Three for a Secret... by Lilachigh

Chapter #1 - Chp One She’s Back!

Three for a Secret..... by Lilachigh Chapter One She’s Back! One for Sorrow, Two for Gold, Three for a Secret that shall never be told “Ow! Ow! Ow!!! It hurts.” Buffy Summers had soap in her eyes: lots of what had been big friendly, jasmine smelling bubbles - up to the moment she had managed to splash them in her face where they were now determinedly burning out her eyeballs. “Dawn! Dawn! Are you upstairs? I need a towel. I can’t see! Ow! Oh, thanks - ” she gasped, her voice muffled as something soft was pushed into her hand and she began to wipe away the stinging liquid. “Pleasure is all mine, pet.” “What? Who - Spike! What are you doing in my bathroom? Get out!” Buffy clutched the towel to her front, unaware that the vampire leaning against the bathroom door was happily checking out her naked rear view in the mirror. “Not as if it’s something I haven’t seen before,” he drawled, raising an eyebrow at her. “That’s all in the past,” Buffy said firmly, having decided after their disastrous outing a few weeks before when she’d had the dubious pleasure of meeting Spike’s one remaining relative, his Cousin Arabella, that getting involved with William the Bloody in any way was bad news. OK, he’d been useful for sex - even in her wildest dreams she’d never imagined how good that could be with the right man. How mind-blowingly marvelous it was when he touched her - No! She was, doing it again. Spike was an evil, undead thing. He was not ‘the right man’. “Found yourself another boyfriend, have you. Slayer? Well, it’ll be Christmas soon, so I suppose you’ll need someone to take you out or else you’ll look like a real looser.” If she hadn’t known better, Buffy thought, wrapping the towel round her and pushing past him back into her bedroom, she’d have said Spike sounded hurt. “Spike, I shall be 21 at the end of January. I have friends – my friends have friends – I am the most friendy girl in Sunnydale. I do not need someone in my life to take me out, as you put it.” “Well, if you just want someone for fucking, I’m still available.” Buffy sat down on her bed and put her hands over her ears, then hurriedly dropped them down to pull up the top edge of the towel. Really, he might have found her a bigger one if he was going to invade her bathroom. “Listen, I have a full time job, a full time sister and another full time job being a Slayer. The - ” she hesitated, “the sex was okay - ” “OKAY?” “God Spike, fancy yourself much. All right, the sex was good, but we need to move on. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m trying to get ready.” “So what’s his name?” Spike was slouched on the window sill, dusty black boots marking the paintwork as usual. Buffy sighed. She would have to start keeping the window closed, she supposed, but they had no air conditioning and sometimes it got so hot indoors. Even now she could feel heat rising from her skin. But that, of course, was from the hot shower, not from the way Spike’s gaze raked across her body. She hesitated, then shrugged. Why shouldn’t she tell Spike she was going on a date. It couldn’t matter to him what she did. “His name’s Ross. He’s a friend of Xander and Anya. And a very nice boy.” “Does this very nice boy know you’re the Slayer?” Spike was gazing out into the dark and she couldn’t tell from his voice what he was thinking. “Of course not. It’s just a date at the Bronze. We’ll dance, talk, have a few drinks - ” “Will you let him kiss you?” ‘Spike! It’s no business of yours what I let him do.” In two strides he was at her side. She always forgot just how fast he could move. “If you let him touch you, I’ll - ” “You’ll what, Spike?” she flared back, not giving an inch to his aggression. “Bite me? I’d like to see you try!” He smiled slowly in the way that made her legs turn to jelly. He rubbed his thumb slowly down her cheek, travelling the rough edge down her throat and shoulder to where the swell of her breast started. “Well, I’ll just have to fuck you again and again until all trace of him vanishes,” he said and without another word he turned and, black coat swirling,clambered back out of the window. Buffy got dressed without any thought as to what she was wearing. Oh, that man annoyed her so much! How dare he say things like that? She could see whom she liked. She wasn’t tied to the vampire in any way. Just because they’d some sort of sexual thing in the past, didn’t make them soul mates. “God knows why he’s so jealous,” she said to her reflection as she brushed her hair dry and sprayed perfume violently across her body to cover the scent of leather and cigarette smoke. “I wouldn’t be the tiniest bit jealous if he found himself a proper girl friend.” She picked up her purse and turned to look at herself in the mirror for a final time. Why was she frowning? She looked - angry, miserable, uncertain. Buffy shook herself. Spike’s sex life was something she had absolutely no interest in at all. She clattered down the stairs feeling virtuous. Yes, she would cheer if the vampire got himself a lady friend. It would stop him climbing in her bedroom window for a start! Out of the darkening Californian sky, a private jet roared in to land at a small airport just outside Sunnydale. It taxied to the end of the runway, far away from prying eyes. The captain got out and hurried off to sort the paperwork. He knew that as the airport was owned by and run by demons, he would have no problem processing his passengers. Inside the jet, a vast green demon who looked like a benevolent cow with sweet little ears and big, soulful dark eyes undid several seat belts and stretched. He hated travelling, especially by plane, but it was a long way from Australia and his wife loathed boats. Div’vid stared down at the woman in the seat opposite him. Long, glossy brown curls, a perfect pale oval face, high slanting cheek bones and the biggest blue eyes he’d ever seen in his life. She was wearing a dress in a soft pink material that clung to her curves. Her smooth brown legs were crossed but he knew how long they were and what they led to. He was eternally amazed that this vampire woman had agreed to be his wife. He loved her so much. She was gazing absentmindedly out of one of the little windows. “Now, sweetheart, are you going to be all right in Sunnydale while I head on to Los Angeles? I wish you’d stayed in Australia.” Arabella reached across and patted a vast green, hoof like hand. “Div’vid, my angel, I’ll be fine. You know I didn’t want to be on my own. Not after the kangaroo bit me. Which, let me tell you, was such a shock. I was only trying to have a light afternoon snack. But that apart, I didn’t want to be such a long way away from you.” Div’vid smiled the smile of a completely besotted Regurgitating Frovlax demon and burped loudly. Arabella‘s smile became fixed as she tried to ignore the smell of decomposing hay that filled the cabin. Being married to a demon who chewed and then rechewed his lunch was sometimes hard for a girl to bear. There were times when it was all she could do not to yell at him to get away from her. And when he insisted that they made love - well, lying there thinking of his millions was sometimes not enough to stop her screaming. Luckily, he thought she screamed in ecstasy, because even Arabella realised that antagonising a naked seven foot demon wasn’t a wise thing to do. “But what are you going to do in this little town while I’m away? Have you got all your credit cards with you? I don’t know what sort of shops there are around here but I’m sure you’ll find something to buy.” Arabella nodded slowly. “Oh, don’t you worry about me, darling. I intend to have a real good time. And if I get bored, I can always pay a little visit to Cousin Spike.” Div’vid looked anxious. “Now, you’re not going to get involved with him and that Slayer girl again, are you, pet? You know what happened at our party. Some of our friends still haven’t forgiven us for having a Slayer in the house, even if we didn’t know she was one until it was too late. Nice girl, though. Pretty hair.” Arabella turned the full force of gentian blue eyes on her husband. “Div, Spike and I fought all the time when we were children, before he turned me. The argument at the party was just a family spat,” she said happily. “No one can ruin our relationship, especially not his Slayer girlfriend.” She reached inside the neck of her dress and pulled out a intricately carved silver locket. “But