"Thank God," Giles breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of the doorbell. "That must be Buffy."

He yanked the door open and froze, his mouth dropping open, as he looked at the bruised and disheveled slayer.

"Buffy?" Willow said as she rose from the sofa, equally stunned by her friend's appearance.

"What happened?" Giles asked.

"I'm okay. Thanks for asking," Buffy answered dryly as she stepped into the room.

"Score one for the bad guys," Spike shot, smirking in undisguised amusement as the slayer winced and lowered herself into a chair.

"Shut up," she snapped.

"Buffy--"

She looked over at Giles and pushed her tangled hair off her face, "I had it, Giles! I had it in my hand, but--"

"But?" he asked, his voice rising in agitation. "But what? Where is it?"

"I lost it! He lunged at me, and it flew out of my hand," she whispered, barely able to meet his eyes. "I lost the amulet. I'm sorry, Giles. I--"

"Hold on," Spike interrupted. "You dragged me over here to help her find a damned bracelet?"

"Not a bracelet. An amulet, and we'd already found it," Giles said impatiently. "Buffy was bringing it here--"

"I'm really sorry," the slayer repeated on the verge of tears.

"It's all right," his voice softened, and he placed a hand on her shoulder, then quickly removed it when she flinched in pain. "I hadn't counted on him realizing so quickly that we'd taken it."

"Uh, guys," Willow spoke. "You want to clue us in, here? What amulet, and who is 'he?'"

"It's an ancient relic," Giles explained. "It belongs to a demon named Tobias. The amulet has the power to bind humans to him. He's a sadistic bastard; he feeds off of pain. He enslaves humans and tortures them. I've found a spell that will render the amulet useless, but the spell requires that I have the amulet in my possession."

"We found the demon's lair, and I went there tonight. I got the amulet, and I was on my way here when he caught up with me and--" Buffy paused and looked up at Giles. "He won't go back to the same place, not now that we know where it is. At least he hasn't set up shop, yet. Maybe I can track him down again before--"

"Actually, he has set up shop," Giles informed her.

"Where? He hasn't taken any victims yet," she said.

"He won't have to," the watcher replied. "Xander and Anya caught sight of him earlier this evening. They followed him to a club on Morris Street."

"Morris Street is just a bunch of run-down storehouses. There aren't any clubs anywhere in that area of town," Buffy told him.

"It's an underground club."

"Underground?" Willow asked.

"BDSM," Giles answered without batting an eye. "From what I hear, some very nasty things go on over there. They cater to everyone from the mortal to the unmortal."

"So, how come you let Xander and Anya in on this and not me?" the redhead wanted to know.

"Because this demon is one very sick puppy, and you have enough to deal with right now," Buffy answered.

"Enough?"

"Yeah, you know. Oz and--"

"That was weeks ago," she waved away the slayer's concerns. "I'll always care about him, but I have a life to get on with. I want to help."

"Good," Giles nodded. "Because you're probably the only one who can."

Buffy's eyes flew to him, "What do you mean?"

"That club is the perfect place to hide the amulet, what with all the leather lying around."

"Leather," Willow shook her head in confusion.

"The amulet is leather. It's only distinctive feature is a small gold clasp with a sapphire set in it. Aside from that, it would blend right in with all the other items in the club--leather whips, bonds, collars."

The little redhead wriggled uncomfortably, "Does anyone else have the sudden urge to take a shower?"

"Ready whenever you are, ducks," Spike offered and chuckled at her immediate blush.

Buffy pointedly ignored the vampire, "I still don't understand why Willow is--"

"Because Tobias knows you're the slayer, and he may not have seen Xander or Anya, but anyone else headed for the club might have. They could be recognized. The only ones we know they haven't seen are Willow and Spike," Giles said.

"Please, please tell me you aren't saying what I think you're saying," Buffy begged.

"I'm saying exactly that. Spike is a vampire. No one would give it a second thought if he showed up there with a human slave."

