Chapter 19:

Chapter Nineteen

            “That’s it!”

            Five pairs of eyes turned to look at the excited witch, now bouncing up and down on the couch as the solution came to her.

            “William!”  she shouted, gleefully.

           “I think that ship has sailed, Red,”  Spike growled.  “Don’t need to keep using that name anymore.  Whatever’s left of those gits, they more than know who and what I am.”

           “No, no, not them,” she hastened to explain.  “You can be William – Somebody Giles knows from before he came to Sunnydale, or a distant relative, or…I don’t know…think something up.  You’re evil – you’ll think of a good lie.  No offense,” she said quickly when Spike quirked an eyebrow at her.

        “Non taken, pet,” he responded, waiting for the rest of her explanation.

         “See, here’s the thing.  Only those lab people know William as Buffy’s cousin.  To anybody else in Sunnydale you’re just another Englishman who came to live here for awhile and…and…you met Buffy, and you started dating…and, do you see where I’m going with this?”

          “You want me to STAY William?  Pretend I’m some kind of poncy nancy-boy for the rest of my unlife?”  Spike’s horror and dismay were so evident that even Xander had to laugh.

           “No, no – you don’t have to be JUST like William.  That was to fool Riley and his men.  But you can be William…Smith…or whoever.  Buffy’s boyfriend who helps her out with Slaying.  It’ll be like a secret identity!”  Willow was so pleased and excited with her idea she was practically glowing.

         “Don’t you see?  It’s perfect!  ‘William’ has already been here long enough for people to remember seeing him around, but no one knows we were saying he was Buffy’s cousin, or that Giles was her uncle.  It’ll just be like he decided to stay here because he and Buffy started dating.  The Council won’t have any reason to know he’s really a vampire.  They don’t care if slayers have boy friends, do they?”

          Giles looked up at Willow’s eager expression and then at Buffy’s hopeful face.  He took a quick look at Spike and saw that the vampire recognized the real issue.

            “Actually, they do care about that, but I think they have long since given up trying to control this particular Slayer’s love life.” 

            He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

           “The issue is the claim.  While the telepathic connection between Spike and Buffy was extremely useful in this particular instance, it does give one of the world’s most dangerous”  He glared as Spike visibly puffed up with pride at hearing himself referred to as “most dangerous” and quickly added, “and most arrogant vampires to have an unhealthy amount of control over the woman chosen to eliminate his kind.”

             He looked at the two blonds, still standing close enough to be touching, although no longer wrapped around each other and he sighed audibly.

             “While another vampire would never have been my choice as my Slayer’s next…boy friend…if I learned nothing from her relationship with Angel, it is the futility of trying to control her heart.  I will put up no objection to the relationship, but I’m afraid I must insist that you,” he looked pointedly at Spike, “do whatever is necessary to remove this thing.”

            “You want me to dust m’self?”

             The Watcher glared at him briefly, before muttering, “Don’t tempt me.”

             A glare from Buffy stopped Xander’s automatically raised hand before he could finish volunteering for the job.

             When she started to object, Giles waved his hand in the air dismissively, “Obviously not an acceptable option for my Slayer, so we must discuss the next best thing.”  He looked at the two of them, allowing a small measure of sympathy to soften his face as he saw their tightly clenched hands.

               “Do you think that time and distance can make this unintended claim go away?”

            “Don’t really know, Watcher.  “S not like I make a habit of going around claiming slayers.  I jus’ know between vampires the claim will fade if the two are separated for long periods of time.  It has to be renewed occasionally to stay active.”

           “Can I be the first to say, I REALLY don’t want to know what you do to renew it?”  Xander held up his hand again, making a disgusted face.

           “I can tell you, Xander-“ began Anya in a chirpy voice.  “ They have to—mmph!”  Her boyfriend’s hand placed firmly over her mouth prevented him from having to picture the renewal.

           “Ahn, which part of ‘I really DON’T want to know’ wasn’t clear to you?”

           “And,” the Watcher ignored them and removed his glasses again, polishing them vigorously, “ if I understand Buffy correctly, you have not done that as yet?”

            “No,” the vampire answered shortly.  “We haven’t.”

            “Then I believe a long trip is in order for William,” Giles said firmly.  “Perhaps a trip back to the mother country to make arrangements for moving to Sunnydale.” 

             Buffy’s face wore a resigned pout, matching the equally unhappy, but equally resigned expression on the vampire.

            “How long to do you think it will take?” she asked meekly.

            “Dunno, love.  I guess when we can’t feel each other any more, we’ll know it’s gone.”

             “Where will you go?  You aren’t really going to go back to England are you?” she asked anxiously.

            “Nah, I’ll run down to LA and annoy Peaches for a while. Maybe try to earn some dosh to keep William in style until he gets a job.”  The expression on Spike’s face made it obvious how thrilled he was with the prospect of working.

             “That’s settled then.  Spike…er…William will take a trip and when he returns he and Buffy can begin seeing each other.  That will explain his presence with her every night as she goes about her slaying duties, in case anyone is watching and reporting back to the Council.”

            He looked at his surrogate daughter and said softly,  “This really is the best thing to do, Buffy.  If the council should somehow find out that William is indeed, Spike, they may not respond with the same vigor as they would if they knew he had claimed you.  And,” he added with a hard look at the vampire, “I think it is important that they continue to assume you are harmless to humans.”

            “Yeah, yeah. I got it.  The Big Bad is history – as far as the Council of Wankers is concerned.”

             The pained expression on his face made Buffy giggle in spite of herself.

            (Don’t you dare laugh at me, Slayer.  If you ever needed proof of how much I love you,…)

           (I don’t need proof, Spike.  Not as long as we can still feel each other.)

          (Speaking of feeling…) He moved closer to her and pulled her back against his chest, facing the other humans in the room.

          “If that’s settled, then, the Slayer and I have some ‘good-byes’ to say before I leave tonight.”

          He stared defiantly at the two men glaring back at him until the older one sighed and nodded.

           “Just be careful, please.  Do not do…anything…that might make the claim stronger.”

          “ ‘M not stupid, Watcher,” Spike growled as Buffy blushed and nodded her head.  He didn’t deign to notice the dark-haired young man and his hate-filled eyes, although he felt Buffy flinch when she saw the anger there.

           (I’m telling you, pet, he’s jealous.  I could be a bloody Boy Scout and he’d still be hating’ me.)

          (I know.  But, he’s my friend.  I want him to be happy for me, and all he’s ever done is tell me how bad my choices are.)

         (Well, gotta say, pet.  He’s been right up till now.) 

         The shared laughter as they walked toward the door, as well as the light punch to Spike’s arm told the onlookers that another private conversation had taken place.  They watched as Spike put his coat over his head and prepared to dash to the nearest manhole.  He pecked Buffy on the lips and said, “I’ll beat you home,” as he went out the door and ran for shelter.

         With a wave over her shoulder, Buffy took off in the other direction, sprinting toward Revello Drive in the sunshine.

           There was silence within the room for several seconds until Xander exploded in barely suppressed rage.

            “How can you condone this?  Spike has tried to kill us all – multiple times!  He gave me a concussion.  He put a bottle in your face!” he turned to Willow. “Don’t tell me you weren’t terrified.”

           “I was.  But the more I think about it, he was really only trying to get his girl friend back.  I don’t think he would have hurt me.  And he could have killed you, and he didn’t.  He carried you back to the factory and put you on a bed.”

           “As a HOSTAGE!  G-man, help me out here.  Think about when Angelus was torturing you.  Spike was right in the thick of it, wasn’t he?”

            “Actually, Xander, he was in a wheel chair.  And he did what he could to help me, in spite of being at Angelus’ mercy.”

             “He’s a vampire,” Xander ground out. “He has no soul, he can’t love and he can’t be trusted.”

              “Actually, vampires can love quite well,” Anya spoke up.  “I am surprised that Spike is willing to let the claim lapse.  It is meant to be an eternal bond. He must really love Buffy if he’s willing to let it go just to keep her safe. It’s quite unselfish of him, really.”

             The Watcher turned and looked at Xander’s girl friend as though seeing her for the first time.

            “You KNEW vampires could love without their souls?”

             “Of course, I did.  Ex-vengeance demon here. I’ve cursed plenty of unfaithful vampires for their lovers.  That’s all Council propaganda that being soulless means they can’t love, or be trusted.  All you ever see here are fledglings – or that nasty Master who was probably certifiable after all those years underground.”

               “But, but…”

               “They ARE violent, and let’s face it, they need our blood to live, so really not something you’d want to welcome to the neighborhood; but they’re all different. Just like people.  Some are actually quite…well, ok, maybe ‘sweet’ isn’t the right word,  but…tolerable.  Very, very tolerable!”

                Anya beamed at the humans staring at her, quite pleased with herself and her grasp of vocabulary.

               “Anya,” Giles began hesitantly, “What else can you tell me about vampires and demons?”

               “Lots of things – you learn a lot in a thousand years.” She smiled at him brightly.

