Chapter Summary: Spike and Buffy have started to "create" their own family bonds. They started with Dalton, who has offered his unconditional loyalty to Buffy and Spike. He's on a mission to secure more blood for the pair. Buffy and Spike have much to talk about now. Can they keep their hands and fangs off each other to talk? Will they go meet the Scoobies? Will the Scoobies be there? Will Giles believe the book that Spike gave him? Will we find out just what kind of demon turned our Slayer into the being she is now? Will they be able to stay hidden from Angelus until the're ready? That's for this chapter to discover.
**WARNING: Although not graphic in description, this chapter does include mention of abuse or torture as a part of Angelus' initiation for new fledglings. It is near the beginning if you need to skim down, but like I said I'm not very graphic about it. It's just enough to let you know that not so nice things are happening.**
Author's Note: As with the history of Charmand and Antoinette, the mythology here for the Slayer demon is based on various lores (some from vague references in BtVS) and my own original ideas
(All disclaimers are noted in the first chapter of this story.)
'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.
Dalton scurried around the mansion for all that he needed to complete the task from his Master. He tried to blend into the background amidst the flurry of preparations for the end of another night. Most of the minions paid no heed to him on any given day anyway. This made his task much easy to carry out. So long as Angelus and Drusilla didn't return, that is. Angelus and Dru were still out on their hunt, but dawn was quickly approaching. They would be back soon. Right when he thought his good luck was holding, Angelus' voice bellowed across the main room.
Drusilla sauntered alongside Angelus. She rolled her eyes while Angelus regaled a couple newly risen minions with his story about Buffy's death. 'Silly daddy.' She loved Angelus with all of her demented being, but she was mad at him for not listening to her last night. The pixies were quite upset too. They refused to speak to her today because of him.
"It was a beautiful sight." Angelus laughed with deviant glee. "I wish I could have seen their faces when they found her in the morning." He puffed his chest out. He looked like an imitation of a cock-a-doodling rooster. 'I can't wait to rub this is Spike's face. He killed two Slayers, but I killed the Slayer he never could.'
"She might not be dead, Daddy." Dru piped in. The balance of power had not changed heavily in their favor yet. She still felt the heavy pull against her of their demise.
Angelus growled angrily at Dru. She tried his patience at times, and he was not going to be questioned by his Childe in front of the minions. He backed her against the wall. "She was dead long before morning. The Slayer was barely alive when I left her." He sneered. "If she lasted 10 minutes, it would be a miracle. No one could have saved her in time."
"Yes, Daddy." Dru knew this battle was lost before it began. Her actions may have been submissive, but inside her anger at him boiled. Nothing was going to sway him from his delusions. She threw her hands up in the air muttering as she walked away. "Miss Edith says no tea and cake for Daddy today. He's been a bad boy."
Angelus shook his head back and forth. 'If she wasn't such a wicked killer and luscious fuck, she wouldn't be worth putting up with her craziness.' He surveyed the minions in the room. 'Still, I'll have to pummel her into the bed today to make up for it. That will get her to forget her anger.' He kicked the two new fledglings into the middle of the room.
Angelus laughed as the new minions faltered. His sadistic grin grew when the other minions started their initiation rights into the clan. "Isn't the violence a wonderful sight?" He said loud enough to be heard. This spurned the group to greater acts of violation and abuse. He didn't stop the display. He knew part of it was for his benefit. The older minions wanted Angelus to see who was the most evil of them to curry his favor. 'If they survive, they are worth keeping. If not at least the others had their fun.' He noted the actions of several key minions. 'Excellent.'
Dalton shivered in disgust from his vantage point on the opposite side of the room. 'Barbaric.' The whole sight sickened him. These types of displays were one reason that humans thought vampires were all evil and cruel. He wanted no part in the perverseness of Angelus' form of initiation. His frown deepened with each tear of clothing, claw or fang wound created, and other abuses pounded into the fledglings bodies.
Dalton had to get out of this room and back to Master Spike's suite before the scene made him physically ill. Angelus already discarded him as a weak vampire. He wouldn't be expected to participate in the initiation. If it wasn't for his knowledge of ancient texts and languages he would probably be dust, but he refused to give Angelus any pleasure by showing his distress more outwardly.
Angelus circled the room. "Good boy." He praised a minion who dug his claws into one of the fledgling's back. The fledgling screamed out his anguish. The new minion felt the claws cut through his skin and streak his back with blood and tortured flesh.
Dalton groaned out loud. His luck took a more serious downwards turn. Angelus seemed to have stopped his circling in front of the corridor that led to Spike's living area of the mansion. 'How can I sneak by with him standing right there?' He mustered up as much courage as he could and stepped towards the corridor. 'Remain calm, and try to ignore Angelus. You are insignificant to him. Maybe he won't notice you.'