I do want to talk to him. Because I think it’s time he saw this.” Div’vid frowned. “Do you think that‘s wise, sweetheart? We’ve kept the secret all this time.” Arabella smiled sweetly. “Why Div’vid, surely you don’t want to deprive Spike of a little Hope?” And she turned once more to stare out of the window at where the lights of Sunnydale were beginning to flicker through the darkening skies. Her smile faded and she fingered the locket. She wanted Spike and would fight for him. She might have lost the first battle, but she would never loose the war! She had a weapon that he would be powerless to resist. Div’vid was anxious. He belched again and chewed violently on a piece of hay that just wouldn’t dissolve. The acid in several of his stomachs seemed rancid. He sighed. He knew the worry about his wife was affecting his health. He’d hoped the wide empty spaces of the Outback would soothe Arabella’s mind and temper after the dreadful night of their anniversary party and the fight with Spike and the Slayer, but for some reason, she’d become even edgier and more irritable with each passing day of heat and empty horizons. The incident with the kangaroo had been the final straw. Div’vid knew she wanted to come back to America to live, but he wished she wasn’t so set on this mad scheme involving his old mate Spike. He watched as she drove away in her hired car, hand fluttering a farewell. He turned to get back in the jet, then hesitated. Perhaps he’d postpone his visit to L.A. for a few days. He’d just hang around town and make sure Arabella didn’t get into any trouble. The Bronze was heaving as Buffy pushed her way through the crowds towards where Willow and Anya were sitting at a table. Her new friend, Ross, was seated between them, but by their expressions they weren’t having a great evening. ‘Buffy! Hi,” Ross said, standing up thankfully to offer her his chair. “Can I get you a drink?” “Um, anything pretty and sparkling, please,” she said and when he’d vanished towards the bar she turned to the girls and said, “OK, who died? You both look just like Giles when we insist he watches baseball.” Anya sniffed. “I was expecting to come to the dance with Xander. He is my boyfriend. He should want to please me. Well, of course, he does please me, especially in the bedroom, not that we only do it in the bedroom you understand. We keep a chart of every place in the house we have sex and sometimes - ” “I just asked Xander to take some library books back for me,” Willow broke in swiftly, as a look of horror crossed Buffy’s face. “I wanted to wash my hair and he was going that way, anyway. I don’t know why he’s so late. It isn’t my fault.” Anya sniffed again. “Well, Willow, you borrowed the books in the first place, so that does make it your fault.” Buffy wondered if screaming would help and was taking a deep breath when she saw Xander coming towards them. “There he is! Xander Harris, you are late. Confess or else these two will extract the information from you with the little umbrellas off their drinks!” Xander collapsed into a chair, his face hot, his hair tousled. “Sorry, Ahn. Sorry, Will. Sorry, Buffy. Sorry, chair. Sorry, table. Sorry - ” “Xander!” Buffy broke in warningly, giggling. He grinned back. “OK, Slayer. I give in. To tell you the truth, I was hiding. I was nearly here when an enormous green demon came striding down the road. I nipped behind a tree but he hung around for ages. I think he was searching for someone or something. I think you need to go and stake it, Buff. He was definitely not someone you’d want to meet up a dark alleyway.” Buffy felt a cold shiver run over her. Everything seemed to slide into slow motion. She could see Ross making his way back from the bar with the drinks....Anya running her fingers through Xander’s hair, Willow blowing little bubbles into her glass through the straw.... “A big green demon?”‘ she said. “What did he look like?” “You mean apart from being seven feet tall and bright green! Oh well, sort of cow like, I suppose. He had the sweetest little ears. But he stank. Oh boy did he stink.” Buffy stood up. Div’vid! It had to be. How many seven foot, bright green, smelly cow demons were there in Sunnydale. And if Div’vid was in town, then so was Arabella! to be continued. Do leave me a review, or e mail me with your comments. Hope you’re glad she’s back!

Chapter #2 - Chp 2 Who do you kill?

Three for a Secret by Lilachigh Chapter 2 Who do you Kill? One for Sorrow, Two for Gold, Three for a Secret that shall never be told “Woa, slow down a bit, Buffy,” Xander said. He took a swig of beer, gazed around the noisy, smoky Bronze and tried to get his thoughts in some sort of order. “You’re telling us that Spike has a cousin - ” “Ross!” Buffy said brightly to the boy that Xander and Anya had brought along as her date. “I could die for a plate of Buffalo wings. Could you buy me some?” “Oh, sure, Buffy,” Ross said, puzzled by Xander’s reaction and wondering who this guy Spike was they were all so concerned about. “A vampire cousin called Arabella,” Anya put in helpfully. ‘Pretty name,” Willow added, then, catching Buffy’s expression added swiftly, “Not! Clumsy sort of name, ugly, bet she’s ugly, too. Vampire. Uggh.” “No, she’s very pretty, and yes she’s a vampire. She was the only one of his family Spike didn’t kill, apparently. He turned her instead.” “What a prince!” Xander said sarcastically. “Hey Uncle and Auntie, nice to see you, let me give you a big wet bite!” “Whatever,” Buffy said. “Moving on now. She’s married to the giant green demon you saw. He‘s nice, his name is Div’vid. He’s very rich.” “How rich?” Anya looked up, suddenly interested. “Very!” Buffy replied. “He’s devoted to Arabella, but I don’t think she’s that keen on him. He’s a regurgitating Frovlax demon - you know, brings up his last meal - usually hay or straw - and chews it.” Three appalled faces looked back at her across the table. “But Buffy, when did you meet these - when did you come in contact with Spike’s relations? And even saying that word makes me shudder.” Xander emptied his glass in one giant gulp. “Slow down, Sweetie,” Anya said dryly. “I’m not carrying you home tonight.” “We went to their wedding anniversary party a few weeks ago - ” Buffy realised that their expressions were now beyond appalled and hurriedly changed the subject. “Okay, not important. Just saying, I’ve met them and she’s really bad news.” “Why didn’t you stake her?” Xander asked. Buffy shrugged. “It’s - complicated. She’s, well, she’s Spike’s only family. It felt - mean, especially as it was her anniversary. And I liked Div’vid a lot.” ‘But Buffy, are you allowed to choose which vampires you stake?” Willow asked, suddenly serious. “Because I mean, confusing. Ok, Angel was good and Spike’s chipped, so it would be cruel, but ordinary vamps and demons. Are we picking and choosing now?” Buffy bit her lip. This was a conversation she didn’t want to have - because she couldn’t give her best friend an honest answer. “No, of course not. But sometimes there are circumstances - life isn’t always straightforward, Will.” “So how rich is very rich?” Anya had got her teeth into the subject and was refusing to let go. Buffy sighed. “If I ever meet Div’vid again, I’ll ask him!” “Buffy, why are you worried that this Arabella is in Sunnydale?” Xander said. “You haven’t got to meet her, have you? I mean, Captain Peroxide isn’t going to be having a crypt warming party for his relations, is he?” “I’m not worried!” Buffy exclaimed, downing the rest of her drink in one mouthful and feeling the fizzy bubbles hit the back of her nose. “Look, completely unworried girl here. Just - well, interested. It’s always useful to know what the evil opposition is up to.” She stood up. “And that’s why I’m off to patrol. Give my apologies to, what’s his name, Ross. And don’t wait up for me, guys. I might be late.” She turned her back on their disapproving faces and hurried out of the Bronze. Well, she did have to patrol, she told herself. And no, she wasn’t going to go out of her way to bump into Spike, but perhaps it would be only friendly to let him know his cousin and her husband were in town. After all, he might not want to see them, Buffy reasoned. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms after the nightmare party. She threw her mind back to the big house in the desert, the demons, the pink champagne and hours and hours of rampant sex. No, don’t remember the sex. It was far better to think of fighting Arabella and wanting to kill her so much it hurt. The graveyard that housed Spike’s crypt was the oldest in Sunnydale. The tombstones were old and covered in lichen and moss. Only a few new ones were scattered throughout the cemetery. Buffy hesitated as she reached the crypt door. Usually she would just go straight in, but - what if Arabella and Div’vid were there. Would it look as if she really was Spike’s girl friend who could come and go as she pleased? Well, she wasn’t, no matter how it had seemed at their party. That had just been - a sort of time out - she convinced herself, for the hundredth time since they’d got back. A time out of her sensible life, being silly and sexy, fighting and killing, getting a little tipsy on pink champagne - Well, a lot tipsy, if she was honest, but there had been no one there to see. Only Spike and his cousin, of course. He’d called her his kissing cousin, Buffy remembered and wondered why she was fingering the stake in her jacket pocket so fervently. She was getting angry with herself now. She tossed back her hair and tied it tightly with a piece of ribbon. She wasn’t going to let Spike think she’d dressed up specially to see him. No, the low cut top she was wearing was just because she’d been going to the Bronze and meeting her friends, old and new. Ross seemed like a very nice boy and she hoped he would ring her and ask her out on a proper date. Yes, she was getting on with her life, being busy and social and - God, how she hated Spike! She thumped open the door and it crashed back against the stone wall. Spike was standing by the stone table, gazing at something in his hand. He turned, dropped what he was holding in his shirt pocket and watched her stalk across the crypt towards him. “Slayer? Nice of you to drop by.” “Spike.” She stopped. He looked - she bit her lip - he looked, odd. She hunted through her brain for the word she wanted. He looked - tense. “I thought you should know,” she said calmly, “Xander met a demon tonight who sounds a lot like your friend Div’vid. So he and Arabella might be giving you a call. I thought you’d better know.” “Div’vid?” Spike said, sounding puzzled. “Arabella?” Buffy sighed heavily. “Your cousin, Spike, pretty girl, blue eyes, vampire like you. Remember?” “Of course I know who Arabella is, pet. Haven’t laid eyes on her or Div’vid. Thought they were still in Australia, kangaroo watching.” “Well, of course, Arabella might be.” Buffy tried to look into his eyes, but he’d turned away and his face was in shadow. She felt the chill of the crypt and shivered. Only earlier this evening he‘d been standing in her bathroom, jeering and flirting and being his old obnoxious self. Now, only hours later, he was acting like a stranger. A stupid sense of loss overcame her. Without Spike in her life, what did she have? She shook herself mentally. What rubbish was she thinking? She had Dawn, her friends, a life. Which was more than Spike did. She certainly wasn’t relying on his friendship in any way at all. “So, do you fancy patrolling tonight?” she said eventually, desperate for something to break the silence. “No, not tonight, Slayer. Sure you can manage. Don’t reckon there’s too many nasties out there at the moment. Slack time in Sunnyhell.” “Spike - do you feel - are you OK?” Buffy didn’t know what else to say. Did vampires feel off colour? They couldn’t get sick in the way humans could, but she supposed they could catch some gross demon illness. “Me? I’m fine, Buffy. Never better.” There was another long pause, then his voice sounded again from the deep shadows where he was standing. “Tell me, Slayer. Why don’t you kill me?” “What!” Buffy moved towards him, but he backed away and she stopped in her tracks. This was getting seriously weird. Perhaps he was drunk? Yes, that must be it. He’d been hitting the Scotch before she got there. “I mean, you kill vampires and some demons, but others you don’t. Angel, me, you’ve never tried to take out Clem, or most of the guys at Willie’s Bar. What makes you pick and choose?” Buffy felt her head spin. This was exactly what Willow had been asking earlier in the Bronze. Why didn’t they kill everything that was evil. Why was she deciding who should live and who should die. “Is this to do with Arabella?” Buffy said suddenly, light dawning at the end of a very long tunnel. “Are you scared I’ll stake her if I meet her again? OK,. I promise I won’t, unless she tries to kill me first. Is that fair?” “This isn’t to do with Arabella.” “Then what the heck is it to do with Spike, because, honestly, you’ve lost me somewhere along the way. You’re in one weird mood. I kill demons and vampires and all sorts of monsters. You know I do. I’m the Slayer. That never changes. Sometimes - ” She paused. Sometimes what? Sometimes you had feelings for different demons. Sometimes they made you laugh, sometimes they were kind, like Clem, sometimes they were sad and pathetic, like most of the guys at Willie’s and you felt that killing them would be like treading on ants. There was always another one coming along and it was better to deal with those you knew rather than worry about ones that might bite you. Buffy turned and walked back to the door. She couldn’t deal with Spike tonight. It was too difficult. How could she tell him that sometimes there was just one who made you both laugh and cry and feel happy and joyful. Sometimes there was one vampire who could make the world and all its worries go away and you knew you were the only person who mattered in the whole universe. “Sober up, Spike. I’ll see you tomorrow. Give my regards to Div’vid and Arabella if they call round. But keep them out of my way, then we’ll all be happy.” The door thudded shut behind her. Spike still didn’t move, not even when the trap door to the lower crypt swung up and his cousin Arabella climbed gracefully up the ladder. She moved silently to his side, a soft pink dress clinging to her body, outlining curves that were enough to make any vampire feel hot blooded again. Arabella raised her hand and touched Spike’s cheek. “Your girlfriend has gone, I see?” “Buffy’s not my girlfriend,” he said tersely. Arabella pouted and her dark blue eyes glittered for a second, then became soft and coaxing. “I’m sorry, don’t be cross with me. I didn’t mean to imply - I just thought you might have told her - because you’re such good friends.” ‘“Of course I wanted to tell her, but you heard what she said!” Spike interrupted. “She sodding well chooses who she’ll kill. There’s no logic to it. No way of knowing how she’ll react. How can I take that chance?” Arabella turned to the table and poured him another glass of whisky. “Oh Spike, I feel so bad, coming here like this. Div’vid and I discussed it for days. I should have told you years, ago, but I promised so faithfully and there were - circumstances. But – ” The catch in her voice was beautifully timed – “I don‘t want to cause any trouble between you and the Slayer.” Her cousin looked up at the anguish in her voice. “‘Bella - don’t think like that. It was a bloody awful secret to carry all these years What you’ve told me, you’ve given me Hope - it’s - it’s amazing. Just bloody amazing. I can’t take it in, that’s all.” Arabella smiled, a cat who has scented the cream and knows it won’t take long to find it. “So, cousin, what do we do now?” Spike reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the heavily carved silver locket he’d been looking at when Buffy came in. God, how he’d wanted to tell her, get her help. He would never know how he’d stood there, pretending that nothing was wrong, that his whole world hadn’t been turned upside down by what his cousin had revealed this night. His grip on the locket tightened until the edges cut into his skin and blood began to drip onto the floor. His blue eyes blazed and for a second, Arabella flinched, only too aware of the thin line she was walking between being and dust His voice was hoarse when he eventually spoke. “We find her. We find Hope.” to be continued

Chapter #3 - Chp 3 All Cats are Grey