              “And why have you never told us these things?”  He struggled to sound patient and kinds.

              “No one ever asked me,” she responded immediately.  “You all act like you think I’m stupid.”

               Giles and Willow both looked down, ashamed to admit how right the ex-demon was.

              “I must apologize for having given you that impression, Anya,” the Watcher said sincerely.  “And, when you have the time, I would be most appreciative of any information you could give me to add to what I’ve learned in the past few days.”

              “Sure, Giles!” Anya’s face lit up at the attention the attractive older man was giving her.  “Any time.  It’s not like either one of us has a job or anything like that.”

                 He winced at the reminder of his currently unemployed status, but smiled tightly and agreed, “Well, good then.  We will plan to get together soon then.”

                Willow was standing by herself, chewing thoughtfully on her lip.

               “I wonder what it’s going to be like for them?” she said, half to herself.

              “You wonder what what will be like for who?” 

               “Buffy and Spike.  For weeks they’ve been able to communicate whenever they wanted to just by thinking at each other.  Been able to have private conversations if they needed to – can you imagine how helpful that would be in a fight?  To be able to talk to each other without…and to be able to share…” She blushed bright red and stopped quickly.  

            “It just seems to me that there would be a level of… of …intimacy,” she ignored the strangled sound Xander made, “that could be hard to give up.  I know I wouldn’t want to lose something like that.”

             Giles sighed and removed his glasses again.  “I am sure you are quite correct, Willow.  Unfortunately for Buffy and Spike, she is the Slayer and must make some sacrifices in the pursuit of her duty.”

Chapter 20:

Chapter Twenty

             Buffy arrived, somewhat breathlessly, at her front door just as her mother was leaving for the gallery.

          “Buffy!  Where have you been?  I was worried sick.  And when Xander said he couldn’t find Giles or Willow…”

         “I’m okay, Mom.  It was a long night, but we’re all okay. Spike was shot, but we fixed him an-“

         “Shot!  Who shot him?”  Her mother’s eyes narrowed.  “Was it that supercilious soldier?”

         Buffy gaped at her mother’s possessive anger.

         “Uh, yeah, actually, it was – but it’s okay!” she hurried to add as her mother looked like she was planning to head for the Sunnydale University campus with her axe in hand.  “Spike took care of it himself.”

           “Oh.  Well, OK, then.” 

            Buffy had to laugh at the almost disappointed look on her mother’s face.  Not for the first time, she wondered if her mother was a potential slayer who just hadn’t been called before she aged out of the window.

            “Go to work, Mom.  We’re all fine, just really, really tired.”

            “Then you should probably spend the day in bed,” her mother said; quickly amending her statement when she noticed Buffy’s blush.  “Sleeping!  You should spend the day sleeping!”

            “That’s the plan,” Buffy said, trying to look as innocent as possible.  “Lots of good, restful sleep. I’ll fill you in on what happened when you get home tonight.”

             Her mother rolled her eyes in an excellent imitation of her daughter and walked toward her car.

            “I’m counting on that, young lady.  I want to know every detail.”

            Already mentally adding up the details she planned to skip, Buffy entered the house and went immediately toward the kitchen.  Just as she reached the entrance, Spike burst through kitchen door, smoldering under his coat.  Buffy quickly grabbed a towel and ran water on it.  She patted him down with the soaking towel until she was sure he wasn’t going to combust on her, then laughed at the wet curls all over his head.

           “Something funny about me almost burning up, Slayer?” he growled, reaching for the wet towel with one hand.

          Buffy laughed and danced out of reach.  He grabbed for her, catching the edge of her shirt and pulling her back toward him.  He used the other hand to flick the wet towel into the sink as he pulled her into his body.  Buffy’s hands slid up around his neck and she lifted her face to his.

         “I just thought you looked cute with your hair all curly and wet.  Very William.”

          “William is going to haunt me for the rest of my un-life, isn’t he?” he said with a sigh, leaning down to graze her lips with his. 

          “I hope so,” she whispered, catching his lower lip in her teeth and pulling on it gently.  Her warm breath floated over his face and he groaned as he fastened his lips on hers.  Standing in her mother’s kitchen, Buffy felt the fear that had tormented him while she was gone as it gradually left his body.  Their lips and tongues slowly gave physical expression to the emotions flowing from one to the other, and Buffy began to sense the true measure of what she was going to be losing when the claim no longer existed.

          With a moan, she melted into his body, as though she could maintain the feelings by becoming a part of him.  Strong arms crushed her into his hard chest as he tried to pull her even closer, his hands clutching at her back and hips hard enough to leave bruises. 

             Her hands came down from his neck and slid up his back under his tee shirt, stroking the cool skin she found there and kneading the muscles under it. The heat from her hands caused the vampire to hiss with barely restrained passion as he picked her up and rested the damp warmth he could feel through two layers of denim against his aching length.  She gave a soft moan as she felt him pressing against her and she pushed back, seeking more contact.

            With a sudden gasp, he pushed her away, setting her on the counter in front of him and moving out of her reach.

           “Spike?  Wha—what’s wrong?”  Her voice trembled and he could feel the insecurity behind her question radiating through the claim.  He shook with the need to reassure her of his desire.

             “Nothing’s wrong, love.  It’s jus’ I can’t be close without wanting to touch you and I promised the Watcher we wouldn’t do anything to reinforce the claim.”

            “Don’t you have to bite me to renew it?”  Her voice was a whine, and she knew it but couldn’t control it.  “Can’t we just make love without the biting?”

              Fear darkened her eyes as she asked quickly, “You CAN have sex without biting, can’t you?  Please tell me you can.”

               “Of course I can, pet.  Would never bite you without permission.  But I don’t know exactly what it takes to renew a claim.  Who knew that a claim made by two people who were under a spell and really didn’t mean it would take?  Would have thought it would vanish with the spell.”

               “You didn’t mean it?”  Her voice was very small and the insecurity came flooding back.

             (Bloody hell! How can such a desirable woman be so fuckin’ insecure about it? That asshole Angelus should be castrated!)

             “I meant it at the time – but if you’ll recall, we weren’t exactly in our right minds jus’ then.  You jumped off my lap like...like a Slayer who found herself kissing her mortal enemy.  I just figured the spell made me do it…and I know that’s bloody well what made you do it back.  Don’t try to deny it.”

            “So you’re sorry you did it then?”  If anything, her voice became even smaller.  “You’re glad it’s going to go away?” 

             “I’m not sorry,” he said gruffly.  “Without it who knows what would have happened to you in that place before we got there.  But I’m not…” he blew out an unnecessary breath.  “Damn it all, Slayer, I told you I love you.  And I do.  Got nothin’ to do with that miserable spell.  Why do you think I came to you for help when I got chipped?  Figured if anybody was gonna take me out, it was gonna be you – not some over-grown Boy Scout.  Wanted your face to be the last thing I saw.”

           She peered up at from behind the hair that had fallen in her face when she put her head down to hide the tears brimming behind her lashes.  She searched his face for any sign of deception, then realized how foolish that was when she could feel his sincerity in every breath she took.

           “Then why…?”

           He moved toward her again and gently took both hands in his.

           “YOU were under a spell, pet.  Wouldn’t matter how much I meant it, YOU did it under the influence of the spell.  And since then you’ve been under the influence of the claim.”

             He stepped between her open legs and pulled her close again, planting light, butterfly kisses on her face and neck as he said softly, “I want you to love me back more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life – or my 126 years of unlife.  But I want to know that you’re doing it of your own free will, not because somethin’ magic is making you feel things you really don’t.

              “I want you to want ME, Buffy.  Me. Spike.  Not some vampire that got lucky and got mated to you because a novice witch mucked up a spell.  And not some non-existent human that I’m pretending to be so that other humans don’t separate us by killing one or the other of us.  Tell me you understand what I’m trying to say, love. Please,” he finished, burying his head in the hair flowing down the side of her neck.

         “You’re saying you don’t believe I love you.”  There was an angry edge to her voice that was echoed by the feeling flowing through the claim.

           He sighed audibly and mentally.  “I’m SAYING, you stubborn bint, that I want you to love me of your own free will.  Because I’m me, not because there’s anything else influencing you.”

           “What…what if I don’t?” she said slowly.  “What if it IS the claim making me feel this way?”

             She looked up into his shocked eyes and repeated,  “What then, Spike?  What do we do then?”

             He stroked her hair gently and tried to smother the gut-wrenching fear her words generated before she could feel it.

             “Is that what you think is gonna happen, love?  Do you think you won’t want me anymore?” 

               He felt his heart crack down the middle as she hesitated and tried to put her feelings into words.  The longer it took her to answer, the more sure he was that he knew what she was going to say and he dropped his arms, stepping back from the counter.

               His face closed down and he walled off his feelings as he waited for her to find her voice.  Suddenly, the wall was knocked down as a wave of absolute panic and despair rolled over him.  Buffy’s face was crumpling even as she fought to contain the tears threatening to fall from her fear-stricken eyes.