Angelus clapped his hands in sadistic joy. The two fledglings already survived more than he thought they would. He would need strong fighters to bring this town into line. He noticed Dalton coming closer to him with a crate in his hand. 'If that stupid Sire of his did this instead of coddling him, that insipid vampire never would have made it. I don't know why I keep him around, and what is that smell?'
Dalton froze in his tracks. Angelus had stepped directly into his path to stop him. He did his best not to shake, but he couldn't hold back a tremble of fear at being caught. 'What was it that Master Spike said to say? Oh yes, the blood was tainted.' He stood there and waited for Angelus' question that never came.
Angelus threw his head back and laughed. "You worthless vampire." He spat at Dalton. The scent of fear emanating from the bookworm fueled his lust for power to greater heights.
"Yes, Master Angelus." Dalton lowered his gaze. His trembling body served to add to his appearance of being a weakling. He hated calling him that. In his mind, Angelus was nothing more than a disgusting creature. He had a true Master now, and his name was Spike. "I am fortunate that you allow me to live under your protection, Master." His demon fought with Dalton to fight back, but he reined him in. He was a man of many talents that he never showed because as a man he abhored violence. The time for them would come later. Master Spike needed a link to those outside of his room. He needed to keep himself under wraps for his Master and Mistress' sakes. "I am grateful."
Angelus growled. This sorry excuse for a vamp was no challenge to his dominance of the clan. It disgusted him to waste his time on a nothing. "As you should be. You offend me with your presence." He sniffed the air around Dalton again. "You also offend me with your scent." He moved away from him a couple steps. "I know you like those fluffy colognes, but that crap you have on smells like something Spike wore a time or two."
'Uh oh. I thought the cologne was from a previous human occupant.' Dalton cringed inwardly. 'How stupid of me not to recognize the scent in my haste. I'm in trouble now.' He clutched the crate's handles tighter.
Angelus shook his head. Spike was the last being he wanted to have on his mind right now. He shook the memory of his scent away. "Throw the rest of the bottle out." He waved to Dalton to go wherever he was headed. He couldn't stand the smelly vampire's presence any longer. "If I smell that on you again, Professor, your heart will meet fresh air from outside your body. Understood?"
"Yes, Master Angelus." Dalton hurried down the corridor. He didn't stop to rest until he reached the top of the stairs at the end of the corridor. If his heart could beat it would be pulsing in double time. He checked behind him to see if anyone followed him. As he suspected, no one had. They were all too busy with the torture in the main area and vying for Angelus' favor. He leaned up against the closed door trying to gain his wits about him again before entering his Master's chamber.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy sat up straight abruptly. She pushed away from Spike. "Dalton!" She said with concern and agitation.
"What is it, luv?" Spike questioned. He had been dreaming peacefully of times gone by and future possibilities. He rubbed his eyes. Being awakened so quickly disturbed him. He had been so content that he was having trouble wiping the sleep from his brain.
"Can you not feel it?" Buffy stood up and stalked to the door. "Something is wrong with Dalton. He's scared."
Spike woke much more quickly with each step Buffy took across the floor. "No! Pet, you can't go out there." He jumped up to catch her. He grabbed for her hand to keep her from opening the door and leaving.
"But he needs us. I must protect him." Buffy pulled away from Spike's grasp.
Spike wasn't prepared for her strength. He fell to the floor after her hand was wrenched from his. He pushed himself up in time to see Buffy opening the door. "CHILDE!" He called out in a firm and commanding voice. "STOP!"
Buffy stopped immediately with the door half opened. She couldn't move, and it frightened her. She tried to move her muscles or turn around, but instead she was frozen in place. She felt lost and confused, defenseless. So, she started crying.
The door caved in the rest of the way with Dalton's weight, which had been resting against the door. He fell at Buffy's feet. "Thank you, Mistress." He looked up at her face and then over to his Master's. "Is something wrong, Master?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The first rays of the sunrise filtered through the windows of the high school library. One lone man sat at a desk in his office amidst various books and scrolls. His brow furrowed in concentration with each new revelation. He removed his glasses, dropped them to the desk, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut. "Dear Lord."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Joyce Summers moved about the home on 1630 Revello Drive. Out of habit she opened the door to Buffy's bedroom to wake her up for school. She sighed at the realization that her daughter wasn't home, yet again. 'At least she's with Willow.' She started to leave the bedroom when a book caught her notice.
Joyce walked over to Buffy's dresser. A box of tissues sat next to the book with several crumpled ones on the dresser top. 'Was Buffy crying?' Concerned for her daughter's well being, she turned the book over to confirm what she suspected. This book was Buffy's diary. 'She never leaves it out. She must have been really upset.'
Joyce was torn between reading the diary and putting it back down. 'If she's that upset, I want to be able to help her.' She sat down on Buffy's bed with the book. 'She gets more distant every day. I feel like I don't even known my own daughter. Maybe this will help me to understand.'