"Giles!" Buffy shouted. "Willow is absolutely--"

"Going to do it," the redhead cut her off. "Look, people's lives are at stake. Someone has to get the amulet back, and since the rest of you can't, that leaves me. I mean, if Spike agrees to--"

He threw an arm over her shoulders and grinned as she looked up at him, "Just call me Master, pet."

"I really, really hate this plan," Buffy groaned.
***
Willow emerged from Giles' bathroom dressed in the outfit the watcher had obtained for her. Spike turned and raked his eyes over the beautiful redhead. Her leather bustier laced up the front and supplied an enticing amount of cleavage, and the tight leather skirt barely covered her shapely rear end.

"Geez, guys. I'm sure I'm going to figure out how to breathe in this casing any second now," Willow whined playfully, taking a great gulp of air.

"It might be better if you didn't," Buffy suggested as Willow's firm breasts swelled around the top of the bustier.

"Put these on," Giles said, handing her a leather slave bracelet and collar.

She took them and wrangled with the intricate clasp on the bracelet and looked over at the watcher, "Spike filled me in on the finer points of dominance and submission while we were on our way here. But were did _you_ learn so much about BDSM?"

"I have my sources," Giles grinned.

"Here, pet," Spike took the bracelet from her and fastened it around her wrist.

"This, too--Sir?" she giggled and handed him the collar, which he placed around her neck.

"Is all this really necessary?" Buffy asked as Spike's hands lingered a little too long around her best friend's neck.

"I'm afraid it is," Giles nodded. "There's one other thing."

"I can hardly wait to hear," the slayer grimaced.

"Willow, Spike is going to have to bite you."

"What?!?" Buffy shouted. "No way! He is NOT going to--"

"Buffy, he's supposed to be her Master. He's a vampire. He must mark her as his," he explained patiently. "You do want to get that amulet back, don't you?"

She sighed in defeat as Spike moved in front of Willow and looked questioningly down at her. Her nervous green eyes looked back at him.

"You won't take a lot, will you?" she asked softly.

He shook his head, "I'll be careful."

"Okay," she agreed.

Buffy tensed as Spike took Willow's arms and pulled her close to him. Giles placed a calming hand on the slayer's shoulder and kept careful watch as Spike's mouth hovered over the pulse beating rapidly below the redhead's right ear. She shivered as his lips brushed over her skin, and he cradled her head gently in his hand and pierced her flesh with his fangs. Her hands gripped his shoulders, but she remained still in his embrace, and the vampire groaned softly as her sweet, pure blood flowed down his throat.

Spike's budding appreciation for the tiny woman suddenly took root and flourished as he took the full weight of her body against his own, heard the sound of her soft moans close to his ear, caught the scent of her juices as they trickled from her core. Withdrawing his fangs, he lapped carefully at the last drops of her blood and nuzzled his mouth against her neck.

Buffy looked away from the undeniably erotic exchange, and her voice wavered a bit as she asked, "Will, you okay?"

Willow nodded silently against Spike's chest, and he took her hand as she turned to his side. Giles ignored the slayer's anxious glance at him and went to the door and opened it. Buffy's hand curled around Spike's arm as he guided Willow past her.

"If she gets hurt, you'll regret it," she warned him.

"Sod off," he mumbled, still enraptured by the taste of the redhead's blood.

"We're on the same side, now, remember?" Willow said softly.

"Not by choice," Buffy argued.

"I'll be fine," the redhead promised.

"You'll be back before dawn?" Giles spoke.

"Right. See you in a few hours," she nodded.
 
 

Willow moved closer to Spike's side as they entered the bar area of the dimly-lit club. Men and women, both mortal and otherwise, were seated around the room, all at least as scantily-clad as the redhead and many exposing a good deal more flesh than she. Spike heard her heartbeat quicken as a tall, lanky man unfolded himself from a stool at the bar and walked toward them. His beady eyes were riveted on the young woman, and Spike squeezed her waist before dropping his hand to her ass.

