him. Willow looked like she was
going off to battle. "Uh, pet, are you gonna hit on
me or slap me?"
"Well, from reading some of Giles. . .err. . .private
collection of research materials
on vampires, I thought slapping was an acceptable form of
flirtation."
"That's a little advanced for you, don't you think?"
"Well, maybe that's what Angel would expect. Didn't you
and Drusilla-"
"I don't slap and tell, pet. Now are you gonna make a
pass at me or what?"
"Well, I can't with you just staring at me. Tell you
what, why don't you sit on my bed. . .no, that's a bad
idea. Sit at my desk and could you put your shirt on? I
will try to pick you up, pretend that you are at The
Bronze."
Spike gamely walked over to the desk and pulled his shirt
on before he sat down. He couldn't stop the small smile
that played about his mouth. He knew she couldn't go
through with it. She gave him a lingering look and then
glanced away. What was the little witch doing?
She glanced at him again and smiled shyly before looking
away. The contest forgotten, Spike watched her openly with
a frown on his face. Sometimes humans were
baffling. Why doesn't she come over here?
"Spike!"
"What?"
"You are supposed to smile back and give me 'the nod'!"
"The what? Mortals! You must be more aggressive to
attract a vampire, Willow." Well, almost all vampires.
"Now, get over here and say something to me. I know a line
that works well! Drusilla used to say 'fancy a toss,
luv?'"
"That's hitting on someone? Spike that sounds like sexual
harassment. "Or something a prostitute would say. Willow
wasn't quite sure what a 'toss' was exactly but
she bet it didn't involve a baseball.
"Luv, I can guarantee that if you say that to me, I won't
sue you. Come on, say it. . .you know you want to."
Willow could feel herself blushing. "I think Angel would
be offended by that kind of talk. He's very sensitive."
"Fine, pet. Ask me if I can recommend a good brand of
bloody hair gel, then." He rolled his eyes.
She walked over to glare down at him. "Will you please
take this seriously? My future may depend on this. Now,
here's my line. . .are you ready?"
"Ready, willing, and able, pet."
Willow ignored the comment. She smiled tentatively and
then said. "If I followed you home, would you keep me?"
For a moment, Spike just stared at her. It was the most
innocent and adorable thing he had ever heard. Oh, yes, he
really wanted to keep her. Then, he remembered their
little competition. He gave her his most mocking smile.
"That's it? That's all you got,
Red?"
"Well, have you got any better ideas?"
"Yes. I have." And he promptly pulled her into his lap.
She squirmed and he
gripped her upper arms to hold her still. "Dru always
started with action."
"Maybe that's because her sentences lacked a little in the
sense department."
"Hey! That was uncalled for, pet."
She leaned in close and rested her head on his shoulder.
"What do you think this situation does call for, Spike?"
"I'm open to suggestions." He shivered as one of her pale
fingers idly played with the neck of his black t-shirt.
"If you have any."
"Well, I was just thinking . . ." She slipped a finger
underneath his shirt and felt
the cool skin. "Since you're so experienced and all . . .
"
"Yes?" Spike would be willing to share all his knowledge
with her. "You were
thinking what exactly?"
She abruptly pulled away and stood up. Can't believe he
fell for it again. Sucker. Well, blood sucker. "Why don't
we switch places. You hit on me, and I'll see how it's
done, first hand."
*******
Spike made Willow sit on the chair. He now stood behind
her. The little witch
thought she could tease him twice and get away with it.
"Pet, I'm going to show you my
flirting technique. It is guaranteed to get you any vampire
you want." Willow nodded,
still not looking at him. She was teeming with
anticipation.
He swaggered past her as he made his way the other end of
the room, he only
stopped to flick a negligent glance at her over his
shoulder. His coat billowed around
him as turned on his heel. Spike gave her an appraising
look and then smiled wickedly.
He began to approach her at a rapid pace, eating up the
space between them in
seconds. He stood over her and pinned her with his eyes,
they were full of heat and
hunger. Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed
her up from the chair and
held her against his hard body, her feet dangling. Then,
he kissed her voraciously,
putting all of his longing for her into it.
He broke the kiss, holding her tightly to him for a
moment, reveling in the feel of
her. He then slid her slowly down his body to the floor,
letting her feel his desire. His
voice was husky as he said. "I have never met anyone like
you, Willow. I've never
wanted anyone as much as I want you." Spike plundered her
stunned mouth again before
he released her arms.
Willow slumped down in the chair as he let go of her. Her
breathing was rapid
and she was dazed. Spike turned his back to Willow,
reigned in his raging body, and
managed to affect a careless expression as he turned to
face her. "End of lesson. That's
one way of catching a vampire, pet. Of course, you'll need
to change it to suit you. I
doubt you could pick the bloody poof up."
Willow could only nod at him, she had no idea what he just
said. Spike smiled at
the confused red head. He kissed her cheek quickly and
faked a yawn. "I think I'll take
a nap, pet." He strolled over to her bed, lay face down
and hoped he fell asleep soon.