Though a part of her conscience was screaming at her to put the book away, Joyce's motherly snoopiness and concern beat that part down. She opened the cover to read the first entry.
Entry #1 This has to be the worse day of my life. I so cannot believe the creepiness of it all, and could that guy be any more fashion challenged? Merrick, what kind of name is that?
Joyce kept reading from one entry to another. Her face shifted through more emotions than anyone could track. She dropped the book several times in fright and shock only to force herself to continue reading.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Sire?" Buffy's voice cracked through her tears. She didn't understand what was happening to her. She felt Spike's anger and also his fear that she was walking out the door. She couldn't even turn to face him.
Spike stood back up. He motioned for Dalton to finish coming in. He pointed him towards the other crate of blood bags and instructed him with a nod of his head to sit in one of the room's chairs.
Dalton shut the door, nodded and proceeded to do exactly as Spike indicated. He was befuddled about what was going on. Had those been tears in his Mistress' eyes?
Spike stepped up behind Buffy. With a hand on each of her upper arms near her shoulders he turned her to face him. "Come here, Childe." His voice echoed the concern and tenderness that he felt for his Mate.
Buffy's arms relaxed, then quickly wrapped around Spike's body. "Oh my god, Spike." She shivered in his embrace. "What happened? I couldn't move." A pair of frightened child-like eyes gazed up at him.
"I had to stop you, Childe." Spike cupped the back of her head with his hand. He purred softly to soothe and calm her. "I did it without even thinking that it was my Sire voice I used."
"Sire voice?" Buffy had a feeling she wasn't going to like his explanation for this one. Anything that could make her not move even when she wanted to was not good.
'She's going to be brassed off.' Spike sighed. "It is one of the many things that I needed to tell you about." He looked over at Dalton.
Buffy lifted a brow, but she calmed down some as Spike kissed and licked away her tears in a show of nurturing.
"Let's see what Dalton has to say, and then you and I can have that talk." Spike licked all traces of the salty fluid from Buffy's cheeks then kissed her forehead.
"All right." Something told Buffy to bite her tongue for now. She wanted to demand him to tell her, but that didn't feel like the right thing to do to her Sire in front of Dalton.
Spike relaxed a little. He may be Buffy's mate, but he was also her Sire. Sometimes those responsibilities had to come before the other. He couldn't risk her doing something so rash. The thought of losing her already scared him more than he cared to admit.
Dalton watched his Master and Mistress from a chair near the covered window. The sunlight would kill him in an instant, but the heat that radiated off the deep velvet drapes reminded him of a time when he could walk in the sun. When he felt that Spike and Buffy were waiting for him to speak, he stood up to walk over to them.
"Drusilla seemed quite a bit upset at Angelus tonight." Dalton began. His Mistress's eyes flashed violet, and her teeth elongated into fangs.
Spike caressed Buffy's cheek in assurance. He felt the change in her. It was likely that the names of Angelus and Drusilla would affect both of them for a while to come even if they didn't want them to. He wasn't sure whom Buffy was growling over more, Angelus or Drusilla.
"She stormed away to their quarters before I even came up here." Dalton smirked at the thought that Angelus might be losing his Dark Princess as well as already having lost Spike. "He brought in a couple new minions, and of course threw them to the wolves." He shook his head in disgust once more.
"Bastard. I know what his kinds of initiations can be." Although no minions swarmed around him at his turning, Spike had felt the cruelty of Angelus' introduction into the vampire world. He tightened his hold on Buffy.
Buffy looked up at her Sire and Mate. She rubbed her cheek against his arm in a comforting fashion. She purred softly to show her support and affection.
"Other than that, everything seems to be moving along as it usually does."
"Thank you, Dalton." Spike ran his fingers through his bleached waves. "Go get some rest."
Dalton headed for the door. Spike stopped him before he could leave. "We're going to meet with the Watcher tonight. I have more plans, but they all depend on his reaction. Don't come by until late tonight if you can manage."
"Yes, Master. I'll do my best." Dalton turned back to the door. "I have a feeling that I'll be the designated fledgling sitter." He stepped out into the hall. He shut the door quietly behind him.
The echo of the door shutting reverberated through the otherwise silent room. Spike stretched his hand in the direction of the bed. He stood at the end of it, not ready to sit down yet.
Buffy curled her legs underneath her when she sat. Her back rested against the headboard. She gave Spike her full attention. Good or bad news he was her Mate and Sire now. That meant he had to take care of her. Right?
'Might as well get the worst of it out first. Maybe the rest of it will be easier to accept then.' Spike paced the width of the bed and back. "IFirst off, want you to know that I won't be exercising all of my Sire's rights. I hadn't intended on using the one I used today in the first place."
Buffy nodded. "All right. What is to stop you from using all of your "rights" on me like you did with the voice though?"
"A Sire may use his voice in a certain tone or intent behind the words to force their Childe to obey. A Childe is unable to resist these commands."