"Remember, don't speak without permission," he warned her. "And keep your eyes lowered."

The man stopped in front of them and introduced himself, "Dominic--the owner. You're new here."

"A friend--Michael--recommended this place," Spike answered.

"Ah, we haven't seen him around here in a day or two," the man said. "What can I do for you?"

"My pet has been disobedient," the vampire looked down at Willow.

"I understand," Dominic nodded. "We have rooms availabe upstairs that will suit your needs perfectly. For a fee, of course."

"I require privacy. I'll take the whole floor, if you can manage that," Spike pulled a thick roll of bills out of his duster pocket and peeled off five 100 dollar bills.

The man eyed the small wounds on Willow's neck as the vampire shoved the money into his open hand.

"The stairs are that way," he told Spike, pointing beyond the tables to the left.

"Come, pet," Spike ordered, taking Willow's hand and pulling her toward the stairs.

"You have friends who patronize a place like this?" Willow asked curiously as Spike pushed open the door of the first room at the top of the stairs.

"What's that, luv?"

"Michael?"

"He wasn't a friend. He just volunteered the information after I'd wrapped my hands around his
neck. I figured we might need a foot to get us in the door. I promised not to kill him if he coughed up some useful information," Spike explained.

"So, you let him go? What if he shows up here--"

"I lied," the vampire grinned. "He's dust."

"Oh. That works," she nodded. "Where do we start looking for the amulet?"

"Anywhere. Everywhere," he suggested as he pulled open a closet door and scanned the various leather items hanging from the hooks inside it. "Bloody hell. There's enough leather in here to clothe an entire herd of naked cows."

"And this is just the first room," Willow added as she rifled through the bureau drawers.

"It isn't here," Spike concluded, going to the door and peering out into the empty corridor. "Come on."

He took Willow's hand and moved down the hallway to the next room. They quickly searched it, and finding no amulet, Spike turned to the door.

"Damn," he hissed quietly.

"What is it?"

"Company. They aren't humans, and only one of them is a vampire," he said sotly.

"The demon?" Willow asked anxiously.

Without warning, he suddenly reached out and grabbed the redhead and flung her back onto the high, brass bed.

"Spike! What are you--"

"Sorry, pet. Play the part," he muttered, tugging open the laces on her bustier.

Her eyes snapped up at him as he straddled her, placed one hand over her naked breast, and crushed his mouth to hers. The door slowly swung open to reveal two male figures. Willow's heart pounded wildly, and she tried to push Spike off of her. He grabbed her wrists, pinning them to the bed.

"She's a fighter," one of the men chuckled. "You should discipline the bitch. I do so enjoy their pain.

"Pig," Willow blurted out angrily.

"Pet," Spike snarled, gripping her wrists and pulling her upright. "Apologize to the man."

"Like hell!" she refused.

"Oh, this one has some fire in her," the stranger leaned against the door, a cruel smile plastered
across his face.

Willow squealed as she found herself being thrown over Spike's lap. Roughly shoving her leather skirt up to expose her ass, he quickly masked his surprise as he discovered she was wearing no panties. He brought his palm down over her bare, rounded flesh. Hot tears
pricked the redhead's eyes, and she struggled to get up, but he held her down and dealt her reddening ass another firm blow.

"Apologize, litte one," he repeated.

"I'm sorry!" she cried out, her face blushing scarlet as her body began to warm under Spike's relentless spanking.

"I'm sorry--what?" he demanded, spanking her again.

She wriggled against him and moaned in embarrassment as she felt her sticky juices trickling from her sex and moistening her inner thighs.

"I'm sorry, Master," she breathed raggedly, trying desperately to force herself to remain still, trying futilely to calm her growing need.

His cold hand rubbed over her hot buttocks soothingly before he spanked her once more. She whimpered, a sound somewhere between pain and desire, as she felt his cock hardening against her.