             Without warning, he swept her off the counter and carried her now-sobbing form into the living room.  Grateful that someone had pulled the drapes so that he didn’t need to worry about the sun, he settled them onto the couch and rocked back and forth with her, sending her reassurances as he did so.

            (Won’t matter, love.  I’ll be here no matter what you decide.  Couldn’t stay away from you.  If you don’t want me as a lover, I’ll be your friend, your bodyguard, your willing slave.  Just tell me what you want, and I’m it.  I’m yours, Slayer.  Whether you’re still mine or not, I’ll still be yours.  Forever. You’ll have to dust me to get rid of me.)

         (Don’t wanna dust you.  I just don’t want to go back to the way we were Maybe the claim is making YOU love ME. Did you ever think about that? What if you hate me when it wears off?)

         (Never happen, pet. I told you before.  My feelings were already there. Might have taken the spell to bring them out, but they were there.  ‘S why the demon was so quick to claim you.  Been wanting you for so long…had to take the chance while I had it.)

          “I’m afraid, Spike,” she said aloud, never moving her head from where it rested on his chest.  “This has been the most…”  he felt her internal struggle to put what she was feeling into words.  “I’m terrified that when the claim is gone, one or both of us isn’t going to…”  She raised her head and her wet eyes bored into his.  “If we lose this, I’m afraid I’ll never feel like this again.  And I don’t think I could stand it.  Knowing how it can be, but never having it ag--”

            He stopped her with cool, soft lips that moved gently over hers, caressing and urging, but never demanding.  He put everything he was feeling into the kiss; using his lips and tongue to convey the emotions he would have been sending through the claim.  He felt her responding, her breathing quickened and her pulse increasing as she moved in his lap to be facing him. 

            He deliberately kept the barriers up as he used purely physical means to express the effect she had on him.  His hands slid under her shirt and, cool as they were, left heated trails everywhere they touched.  When he moved one hand to edge between them and run his thumb against the bottom of her breast, her breath caught with a small gasp and she fell sideways to allow him more access.

            With freedom to move his hands around, he quickly pushed up her shirt and fastened his mouth on the lace covered nipples in front of him.  The arm that wasn’t supporting the Slayer’s upper body moved down to the waistband of her jeans, unsnapping them and slipping in to slide down the silken skin on her stomach.  He kept his hand in her pants, gently teasing her as he stroked through the soft curls covering her mound and ran his fingers down the incredibly smooth skin when her thighs met her abdomen.

           With a growl that made him smile, Buffy unzipped her own jeans and pushed them down as far as she could without actually leaving his lap.  He grabbed her hands and pushed them back up, as he slid down so that they were lying side by side on the couch.

           “Ah, ah, Slayer.  Let me do this, love.  Let me show you it can still be good for you.  I can make it good.”

            As he spoke, his hand was running over her exposed skin, slowly working its way toward the source of the arousal he could smell permeating the air.  He dipped into the moisture between her legs, then slowly ran his finger up to her clit, spreading it as he went.  He felt her shiver beneath him and arch up toward his hand, but he pushed her back down with a “Tsk, tsk, Slayer.  Don’t be so impatient.”

              He leaned in and captured her lips again, his tongue sliding around her mouth, in and out, touching hers then withdrawing, then touching it again before he drew it into his own mouth and sucked on it gently.  Between the bone-melting kisses and the cool fingers playing against her soaked quim, she was sure she was going to pass out from pleasure and denied release.

             Spike’s fingers played over her pelvic area, never staying with one place or one rhythm long enough for her to find that release and she was soon whimpering in need as she continued to try to thrust her hips against his elusive fingers.  When he dipped his fingers inside her again, she clamped her muscles down on them, growling and making the vampire laugh with joy as, instead of trying to pull them out, he thrust harder and curled his fingers up to find the spongy bundle of nerves that sent her hips flying off the couch while she shrieked in surprise.

               He continued to massage the spot with his fingers as his thumb found its way to her clit and began to rub it in circles, pushing against the pressure from the inside.  He fastened his mouth back on hers, swallowing the little moans and cries that were leaving her throat without let up.  The dual pressure on her most sensitive spots soon sent her screaming over the edge and she arched into his hand, her whole body trembling with the force of her orgasm.

              When he felt her come, Spike dropped the barriers between them and allowed everything she was feeling to flow through him and straight to his cock.  As Buffy’s orgasm spasmed around his hand, he felt his cock swell and throb with the sensations flooding his body through the claim.   And when she shuddered to her final release on his lap, he felt himself explode onto the heat of her hip into which his erection had been pressing the whole time.

              For minutes neither one moved, except for Buffy’s gasping breaths and his equally desperate, though unneeded, gulps of air.  The Slayer lay sprawled beside him, her legs open as far as her partially removed jeans would allow, her eyes unfocused and her lips swollen from kissing.  He thought he’d never seen anything so wanton and beautiful in his life and he made no attempt to hide his thoughts from her. He felt his cock stirring back to life as he gazed down at her golden body, so relaxed and open to him.

            The eye she opened to look at him and the eyebrow she cocked disbelievingly told him the claim was still open.  He grinned at her and nudged her hip with his once again rock hard erection.

             (If and when I can move, I might do something about that) her thought was clear, but she made no attempt to move from her relaxed and boneless position. 

               (‘S alright, pet. I jus’ wanted you to see that we didn’t need the claim to have fun.  Wasn’t about me.)

            (But you opened it up. I felt it.)  She blushed, remembering the additional thrill that had gone through her when he reached his own climax against her leg.

             (Yeah, well, I cheated a little bit at the end there.  Wanted to feel you come one more time.  Didn’t know it was gonna bring me off too.)

            Buffy yawned and stretched, laughing at his expression when she arched her back up and unintentionally pushed her breasts toward his face.  Reluctantly, she tugged her jeans back up and fastened them before sitting up and pulling her shirt down.

            “I don’t know how you did that – it was like being naked without being naked.  Kinda…”

           “Sexy?” he asked hopefully.

           “I was gonna say ‘kinky’, but okay, your word works too,” she admitted with a blush.  He ran a hand lightly up the side of her cheek, stroking the smooth skin and memorizing the shape of her jaw.

            “Nothing that happens between us can be anything but sexy and wonderful – not as long as we love each other.”

             Before either one of them could spoil the mood by remembering out loud that they might not still love each other the next time they met, he stood up and took off his coat.  When he started to walk away, Buffy grabbed his pocket and said anxiously, “Where are you going?”

             “Jus going to clean up a bit, pet,” he said, leaning over to drop a kiss on her forehead.  “Don’t fancy driving to LA in wet, sticky jeans.  I’ll be right back.”

             He disappeared into the kitchen and she heard him going down the basement stairs as she allowed herself to stretch back out on the couch.  The lack of sleep and turmoil of the past day and night caught up with her, and when Spike came back upstairs dressed in his signature black jeans and tee shirt, she was sound asleep, her head resting on one arm while the other stretched out toward the edge of the couch as though reaching for something.

           After staring at the sleeping girl until his eyes began to water, he kicked off his boots and gently settled himself beside her, picking up her arm and putting it across his chest.  Immediately, without waking, she curled her hand around his side and snuggled closer to him.  She threw one leg over his and sighed contentedly.

              Bringing his hand up to rest on her arm, he closed his eyes and allowed the sun he could feel outside to put him to sleep.  When Joyce got home from work, they were still there, chastely curled up against each other on her living room couch.
 

Chapter 21:

Chapter Twenty-one

            Joyce cleared her throat loudly as she walked into the kitchen and deposited the bags she’d brought in.  She made a point of rattling completely unnecessary pans until a yawning Buffy appeared in the doorway, followed shortly by an equally sleepy looking Spike.

             She smiled at them briefly before suggesting that Buffy go wash her face while she fixed dinner. 

              “I stopped at the butcher’s, Spike,” she said with a glance at the vampire. “I was afraid we were out of blood and I didn’t want you to go hungry.”

            Once again, Joyce’s habit of not treating him like the monster everyone else assumed he was, had him at a loss for words.  The best he could come up with, as he stared at her with worshipful eyes was a mumbled, “Thank you, Joyce. ‘Preciate it.”

            After a quick shower and change of clothes, Buffy joined them in the kitchen and she filled Joyce in on the highlights of the previous day while they ate.  Although Buffy did her best to keep the events as vague as she could, she could tell from her mother’s tight face that the older woman was reading between the lines and knew that Buffy had been in some considerable danger.

            Before she could act on her stated intention to march to the home of the Sunnydale University president and order him to investigate Maggie Walsh and her “teaching assistants”, there was a knock on the door and Willow, Xander, Anya, and an apologetic Giles filed into the house.

             “I’m sorry for interrupting your dinner, Joyce,” the Watcher began, “but Willow has some interesting information for us.”

             Excited that she was the source of new information, Willow was almost bouncing up and down as she told them what she had learned on campus that day.