"Like I wasn't able to move once you said stop?" Buffy nibbled on her lower lip. He could make her do anything he wanted?
Spike watched the nervousness and worry cover Buffy's face before it could disappear. "I had to stop you from exposing yourself to anyone, possibly Angelus." He sat down at the end of the bed. "I made a desperate plea that any lover would, but by being your Sire it forced you to stop."
"What if we were in the middle of having sex and you yelled for me to spread it and take it hard when I didn't want to?" Buffy doubted that she would ever want to refuse Spike's advances, but she needed to know she had the choice of stopping him. "Would I have to lie there and take it in pain without my consent?"
"No! Never!" Spike wanted to pull her to him to comfort Buffy, but it was best if they kept their distance at the moment. It sickened him to think about taking Buffy by force. Even his demon, having now sampled her complete and utter submission, wasn't willing to force his Mate sexually. "That is one Sire right I will NOT incite. I want you to come to my bed freely, Buffy."
Buffy relaxed a little. She knew sex was often used as a show of dominance over another vampire. She remembered reading about it in one of Giles' books. Spike didn't say that he couldn't do it, but he did say that he wouldn't. That would have to be enough for now. She hoped they would never have to have a discussion about that again.
"That doesn't mean things might not be rough at times. You might find that you enjoy certain pleasures that you haven't tried before." Spike's eyes were full of truth and honesty in the words he uttered. "But I will never force myself upon you. I've been subjected to that many times, and you shouldn't ever have to feel like I did."
The warmth in Buffy's cheeks rose. "I was only with Angel once, and we all know how that turned out." She sighed. "You are my only real and lasting experience." She soothed any ruffled feathers with her next statement. "You are all that I will ever want or need. Please tell me more about Sires and their Childer."
"Pet …" Spike scooted a little closer to Buffy's position. His anger at another touching Buffy only lasted a moment. Angel was in the past, and she chose Spike to be her Mate. That was all that mattered to him; man and demon. "Most Sires want to mold and shape their minions and Childer into the perfect demon. They try to force them to be who they want them to be and not who they really are." He tried to explain the most common directives for a Sire. "A strong Childe is a reflection on their Sire."
"You don't want to teach me things?" Buffy misunderstood what he was trying to say to her. 'He has almost 200 years of experience in the world. I could learn so much more from him, avoid so many mistakes.'
Spike jerked his head up. He heard Buffy's thoughts clearly in his own mind. "What was that, pet?"
"I asked you if you didn't want to teach me anything." Buffy repeated.
"No the part about my experience in the world."
Buffy looked at him puzzled. 'I didn't say anything about his experience out loud. How did he know?'
"Because I bloody well heard your thoughts, pet." Spike answered Buffy's thoughts out loud this time.
"Oh my!" Buffy slapped her hands to her mouth in shock. "That is just freaky."
'Tell me about it.' Spike grinned widely, letting a natural conversation carry itself mentally. 'I've heard about telepathy between mates, but it is highly rare.' He finished out loud. "It only occurs in the strongest of claims."
Buffy nodded. She heard both his thoughts and his vocal words with the same inflection and tone that he used vocally. "That is going to take some getting used to. How ever will I keep secrets from you?" She winked.
Spike beamed. He crawled up the bed and laid next to Buffy. This allowed her the higher position, since she was sitting up and he was laying down. He wanted to make her more at ease, help her to feel that she had more control. "It is wonderful though." He needed her to feel secure that he considered her his equal and not beneath him.
"Why?" Buffy questioned.
"Because, pet. It means that we have a strong bond." Spike was nearly giddy inside. "Our claims are mutually shared in mind and body. Our demons agree with our physical forms and emotions. We are more in synch than a normal mated pair ever would be."
"You mean it shows that what we did was right, and not just some awakening vampire sex thing?" Buffy thought about all the times she faced Spike in battle. There was something that always drew her to him like a moth to the flame. She had known he was forbidden, even more than Angel, but a part of her wanted him even then. Now it seemed that he was who she was meant to be with in the first place.
"Exactly. If it was a forced or haphazard claim, we wouldn't be able to read each other's minds." Spike rested his head in Buffy's lap. He caressed the top of her leg with his fingertips. "That crazy little Slayer of yours likes the "Big Bad"." He teased.
"Don't go getting a big head about it, Spike." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Your ego doesn't need any more stroking."
"But I thought you liked my big head." Spike tucked his tongue along the roof of his mouth with the tip pressed against the back of his top teeth. He smirked up at Buffy. "And I'm all for any stroking you want to do to me, pet."
Buffy playfully slapped Spike's upper chest. "Good grief. You really are horrible." She bantered in play.
"You're right, and you know you love it." Spike turned his face back into her lap. He kissed her inner thigh, trailing his tongue in circles along her femoral artery.