*******
When Willow could think once again, she noticed that Spike
was on her bed. He
appeared to be sleeping and she approached him stealthily.
She touched his arm gently
and pulled it quickly away. He stirred a little and rubbed
his face into the pillow he was
clutching. Perfect! This would give her the time she
needed.
Willow pulled her bedroom door closed quietly. Her parents
had left after lunch
for a movie. Apparently, the local theater was showing a
foreign film that their friends
were raving about. They had tried to convince Willow to
go, but she was watching
Spike. Willow had never liked subtitles in movies anyway.
She went to the phone in the kitchen and quickly dialed a
number. "Uh. . .Hello,
Cordelia. Oh, I'm fine. How are you?" She listened for
a
few moments. "C-can I speak with Angel? It's important."
"Hello, Willow."
"Hi, Angel. I need a favor from you."
"Of course, Willow. You know I'm always willing to help
out."
*******
"Hey, Wills. When do you want me to pick up Fangless?"
"Oh. Uh. . .no need. . .Spike's helping me with my. .
.homework. Yep, a huge psychology test."
"Psychology?"
"Abnormal psychology. You know those vampires, there as
abnormal as they come. Especially Spike."
"Okay. . ." Xander wasn't buying a word of it. "Well,
maybe you'd like me to come over. I could help too."
"NO!" She quickly recovered. "Actually, Angel is coming
over. I know you guys don't get along. You'd be
uncomfortable."
"Willow, what is going on? I know that you've taken this
break-up with Oz really hard. I know you loved him. But,
what the hell is going on?" Xander was starting to get
worried. "Are you running a halfway house for defective
vampires or something? If you need someone to talk to too,
I'm here for you!"
Willow sighed, Xander was jealous. "No one can replace
you, Xander. You've just been busy with Anya. Buffy's
busy with Riley. And Giles is having his own little
crisis. It feels good to talk to Angel and Spike about my
relationship." Willow almost laughed, she was on a roll
today. "Think about it. Angel lost Buffy and Spike lost
Drusilla. We are all miserable right now. "
Xander understood immediately. He remembered how he felt
after Cordelia had broken up with him. Being around people
who were happy and in love had tortured him. "Alright,
Wills. Let me know if there is anything you need."
"Thanks, Xander."
********
Willow walked into her room to find Spike awake. His head
was propped on his elbow and he lay on his side.
"Sleep well?" she asked.
"Yes." he ran his hand over the comforter. "It was very
comfortable. Not like sleeping in a strange bed at all,
pet. You might say, it was made for me."
Willow couldn't help but smile at him and his innuendo.
Spending time with him made it impossible to stew about Oz
and why he left. It was a harmless infatuation.
"Tell me something, luv. Why did you change your mind
about me sitting on your bed earlier?"
"What are you talking about?"
"When you had me pretend to be Angel, pet. Afraid you
couldn't control yourself if I was laying on your bed?"
"Oh, well, I just didn't think it would be a good. . .um.
. .I mean. . .uh, your boots are muddy and you would have
gotten my bed dirty." She gave him a cheesy smile.
"Whatever you say, Red."
She needed to change the subject fast. " I thought we
might make this contest a little more interesting."
"Oh? " What's going on in that devious little mind of
hers?
"How about making a wager? Putting your money where your
mouth is."
"What do I win?"
"Well, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I have some cash
-"
"No, I don't want your money. Offer me something else."
"What do you want?" Goddess he's handsome.
"Why don't you let me pick a prize of my choice when I
win."
"If you win."
"If I win, " he said indulgently. "What do you want from
me?"
She thought a moment. "Same as you. I'll select a prize
later on."
"Fine with me. Let's talk about the terms. I love to
gamble, pet, and I like high stakes."
"Me too." She said, recklessly.
"Fine. How about at least five dates and you gotta shag
him. And I want proof." He waited for her stammered
refusal.
"W-w-what?! I can't 'shag' him." She whispered the word
shag.
"Why not, luv?" Spike clapped his hands together, she was
going to give in. This was delicious.
"Because, he'll turn into Angelus if he's too happy."
"What are you saying, ducks?"
"Listen! That's how he lost his soul. The gypsy curse
states that if he knows complete happiness, even for a
second, he will lose his soul. "
"So, Soulman shagged the slayer and caused that whole
mess?" Spike's mind was whirling. Then, he thought about
the implications of the happiness stipulation. "Peaches
can't. . ." Spike wrapped his arms around his stomach as he
laughed himself senseless.
After his warped mirth subsided, Spike grinned at Willow.
"No wonder he's so bloody depressed. Hell, I'd probably
read bloody poetry and brood if I couldn't shag. Or stake
myself."
Willow choked on a giggle, the demon's humor was
infectious. Sorry, Angel! She took a deep breath and tried
to sound impatient. "Can we get back to the subject now?"
"Five dates? You must kiss him. And no nookie, okay?" He
teased and held out his hand to her. He knew he was going
to win.
"You got yourself a deal." She shook his hand. The wager
was placed. She knew she would win.