Dawn decided to hang around the shop as much as possible, she wanted to be there when Willow made her pitch for the party. She was halfheartedly working on her math homework when Willow arrived.

"Hi Buffy, what's up? Things still kinda slow?" Willow asked sitting down next to her friend.

"Still quiet, it's got me on edge. I just know that those two leather freaks have something up their sleeves. You know, they could be vamps or demons and this could be some kind of a gang war."

"Whoa, X-Files overload, let's not get too far out. I'm sure the truth is much simpler than some hellmouth version of 'The Godfather'."

Willow added in a gravelly voice, " Dracula now sleeps with the fishes."

Buffy had to laugh, "I guess you're right, maybe I'm getting a little wacky on the subject; but I'm just not used to this much quiet time at night."

She glanced at Dawn and lowered her voice, " and I do mean quiet time. If a guy came running through here naked, I don't think I'd know what to do with him."

"Don't worry, it's like riding a bicycle, it'll all come back to you, " Willow said with a grin.

"Maybe, " Buffy said returning her smile, " but if I don't meet someone soon, I'll need training wheels so I don't fall off."

Dawn looked up, she didn't understand what they were laughing about, what was so funny about training wheels?

Now that her friend was in a better mood, Willow decided to make her move.

"I heard that you and Dawn had a big fight about some party."

"Wait a minute, did she ask you to talk me into letting her go?"

Glancing up, she noticed that her sister was suddenly very busy with her math book.

"She talked to me about it, she thought you were too upset to listen."

"Maybe I was a little upset with this nightrider thing, but I still don't think she should be hanging out with high school boys. I remember what they
were like. Making out, hands up your shirt, rolling around in the back seat of Chris's father's Volvo, the car alarm going off."

"Sorry Will, a little flashback there."

"Chris, Chris Watson? That was you? I remember the alarm went off in the school parking lot during lunch. You cheap tramp!"

They both looked toward Dawn, she was working away; but she was grinning from ear to ear."

Willow continued, " I did a little checking on the party, the high school kids will be some ninth graders who are the same age as the rest of the
eighth grade kids. No alcohol, no smoking and the parents will be home the whole time. I know it's your decision, but this might be a good chance to let Dawn take some responsibility for herself."

"I'll think about it, but you might be right. I'll talk to her about what to expect and if she seems ready, she can go."

"Thanks, " Willow said.

On her way out, Willow stopped at Dawn's table, " it's up to you now, " she whispered.

"Thanks, " Dawn replied, " how can you make a car alarm go off from the back seat?"

Willow looked back at Buffy and winked. Her friend blushed and looked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Let's stay in tonight, " Willow whispered nibbling on Spike's ear.

"What, and miss our ride and the chance to battle the evil powers of Sunnydale? You'd better have something pretty good planned young lady."

Willow continued to whisper into his ear, Spike began to smile and Willow could almost swear that he blushed.

"What has gotten into you tonight?" Spike asked nuzzling her neck.

"Unfortunately not you, " she said in a low sexy voice.

"You cheeky bit of baggage, " he said with a laugh, "mother warned me about girls like you."

She put a hand on either side of his face and pulled him into a long slow kiss.

While he sat back still wondering at the change in her, she took a bottle of chilled wine from the fridge and put it beside two long stemmed glasses on the counter.

"Seriously pet, what did happen today?"

She opened the bottle and brought the filled glasses over to the sofa.

"Something made me think of all the opportunities I missed by being too controlled and too afraid to take a chance. Maybe I want to set off the car
alarm for a change."

Spike gave her a puzzled look and was about to say something when the phone rang.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yeah, this is Buffy ...... , Ok thanks."

"Giles, I've got them. My little motorcycle pals are gonna get a surprise tonight. I know where they'll be, on West End Avenue between 7th and 8th
midnight tonight. Now I'll find out how tough they are and what they're really up to."

A few minutes later, Dawn asked Giles if she could use his office phone to check a homework assignment.

She dialed and Willow answered, " Hi, this is Dawn, you better change your plans for tonight. Buffy knows all about them. She's gonna get there first and fight you for it."

Willow began to laugh, " she must be hornier than I thought,"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, what's this all about."

Dawn explained about the phone call and Buffy's plan to confront the nightriders.

"Thanks for the warning, I'll make sure everything is OK."

"Spike, I think someone is out to get Buffy and they're using us as part of their plan."

Willow told him about Dawn's call and her suspicions that Buffy was being led into a trap.

Spike agreed, "I think some bright vampire has noticed how distracted the slayer has been acting and decided to take advantage."

He sighed, "there goes tonight's special plans."

"We don't have to be there until eleven or so, " Willow said as she started up the stairs unbuttoning her shirt at the same time."

"Hurry up or I'll start without you," she yelled as she tossed her shirt and bra from the top of the stairs.
 

~Part 7~

Willow and Spike lay together in a tangle of bedclothes.

"How was that for our first time, " Willow whispered.