"Oh gosh." Buffy closed her eyes and shivered. "If you don't stop that, we're never going to get to the story about the book." She pushed Spike's head further down her legs and away from the place she would rather he be. "I need to know what is going on before we meet Giles."
Spike pouted like a child who just lost his favorite toy. "You're right, but it's more fun to tease you."
Buffy waggled a finger at him. In her best Drusilla voice she continued, "Be a good boy Willie or no tea and cake for you."
Spike raised a brow. He should be upset, but instead he just laughed. "That was bloody horrible, luv. Don't do it again, and never call me Willie." He shook his head back and forth. "Leave the crazies to the crazy woman."
Buffy smiled. She loved to hear Spike laugh. "Speaking of the bitch … Are she and Angelus able to hear each other's thoughts? I'm assuming he's claimed her."
Spike thought about that for a few minutes. "I don't think they can." He pondered it further. "I've never seen any indication that they could." A deviant and self-satisfying smirk grew. "How perfect that the "ideal" vampire couple aren't truly made for each other." He huffed. "Serves them both right."
Buffy seemed comforted that Spike wasn't upset about Dru and Angelus. "It's their loss." She leaned over to cup Spike's face in her hands. She bent down and kissed him tenderly. She sat back up. "Now the book … make with the splaining please."
Dalton might not be able to understand Buffy's terms, but Spike was rapidly catching on to the California bred girl's slang. It still baffled him that the English language was so decimated, but he'd work on that later. Her slang was a part of the attitude that he loved.
"First, I want to clarify what I meant earlier." He laid on his back, draped over Buffy's legs. "I will teach you a lot of things, but I'm not going to try and change who you really are. If I wanted a mindless clone, I wouldn't have turned you. You are so much more than that."
"Oh, nice with the sweet talk." Buffy licked her lips in contemplation over all the different ways she could reward Spike's compliments.
Spike closed his eyes and groaned. "Cor, pet. Don't think about that kind of thing." He slapped at the hard length of his cock. "Down boy." He flipped over on the bed to crush his member beneath him. It ached with need for relief.
Buffy giggled. "Oops. Sorry, Spike."
"Now then. Let me tell you a story about a vampire named Charmand, and the Slayer he fell in love with named Antoinette."
Buffy sat back against the headboard again. She listened to Spike unravel the mysteries of a Slayer who found love with a Master Vampire in the 1600's. She asked different questions along the way to make sure she understood what he was saying. She was always rewarded with Spike's patience and understanding.
Spike followed Buffy's thoughts and emotions while he told the story. He gauged her reactions to certain parts, and he was delighted to find her acceptance instead of her denial. When he finished his story, Buffy had a decidedly angry frown on her face and tears on her cheeks.
"So because the Council kept hounding them, and they had to stay in hiding, they both ended up dying?"
"I'm afraid so, pet." Spike nodded. "Even with the best second in command, you can not replace a Master Vampire's influence over a clan." He explained some of the inner workings of nests, families and clans. "Especially with the seemingly unnatural order of things in Charmand's domain, it would take a firm hand to keep any new vampires in line. Old vampires might even slip to the old ways causing even more havoc."
"The hierarchy seems very strict in its chain of command." Buffy pondered what would happen when Angelus was killed. Dru would surely have to be dusted as well. Would that make Spike in charge of the Aurelius family line?
"Actually it would, pet." Spike answered her unspoken thoughts. "The Master and Darla are already gone. If Angelus and Dru were also dusted, I am the next in line."
Buffy blinked. 'I could be mated to the new Master of Sunnydale?' She gulped anxiously.
"Don't worry pet, I have no intentions of following in Peaches or great-great grand daddy's ugly footsteps." Spike reassured her. "I don't know what will happen once they are gone. We'll have to figure that out when we get there. No sense in putting the card before the whole fricking corral of horses." He knew that most of the minions would have to be staked. There was no way Buffy could allow them to go on killing. He was fairly sure that Dalton would suffer through any chance that was asked of him. He didn't want to lose his book loving comrade.
Buffy chuckled at the analogy. "Why do you think the Slayers kept their souls? If a vampire demon joins us at death, how can it survive with the soul?"
"That is one place where your Council of Wankers are spinning their wheels in the wrong direction on." Spike sat up next to Buffy. He wrapped his arms around her to bring her closer. "Where do you think your slaying abilities come from?"
Buffy shrugged. "It's always been explained as just some mystical force that passes from slayer to slayer, generation to generation."
"Why do you think Slayers are able to sense vampires so well? Could it be that you recognize "one of your own"?"
"One of my own? You don't mean that the First Slayer was a vampire, do you?" Buffy's eyes widened in worry and disbelief.
"Not what I said, pet." Spike stopped to think of the best way to phrase his thoughts on slayer abilities. Louis, the Watcher from the 1600's seemed to agree with his notations in the journal. "When anyone is turned, it is the demon that joins with the human to create the new being. For most that means a vampiric demon enters them and tries to take over everything. For some, the majority goes to the demon, but enough of the human side remains for it to be noticeable. That makes us seem more human that others."