Three for a Secret by Lilachigh Chapter 3 All Cats are Grey One for Silver, Two for Gold, Three for a Secret that shall never be told Buffy was eating a slice of pizza when Dawn came hurtling through the front door, home from school and obviously in a bad mood, “Don’t ask!” she said, taking the last slice from the box. “I hate school. The teachers are just dumb.” Buffy licked her fingers. “Er...right. Any particular one?” “Mrs Murphy. Our history teacher. She is so dumb it isn’t true.” “I thought you got on quite well with her?” Dawn tossed back her long dark hair and crammed the rest of the pizza sideways into her mouth. “Nog angy mob.” Buffy, having had years of translating Xander while he was eating, managed to make “Not any more” out of her sister’s mumbled reply. Dawn swallowed. “I had to do an essay on the causes of the First World War in Europe. i got Spike to give me all these really neat details and facts, because he was around. And Mrs Murphy said I had a vivid imagination and had made them all up. She wanted me to quote my research material.” “And you couldn’t very well say William the Bloody told you,” Buffy said with a smile. Dawn sighed and poured herself some milk. Buffy watched, alarmed at just how quickly milk vanished in this house. But what could she say - I’ve no money, drink water, it’s free. “And Buffy, it was really odd. I went round to see Spike on the way home from school and - ” “Dawn! How many times have I told you, I don’t want you hanging out with Spike.” The teenager scowled. “I suppose you’ve been nagging at him about me. I bet that’s why he wouldn’t let me inside his crypt. He came to the door and said he was a bit tied up and would speak to me later on. And I wanted to tell him about Mrs Murphy.” Buffy hesitated, then said, in as off-hand a fashion as she could, “Was there anyone else there with him, did you see?” “What? Oh, I’ve no idea. I could hear the TV in the background and someone laughing. I expect it was Clem.” Buffy sat on at the table long after Dawn had gone upstairs to start her homework and begin the endless round of nightly phone calls, talking to girls she’d been talking to all day . Spike not having time for Dawn. That was mega weird. Buffy would have bet anything she had that when it came to her little sister, the vampire was always completely reliable and trustworthy, strange as it was to use those words when talking about Spike. It had to have something to do with Arabella. He’d been his usual annoying self until a couple of days ago. And that was just about the time Xander had seen Div’vid, Arabella’s husband in town. Buffy pulled on a denim jacket, shouted up to Dawn that she was going to patrol and to go to bed on time and headed out for the cemetery that housed Spike’s crypt. She couldn’t shake off the feeling of uneasiness that flooded through her. She and Spike had been so - well, close, recently. OK, when it came to sex, together they were great. But that was all it was. Sex. She needed it, needed to feel, to be in contact in some way with life. ‘And you need a dead guy to get this contact!’ the cynical part of her brain added dryly. So why was she worrying about Arabella being back in Sunnydale? She didn’t love Spike, she told herself firmly. So she couldn’t be jealous of the vampire girl. OK, at the party she’d felt jealousy, but that had been fuelled by too much pink champagne. The cemetery was swirling with mists that curled in great white swathes around the tombstones. Buffy shivered. The denim jacket did little to keep out the cold. There was hardly any vampire activity. One fledgling fighting its way out of a grave was dispatched without her even breaking her stride. And there was the crypt. Buffy hesitated, standing behind a large tree, gazing at the door. Should she try again? Talk to him again? Try to find out what the hell was going on. Just then the door swung open and Buffy shrank back. She didn’t want Spike seeing her lurking like this. He had too good an opinion of himself as it was. Then she shuddered. Two figures stood in the doorway, back lit by candlelight coming from inside. Buffy peered through the mist. Spike should would recognise anywhere, at any time. And there other was - A slim woman, long, curly brown hair caught up in a complicated knot at the back of her head. A pale blue top, very tight, clinging to her ample curves, and tight fitting black trousers tucked into leather boots. She looked elegant and sexy, immaculate and desirable. Even as Buffy watched, the vampire girl reached up and kissed Spike on the cheek. Buffy felt her throat constrict and beads of cold sweat break out on her forehead as the man who had only recently been her lover ran his hand down his cousin’s throat, inside the collar of her top. Through the mist she could see they were both smiling, then Spike turned with a swirl of leather coat and strode off into the mist without a backward glance. Arabella stood watching him, her hand on the door. She stood very still for a second, then turned her head and looked over her shoulder, directly at where Buffy stood. “Miss Summers! That is you behind that tree, isn’t it? Were you coming to call on us? Would you like to come in?” Buffy stepped out into full view, pushing her clenched fists tightly into her pockets. She’d promised she wouldn’t stake Spike’s cousin unless she was attacked first and she was determined to keep her word. Arabella had said ‘call on us’. Did she mean she was living in the crypt? Buffy gritted her teeth and walked towards her. “Arabella. I thought you were in town. Australia not to your taste, then.” “Miss Summers, may I call you Buffy?, such a very sweet, odd name. Oh, Australia was only a temporary visit. My husband had business back here. I imagine he is busy making money even as we speak.” “I heard he was in town.” Arabella spun round, for a second a startled expression crossing her beautiful face. “Div’vid in Sunnydale? Oh, I don’t think so.” “Well, perhaps there’s more than one seven foot bright green demon around.” Arabella laughed lightly and held the door of the crypt open. “Do come in, Buffy. The mist is getting thicker. I’m afraid it isn’t any warmer indoors, but then William and I don’t need heat - in any circumstance.” Buffy walked past her, every nerve ending tingling, but determined not to show the girl she was annoying her. “Can I offer you something? A fizzy drink, perhaps? I believe William does have a kettle and coffee, somewhere, but we’ve been feasting on - ” “Spike doesn’t feast on humans any more!” “Buffy, Buffy. Did I say humans? Feasting on some very tasty pig blood that he had in store. Personally, I’m not partial to the flavour, but William was keen for me to join him.” “So - you’re staying here with Spike?” Buffy asked, gazing around the crypt, noting the female clothes scattered around, a purse upended casually on a stone coffin top, a pair of slippers with high heels and little pink feathers lying casually under a chair, as if Arabella had kicked them off to get comfortable. “Of course. Where else would I stay. We’re family. I had the distinct impression that you were aware of that when we met at my anniversary party. I’m sure I explained to you that William and I have always been - close.” “You made it quite clear that you were prepared to cheat on your husband with Spike, but he had no intention of doing so.” Arabella laughed and lying back in the armchair, fondled the silver locket she was wearing. “I can hear from your voice that you are still feeling the teeniest bit jealous of me, Buffy.” “Jealous? Of you and Spike? Don’t be ridiculous, Arabella. Spike’s a vampire. I’m the Slayer. We are - colleagues, I suppose. He helps out occasionally. But we certainly don’t have a relationship and as for jealousy - ” Arabella pouted, her brilliant blue eyes shining in the candlelight. “Oh Buffy, what is the American expression? Can it? I am quite aware of your relationship with William. You want him and you have him if and when you get the chance. Listen, I don’t blame you, William is a very sexy man. Any girl would want him in her bed. And when you get that dreadful itch of desire, who better to scratch it than a vampire. But don’t confuse sex with love. William will never love you. Not like he loves me. Buffy realised she was biting her lip so hard, blood was oozing into her mouth. Even as she watched, she saw Arabella react to the scent and for a split second, the girl vamped into game face and then back again, fighting for control. “Oh is that how you keep him at your side, Slayer? You give him a taste of your blood? Do you let him have a little drink now and then, when he is - how did you put it? - helping you out!” Buffy felt her stomach roll with a sick queasiness. God, if only she hadn’t promised Spike not to stake his cousin! One swift swing of her arm and the vampire girl would be just another drifting dust cloud. “And how would you keep him, Arabella? Do you think he would fight Div’vid for you? Spike likes your husband. Or hasn’t that occurred to you?” Arabella stretched lazily, pushing her arms up above her head, the tight top and trousers clinging to her shape. The locket glittered in her cleavage and Buffy realised with a sinking heart that that was what Spike had been fingering when he said goodbye to her in the doorway - the smooth, creamy contours of her breasts. Well, she thought, bitterly, Arabella was certainly better endowed in that area than she was. And she was only too well aware that Spike liked breasts. Loved to pillow his head on them, kiss and lick and - She spun away and headed for the crypt door. She knew that if she stayed a moment longer, she’d break her word to Spike and kill his cousin, there where she sat. “Don’t be sad, Buffy,” Arabella purred behind her. “You could never win, you know. Oh, I’m sure he enjoyed having sex with you. After all, all cats are grey in the dark, aren’t they? But I can give him Hope, and that’s all that matters to him.” Buffy pushed out of the crypt and ran blindly back across the graveyard towards the road. Arabella’s words pounded in her head. ‘I can give him hope.’ That was what she’d said weeks ago at her anniversary party. But hope for what? Love, I suppose, Buffy thought drearily. A future with another vampire, someone who would never grow old, decay and die. Someone who had the same tastes, the same inclinations, the same background. But why was she so upset? There was something about Arabella that got under her skin. That air of complacency, of knowing you could make any man dance to your tune just by fluttering your eyelashes. No man would ever have walked away from Arabella, Buffy thought bitterly. Parker would have drooled over her. Riley wouldn’t have gone off to some god forsaken jungle if he’d had an affair with her. She heard herself laughing - and it wasn’t a nice sound. She remembered Riley and his dark desire for lady vamps. Oh yes, he’d have thought Arabella was Christmas and Thanksgiving all rolled into one. She halted at the end of the road and leant against a wall. All cats are grey in the dark. Oh god, was that what Spike thought about her? Had he had sex with her because there was no one else around? All the times he’d professed to love her, had that just been fluff and nonsense, words to get her on her back in bed? Buffy took a deep breath, forcing the air into lungs that felt seared and burning. She refused to accept she was jealous. You had to have deep feelings to be jealous. And she didn’t have that sort of relationship with Spike. He was useful and - yes, she would give that to Arabella, he was sexy and made her feel good, but there was no affection, none. No, it was Arabella who was upsetting her and she just needed to be indoors, somewhere quiet and calm so she could be still and work out why. “They’re welcome to each other!“ Buffy muttered as she reached Revello and ran up the porch steps. ‘If that’s what he wants in a woman, then great. It’s nothing to do with me. But he needn’t think he can come round to me for help when Div’vid comes hunting him!’ Two hours later she was still awake, sitting, gazing into space, trying to force her brain to stop painting pictures of Spike and Arabella together. When the phone rang, she almost jumped out of her skin, but picked it up swiftly. The last thing she wanted was Dawn to wake up and come downstairs. “Buffy Summers?” “Yes.” “Buffy, it’s Ross. Xander’s friend. At the Bronze. Remember?” “What - oh, Ross, yes. What on earth are you doing calling now? It’s three in the morning!” “Buffy, I’m sorry, but I don’t know if Xander told you or not. I’m a detective, Buffy, and I’ve got your friend Spike in my car. I found him breaking into the Magic Shop. I thought you should know.” The inside of Ross’s car smelt of cigarette smoke and doughnuts. Buffy flung open the front passenger door and got in next to the good-looking guy she’d last seen at the Bronze. She turned and stared over the seat to where Spike was lounging in the back. His face was in shadow and he didn’t even say hello. “Ross, hi! So you’re a detective! That’s a - surprise.” Buffy could hear her voice, sounding hideously bright and cheerful and completely unnatural. Although she did wonder exactly which tone would sound normal at nearly four in the morning when you’ve been summoned to bail out the guy who was once your worst enemy and closest lover. She didn’t think the etiquette book had been written that covered this situation. “Buffy - ” Ross looked uneasy. “I’m sorry to call you, but this guy Spike - he won’t give me his surname - says he knows you and the owners of this shop with the weird name, The Magic Box. I was driving past on my way home from my shift and saw the door was open. He says you’ll vouch that he has permission to be in there in the middle of the night. He insisted I ring you. I didn’t want to drag him down town and do all the paperwork if that’s true.” “Tell him it was OK for me to be in the sodding shop, Slayer,” Spike hissed and she could tell he was fighting vamping out. She had no idea how he’d managed to stay in human face when Ross caught him. “Yes, Ross, it’s quite OK. I’ve no idea what Spike was doing there - but I expect it probably research for a - a project he’s helping my sister prepare for school. ” “At three in the morning?” Buffy heard herself laughing, carelessly, as if nothing mattered. “Oh, Spike suffers from dreadful insomnia, don’t you, Spike! He hardly sleeps at all.” “Well - ” Ross shifted uneasily. “As he’s a friend of yours, Buffy, then perhaps, just this once - ” Buffy slid out of the car, opened the rear door and half pulled the vampire out onto the sidewalk. “Yes, I quite understand. And thanks a million. Spike certainly won’t be bothering you again. In fact - ” she dug her elbow backwards and felt the vampire’s ribs creak under the power - “if I have my way he won’t be bothering anyone, ever again!” Ross leant across as she slammed the door shut. “So, I’ll probably see you some time in the Bronze?” “What? Oh yes, great. Can’t wait. I’ll ring you,” she chattered and waved happily as the car drove away. “Right! You - inside!” she snapped and pushed Spike violently into the shop. She couldn’t remember when she’d last been so angry. He tried to pull away, but she grabbed him by the shoulders and flung him against the ladder that led up to the top gallery of the shop where all the books that were not for sale were kept. “What the heck do you think you were doing, Spike? Breaking in here and nearly getting arrested! What if I hadn’t been there when Ross phoned? Were you going to kill him to get away? Or did you fancy ending up in a cell having your fingerprints taken. Waiting for the first ray of sunlight to come through the bars and finish you off! Have you gone completely insane?” Spike rubbed his face with both hands. “Question, questions, questions. Look, thank you for coming to the rescue. I could have got the law to ring Anya, but I didn’t think she’d be quite so quick to arrive at this time of night.” Buffy stared at him. “You still haven’t told me why on earth you needed to break into the Magic Box. Why not come up through the basement tunnels like you normally do when you want to steal something!” “I wasn’t stealing anything,” Spike shot back, looking hurt. “Then in words of one syllable, what were you doing here?” “Doing has two syllables.” “Spike! Don’t push me.” He shot a glance at her pale, angry face, the green eyes dark with suppressed fury . He thought he’d never seen her look so beautiful, so desirable, so utterly pissed off with him before. He’d known, without even thinking twice, that she would come to his rescue. That was odd in itself. How had he known that? He could so easily have hurt the young copper and escaped, but he’d even stopped himself from doing that because he knew the boy was a friend of hers. “I’m still waiting for an explanation, Spike.” He glanced away from her furious face. “I needed - more burba weed. Run out. Got a visitor, haven’t I? Arabella likes the hot taste of it in her blood as well as me. Family thing. Like you and Niblet liking popcorn.” “And you needed to break into the Magic Box for that - in the middle of the night! Come on, Spike. Don’t treat me like an idiot. I thought we - well, I thought we trusted each other - just a little.” There was a long silence broken when he said, his voice very low, “You know I