"Spike grinned, "pardon madam, would that be our first first time or our second first time or the third "

She punched his shoulder, stop, don't be angry because I had to cut things short. I didn't want you to give out half way through things tonight."

"Give out! Give out! I'll show you give out, " he said grabbing her around the waist and pulling her on to him.

They were just about to start on 'first time' number X, when the phone rang.

"Let the bleeding thing ring, " Spike whispered in her ear.

After two more rings, Willow pulled herself up, "sorry, I just can't take it, I have to get it."

Spike made a grab for her as she ran for the phone and only managed to brush one hand across her bottom.

Willow slowed down and shivered and looked back.

"I am getting an answering machine tonight if I have to steal one," she said picking up the phone.

"Hi Dawn, slow down, it's gonna be alright. We'll get there early enough to catch her before she has a chance to get into any trouble. What, oh hell, we're leaving now, bye."

"Spike, get up, someone called Buffy and changed the of the ambush to nine, we'll never get there before her now.

He jumped up and tossed her leather outfit to her before starting to pull on his.

"Underwear, damn where is it?, she mumbled frantically looking around.

"Lover, not a requirement, " he said with an evil grin.

Her eyes twinkled as she watched him zip his tight leather pants.

She followed his lead with pleasure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy approached the building cautiously. It appeared abandoned except for a single bare bulb dangling from the ceiling of the ground floor garage. The big garage door was open about halfway, just enough for a motorcycle to get through.

She worked her way along the wall of the building next door hugging the shadows. She wanted to get as good a look as possible of the interior before entering.

From this angle, she thought she could see a dark mass just beyond the circle of light thrown off by the solitary bulb. It could be a motorcycle.

She stood completely still for ten minutes, her eyes locked on the open door. Then she quickly slipped inside.

Stepping toward the dark object just outside the circle of light, she noticed movement in the deep shadows on either side. Her attention thus distracted, she didn't sense the movement behind her until it was too late. She felt a tremendous blow, then she felt nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her ears were ringing as she regained consciousness. She could feel the shackles on her wrists, a few pulls told her she couldn't break free on her
own.

"So this is the famous Slayer. She doesn't seem too tough to me, " a deep voice boomed.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was shackled to iron staples in the wall. A circle of fierce faced yellow-eyed vamps surrounded her.
Opposite her was the speaker, a tall burley red haired vamp.

What did I tell you minions, all bark and no bite, all hat and no cattle.

"All mouth and no fangs, " Buffy shot back.

"Vamps come and vamps go, come to think of it, I'm the one who makes them go, " Buffy said menacingly.

The circle began to move back in response to her words.

"Enough! " the big vamp roared, "it's time to drink the Slayer's blood."

He hefted a long broad sword. He approached the slayer. She could hear the hum as he slashed the air.
 

~Part 8~

They only heard the roar a split second before the motorcycle came skiddingthrough the door.  The driver managed to clip the red haired vamp and at the same time snatch his sword from mid air.  He rolled over to Buffy and with two tremendous blows cut the shackles from her arms.

Meanwhile, his passenger was firing a small crossbow into the circling crowd.

Moments later, the vamp leader recovered from the shock of the collision threw himself at the bike as it was turning for a run at the retreating
remains of his minions.  Both riders spilled to the ground stunned.

He retrieved his weapon and stood over the larger of the two figures.

He raised the sword and paused.

A sweet voice called out behind him, "Yoo hoo, mister big bad vampire, I think you promised me the last dance."

His eyes glowed bright yellow as he turned to face Buffy.

Faster than his eyes could follow, she thrust a broken broom handle into his chest.

"Gotcha!"

His surprised look dissolved into dust.

Buffy knelt and removed Spike's helmet.

"I'll be damned, you're the night rider?"

A groggy Spike smiled up at her, " you haven't seen the bloody half of it yet."

"He's right, you know, " Willow said removing her helmet and getting up.

Buffy looked from one to another in disbelief.

Willow gave her the bare bones of her adventures with Spike retrieving the talisman needed to restore his soul and the feelings that developed between them.

"We just wanted to take it slow, we didn't know how you and the rest of the gang would take it."

"I really love him and he loves me," she said with quiet confidence.

Buffy walked over to Spike who was still seated on the floor, " do you love her?"

He smiled and nodded, "more than anything."

"Listen to me.  If you ever do anything to hurt her ever, I will hunt you down and make you wish you were never made, understand?"

He nodded again.

She smiled and mussed his hair, " OK."

Willow walked over to them, " thanks Buffy, I …"

She stopped and grabbed her leg, " ow!" she said and sat down hard on the floor.

Buffy knelt and felt her leg, she worked up from her knee and found a long tear in the leather on the outside of her thigh oozing blood.

"Lie down and undo your pants.  I'll pull them down and get some pressure on this.  Come on unbutton."

Willow blushed as she unbuttoned her pants, as Buffy pulled them down, she looked away.

Buffy saw she was naked under the black leather, "you little slut, " she said smiling.
 

END

read the sequal 'The Return'

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