"Let's leave him to it," the second man suggested.

The first nodded, laughing coldly as he closed the door and left Spike and Willow to the privacy of the bedroom. The vampire immediately released her, and she collapsed onto the bed, salty tears streaming down her face. He moved over her, pressing his body against hers and brushed her tears away. Their eyes met for a fleeting second before his mouth took hers. She curled her fingers through his hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss as his tongue slid between her teeth. She tore her mouth from his and tried to roll out from under him, horrified by her body's reaction to Spike's rough treatment and the fact it all had happened in the sight of two total strangers.

"Willow," he whispered, holding her firmly beneath him.

"What's wrong with me? How could I--"

"Because you know you're safe," he said. "You know I won't hurt you."

"But it did hurt, and...and...they were standing there...and...oh, Goddess...I'm such a bad, bad
person."

"No, you're not. Trust me, luv. I know bad, and you're not it," he grinned. "But I'd be more than happy to teach you."

"Spike," she grumbled, barely containing a giggle.

He laughed and sat back, pulling her up and relacing the bustier. She held her breath as his hands brushed against her breasts.

"We have an amulet to find," he reminded her, placing his hands on her bare, soft shoulders. "We'll finish this later."

"Finish? Later?" she asked as he pulled her off of the bed.

"Absolutely," he chuckled and drew her into a hard kiss.
 
 

"Tell me, pet. How is it there's nothing more than that skirt covering your lovely ass?" Spike asked as they moved to the door at the end of the hall.

"Giles insisted on it. He stammered something about slaves not wearing any--well, you know."

"I'll give the man points for accuracy," Spike replied. "Ah, this looks more promising."

"Promising? It's locked," the redhead pointed out.

"No, it isn't," he argued as he picked the lock and pushed the door open.

She grinned and followed him into the room, "It looks like all the others."

"I'll bet you a night at my place that amulet's in here somewhere," he said.

"You're on," she answered, only half listening, as she pawed through a pile of leather cuffs, whips, and collars all tangled together on the bed.

Spike grinned and closed the closet door, moving to the dresser across the room. He lifted the lid on a large, wooden box and picked through an assortment of bracelets.

"Not here," the redhead sighed. "Spike, this is a lost--"

She jumped as he knelt beside her and curled one had around her ankle as he retrieved an object that had fallen from the bed to the floor. His hand darted up the back of her thigh, traveled under her short skirt, and squeezed her ass.

"You smell good enough to eat," he smiled wickedly. "And I intend to collect on that bet."

"What?" she squeaked slapping at the hand that was moving between her legs.

He stood up and dangled the item in front of her eyes, "Leather, gold clasp, one perfect sapphire."

"You found it!" she beamed and fingered the amulet. "Now, how are we going to get out of here with it?"

Spike walked to the window and opened it to looked out, "This way."

"We're on the second floor, and I like my legs in one piece," she told him.

"I'll second that," he nodded and reached his hand out to her. "But I don't fancy running into old Toby on the way out the door. See that?"

She looked to the side of the window to find a metal ladder secured to the wall. It was an arm's length away and ran from the alley below to the roof of the building. Spike placed a foot on the ledge of the window and reached out to grab hold of one metal rung. He pulled himself out onto the ladder and motioned for Willow to take his hand. She took a deep breath to calm her quivering nerves and reached for him.

His strong fingers curled around her wrist and placed her fingers around the rung just under his chest. He stepped down and pushed away from the wall, allowing Willow enough room to swing herself onto the ladder. Satisfied that she had a secure purchase, he began to descend, with Willow just above him. The vampire jumped from the third rung from the bottom and put his arm around her waist, pulling her down to the ground. He took her hand, and Willow laced her fingers through his as they took off on a dead run.
***
"That's it?" Buffy asked as a little puff of smoke dissipated above the small bowl of ingredients.

"That's it," Giles nodded and picked up the amulet. "It's powers have been destroyed. You're sure it was Tobias you saw in the club?"