             “Rumors are flying everywhere about Professor Walsh and the Lowell House fraternity.  All her classes have been cancelled until further notice and the house has been boarded up.   There are all sorts of mysterious people in trench coats running around campus, and a bunch of Army guys camped out just outside of town, near where we got out of the caves.”

           “So, is anyone looking for us?” Buffy asked hesitantly.

           “I don’t think so.  Although some guy did come by the dorm asking for you, but he went away when I told him you went home to visit your mom.  He just said to tell you he doesn’t know what happened and doesn’t want to know, but that you don’t need to worry.”

           “Yeah, right!” Spike snorted.  “Like that doesn’t come with the job!”

             “Aren’t you supposed to be gone by now?”  His attention having been drawn to the vampire, Xander couldn’t resist commenting on his presence.

             “Had to wait till dark, didn’t I?” Spike rolled his eyes in disgust.

               Xander walked quickly to the window and peered outside before announcing with great finality, “It’s dark now.”  He crossed his arms over his chest and glared triumphantly at the frowning vampire.

             “Gone?” Joyce looked at Spike in surprise.  “Why would you be going anywhere?”

              “It’s jus’ temporary,” he said, snarling at the still-glowering boy.  “I’ll be back soon.”

                Joyce looked at her daughter and Buffy just sighed and said, “I’ll explain it later, Mom.  When it’s just the two of us,” she added with a pointed look at her friends.

                Willow quickly took the hint and began herding Xander and Anya toward the door, promising to catch up with Buffy tomorrow and bring her up to speed on classwork.  Giles waited until they were safely out the door, then turned to the vampire and said slowly,  “I know this will not sound sincere, coming from someone of my…background…but I AM sorry, Spike.  I just am not willing to risk Buffy’s life for…”

            “Got it, Watcher.  I don’t want those wankers coming after her either. Trust me, if I didn’t know it was needed to keep her safe, I wouldn’t be getting more than a couple feet away from her for the next long while.”

             Joyce looked back and forth between the two in bewilderment, then back again at her daughter who looked suspiciously as though she was about to cry.

            “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on here?”

           “I’ll explain it later, Mom. I promise.”  Buffy’s voice was resigned and quiet.  “Just let me tell Spike ‘good-bye’ in private, please.”

             With a last look at the vampire, Giles and Joyce moved into the living room, leaving the two lovers facing each other from several feet apart.

            “Guess it’s time for me to go, love,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.  “Give me time to get to LA and find a place to hunker down until we get this sorted out.”

             “Ho—how long do you think it will take?”  Buffy could feel her chin trembling and she willed herself to be strong for him, knowing that any sign of distress on her part and he would refuse to leave.

            “Don’t really know, pet.  ‘S like I told the Watcher, I never claimed anybody before – human or vampire.  I’ll just think about you every night, and when I can’t feel you anymore, I’ll know it’s time to come home.”

           He turned toward the door, but stopped when she put her hand on his arm.

           “You aren’t going to kiss me good-bye?”  Disbelief and sorrow battled to come through the controlled voice she tried to use.

            “’M afraid if I touch you, I’ll never let go,” he said honestly.  “Thought it’d be easier this way.”

         “And is it? Easier?”

          “Bloody hell, no!” he exploded, whirling and picking her up to crush against his chest as he fastened his lips on hers.

            When they had been kissing so long that Buffy was turning blue from lack of air, he reluctantly let go of her mouth and buried his face in her neck.  She gradually slid down until her feet were on the floor, then pushed him gently away.

           “Well, that’s more like it,” she gasped, still recovering.  “Now I really do believe you’ll miss me.”

              Giving her his trademark smirk, he said, “Oh, you’re gonna know how much I’m missing you, pet.  Every night while I’m gone – gonna make that little episode on the watcher’s couch seem like a day dream, I am.”

              Rolling her eyes, she smacked his arm and ordered, “Just get out of here before I have to do some proactive staking so that I don’t get embarrassed in front of my roommate!”

            Laughing, he went out the kitchen door and slipped off into the darkening night.  Just before she lost sight of his pale face, he turned back toward the house.  Buffy was framed in the kitchen doorway, silhouetted by the light streaming out from behind her.

                    (I love you) 


                   (Come back to me.)

                When she could no longer see him or feel that special tingle on the back of her neck, she sighed and closed the door.  She squared her shoulders and prepared herself for the questions she knew her mother was going to have about the claim. 


                (Hey, it could be worse!  I could be dating a human and have got myself pregnant or something like that.  All I did was bind myself to a vampire for the rest of my life.  And this time she actually likes the vampire I’m dating. So, go me!)

            Satisfied that she could put a spin on the situation that would keep her mother from wigging out too badly, she put a smile on her face and went to join the older couple waiting in the living room.

Chapter 22:

Chapter Twenty-Two

             When Buffy finally returned to the campus of Sunnydale University the following day, she was amazed to find fire trucks and other emergency equipment all over.  Joining a crowd that was moving toward Fraternity Row, she listened to the conversations around her and tried to separate the rumors from the facts.

          “There was a big earthquake – just under Lowell House!”

         “No, no.  It was an explosion.  My brother’s a fire-fighter and he said—“

        “I heard a science lab blew up.  I saw a lot of people being carried out wearing lab coats.”

         “I think the Army was testing weapons.  As soon as the building blew up, all those soldiers camped outside campus got into trucks and left.”

           When she finally made her way to where Lowell House had been, Buffy found only a very large, smoldering pile of debris surrounded by yellow crime tape.  Closer inspection of the men standing around the scene told her the Army hadn’t gone as far away as rumor had it.  Their military haircuts and erect posture gave away the fact that they were more guards than onlookers.

          Spotting Willow talking animatedly with a sweet looking blond girl, Buffy worked her way through the crowd and waved at them.

          “Buffy!” Willow sounded excited and embarrassed at the same time.  “Buffy, this is Tara.  We met in the Wicca group.  She’s an awesome witch!”

           Buffy studied her best friend with a bemused expression.  She didn’t know the last time she’d seen Willow so flustered – but it was good to see her smiling again.

           “Hi, Tara,” she offered.  “It’s nice to meet you.  So, you do magic too?” 
          
            Memories of high school and Amy’s spells made Buffy a little wary, although she had to admit Tara seemed very nice, although quiet and shy.

            Remembering what Spike had said about being in her dreams every night, Buffy tried to broach the subject of sleeping arrangements.

            “Uh, Will?  I, uh, that is, I think I…I might be sleeping at home for awhile. In my own bed.  In my own room.  By myself.  Uh, just until Spike gets back, probably…”

              She was surprised when, instead of looking hurt, Willow blushed and stammered, “Uh, gee, Buffy.  You’ll probably get plenty of alone time in our room.  Tara and I…that is…we have spells and…things…to go over. SoI’llprobablybestayingwithheratnight,” she blurted out, turning almost as red as her hair.

              Completely mystified by Willow’s obvious embarrassment, but too delighted to find out she wouldn’t have to worry about any sounds she might make in her sleep to pursue it, Buffy beamed at the two Wiccas.

             “Oh, well, that works out great.  I mean, not that I don’t want you there, Wills, but with the dreaming and the thinking and the…I’m just going to stop now.” 

              Changing the subject back to the giant crime scene in front of them, Willow asked, “What do you think happened here?”

              “I am assuming the Army is cutting their losses and destroying the evidence of this misguided experiment,” came the calm English voice from behind them as Giles walked up and joined the crowd staring at the remains of Lowell House.

               “Hi Giles,” Buffy turned to smile at her Watcher and asked cheerily, “What’s up?”

               “I was looking for you, and Willow,” he added, with a nod toward the red-head, “to tell you that you will be able to find me at the Magic Box from now on.”

             “The Magic Box? Gee, Giles couldn’t you think of anything better to do now that you’re unemployed? Why would you be spending time there?”

             “Because I just bought the store,” he said, annoyed at the assumption he was looking for entertainment.  “I intend to be the proprietor. Being unemployed does not agree with me, it seems.”

            “I kn..kn..know the Ma..ma..magic B..b…box,” Tara stuttered out. “It’s a very g..g…good store.”

             “Yes, thank you, Miss…”

             “Tara!” Buffy and Willow said together. “Her name is Tara. She’s a Wicca and a friend of Willow’s,” Buffy finished.

              “Yes, well, thank you, Tara.  I hope to make it even better.  And,” he turned to Buffy, “There is a large room that I think we can turn into an excellent training area with room for weapon storage.”

               It suddenly struck him that Tara might find it a little strange that they were discussing training and places to store weapons, but the attractive blond was just nodding her head approvingly.

              She turned to Willow and whispered, “We’ll want to do some cloaking spells so that the vampires and demons can’t find the weapons.”

                Willow nodded eagerly and beamed at her new girl friend before turning to Giles and Buffy.

                “Isn’t she wonderful?  You see how much help she’s going to be to us?”

