ULTERIOR MOTIVES (8/?)
 

Spike watched the witch, his blue eyes studying her closely. She was tired,
her eyes dim with circles underneath them. She was fidgeting, the book opened
in front of her. She was obviously nervous and he could smell the sweet scent
of her fear. "Are you sure this will work?"
 

Tara jumped at his voice, nodding slowly, "As much as we can be. I think this
is the best place to perform the ritual. It's clear and open."
 

"And if the slayer comes strolling by?" he inquired.
 

"She won't. I heard them talking about researching tonight. Was gonna ask
Willow about this morning, but she was already gone," Tara said with a small
frown. Shrugging it off, she continued, "The entire group is at the magic
shop so we have the clearing to ourselves. Are you ready?"
 

Spike nodded, knowing he wanted the damn implant gone. He honestly had no
immediate plans to terrorize the town or wreak havoc, but he wanted to the
ability to do so if he chose to. With it removed, he could be himself again.
He couldn't wait to taste fresh blood again. That was the one thing he had
truly missed the most. "Let's get this done. I've got things to do tonight."
 

Tara nodded, relieved that this was almost over. She had put everything that
she had into finding the spells that Spike needed. The fear that he would
grow tired of waiting and tell Willow the truth had haunted her since she had
found out she was really a demon. She still hadn't come to terms with that,
feeling nothing at all different in her body. She prepared her materials and
told him to sit in the middle of the circle. Reciting the words carefully and
slowly, she completed the first spell that would deactivate the implant.
 

"D..d...does it feel different?" she asked after the spell was completed.
 

He shrugged, "Not really. Get on with it, girl."
 

She hurriedly began to prepare the next spell. When she was ready, she looked
at him. He was simply sitting there, his eyes looking in front of him. "I'm
ready."
 

He nodded, "Do it."
 

A similiar process was repeated, only this time Spike cried out in pain
sharply. When it was finished, he sat there, looking at the flickering
candles in front of him. It had worked. There had been intense pain during
one point where he thought his head might split open, but it had faded. He
smiled, continuing to watch the flame dance in the soft breeze.
 

"Are you ok?" Tara asked, having heard his cry of pain. She saw him nod and
then asked, "Did that feel like it worked?"
 

He shrugged, "Thing about spells, you never know if they work until your try
them out."
 

She nodded, so happy that it was over. She began to gather her supplies,
putting the book in her bag and then getting her materials together. She
looked at Spike again, aware that he was most likely implant free. "You
promise that you're not going to tell Willow, right?"
 

Spike nodded, the smile still on his lips. "I won't tell a soul."
 

"Good," she sighed in relief. "I don't want her to know that I did this."
 

"It's not very healthy in a relationship to lie to the one you love," he
commented casually, swinging his head around to look at her. "You do realize
that you're lying to Red, don't you? That you've been lying to you for the
past two weeks or so?"
 

She nodded, "I know."
 

"Lying tends to hurt those around us," he continued, clucking his tongue.
"You've been a bad girl, telling all those fibs."
 

Tara frowned, watching him gracefully get to his feet. "I'm not the only one
lying to them."
 

"Ah, but I don't claim to love them," he said, smiling. "See, that's where
the hurt is. They don't care if I lie to them. Hell, they expect it. You, on
the other hand, you're one of their own. One of the trusted. Your betrayal
would hurt them far worse than mine ever could."
 

"Well, they won't find out," she said, her voice determined.
 

"You're right. They won't," he said in agreement. "All busy researching at
the magic shop, you say?"
 

She nodded, "Yeah. I'm planning on going over there when we finish this. I've
hardly seen Willow for days."
 

He smiled, "You know, witch, I owe you for this. Getting rid of that damn
implant."
 

"If it worked," she said, watching him curiously.
 

"If it worked," he added. "I'm gonna give you some advice. Something that you
can take to the grave."
 

"What?" she asked, not having time to react before he moved.
 

Spike held her throat in his hands, smiling as she began to struggle. He
leaned forward, taking every chance to enjoy this moment. He had wanted to
kill this little bitch since Red had brought her home, spending many hours
planning her death in a large variety of ways. She was the only one that he
had an overwhelming need to kill. She had touched what was his, tasted what
belonged to him. For that, she would pay with her life. He leaned close to
her ear and whispered, "Never, ever trust a demon."
 

He heard her muffled screams and laughed, "Oh, and baby, the spell? It
worked."
 

With those words, he bit into her neck savagely, draining her and enjoying
the taste of fresh blood. He fed until she quit struggling, pulling back and
looking into her lifeless dull eyes. He moved a hand over her face and
smiled, "You see, luv, I don't like to share."
 

He let her drop to the ground as he turned, stripping his blood covered shirt
off and replacing it with a fresh one. He grabbed the book she had been using
and put in his bag, removing the one he had brought. His was dark magic,
conjuring spells and spells for those not of the white light. He tossed his
book in the middle of the circle before he picked up his bag. He then went to
Tara's lifeless body and picked it up, slinging it over his shoulder. He
began to practice his lines as he left the clearing, a cigarette dangling
from his left hand as his right held her body on his shoulder. "I found her
out at the hill. There were these candles around her and her throat was
ripped open. She was already dead by the time I got there. I don't know who
could have done it, but it had to be a fledge. Her neck's all torn up. Had to
be a newbie not used to savoring his food....I'm so sorry Red...I tried...."
Spike started to laugh, "This is gonna be too easy.....it's great to be
back....."

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