"He wasn't human, and he wasn't a vampire," Spike answered.

"Then he'll know who took the amulet. Buffy, he must be destroyed. The amulet made it easier to enslave his victims, but he's still dangerous, even without it."

"Will he know you two if he sees you again?" the slayer asked Spike.

"He got a good look at us."

Buffy frowned at the blush that spread across Willow's cheeks in response to Spike's answer and quickly decided not to pursue his statement.

"It might be better to wait until morning, then. The club will be closed, and there won't be any vampires lurking around," Buffy suggested. "Will, you need a safe place to stay. Maybe you could go home for tonight."

"Okay. Mom and Dad are out of town, so--"

"You'll be alone. Not a good idea," the slayer changed her mind and looked reluctantly at Spike. "Could she--"

The vampire nodded silently, and Buffy wondered again as the redhead fidgeted nervously and looked up at him.

"But if we wait until morning, you can't--"

"Ever been in the tunnels?" he grinned.

"Okay. I'll get Xander and Anya and meet you at the club an hour after sunrise," Buffy told them.
***
Buffy had left the couple on Spike's doorstep and gone off to patrol. Willow turned to the vampire as he flopped down onto the sofa.

"Spike?"

"Yeah, pet," he answered, patting the cushion beside him.

"Can't. My...um...rear end hurts," she admitted softly. "Could I, maybe, take a bath?"

"Of course you can," he nodded and stood up.

He took her hand and led her to the bathroom. Reaching over to turn on the tap, he waited until the water flowed warm before plugging the drain. He stepped close to Willow and untied the leather bustier.

"I can do it," she blushed.

"I know you can," he grinned as his fingers continued to work at the laces.

He pushed the garment off her shoulders and drew his arms around her. Unzipping her skirt, he let it fall to the floor before cupping her sore ass in a firm squeeze. She gasped and pressed her naked body to his and felt herself growing wet as he ran his hands over her buttocks. Spike lifted her and gently lowered her into the tub. Willow moaned as the hot water met her bruised flesh.

"Be still for a moment, pet," Spike whispered, brushing her hair away from her face.

He stood and removed his clothes, then stepped into the bathtub. Her eyes moved over his firm body as the water enveloped it, and he reached for her, placing her legs over his and pulling her close. Her fingers traced the line of his jaw, and he slipped a finger between her folds and thrust it into her throbbing channel.

Willow closed her eyes as he worked her slowly and felt his mouth claim hers in a deep, longing kiss. A soft whimper of protest broke from her lips as he removed his finger. She hissed as his hands returned to her ass, and he raised her up slightly and lowered her onto his hard, aching shaft. The feeling of him buried deep inside her, stretching her, filling her completely, his hands on her sore flesh, his cold lips moving over her neck, sent a fire sweeping through her.

"Spike," she murmured as she moved against him.

His hands gripped her buttocks, causing her to thrust against him, and she mewled softly as he guided her movements. She clung to him as he whispered against her ear, calling her name, entreating her to come for him. One hand moved around to her sex and rubbed over her clit, and her head fell back as her walls clamped around him. He kissed her wet, warm breasts, suckling each nipple in turn. Willow bucked violently against him, driving him into her until the tip of his cock met her cervix.

Water splashed over the side of the bathtub as she came hard, screaming his name. He sank his fangs into the wounds on her neck and growled as he shot his cold seed deep within her. Willow's hand cradled his head, holding him close to her as he drank. Her walls continued to throb around him, and he pinched her clit, driving her into another orgasm that brought his
name to her lips as she cried out in pleasure.

His cold tongue cleaned the blood from her throat, and he kissed his way back to her mouth. Their tongues slid over one another, and she wrapped her legs around him as he stood up, lifting her with him. He stepped out of the tub, his shaft still sheathed inside her.

"How's your sweet little ass?" he asked, his eyes fixed on hers. "Still sore?"