                Somewhat taken back by the girl’s enthusiasm, Giles just nodded his head. “Yes, well, so it seems.  Thank you for your suggestions, Tara.”

                The blond girl ducked her head shyly and hid behind her long hair, blushing furiously.

                “Well,” Buffy said into the uncomfortable silence, “I need to actually go to a class or two today and find a way to explain why I missed the last two days.  I’ll stop by the Magic Box later, Giles.  And, hey, go you, all with the business-having and working!”

                 “Thank you, Buffy.  I think,” he muttered as he turned to leave.  “It was lovely meeting you, Tara.  I hope to see you again soon.”

               “Oh, you will!”  Willow’s enthusiasm brought raised eyebrows from both Buffy and the Watcher as they watched the two Wiccas walk away together.  With a final “good-bye” to her former Watcher, Buffy headed for the classroom buildings and her much neglected studies.

                *****************

               After a busy, but uneventful day and evening of school work, patrolling and admiring Giles’ new place of business, Buffy was more than ready for a hot shower and an early bed time.  She smiled at Willow’s empty bed and slid between her sheets, mentally reaching out for Spike as she did so.

             When, after several minutes of trying to contact him, she hadn’t been able to feel anything, her lip went out in a pout and she snuggled down in the bed, huffing indignantly. 

            (Stupid vampire!  He said he’d be with me every night and here it is only the first one and where is he?  Nowhere – that’s where.)

           She was still grumbling to herself when she felt an amused chuckle as she heard, (I can see that lower lip sticking out all the way from here, Slayer.  Keep it up and something’s gonna get it…)

          (Spike!  Where were you?  I’ve been calling you forever.)

         (What’s the matter, pet.  You yelled “frog” and I didn’t jump high enough?)

          The warm affection she could feel accompanying them took the sting out of his words and her lip went back out again.

           (No, you big jerk. I just wanted to say “good night” before I went to sleep.  Why didn’t you answer me?  Is it fading already?)

         (No, I heard you, love.  I was jus’ in the middle of something and wanted to wait till I could give you my undivided attention, is all.  And, it wasn’t “forever”, it’s only been 10 or 15 minutes.)

        (Hmph!)

       Without warning, she felt a burst of lust coming through the claim and going straight to her lower body.  Unbidden images of penetrating blue eyes, cool soft lips and a strong, compact body suddenly flooded her mind.  She moaned softly as she slid further down in the bed.

          (What are you doing?) she was able to get out as she squirmed in her bed, wishing she could feel that body pressing against hers.  She rolled over onto her stomach and pushed her hips into the mattress, seeking pressure on suddenly needy parts of her body.

          (I’m jus’ saying “good-night”, pet.  Wanna be sure you don’t forget about me while ’m gone.)  

           Her mind was filled with images of cool hands kneading her breasts, soft,cool lips kissing their way down her neck to suckle a nipple, while long fingers brushed over her waist and followed the curve down over her ass.   She moaned into her pillow and thought about smooth, velvety skin under her hands and hard muscles quivering beneath her fingers.  She pictured herself freeing his erection from his jeans and wrapping her warm hand around it.

         (Ah…love….that’s it. Show me what you want to do to me. You know what I want to do to you, don’t you?  I want to touch you, Buffy.  Want to make you scream for me.  Want to taste you, feel you… Touch yourself for me, love. Show me how you miss me.)


             Even as she blushed at what she was doing, she was sliding a hand down into her underwear and imaging cool, talented fingers stroking her into a frenzy of need.  She ran her fingers around her outer lips, dipped into the moisture pooling between her legs and ran the now slick fingers up to massage her eager nubbin.

             (That’s the way, love.  Pleasure yourself for me.  I’m holdin’ on to myself with both hands, pretending it’s you touching me, your warm little hand stroking me, your wonderful little mouth sucking the demon out of me…)

               While he was moving toward his own release, Spike was sending Buffy image after image of his mouth and hands caressing, rubbing, licking and nipping at her body.  As her hand moved faster and faster and her hips pushed down harder into the mattress in an effort to increase the friction, she could feel him rushing toward orgasm and she rubbed harder using the incredible sensations of pleasure coming through the claim to boost her own orgasm past anything she’d every experienced by herself until she gave a muffled shriek and collapsed onto the bed shaking with the after effects.  

              For several minutes she didn’t even try to think, just soaked up the incredible satiated feelings flowing back and forth between herself and the vampire.  When she could once again have a coherent thought, she sent a plaintive question to her equally content lover.

                 (What did we just do, Spike? Was that like phone sex? Only without the whole, you know, phone thing?)

             (I guess that’s the closest analogy, pet.  But I think we’d prob’ly melt a telephone right down to scrap.)

            (“Analogy”?  Is that William speaking? Cause that really didn’t sound much like the Big Bad)  she teased.  (He’s going to fit in just fine here at Sunnydale University, isn’t he?)

           (I’ll have you know, William has a bloody good education, Slayer.  Wouldn’t be surprised it he couldn’t teach some of those poncy poetry classes that you’re always going on about.)

          Buffy was amused at the slightly offended tone of his thoughts.

          (Okay, okay.  I was only teasing.  I still have a hard time picturing you as William sometimes.  William the Bloody, Slayer of Slayers and William the poet just aren’t such mixey things, you know?)

       (Well neither one of them butchers the English language the way you do, love.)

         (Now you sound just like Giles!) She had to stifle a yawn, but she couldn’t hide her fatigue from the observant vampire and he quickly ended their bantering to suggest she go to sleep.

             (I ‘spose there are worse blokes to sound like.) She felt the internal shudder as he pictured Xander for a second. (Now go to sleep like a good little Slayer.)

            (‘K.  I miss you.)

          (I miss you too, love. But I’m always here if you need me.  Just shout – I’ll hear you.)

          (Good-night, Spike)

         (Good-night, Buffy. I love you.)

         (Love you, too) she sent out sleepily, barely noticing the bolt of joy that went through him as she dozed off.  Her sleep that night was deep and peaceful; encased as she was in a warm mental cocoon.
 

Chapter 23:

Chapter Twenty-three

               Life quickly fell into a routine for Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies.  Xander would go to work at his construction job until quitting time, then grab some take-out and meet Anya at the Magic Box where she was helping Giles inventory and sort the supplies.  The ex-Watcher was delighted to find that Anya was quite knowledgeable about the various herbs and potions needed for spells and also had a good sense for which items would be the best sellers and needed to be re-stocked frequently.

             After the first week of her willing assistance, he offered her a job working in the Magic Box with him.  The ex-demon was delighted to have something responsible to do and quickly showed an affinity for making money.  It didn’t seem to matter to her whether she was personally making the money or the shop was.  She just enjoyed creating profits. 

               Giles was delighted at this new aspect of Anya’s personality, and found he thoroughly enjoyed their time together.  When things were slow in the shop, they would sit at the table, sipping freshly brewed tea and exchanging demon lore.  Everyone except Xander could sense a developing sexual tension growing between the forty-something ex Watcher and the thousand-year old ex vengeance demon as they spent more and more time together and found more things they had in common.

              To Willow’s delight, Tara had quickly become a welcome member of the group; her knowledge of earth magic more than compensating for her unwillingness to speak out and draw attention to herself.  In spite of her reticence, her quiet common sense and gentle disposition were soon noticed and appreciated by all of them.

             If anyone other than Giles and Anya suspected Tara’s relationship with Willow was more than platonic, they didn’t say anything.  After dealing with Willow’s lengthy relationship with Oz, and her devastation at its ending, the idea that she might have moved on to another relationship already was beyond Buffy and Xander’s ability to comprehend.  That the relationship might be with another girl was not even on their radar.

              Buffy and Spike had slipped into a comfortable sense of belonging to each other that showed no signs of going away.  Throughout the day, as she went to classes, shopped, visited at home, patrolled and joined her friends at the shop that was rapidly becoming their second home, she could always feel him lightly on the edge of her awareness and she knew he could do the same.

           When, after a particularly grueling night of slaying, she slipped while fighting a vamp that appeared older and more experienced than the usual run of fledgling’s and found herself on the ground, she felt the marks on her neck pulsing when the vamp’s teeth reached for her throat.  She could sense Spike’s fear and frustration as he recognized her danger and knew he was powerless to do anything about it.

            The vamp’s surprised reaction to finding a master vampire’s mark on the Slayer’s neck gave her just the split second she needed to bring her stake around and drive it through his back and into his heart.  Aided by Spike’s panicky order to dust the “bloody wanker that dares to touch my mate!” she drove the stake so hard she almost stabbed herself through the dust cloud that was all that was left of the would-be Slayer killer.

           Coughing and waving away the dust floating in her face, she quickly reassured him that she was fine and no, it was not necessary that he jump in his car and dash back to Sunnydale.

          (I’m fine, Spike. Really, I am.  It’s just been a long night.  With the Initiative gone, the vamp and demon population has picked back up and I’ve been pretty busy every night.  Guess I could use some rest. I’m getting careless.)