Buffy nodded and listened with avid interest.
"A Slayer is different because she already has a type of demon inside of her." Spike waited for the gasp that he knew would come from Buffy. He pressed a finger to her lips to tell her to allow him to continue to explain. "Slayer abilities rival a regular vampire's in strength, sense, stamina, and speed. I feel, as did Louis, that the First Slayer was created by a merging of a vampire like demon with a human female."
"Merging? So no bitey, just possession of the evil kind?"
"Something like that, yes, but less with the evi. The woman was strong enough in her humanity that it overrode the baser instincts of the demon that inhabited her. When she died, the essence of the Slayer herself and her demon was passed on to the next Chosen One." Spike laid everything out in detail. "You don't have a vampire demon inside you, luv. I believe that when I turned you it allowed your Slayer demon to show it's more vampiric qualities, but you are still different from other vampires. Did you know you have violet eyes when you morph?"
"I do?" Buffy perked up at that thought. "No golden?"
"No golden. You have softer ridges on your forehead, and your eyes are a beautiful violet color. You are so beautiful; human and vampire." Spike adjusted himself against Buffy. He didn't want to get too far off the course of their discussion.
"And of course I can't even look at myself in a mirror to see how pretty I am." Buffy teased
Spike laughed lightly. He loved the written word, and he thrived on new knowledge. It was a pleasure to share his knowledge with Buffy. "Even if a Slayer isn't turned the demon becomes stronger the older the Slayer gets, but most slayers don't live past 18 anyways. So, it isn't given a chance to take a firmer root. Those slayers who did survive past 18 seemed to disappear or have strange accidents along the way."
Spike shook his head back and forth. "I tracked a couple slayers in the 1940's and mid 1950's. Both of them were 20 years old when they died, and it wasn't a demon that killed them. Their deaths were listed as natural causes. Natural causes won't kill a Slayer. I think it was the Council."
"Why would the Council want to kill its own Slayer?" Buffy was appalled at the accusation. Sure, she didn't like the bunch of bureaucrats, but it wasn't their fault she was called. She couldn't hate them for that. She felt they should be giving her and Giles more support though.
"Because as the demon grows stronger, their Slayer was changed from a malleable child into a stronger woman with her own mind and ideals." Spike rubbed a hand down Buffy's arm. "Things stopped being so black and white. By that time she would have seen more about vampires than just what the Council wanted her to see. They couldn't afford that. So, they removed the threat."
"You don't think Giles would be plotting with them to have me killed if they aren't happy with me after next year, do you?" Buffy worried her bottom lip with her human teeth.
"Somehow I doubt it. Rupert Giles wasn't always the man you see now. I've heard tales about his younger days." Spike grinned in admiration. When he arrived in Sunnydale he did his own bit of research on the Watcher. Ripper's younger days were a treat to read. "He seems to care greatly for you, and not just as a Slayer. He's bit more of a rebel. If he believes us, he'll stay by you."
"I hope he believe us." Buffy sighed. "My mother is going to freak. I have to tell her something now. I never told her I was the Slayer. What will she think now when I tell her I'm kind of a vampire? She won't understand why I need to take night classes now instead of going to a regular high school."
"She's your Mum, Buffy. She'll understand." Spike caressed Buffy's face in long repeated strokes. "We need to take it one step at a time. First your Watcher, then your Mom or your friends. We have to be careful. Angelus must believe that you are dead."
Buffy nodded and yawned. "First we sleep." She yawned again. "It's strange, but I can feel the sun. It is pushing me to rest."
"Yes, it is time to rest. In time you will be able to completely fight the urge if you have to." Spike pulled Buffy with him as he laid out flat on the bed. "You already have an amazing amount of control. I'm very proud of you."
"Thank you, Sire." Buffy yawned and her eyes drooped closed. She snuggled against Spike and rested her cheek on his chest. She purred her contentment, which was echoed by Spike's won purr of delight. The two of them drifted off into a peaceful slumber where their dreams intermingled together, showing them another level of connection to each other.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dru ranted while she paced the floor of their bedroom. "She is alive. The pixies are warning me about her." She turned to Angelus in a huff. "I warned you not to try and kill her. Bad Daddy." She growled.
"That is ridiculous, Dru. We had the same argument this morning." Angelus stalked over to Dru. He grabbed her arms and squeezed them hard. "I'm telling you that she is dead. No one could have survived that."
Dru mewled and bounced in place. "Please, Daddy. I don't want to go poof." She half-heartedly clawed at Angelus' chest. "She is like a hurricane wind; all blowing but not being seen. Only the crushed houses are left. We will be her crushed houses."
"I'm going to settle this once and for all." Angelus growled. He pushed Dru onto the bed. "I'm going to that little brat's house, and I will look for her. If I can't find out about her there, I'll torture every single one of her friends until I get my answer. Will that satisfy you?"