trust you, Slayer. I love you.” “So you‘re always telling me, Spike. But hey, can’t feel a lot of love in the air at the moment.” “It’s - difficult. You’re the Slayer and Arabella said - ” Buffy turned away, not wanting the hurt to show on her face. “Oh well, if Arabella told you not to tell me about the problem, that’s all right, isn’t it? Perhaps she can bail you out of gaol next time you get arrested!” Spike stood up and reaching out, pulled Buffy round to face him. She glared defiantly into the burning blue eyes. “You sound jealous, pet.” “What, of Arabella? God, Spike, haven’t we had this conversation before? At her house a few weeks ago? I will say it again, once and for all, I am not and never will be jealous of your skanky vamp cousin, so - ” Her words were lost beneath his mouth as he kissed her. She tried to push him away, then realised her hands had linked themselves tightly around the back of his neck as he kiss deepened, growing more and more passionate. She felt her body lighten as she rose on tiptoe, pressing herself against him, smiling even as they kissed at the response she was getting from his body. His hands were roaming roughly across her skin under her top, and he was growling softly deep in his chest, as if he was a desperate man deprived of food and drink for too long. The darkness of the shop seemed to be whirling round and round and Buffy felt herself slipping out of control. The old, familiar sensation of being swept away flooded over her. She felt her inhibitions vanish, all the ‘good girl’ behaviour that she paid lip service to in her waking moments was disappearing under a flood of feral desire that never ceased to stun and shock her. Then, to her astonishment, she felt herself being pushed away. For the first time since they had becomes lovers, Spike was distancing himself from her, holding her at arm’s length, his face a frozen mask of pain. “I’m sorry, Buffy, I - I can’t, I mustn’t. I’m sorry.” She felt a chill run through her body to the very bone. Every nerve in her frame was screaming at her to turn and run. She had been rejected too many times in the past, and here it was happening all over again. Obviously he was getting all the sex he needed from his cousin and now was feeling disloyal to Arabella by kissing Buffy. She would never know what stopped her turning on her heel and running out of the shop. Pride? She didn’t think she had any left where Spike was concerned. Disbelief? Oh no, she was quite capable of believing that someone else could hurt her in this fashion. No, she stood, swaying, waiting for the roaring in her ears to subside. All she could see in the dim light was Spike’s anguished face. This wasn’t a man who was keen to dump an unwanted girlfriend, this was someone who was fighting against what his mind and body were telling him to do. “Spike - ” Her voice sounded odd - hoarse and rough. She reached out a hand towards him. “I know something’s terribly wrong. Please - I’m not trying to interfere. But let me help. You must let me help!” Spike sank down onto the dusty floor and buried his head in his hands. He could have fought her if she’d been cutting or abrasive. But compassion, pity - he had no defences against those when the Slayer offered them to him. “I broke into the Magic Box to find a book,” he said at last, lifting his head and looking directly into her eyes. “One of the old ones I know Giles used to keep up on the back shelves. I’ve seen it there a couple of times, but never thought I’d need it.” “A book of spells?” Buffy asked incredulously. “More like guidelines, I suppose. The means of finding certain paths, opening certain doorways.” “But why? And why break in? You could just have asked Anya to get it for you.” Spike shrugged, the leather of his duster creaking as he moved. “Buffy, have you ever been told a big secret - something so enormous, so wonderful, so bloody mind blowing that you can’t think straight?” She winced. Did discovering that Angel was a vampire count? That Dawn was really green energy and not her sister? That she was deeply in love with a platinum blond - ” “Yes.” “Arabella’s been carrying a secret like that for over a hundred years.” “I thought she’d have something to do with all this!” Buffy snapped. “You were fine till she appeared on the scene again.” “You see, she was involved. She knew, but didn’t dare tell me. Didn’t see what I could do, so she kept quiet. She thought I’d die if I tried to change things and she - well, whatever you think, she cares for me, Buffy. I’m her cousin.” ‘And she wishes you were far more,’ Buffy said to herself but managed to stop the words from escaping her lips. “Spike, you’re talking in riddles,” she said gently instead and sat down next to him on the floor. She took his hand and ran her thumb over the long slender fingers that could cause such havoc on her body. She could feel his body shaking. “In all these years, you’ve never asked me about my father,” he said suddenly. “His name was William, too.” Buffy bit her lip. Fathers were a sore subject in her life. “I suppose, well, you never mentioned him. I thought perhaps he died when you were small.” “Or that I’d killed him when I was turned? Well, I would have done if he’d sodding been around. He was - well, he was - weak. He liked women. Hell, why am I poncing about with nice phrases. He liked sex, Buffy. Lots and lots of sex. He had women, a mistress.” Buffy flinched. “Your mother - ” “Oh she knew. He never kept it a secret. But in those Victorian days, nicely brought up women just accepted it and said nothing. Sex was what men did. They had animal urges, so their wives just turned away and didn’t see. Pretended they didn’t care. But I knew. And I hated him.” Buffy felt his grasp tighten on her hand so hard that she wondered if the bones were going to crack. “God, how I hated him! And I hated myself for not doing anything about it. I was a weak, stupid fool. Head in the clouds about my poetry. But I knew all about my father and his mistress.” “What was her name?” “Celeste. She was French. But she’s not important. Darla killed her.” “What!” Spike got to his feet and strode to the shop counter. He leant on it as if he could no longer stand up straight. He was speaking faster now, the words tumbling out. “When Dru turned me, there was a killing spree. No good pretending it didn’t happen. It did. I’m not ashamed of it. Hey, we were vampires. It was what we did. I had no idea until later who’d died. I killed friends and relations I disliked. Dru feasted on my neighbours. Angel and Darla - well, my grandsire was too busy knocking the shit out of me to teach me manners to have the time to kill anyone, but Darla - oh she was always the one for tradition. If you got turned, then your family had to die. There had to be no one left who could weaken you.” “But Celeste wasn’t your family. What about your father?” Spike laughed bitterly. “Oh, he had the usual slice of luck that bastards such as him always have. He was away in Ireland on business when it all happened. When he got back - well, we’d all long gone. He never knew.” Buffy was puzzled. “So, what’s the secret, Spike? What does Arabella know that you didn’t?“ Spike turned back to her. Buffy could sense the tension in his body. “Darla didn’t just kill Celeste. She got rid of Celeste’s child - my half-sister, Hope.” “Your sister?” Buffy felt as though the ground was falling away from under her feet. “You had a sister?” “Something else we share, Slayer. I only saw her once. She must have been about seven or eight, I suppose. I was horrified, stupid prat that I was. An illegitimate sister. What a disgrace! What shame. What would I do if my friends found out. If Cecily, the woman I loved discovered the truth. It sounds ridiculous now, but in those days, I can’t begin to tell you what that would have meant. So I never went to visit Hope. Had nothing to do with her. God, I’d have liked to have staked the person I was then.” “Wait a minute, you said Darla ‘got rid’ of Hope. Are you telling me - she didn’t kill her?” Spike spun round, his eyes blazing with blue fire. “Exactly! That’s the secret Arabella knew. Darla was apparently experimenting with all sorts of magic at that time for the Master. She wanted a victim, someone to play with. She chose Hope. She sent that innocent little girl into another bloody dimension. And Buffy, don’t you see, as far as Arabella knows, Hope could still be alive!” to be continued

Chapter #4 - Chp 4 ‘Do we have a Plan?’