          His growl came through loud and clear.  (Where the hell are the Scoobies? Aren’t they supposed to be watching your back while I’m not there?)

          (They all have lives, Spike. You know that.  I’ve kept you up to date on what’s going on.  Willow has a new Wicca friend and they spend all their time practicing spells; Xander and Anya spend all their time…well you know what they spend their time doing…and Giles is busy with his new shop.  The Slayer works alone.  That’s just the way it is.)

         (Not this Slayer! Not while I’m alive…er…undead.)

        She didn’t reply, just allowed him to feel her gratitude for his loving concern as she basked in the possessive protectiveness she felt flowing from him.

             (I wish you could come home.) she said suddenly. (I really miss you.)

               (Me too, love.  But as long as the claim’s this strong, we know it’s not going away.)

               (What if it never goes away?) He could fell the panic in her voice and responded with his own jolt of fear.

                (It will, pet.  It has to.  If it doesn’t…well, .we’ll deal with it.  I’m not staying away forever.  Patience is not one of my virtues, you know.)

              Her giggle was immediate.   (I didn’t know vampires HAD virtues.)

              (You know what I mean, you sassy bint.  I’m getting tired of waiting.)

             While they carried on their internal dialogue, Buffy was walking toward the dorm and as she entered her room, she yawned again and said,  (I’m going to take a shower and go to bed.  I have late classes tomorrow, so I can sleep in.) There was a pause and the vampire could feel her indecision and worry.

             (What’s the matter, pet?)

           (No-nothing.  I’m just really tired and I…not that I don’t want to…but I’m really sleepy and would you mind…if you do, it’s okay…but…)

            It took him no time to figure out what she was trying to ask.  In the time he’d been gone, they’d formed the habit of ending each night with their version of long-distance sex; sending each other mental images of that night’s fantasy.  Buffy found herself with an intimate knowledge of the erotic arts courtesy of Spike’s one hundred plus years of experience and his vivid imagination.

             (Bloody hell, pet.  You think I can’t love you if I’m not shagging you silly?)
          
             She felt the trace of hurt he was feeling and hastened to reassure him.

             (No, of course not.  It’s just that we always do…and I was afraid if we didn’t you’d think I don’t…that I stopped loving you.  That it would mean I didn’t want you any more.)

            (‘M that insecure, am I?)

             (Yes? No?  Sometimes?…I don’t know.  Maybe I’m that insecure.   I’m sorry.  I’m too tired to make sense.)

            She felt the warmth flowing through the claim and allowed it to soothe her until she was almost asleep on her feet.  Forgetting about the shower, she dropped her clothes as she moved toward the bed and collapsed on top of it.

           (Pull the covers up, sweetheart.  Don’t want you to get cold.)

          (‘K, Good-night, Spike.  I love you.)

         (Love you, too, Buffy.  Always.)


           When Buffy awoke the next morning, she felt completely refreshed and immediately stretched her mind out, waiting to get up until she knew Spike was there. As soon as she felt his sleepy response, she sent him a mental kiss and told him to go back to sleep.

           (What the bloody hell did you wake me up for, if you were jus’ gonna tell me to go back to sleep?)

           (Note to self – the sleepy vampire is grumpy in the daytime.)   She didn’t try to hide her amusement, but quickly and sincerely followed it with   (I just wanted to be sure you were there.)

           (‘M always here, love.  Always will be.)   With that comforting message, he fell back into the deep sleep that daylight evoked in vampires.

            Buffy sighed with as much contentment as she could muster when they were still miles apart physically, and got up to head for the showers.  She was in the midst of enjoying her hot shower and shampooing her hair when it became obvious that the sleeping vampire was having an erotic dream that involved her.

          Grateful that there was no one else in the communal bathroom at that time of day, she slumped against the wall and allowed Spike’s dream and the sensations it created to flow over her.  She leaned against the wall, shuddering with him as he came in his sleep, locking her knees so that she wouldn’t collapse into the soapy water near the drain.

           (Damn horny vampire)   she grumbled as she straightened up and began to rinse her hair.  A sleepy chuckle drifted through her head and was gone before she could think of an appropriate response.

            Later that night, after they were all gathered at the Magic Box and speculating on why there was such a sudden increase in the vampire and demon population, Buffy suddenly became silent and her eyes unfocused as she felt Spike’s agitation and anger.

             Her friends watched her curiously as she concentrated on what she was hearing and seeing through the vampire’s eyes, then they jumped as she snarled and reached for the phone.  She punched in a number with so much force Giles cringed for his newly purchased business phone.  He shook his head at Xander as it appeared the boy was planning to interrupt her to ask what was going on.

            Tara stared at Buffy, watching her normally bright aura turning dark and angry as the Slayer waited impatiently for the phone to be answered.  No one, except possibly the oblivious Xander, doubted that something was happening to or with Spike.  Something that had sent Buffy totally into Slayer mode.

             Miles away, in the city of Los Angeles, two vampires faced each other angrily.  The larger of the two had a face like a thundercloud as he bellowed in disbelief,  “You did what?”

            Spike, who was being held in place by humans wielding large crosses and squirt guns of holy water, snarled back at his grandsire furiously. 

               “I told you, it was a bloody spell done by the witch.  Had us thinking we were getting married.”

              “A spell made you think you were getting married?  WILLOW did a spell that made Buffy think she wanted to marry you.  Tell me another one, Spike.  What did you do to Buffy?  How did you get her to let you close enough to bite her?”

              With another snarl, Spike pulled back the collar of his leather coat and exposed the still-visible marks of Buffy’s human teeth on his neck. 

              “We bit each other, you stupid wanker!  Have you got hair gel in your ears?  The witch did a spell, we thought we were getting married, the demon bit his mate and the Slayer bit me back.  I’m here to give the claim a chance to fade away, so the soddin’ council doesn’t come after Buffy.”

              “Because you care so much about what happens to her, right?” Angel’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.

                “Bloody right, I do,” Spike mumbled.  “If I didn’t, I would never have left Sunnyhell.  Would have just kept—“  Spike’s brain abruptly caught up with his mouth and swallowed the rest of what he was going to say.  It wasn’t quite fast enough to avoid suspicion from his Grandsire, though.

                 “Would have just kept doing what, Spike?”  The older vampire’s voice was soft and dangerous.  “What is it that you were doing that you didn’t want to leave?”

                As Angel spoke, he was moving toward his grand childe, fist clenched at his sides and eyes flaring yellow.

                (Bollocks!)

               Before the larger vampire could follow up on his clearly lethal intentions, the phone in his pocket played the first chords of “Mandy” over and over.  He hesitated, torn between wanting to rip Spike’s heart out and wondering who was calling him.  A glance at the phone showed him whose number it was and he sighed and picked it up.

               “Yes, Giles,” he snapped.  “What is it?  I’m a little busy here.”

              “Touch him and you’re dust.”  The Slayer’s voice held no trace of the young girl who had made him the center of her existence for three years.  It was pure menace.

                “Bu—Buffy?  How did you…?” He shot a horrified look at the now smirking vampire opposite him.

                “You can hear us?  You and Spike…No, that’s not possible.  That kind of connection only happens when two…No.”  His voice held complete conviction.

                “Who called you, Buffy? How did you know Spike was here?  And,” his voice took on a note of uncertainty, “why do you care what I do to him?  If he’s telling the truth and he’s here to break a claim, then I would think you’d be happy to have me dust him for you.”

               There was genuine bewilderment in Angel’s voice as he looked over at Spike who was lighting a cigarette in defiance of Cordelia’s scowl.

              “I know he’s there because I can hear everything you’re saying, and I can feel everything he’s feeling –and tell him I said to stop being so smug! –“

              Spike’s guilty start as she apparently sent him the same message told Angel, better than any words could have, that he was seeing the impossible.  A claim between a vampire and a human that had resulted in such a mutually powerful connection that it allowed them to sense each other and to communicate telepathically.  The kind of thing that was supposed to happen only between two very powerful vampires who were in love and intending to stay together for eternity.

              “But…but you’re human!  The claim would only make you subservient to him; not an equal partner.  And, you’d have to be in lo--”  He stopped, refusing to finish the thought aloud.

            “Maybe Slayers aren’t as human as we’d like to think we are, Angel,” Buffy sighed as she heard the pain in his voice.  “I don’t know why it’s like it is.  I just know it is and I don’t want anything to happen to him.  He wouldn’t have left here if we weren’t worried about the Council and their reaction to it.”

            “They’ll try to kill you both,” Angel said absently, as he gestured to his friends that they could put away their weapons.  Angel was an older vamp and had been sired by the Master’s favorite.  He knew more lore than Spike did and he was well aware of what happened to Slayers that allowed themselves, willingly or not, to be claimed by vampires. 

             “We’re hoping they won’t learn about it and we can pretend Spike is my…just another Scoobie.”

            “So he’s here until, what? You tell him he can come back?”