Dru nodded. The pixies didn't lie to her. Daddy was going to be mad when he found a living Slayer. "Yes, Daddy."
"Fine." Angelus kicked the bedpost. "Stay in here tonight. You are NOT to go out until I return." He ordered, knowing that his Childe would have to obey his command. He threw open the door and slammed it behind him. He needed to vent some frustrations before the sun set.
Dru whimpered. She pulled Miss Edith off the nightstand. She clutched the doll to her like a lifeline, rocking back and forth with it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"My baby ..." Joyce Summers wept over the opened diary. She reread it at least 5 times, and it never got better. She laid down on Buffy's bed and grabbed Mister Gordo into her arms. "My poor baby." The diary dropped to the floor half underneath the bed where it would remain long after Joyce cried herself to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shortly after sunset Angelus climbed the tree next to Buffy's room. When he reached the top he saw a large form on Buffy's bed. He realized fairly quickly that the form was Joyce Summers, Buffy's mom. 'Excellent.' He thought. He could see the tracks of make-up smeared down the woman's face to indicate that she had been crying.
'Buffy is dead. Crazy Dru doesn't know what she's talking about.' Angelus was satisfied that he had nothing more to worry about where the Slayer was concerned. He jumped down from the tree. He proceeded to head off into the new night with a bounce in his step. "This town will be mine, and none of her little friends are going to be able to stop me."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I'm scared Spike." Buffy sat in front of Spike on their bed. Freshly showered, fed, and fully rested, Spike was brushing her hair for her now.
"I can't promise that it will be all right, pet, but I will be there no matter what." Spike tried to comfort his Childe. She needed the words of encouragement, and he worked to relax her with every stroke of the brush.
Buffy closed her eyes and purred. Every pull down the length of her long blonde hair felt like heaven. Her body tingled and relaxed. How could something so mundane seem so erotic to her? "I swear you could make anything seem sensual, Spike."
Spike chuckled. "Like this, do you?" He teased. He set the brush to the side and pulled Buffy back against his chest.
Buffy relished the feeling of his hard chest against her back. When he wrapped his arms around her she curled her hands and arms around his. "Thank you, Spike."
"For what, kitten?" Spike asked. He caressed the side of his face into her golden tresses. He inhaled her wonderful scent and committed it to memory.
"For saving me." Buffy turned in Spike's arms. "Even if they don't accept me, I know that you truly did save me that night. Thank you."
Spike kissed Buffy passionately pouring all of the emotions he was feeling into it. They stayed there for at least 15 minutes kissing non-stop. Neither needed to breathe, and they were using that to their full advantage. When they broke apart, both were panting.
"I would rather stay here all night making love to you, but we do have to meet your Watcher."
Buffy nodded. "All right." She hopped off the bed reluctantly. "Let's go."
"We'll take the same passage you pulled Dalton from." Spike pressed his hand into the right stone to release the locking mechanism. "Keep your senses sharp. We don't want to run into anyone out there who could give us away."
Buffy stretched her hand out to clasp Spike's in hers. Spike looked down at their joint hands and smiled. "Time to get this show on the road." They both stepped into the dark passage and vamped out. Once the door was secure again, they headed out to meet Giles.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Giles paced back and forth in what used to be the living room of an abandoned house. Earlier in the afternoon he'd convinced the rest of the group that it would be best for him to arrive at this meeting alone. All of them had protested for one reason or another. Mostly they all wanted to see Buffy, but they were also worried that it was a trap for Giles.
Giles explained to them that the less attention that was brought to the meeting, the better off they'd all be. He didn't fully trust Spike, but after all he'd read he was fairly certain he could trust Buffy. He would know once he saw her. He had a stake, a cross and some holy water readily accessible if he was wrong.
Giles looked at his watch again. It was two hours past sunset already. 'Where are they? Spike said to meet here one hour after sunset. I hope nothing has happened to them.' He sighed audibly. His head jerked to the side at the sound of light footsteps, barely noticeable to most people. He spent too much time around the unnatural and demonic to not be more aware of his surroundings that others would usually be. "Who's there?"
"Giles?" Buffy tentatively stepped further into the home. Her shadow moved along the way until her body was hit in full by the moonlight.
"Buffy?" Giles lit the lantern next to him to get a better look at her.
"Oh Giles!" Buffy ran towards Giles with her arms outstretched. In the two years Giles had been her Watcher, he already felt like more of a father to her than her biological one. She needed to know that he still loved her.
Giles took three steps back when Buffy rushed him. His instincts told him to run. It was only his devotion to Buffy that stopped him from running out of the house right then and there.
Buffy's arms dropped to her sides. "Oh God, Giles." Her disappointment was evident in her whole stature and expression. She turned away from Giles' rejection and into the arms of the bleached blonde vampire who stepped up to hold her.