"Damned if I know," she murmured and crushed her mouth to his.

He chuckled and carried her into the bedroom, lowering her down with him and folding his arms around her.

"Spike, am I a wicked person for liking--that?" she whispered.

"Baby, there's nothing wrong with getting off on a little pain. I'd never really hurt you. I'd stop the second you asked me to. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I've never felt the way you make me feel."

His cock jumped inside her as she placed soft, hot kisses along his neck.

"Can you--do it, again?" she asked, her green eyes wide and hopeful.

Spike laughed softly and slid a finger between her folds, just above their joined bodies.

"I can do this until sunrise," he murmured seductively. "Can you?"

Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and her mouth curled into a grin, "Let's find out."
 
 

The club was empty, and Tobias was nowhere in sight when Willow and Spike, followed by Buffy and the others, entered through the alley door. The vampire who had been with the demon was talking to Dominic near the bar. Willow's hand nestled into Spike's as the vampire turned and approached them.

"Back for more?" he asked, his cold eyes settling for a moment on Willow's barely covered breasts before he turned toward Spike. "You're up past your bedtime, aren't you? If I had a hot little thing like her in my bed, I'd be on top of her making her scream."

Spike's hand curled around the vampire's wrist as he reached out to stroke Willow's arm. She stepped back as the vampire flung Spike aside and made a grab for her. Her cry of pain echoed off the walls of the empty room as he crushed her wrist in his hand and dragged her toward him. Spike growled and latched onto the vampire's hair, pulled his head back, and buried his fangs in his neck, savagely tearing it open. Buffy straddled the vampire as he collapsed to the floor and thrust a stake through his heart.

"I knew the fool was going to piss off the wrong guy some day," Dominic spoke as he walked over to them.

Spike took Willow's wrist and inspected the dark bruise forming on it as the man continued, "You looking for the guy he was with last night?"

"You know him?" Spike asked.

"Not really. He started showing up here a few days ago, and the women he took downstairs never came back up."

"You didn't check it out?" Buffy inquired.

"I--couldn't. Anyway, they seemed willing enough to go with him. When they didn't return, I wanted to check on them, but--" he looked at Spike. "He isn't one of you, but he sure as hell isn't one of us, either. Up until this morning, it was like he was inside my head."

"The amulet," Willow said.

"Is that what he was looking for?" Dominic asked. "He literally tore the upstairs apart searching for something."

"Is he still up there?" Buffy asked.

The man shook his head, "He left about an hour ago. He was ranting something about vampires and whores. His words, not mine," the man quickly added as a growl rumbled in Spike's chest.

"Keep Willow here with you," Buffy told the vampire. "Xander, Anya, help them check out the basement. I'll track down the demon."

"Alone?" Willow said. "But--"

"I'll be okay, Will. Stay here until I get back."

Spike turned in the direction of the basement stairs after Buffy had gone.

"You'll need the key," Dominic told him and ran over to the bar to retrieve it.

Willow followed Spike down the stairs, with Xander, Anya, and Dominic trailing behind them.

"Maybe you should wait up there," Xander suggested to his girlfriend.

"I've inflicted more torture on humans than you could possibly imagine. There's nothing down there that will shock me," she promised.

"Actually, I was more worried about getting you started on old hobbies again," he admitted.

"Keep talking like that, and you may find out those hobbies aren't as old as you think," she warned him.

"Guess we know who's the dominant in that relationship," Dominic muttered.

Willow snorted as Spike inserted the key in the lock and opened the door. He stepped through and scanned the dark, windowless cavern. His gaze settled on a string hanging from the ceiling, and he reached up and turned on the light. The bulb cast a faint yellow glow around the room.

"Bloody hell," he said, putting his hand on Willow's arm.

Six young woman were chained by their wrists to the beams overhead.

"Are they alive?" Willow asked softly.

"Four of them are," he answered and looked around at the two men. "Let's get them down."