            “Until we can’t…until we know the claim has broken.  Giles thinks that since Spike is unable to hurt humans…”  It hurt Buffy to lie to Angel, but the fewer people who knew about the loss of the chip, the better off they’d be. “Since he can’t hurt humans, and he’s been helping me, that maybe they won’t care as long as there’s no claim for them to worry about.  I mean, they didn’t mind that you were helping me.”

            “I have a soul,” he said with a decided pout.  “I was special.”

             Buffy gave an exasperated sigh.  “Yes, you were.  You still are.  Very special.”

                Angel swelled up visibly and sent his glowering grandchilde a triumphant look.

               “But Spike is special too.  And he did it without a soul.  Just because he…he loves me.  And…I love him, Angel,” she added softly.  “I need for him to be safe until he can come home.”

                Angel winced internally at her words; the idea that she knew she was “home” to Spike somehow more telling than her whispered, “I love him.”  He put on his best solemn face and said, “All right, Buffy.  I won’t hurt him.  And he can stay here--”  he paused to soothe his surprised and disbelieving employees—“until it’s time for him to go back to Sunnydale.”

               He responded to her grateful “thank you” with a mumbled, “wouldn’t do this for anybody but you,” and flipped the phone shut.  He glared at his cheerful grandchilde and growled, “You can stay here, but keep away from me.  I’m only doing this for Buffy.” 

                He turned to go into his office, then stopped and faced the other vampire again.  “If you hurt her, Will, so help me…”

                “Won’t. Wouldn’t.  Couldn’t.  Love her too much.” 

                  Spike’s bright blue eyes were guileless and Angel nodded briefly.  As much as the younger vamp irritated him, he was more than aware of Spike’s capacity for love and the lengths to which he would go for it.
 

Chapter 24:

Chapter Twenty-four       

       Two weeks later, Buffy and her friends were sitting in the Bronze, listening to the new band and enjoying their drinks. They had talked her into going out with them, even though she was more interested in staying in her room and trying to find Spike.  For the first time in a month, she awakened without that little extra buzz that told her he was there if she needed to talk to him, and she’d spent the whole day trying to get a response from the missing vampire.


       Common sense told her he was as alive as a dead man could be.  She knew she would have known in an instant if he’d dusted.  But that didn’t mean he couldn’t be in some kind of trouble and just be blocking her access to him.  She’d become so used to his constant presence in the background that she felt oddly lost without it and she’d almost forgotten that not being able to sense him was what she’d been waiting for the past month.

          Suddenly Buffy’s vampire radar went off and she stopped talking to look around the big room.   Just as she realized that she was feeling one particular vampire, she heard Xander say, “Oh look.  It’s the evil undead.  We were all hoping you were on your way to South America or somewhere.”

        “That right, whelp?  All of you were hoping that?”

        Buffy turned slowly and looked up into what she had decided were the most beautiful blue eyes she’d ever seen and said softly,  “No, not all of us.”

         While Willow and Anya beamed at her, she stood up, faced the smiling vampire, and took his outstretched hand.  In spite of Xander’s audible groans, she turned and stood beside Spike.  Although his hair was still the soft light brown of William, he was wearing his signature leather coat and normal jeans and tee shirt. 

      “William and I have to go now.  We have...evil to fight.  Demons to kill...”

        Anya studied them closely for a second, than announced calmly.  “They’re going to go have sex.”

      While Xander muttered strangled denials, Spike slipped his arm around Buffy’s waist and smirked at him.  Willow smiled at them and waved her hand as she said, “Well, you’d better get going then.  Lot’s of evil out tonight.”

       As they walked away, Xander continued to sputter in disgust.

       “If he’s back, then the claim is gone.  And if the claim is gone, then she shouldn’t want him anymore.  There must be something wrong.”

       “Actually,” said Tara shyly, “It looked very right to me.”

        Willow turned to smile at her girl friend.  “What looked right to you, baby?” she asked, not noticing Xander’s double-take at her endearment.

     “Their auras.  Buffy’s is always bright – unless she’s mad about something–“

     “Well, THAT never happens,” Anya snorted sarcastically.

      “And Spike’s is very unusual for a vampire.  Full of life and color. And together, they made a lovely mauve color when they meshed.”
 
      “Meshed?” Xander’s voice went up an octave.  “What meshed?  There was no meshing!  No meshing with the vampire.  Not on my watch.”

     “Oh Xander, would you get over yourself?” Anya said in disgust.  “Buffy loves Spike.  She doesn’t love you. Not in a ‘give you orgasms’ kind of way like I do.  She’s the Slayer.  She’s too strong for a human male anyway. She’d probably hurt you!  And if Spike makes her short life happy…”


    The dark haired carpenter subsided, mumbling to himself about vampires and auras and souls not being important anymore.  The women at the table ignored him and went back to their conversation about the band.


               Spike and Buffy got no further than the darkened area under the stairs before she spun him around and pulled his mouth down to hers.  Warm, pliant lips met soft, cool ones in a kiss that gradually deepened as tongues began to tangle and move around.  Buffy pressed her body up against him, enjoying the way it fit into his so perfectly.

     She moaned when he ground his erection into her hip and slipped his muscular thigh between her legs.  Buffy caught her breath when she felt his hard leg press up against her already damp crotch.  Forgetting where they were, she wrapped one leg around his and began rubbing against him.

       Spike removed his lips from hers briefly so that she could catch a breath and murmured in her ear, “That’s it, love.  Ride me, Buffy.  Ride me hard.  Come for me, baby. Show me you missed me.”

      (I’m not really doing this, am I?  I am not trying to get off on Spike’s leg while my friends sit drinking a few feet away.  I should stop this right now....before...I can’t....stop....no stop....don’t stop.....Spike!)

       With a muffled shriek and a shudder, she collapsed against his chest and allowed him to hold her boneless body up as she regained her equilibrium.  She could feel his duster wrapped around her back and hoped it was protecting her from any curious eyes that walked by.

        “So,” he said with a smirk in his voice, “missed me, did you, Slayer?”
 
         “Apparently so,” she grumbled as she stood up straighter and pulled back to look up at him.  “And you can just wipe that smirk off your face, mister.”  With a sudden change in demeanor, she asked quietly,  “Did you miss me?”

         “You have no idea, love. No idea at all.”  The smirk was gone, replaced by such yearning that she whirled away and pulled him toward the door.

       “Then we should go.”

        There was no argument from the vampire as she tugged him out the door and down the street.  He stopped her when he realized where she was going and gestured to the large, dark vehicle parked across the street.

          “We can drive, love.  I came straight here when I got back and found out where you were.  Haven’t put the car away yet.”

        Using the old Desoto, it took only a few minutes to reach the edge of campus and the attractive apartment building located there.

       “Uh, what are we doing here?  I thought we’d be going to…well I don’t know where I thought we’d be going.  The dorm, I guess.  But here?”

       “Need a place for William to live, don’t I?  This way I’ll be close to you when you’re in school and you can pick me up on your way to patrol.”

        “You…you’re going to live here?”  Buffy looked at the clearly expensive apartment building and back at the grinning vampire.

        “Did you kill somebody?” she demanded suspiciously.

        “Didn’t need to, pet,” he smirked, opening her door for her.  He ushered her into the building, nodding at the concierge as he took her to the elevator.

         “Isn’t he a demon?” Buffy whispered, turning to look back at the waving man at the desk.

         “Yes, but not one you have to worry about, Slayer,” he said with an edge to his voice.  “He’s a good upstanding citizen of Sunnydale – as is his human mother who lives on the third floor.”

        “Human? His mother is human?”

        “What?  You thought you were the only one to find a demon attractive?” he teased her gently as he pushed the button for the penthouse.

        “Well, most demons are…ewwww and all with the smelly and claws and teeth and…Are you laughing at me?”

        “Maybe a little,” he admitted.  “You are so adorable when you’re confused.”

         “I’m not confused…and…you think I’m adorable?”

         “You know I do, love,” he said, pulling her close as the doors slid shut.  “That hasn’t changed.  I think you are adorable…” he ran his lips over her jaw, planting a light kiss on her chin…”and beautiful…” a kiss on her neck...”and strong…”kiss…”and sexy…and…” whatever else he was going to say was cut off as Buffy interrupted the little kisses he was sprinkling across her face by grabbing his lower lip in her teeth and pulling on it gently.

        “Oh, Baby wants play, does she?”  he growled, sliding his hands around to her ass and pulling her against his hard length.  “Why don’t you put your little teeth somewhere useful, Slayer?”

          Before Buffy could respond, the doors slid open and they stepped out into the plush lobby of the penthouse apartments.  Spike walked to the door at the end of the wide hallway and pulled a key from his pocket, inserting it in the door and pushing it open with a flourish.

        “Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly,” he said giving her one of his best leers. 

        Buffy rolled her eyes at him and started to walk by, only to find herself swept up and into his arms into a traditional groom-carries-bride-across-the-threshold pose.  They stayed frozen like that for a few seconds.  Buffy’s mouth was open in shock and she finally stammered, “Wha…what are you doing?”