"Nice move, Watcher." Spike growled. "Break the girl's heart, why don't you." He rubbed circles on Buffy's back. He dipped two fingers under her chin to bring her head up. He kissed her forehead.
Giles stared at the scene with wonder and innate curiosity. Last night he read everything the Council had on William the Bloody. Nothing spoke of any form of kindness that would be shown like the display he was witnessing. This was a ruthless and relentless killer. He slowly lifted one arm out towards Buffy. "I'm sorry, Buffy."
Buffy turned to face her Watcher again. She sniffled. "You don't believe the books, do you?" Her life was crazy enough already. Was she going to be alienated by her friends and family too?
"You have to admit it was quite a far fetched story at first glance." Giles looked up at Spike. He kept his gaze on the Master Vampire as he approached both of them. He noticed how protective the vampire was of his Slayer. He had no intention of becoming the Master Vampire's evening snack by moving too quickly. Tentatively he placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "It goes against everything I've ever been taught."
Spike snorted. "And of course you can always believe everything that your teacher teaches, right? Never question anything for yourself?" He was more than perturbed that the Council kept any information hidden that went against their status quo. "Those wankers wouldn't know the full truth about vampires and slayers if it bit them in the arse."
"Be that as it may, the information has been proven accurate most of the time." Giles countered in the soft argument between the two of them. Buffy switched her gaze from Giles to Spike depending on who was talking at the time.
"Bloody stuffed shirts." Spike chastised. "Completely closed minded bunch. Are we adding you to that count, Watcher?"
Buffy's eyes echoed the hopefulness that she wanted to find in Giles' answer. She waited anxiously for him to speak again.
"As incredulous as some of the evidence is ..." Giles' voice trailed off for him to take a deep breath. "I'm inclined to believe it is true. The brief additional research I was able to do supports the book in vague references."
Buffy and Spike both let out unnecessary breaths that they didn't realize they were holding. Their body language relaxed, and Buffy jumped into Giles arms to give him a big bear hug.
"Buffy!" Giles squeaked. "Breathe ... Need to breathe."
"Oops. Sorry Giles." Buffy let go. Although her cheeks didn't color, slight warmth did travel to her cheeks in place of a blush.
"You seem even stronger than I remember." Giles removed his glasses to clean them. "You are able to morph into a vampiric face, correct?" He watched with fascination while Buffy morphed out.
Buffy opened her mouth and tilted it back to show him her fangs. She lowered her head to stare at him, showing off her violet eyes. She pointed to them. "Much prettier than the normal gold. Well, so I'm told. No reflection. Which if I may say is going to make getting ready to go out much more difficult, and what about my make-up? I'm going to be Miss Pale Face." She shrugged.
Giles stifled a chuckle. 'That is definitely my Buffy. No doubt of it now. Only she would worry about something so trivial after being turned.'
"I'll make sure you never go out with a smudge of dirt on your face, pet." Spike playfully swiped the tip of his finger down the end of Buffy's nose. "You don't need to worry about any make-up either. You are beautiful just as you are."
"Awww, Spike." Buffy nestled herself into Spike's arms, pressing her face against his chest. She purred softly in delight. "You can do my hair any day too, Mate. It felt so wonderful earlier."
Giles found himself lost in the moment of tenderness between his charge and the Master Vampire. He mentally made notes for his journals. His thoughts derailed upon hearing the last words from Buffy's lips. "Mate? You claimed her?"
"Didn't intend to, but it happened." Spike's arms tightened around Buffy protectively. Nothing was going to keep her from him. Especially not after the revelation of a deeper bond. They were made for each other. If he had a soul, which her seriously wondered about at this point, they would be soulmates.
"We need to talk to you about some of the before and after effects too." Buffy rested her cheek against Spike's chest. She was able to look at Giles off to the side. "I'm fine with it Giles." She continued as Giles' facial expression turned into a more confused one. "My little inner Slayer even wanted this. She's the one that knew what to do. Not me."
"Slayer? So, the part that made you a slayer still resides in you?" Giles grabbed a notebook out of his inner jacket pocket. He had to write some of this down.
A large wooden cross poked out the lower inner pocket of Giles' jacket. Spike jumped back on instinct taking Buffy with him. Buffy looked up at Spike in confusion. "What's wrong?" Spike pointed to the cross. "Those things make me bloody uncomfortable even to be around."
Buffy tilted her head to the side to get a better look. She walked up to Giles and opened the jacket up. Her gaze wandered down to the cross in Giles' pocket. "I don't feel uncomfortable." She softly uttered. Her curiosity got the better of her. She reached down, dipped her hand in the pocket, and brought out the cross. Nothing sizzled or burned. She didn't even flinch. She held up the cross to examine it like a young child would a caterpillar on a stick. She twirled it around in her palm.
"Good heavens."
"Bloody hell."
"Cool!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(To Be Continued)