Three for a Secret by Lilachigh Chp 4 Do we have a Plan? It was odd, Buffy thought as she sat next to Spike on the dusty floor of the Magic Box, what you noticed when you were in shock. Your brain didn’t work, you couldn’t form or speak words and you felt sick, cold and shaky, but your eyes and ears still functioned. She remembered with clarity that when she’d thrust the sword into Angel, killing him and sending him hurtling into Hell, she’d noticed that one of her fingernails was broken. How ridiculous was that? When her Mom had died, she’d stood there and heard the drier in the basement dealing with the last load of clothes Joyce would ever need. Now, when Spike told her he had a half sister lost in some alternative dimension, she was gazing at his black duster, noticing that one of the buttons was hanging by a thread. She needed to move, to walk, run, do something to break the tension that was tightening its hold on her. She stood up. “And Arabella has known this all these years?” she said at last, grasping the one firm fact she could hold on to. Spike’s face looked bleak. “I could have wrung her bloody neck when she told me, but she explained that Darla had insisted I’d die if I tried to get Hope back. Rightly or wrongly, ’Bella decided to keep the secret. I don’t know what I’d have done in her place.” Buffy’s mind went flying back to that weird, champagne fuelled time she and Spike had spent with Arabella and Div’vid at their anniversary party. What was it the vampire had shouted at her when they were fighting? “I can make him happy. I can give him Hope!” The words made sense now. But why had Arabella suddenly decided to tell Spike about his sister? Buffy gazed down at the platinum head only inches from her hand. She could reach out and run her fingers through the short blond hair and knew it would tangle into a riot of curls. She often did that when he was asleep, after they’d made love. When he was awake, affectionate gestures like that seemed silly and wrong. She was sure he would laugh at her. After all, their relationship was based on sex, on strong physical feelings, not on tender lover-like moves. But the temptation was still there. It was overwhelming, knowing that she only had to reach out and he would lazily pull her close, wrap his arms round her, plunder her body but at the same time keep her locked safely from the world in bands of steel. And she had known Spike how long? And didn’t, of course, love him. What would the feelings be like if you really loved someone for over a hundred years? A love that was never acknowledged or returned, a love that was considered just the normal affection any cousin would show to a close family member? Arabella had waited. Bided her time, married Div’vid, led a life that, as far as Buffy knew, was happy. And all the time, in the back of her mind was the knowledge that she had the power to bend her cousin to her will. Buffy admitted she didn’t know a lot about a lot of things; she wasn’t clever like Willow or brainy like Giles. But girls and how some could play games with guys and the guys would never know – well, they were things she could have gotten a great big A for if there had been an exam or even an oral test or one of those magazine quizzes where you have to choose a, b, c or d and – She realised her brain was repeating rubbish and she was still staring at Spike, not speaking. “Wow – Spike – it’s amazing – a sister. I can’t believe it.” Spike lit a cigarette and for once Buffy couldn’t find it in her to complain. “I still can’t, Slayer. That little girl – God, how scared must she have been? Her mother slaughtered in front of her and vampires, Darla and Liam, playing games with her.” “Angel was there, too?” Buffy asked sharply. Spike looked up, suddenly apprehensive at the tone of her voice. “So Arabella said, yes. But it was Darla’s idea to send Hope into this other dimension. Liam thought she’d just killed her. The last of my family to go.” “What did she look like, your sister?” Buffy asked softly. Spike clenched fingers into his hair. “I’ve been trying to picture her face and I can’t! How sad is that, Slayer? My own sister and I can’t remember her clearly. Long black hair – she got that from Celeste, her French mother. Blue eyes. A shy smile. A little girl in a white dress with pink ribbons in her hair. And all I could think about was that she was illegitimate and what an insult that was to mother and me. God, how could I have been such a pompous prick?” “And you didn’t tell me about Hope because - ?” He stood up in a swirl of black leather, paced across the room, then whirled round to face her. “Sodding hell, pet. You’re the Slayer! I never forget that. Never! And believe me, I wouldn’t want you to be anything else. I love you for who and what you are. But if I somehow found Hope, somehow got her back here, to our place and time, I don’t know what she would be. Vampire, demon, something completely different. Then you might – you could - ” Buffy felt ice form in her veins. “You don’t trust me not to kill her?” she whispered. “You think I’d stake your sister? After all you’ve done for mine?” “Arabella said – ” “Leave it, Spike!” Buffy flung out a hand, stopping him before he could go on. She didn’t want to hear his excuses. “It’s quite clear. You don’t trust me; Arabella doesn’t trust me. Let’s not talk about that any more. It isn’t important. Do we have a plan? I want to know what you’re going to do next.” Spike hesitated. He felt that somewhere, somehow he’d put a foot wrong in this conversation, but wasn’t quite sure how. It had all seemed quite clear when his cousin had explained it to him – how they didn’t dare trust Buffy with the information because Hope’s life could be in danger if they did. And, as Arabella had said, it wouldn’t be Buffy’s fault. No one was to blame. It was just the consequences of getting involved with a Slayer. But somehow, Buffy didn’t seem to be reacting in the same way. “Arabella has a necklace. Dirty great silver locket thing.” “I’ve seen it.” “It’s hollow. There’s a hinge at the back, but we can’t open it. It’s been magiced shut in some way. I don’t want to use brute force in case I destroy it.” “And you think that the answer to getting Hope back is inside?” Spike shrugged. “Arabella says she stole the locket from Darla just before she and Div’vid got married. We were all in France – Paris or Lyons or somewhere. I can’t remember. One town looked a lot like another and I think I was drunk most of the time. Arabella was about to go back to England to marry Div’vid. She says Darla got very tipsy one night on champagne cocktails, told her about Hope and explained that the locket held the key to it all. ” Buffy frowned. “And she didn’t try and stop Arabella taking it?” The vampire glanced at her and for an instant, the old mischief was back in his eyes. “Let’s face it, pet. Liam was having one of his “let’s tie the girls up for days and torture them while we fuck them” attacks. I was right up for it. God, the things that ponce could think of doing with a pair of pliers and a couple of candles! I think Darla had more important things to worry about than my little newly turned cousin running off with some of her jewellery.” Buffy tried