       “Probably never get to do this for real,” he said gruffly. “Want to see what it feels like.”

         Buffy thought he’d never looked more like William than he did at that particular moment as he waited anxiously for her reaction.  When she didn’t say anything, she saw the resignation fill his eyes and felt his muscles flex as he prepared to set her down.  She quickly brought her arms up around his neck and whispered, “I think it feels wonderful, William.”

       Too overwhelmed to speak, he just beamed at her and stepped through the door into a spacious living room with one whole wall of tinted glass doors leading to an outside area.  Before she had time to take in the whole room and its furnishings, Buffy found herself being carried across it to an open doorway and deposited gently in the middle of a large four-poster bed.

         Spike immediately joined her on the bed, pinning her down with his body and fastening his lips on hers almost desperately.  The heat radiating off her writhing body, made him groan with long-suppressed desire.  They kissed frantically, lips and tongues alternately gentle and demanding. Strong body clutched  strong body, until the urge to feel naked skin became overwhelming and the vampire tore his lips away.

         Ignoring her complaining whimper, he slid back down the bed and began to take her boots off, caressing each foot as he did so and kissing each toe before he put the foot down.  When he pulled one of her toes into his mouth and sucked gently on it, Buffy gasped as fluid pooled between her legs; then blushed to think that she was finding herself aroused by something so simple. 

        Spike moved his hands slowly up her legs until he reached the top of her thighs, where he allowed his thumbs to gently stroke her through the fabric of her jeans.  His fingers were splayed across her lower abdomen, holding her hips still as his thumbs teased her.

She sat up and reached for him, trying to pull him back up where she could continue the kissing, but he shook his head and murmured, “Been waiting so long for this, love.  Wanting you, needing to feel you, to taste you…”  He buried his face in her lap, inhaling the rich scent of her arousal and nipping at her demin-covered mound. 

                    Without moving his head, he reached up with one hand and unfastened her jeans, sliding the zipper down and moving his mouth up to the  now-exposed golden skin on her lower abdomen.  His other hand pushed her gently back down on the bed as he quickly pulled her jeans and underwear off, letting her kick them free of her feet and to the floor.

                   He again buried his face in her now open and dripping sex, laughing when her hips shot up off the bed at the touch of his cool tongue. He paused long enough to push her shirt over her head and slice through the strap of her bra with one of his sharp canines.  Then he sat back on his knees to look at the vision spread out before him.

                   “Hey,” she said with a pout.  “I’m all naked here and you’re all with the clothes on.  What’s wrong with this picture?”

                  “Nothing wrong from my point of view, pet,” he leered as he deliberately ran his eyes down her body to the soft curls covering the source of the intoxicating aroma wafting around the room.  With a growl, Buffy wrapped her legs around his torso and flipped them over so that he was on the bottom and she was sitting on his stomach. 

                    She tore his shirt down the middle, casting the pieces away and reached for the buttons on his jeans.  She popped the buttons off and pushed the now open jeans as far down as she could get them without moving any farther away than his upper thighs.  Looking down onto his pale, hard muscled chest and abdomen, she licked her lips and said, “Now, I’m starting to like this picture!”

                   Buffy scooted all the way to the bottom of the bed and tugged on his boots until she had them off and could yank his jeans the rest of the way down his legs.  She fastened her eyes on his thick, erect shaft, ignoring the way he was jostling her as he kicked his pants the rest of the way off.

                    In spite of their quick sexual encounter while under the spell, the incredible orgasm he’d given her on her mother’s couch,  and their weeks of erotic mind games, this was the first time they had actually been naked together in a bed and Buffy found herself suddenly shy.  When she saw that Spike was watching with amusement as she stared at his long, thick cock, she blushed and looked away in embarrassment.

                    Quickly, he rolled them back over again, tipping her face up to look at him as he ran the other hand down the silky skin of her flank.

                   “Look at me, pet.  Remember what I told you?”  He traced a path down her neck and across her collarbone. He dropped back into William’s voice and manner of speaking.   “Nothing we do here is wrong or shameful as long as we’re both willing and it’s done with love.  I want to see you – all of you.  And I want you to see me.  Don’t be ashamed to look at my body.  It’s yours. To do with as you wish.”

                   Slowly, he moved off to her side, turning her slightly so that she was facing him.  “I’m going to look, okay?” he murmured, kissing her lightly on her open lips.  “Just remember, you are beautiful to me.  Every single part of you.”

                    She nodded her head slowly, trying to control the blush that spread through her cheeks as his eyes traveled from her face down to her breasts, lingering there for seconds while he licked his lips, then continuing down to her toes and back up again.  When he reached the top of her thighs, he gently pushed her down on her back and pulled her legs apart until she was lying spread out in front of him and blushing from her head down to her nipples.

                    He reached a gentle hand out and touched her worshipfully.

                   “Ah, love,” he breathed, stirring her curls with his cool breath, “you’re like a flower, you are.  Soft and pink and delicate.”

                     Buffy shivered when she felt the cool air moving across her most private parts.  She found it both embarrassing and incredibly arousing to be lying there exposed in front of his admiring eyes.   Her hips rose slightly toward his face even as she tried to cringe away.  He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on the silky skin where her thigh joined her abdomen, then another kiss on the other side.  With a reluctant growl, he pulled himself away from the sight of her swollen clit calling to his mouth and tongue, and lay back down on his side facing her.

                   “Now you, pet.  I want you to know me the way I intend to know you.  Every bit of skin, every sensitive nerve ending, I want you to look at me until you could describe me with your eyes closed.”

                  “Is there going to be a pop quiz?” she asked with a nervous giggle.

                 “Well, there will definitely be a practical test,” he purred, stretching his arms over his head and flexing all his muscles.

                  Buffy couldn’t help the way she licked her lips as she watched the muscles moving under his alabaster skin.  She let her eyes travel from the strong column of his neck, down to his flexed biceps and strong, but gentle hands.  Her gaze skipped down to the defined pectoral muscles on his chest and then down to the rippled abs leading to the body part that started the whole embarrassing exercise.  Deliberately skipping the bobbing cock in front of her, she ran her eyes down his prominent hipbones, admiring the way they drew her eye to the base of his shaft and the dark blond curls surrounding it.  With a quick glance at his face to see if he was going to make fun of her, she moved down the bed to take a closer look at his scrotum, reaching out a hand to gently cup his balls.  When he let out an involuntary groan, she grinned and drew her hand back.

                (Good to know.  I wonder what else is really sensitive?)

                 She ran a light hand down his firmly muscled, but trim, thigh, bringing it back up on the inside of his leg and just brushing his balls again as she pulled her hand out.  A low growl told her he knew exactly what she was doing and she smothered a giggle.  Where he had pushed her onto her back to look at her, she pulled him forward so that he was lying on his stomach, head turned to look at her curiously.  She ran her eyes across the strong planes of his back, ghosting her hand down his spine until she reached the cleft of his ass.

                     She traced the outlines of his firm buttocks with both hands, cupping her small hands around them as best she could.  When she ran a curious finger down between them until she reached his balls again, he couldn’t control the shudder that ran through him or the startled hiss.

                      Buffy snatched her hand back quickly, saying, “I’m sorry.  Do you not want me to do that?”

                      A muffled groan and a “bloody hell, yes,” made her giggle and she became bolder in her exploring, sliding both hands down his legs and back up to tease him again with touches to the spot between his balls and his tightly puckered hole.  When she felt every muscle in his body tense at her gentle prodding in that spot, she stopped her teasing.  She nipped gently at one firm buttock, dropped a quick kiss on the other, and then tugged his shoulder until he rolled back over to face her.

                 “I think I’ve seen enough,” she breathed.  “Less seeing, more touching.  Now, please.”

                 “Your wish is my command, milady,” he answered, pulling her close to his body and running his hands lightly up and down her back.  He began running his lips down her neck, pausing to lick and nuzzle the tiny scars left from the claim.  When he felt Buffy’s heart rate increase at his touch, he stopped and pushed himself back far enough to look into her worried eyes.

                  “Don’t worry, love,” he said softly.  “I don’t intend to do anything that would make me have to leave you again.  I just…it feels good to remember that for a short, wonderful time we belonged to each other.  Touching my marks…it’s just a way of reliving it.  Wouldn’t do again, sweetheart.  Please believe me.”

               “I believe you don’t mean to do it,” she responded fearfully.  “But you didn’t mean to do it the first time, either.  What if you can’t stop the demon?  I don’t want to go through a month-long separation every time we make love.”

                “Trust me, love, “ he said with a wry smile.  “Neither does the demon.  He’ll behave. You have my word.”  He studied her anxiously for a minute.  “You DO trust me, don’t you, Buffy?”

                  He stared into her eyes as myriad emotions flew across her face and his stomach was clenching in fear until her look softened and she answered clearly, “With my life.  I trust you with my life.”

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