They unshackled the four surviving females first, laying their unconscious bodies on the cold, dirt floor before freeing the two corpses.

"Oh, gods," Willow shuddered as she looked down at one of them. Thick red blood had congealed on the dead woman's inner thighs. "He cut her."

Spike put his hands on her arms and walked her backward, away from the gruesome sight.

"We need an ambulance," Dominic spoke.

"I'll call," Willow offered and hurried upstairs.

A moment later, they heard the redhead calling out for Spike. The vampire took off up the stairs and stopped at the sight that met him. The demon smiled coldly at him from over Willow's shoulder. One arm was wrapped tightly around her waist. The other was draped around her shoulders. Buffy lay in a heap on the floor in front of the bar where he had dropped her.

"I can make your pet scream louder than you ever have," the demon told the vampire.

Willow wriggled to free herself as his fingers moved to the laces on her bustier and began to untie them. Spike snarled angrily as the demon's hand slipped under the garment. The redhead whimpered as he roughly fondled her breast.

"What you saw down there is nothing. I can be far more cruel than that," Tobias grinned.

Anya grabbed Xander's arm as he tried to move around Spike.

"Don't be an idiot," she hissed.

"Send him over here," the demon laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Men, women--it makes no difference to me. I must admit; I do have a fondness for this one, though."

Willow squeezed her eyes shut as the arm around her waist snaked lower to creep up her skirt.

"Spike!" Xander grabbed at his duster as the vampire took a step forward.

"Fuck off," Spike snarled and backhanded the young man into a table.

He whirled around, his human features exchanged for the vampire's, and lunged at the demon. The three of them landed on the floor, and Spike, infuriated beyond sense, sunk his fangs into the arm around Willow's shoulders. The demon growled and grabbed Spike's hair, yanking him, and a chunk of his own flesh, away. He grabbed Willow's hair, and she yelped as he hauled her to her feet.

She jammed an elbow back into him, and he grunted and loosened his grip. Grabbing a bottle of liquor from the bar, she turned and smashed it into the demon's face. He stumbled against the bar, stepping on Buffy in the process, and her eyes snapped open. The slayer kicked the demon's feet out from under him and rolled as he fell to the floor. Pulling a dagger from its
sheath in her back pocket, she drove it into the demon's neck.

"Bitch," the demon rasped just before the hand he had wrapped around the dagger's handle went lifeless and fell away.

"Willow, are you--" the slayer turned to find her friend enveloped in Spike's arms, and she smiled softly. "Yeah, I guess you are."

Dominic stepped around to the back of the bar and reached for the phone.

"You guys have free access to this place anytime you want," he said gratefully, his eyes traveling over the blonde slayer with interest.

Xander laughed softly as Buffy's wide eyes looked over at him. The laughter quickly died on his lips as Anya slipped her arm through his and looked at Dominic.

"You have whips? And chains?" she asked hopefully.

"Lots of them," he nodded and waved the conversation away as he turned his attention to the phone.

Xander's body went rigid as she squeezed his arm and said, "I wonder what time they open here."

Buffy chuckled and looked over to see Spike gently retying the laces on Willow's bustier, their eyes locked on one another's.

"I'm thinking you really need to get out of those clothes," the slayer sighed.

"Funny, that. I was thinking the same thing," Spike grinned down at Willow and bent to place a soft kiss on her lips. "Tunnels, baby?"

"Tunnels," she nodded.

He tucked his arm around her and scooped up a set of leather wrist manacles that were lying on a table beside them.

"Can we borrow these, Dom?" he called out.

"Keep 'em," the man grinned.

Buffy groaned as Spike nuzzled Willow's hair and headed for the alley door, "Just don't ever tell me what you did with those."

"Agreed," Spike called back and squeezed Willow's waist. "See you in a week."

"A week?" Xander's voice cracked as the couple disappeared around the corner.

Willow's amused giggle drited back in reply.

End 4/4

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