"Oh God, oh God, oh God!" the young woman sobbed, her desperate prayers almost a chant. Her brown eyes were huge and wild in her face as they darted around the alley that she had been foolish enough to consider as a shortcut. 'Let me live, and I swear I'll be the best person possible...'
Spike ignored the almost inarticulate cries of the girl in his arms. He hadn't wanted to terrorize the chit, but upon seeing him, even in human guise, she had run. The hunger clawing at Spike's gut had urged him after her. Some part of him - demon and human monster alike - thrilled at the fear that sent her heart pounding so deliciously.
His face shifted into the physical representation of the demons residing inside of him. The woman's eyes widened in shocked horror before clenching shut in denial. Spike ignored the tears streaming down her face as he lowered his fangs down towards her exposed neck.
The sharp fangs broke through the delicate skin stretched taut over her neck with ease. She stiffened in his arms at the feel of them piercing her vein before going limp. Spike accommodated for her limp weight in his arms, continuing to lap at the rich blood welling up into his waiting mouth.
He fed slowly, drawing out the experience for as long as possible. The demon roared within him, strong with the taste of blood upon his lips. 'Kill her. Drain her dry. Do it!' it screamed greedily.
Spike ignored the jabbering little voice attempting to prod him into a full blood lust. 'I bloody well promised that I'd leave my meals alive when I was done with them. And that's exactly what I aim to do.'
The words were distant when compared to the intoxicating rush of blood flowing from the girl into him. Reluctantly, fighting his instincts all the way, Spike pulled back. The girl's heartbeat was slow but steady. She had provided an adequate meal, and would live.
"Well what do we have here?" a low, dangerous, and highly detested voice rang out into the night. "Looks like a soon to be dusted vamp!"
Spike dropped the girl he'd been feeding from, ignoring the sickly thump she made as she fell to the cement. "Slayer," Spike acknowledged, his demon's face leering at her. "I thought that you had run away, heartbroken over running your little lap dog through."
Buffy growled, a stake falling into her waiting hand. "You should have stayed gone, Spike."
"But Sunnyhell does so have it's charms!"
"Wa whoo!" Xander hooted, pumping his fists in the air triumphantly. "Dusted!" His arm shot out, snagging Cordelia. He dragged her towards him and planted an enthusiastic kiss on her lips.
"Is Xander always quite so... overjoyed after staking a vampire?" Giles asked, subtle amusement colouring his words. He watched Xander happily dance around and his mouth twitched into a near smile.
Willow nodded. "Just when it's Paul Freeman," she replied, thinking of how much trouble the now dusted boy had caused both her and Xander from kindergarten on up.
"I'm working out my repressed hostility, G-Man!" Xander exclaimed. "Maybe we could patent this or something... Stress therapy extraorinaire! Sure to cure you or a free dusting!"
Cordelia smiled at Xander fondly and disentangled herself from his bear hug. "Somehow, I don't see that making it big... Think of the dry cleaning bills!"
Giles shook his head and tsked, making another notation in his spiral bound notebook. "That's... three destroyed vampires tonight out of twelve..."
"At least we're improving," Willow giggled.
"Yes. Quite. Now let us return to the library before any more vampires decide to come out."
Buffy cursed under her breath, rubbing at her aching head. She pulled herself out from the pile of trash Spike had sent her reeling into. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she peeled a stubborn piece of garbage off of her grey sweat pants. "Welcome home, Buffy..." she muttered.
She wobbled over to the other girl, slumped over next to an overturned garbage can. Buffy squatted down next to her, searching for a pulse against her bloodied neck. She blinked in surprise at the feel of a strong, steady pulse beneath her questing fingertips. "Well, this is certainly strange."
The Slayer shook her head as she rose, hefting the girl up along with her. "I'll get you to a hospital, and then it's time to make up for lost time."
Willow flopped down in her chair, a cold compress pressed against her wrist. 'They still keep on hitting the darn stakes out of my hands! How did Buffy manage to keep ahold of the bloody things?!'
"That was such a rush!" Xander grinned as Cordelia dabbed the dust from his face with a wet towel.
"Stop squirming, Xander!" Cordelia told him sternly, her hand against the crown of his head holding him in place.
"I wonder what Buffy would think of us now," Xander continued, his head held still but his voice as excited as ever.
"Think about what?" The voice from the library door sent all four of it's occupants swiveling towards it as one. And as one, all of their jaws dropped open. Framed by the door and the light pouring in from the hall, Buffy smiled.
~End~
(Feb 1, 1999)