desperately to thrust the thought of Spike, candles and foreplay with someone who wasn’t her, out of her mind. “So you thought that some of Giles’ books might mention the locket?” Spike sighed and shrugged. “It was a chance, pet. Didn’t mean for your new boyfriend to catch me.” “He’s not my boyfriend,” Buffy said automatically, ignoring the raised eyebrow at her words. “Why don’t you show Willow the locket? She‘s far more likely to know how to open it.” There was a long pause. “OK. Here or Revello?” “Make it here, tomorrow morning.” “I’ll bring Arabella.” “Jeez, why not issue invitations and have a party!” “Buffy, I know you and Arabella haven’t always got along but she’s involved in all this. She might remember something else Darla told her that would give Red some more clues.” Buffy rolled her eyes. Why did she keep beating her head against the “Arabella is a lovely marvellous person” block that existed in Spike’s brain? “OK, OK, I’ll tell the others she’ll be here. We’ll all be on our very best behaviour.” And she hoped fervently that he couldn’t see she’d crossed her fingers behind her back. “I’ll get back to Arabella and tell her. I’ll go through the tunnels; I should have come that way to start with. I just wasn’t thinking straight.” Spike opened the door down to the basement, then hesitated, his gaze lingering on her face. It had been a long time since he’d left Buffy without touching her in some way. A punch, a kick, a kiss, a hand on her shoulder, her hand on his arm. Some touch, angry or loving, but always something. Flesh on flesh, lips to lips. This distance between them made him uneasy. He knew he was to blame, but surely she could understand why he hadn’t told her? Arabella had said she would; that any woman would see the dilemma he was in and sympathise. But Buffy‘s expression didn’t seem very sympathetic. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Buffy said evenly and watched him leave, heading back to Arabella and all the dark hours until the next day. Hours that she could no longer share because his beautiful cousin was there, to comfort and console him. “Spike has a sister.” She tried saying the words out loud. One part of her was all astonished delight, but fighting to come to the surface was a little ominous wriggle of doubt. She would never believe that Arabella did anything that wasn’t to Arabella’s advantage. Would she really help Spike bring this child – or whatever Hope had turned into over the years – back into this world? A sister to take Spike’s attention, affection, love? The little wriggle of doubt became a great surging snake. Did, perhaps, Arabella know in some way that Hope was already dead. Was this whole locket-secret-telling thingy, just a scheme to get into Spike’s life and become all-important to him? And if it was, why did she, Buffy, care so much that it hurt? To be continued

Chapter #5 - Chp 5 The Truth is Close

Three for a Secret by Lilachigh Chapter 6 The Truth is Close Xander and Anya were sitting in a coffee shop having a latte and a violent argument. He wasn’t quite sure why – it had something to do with commitment or lack of commitment or perhaps too much commitment. And Willow. Yes, he grabbed at a few phrases as they flew past his ears – his helping Willow the other evening had definitely been wrong, apparently. Then she started on his relationship with Buffy and things got very rough. He sat, stirring his coffee, waiting for the storm to pass. Eventually Anya pushed back her chair and stormed out, leaving him feeling bruised and unhappy. He felt so unappreciated; he tried his very best but nothing was ever good enough. “Excuse me, would you mind if I sat with you?” He looked up and fell into two deep blue pools of molten sapphire. The most beautiful woman he’d ever met was asking if she could sit opposite him. “What? Oh, er, - ” He gazed round apprehensively. Was this a set-up? A big joke played by the other Scoobies. Watch Xander wriggle and stammer when this gorgeous creature spoke to him. But there was no one in the coffee shop he recognised. The woman sat down and smiled at him. Her long brown curls were tied back from her face with a length of blue velvet ribbon and the white lacy top she wore revealed perfect shoulders and breasts that were enough to make any guy, engaged or not, have lustful thoughts. “It’s so crowded in here,” she was saying softly, “and there are some very odd people around. You looked so nice and strong, I thought you wouldn’t mind if I shared your table.” “No, of course not,” Xander burst out. “And, yes, very odd people around, but then most of them quite harmless, but sometimes not and if you need protecting in any shape or form, then, hey, just ask and I’ll – ” “I knew you were different to all these others in here,” she said stopping his ramblings by laying a small delicate hand on his wrist. Xander felt a shudder run through him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the envious looks he was getting from guys who wouldn’t normally have noticed if he’d been sitting there stark naked. Well, maybe one would, but then Jeremy was like that! “Would you like a coffee?” he managed. “I’d rather just sit and talk,” the woman said. “I’m English – I expect you can tell from my accent. It’s rare that I get the opportunity to meet an interesting American man.” Interesting? Xander felt some of his Anya-dented pride inflate. This beautiful woman thought he was interesting. “I’m ashamed to say, I overheard you talking to that stern faced girl earlier. She was being really mean to you, going on and on about your friendship with – who was it now, a strange name – Buffy?” “Buffy Summers. My best friend,” Xander said. “Anya can’t believe that a man and a woman can just be friends without being – well, you know.” The woman leaned forward and tightened her fingers across his. “Oh, I do know. Look, tell me all about it and then perhaps I can confide in you.” “I can’t imagine you have any problems.” The girl raised fine dark eyebrows and smiled at him. “I have a husband who – well – let’s just say, if he was like you, I’d be a far happier woman.” Xander felt his head spinning. What an incredible girl! He could feel every nerve in his body responding to her touch and it was odd because she reminded him of someone, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on who that could be. The girl got up and moved round to sit next to him, her brown curls falling across his shoulder as she bent her head to listen to his complaints about the women in his life. Outside in the dark, an even darker shadow slid across the window. A seven foot green demon bent his cow-like head and glared through the glass to where his wife was sitting, acting in a far too friendly fashion with a human male whom he’d earlier watched being nasty to a very sweet looking girl who he sensed had been a demon at some time. And a deep growl vibrated through his emerald body. At midday the next morning, Buffy, Willow and Anya sat round the table in the Magic Box, waiting for Spike and his cousin to appear. Under great protest, Anya had put the Closed notice on the shop door. She seemed to be in an even snarkier mood than usual, Buffy thought, and hoped the ex-demon hadn’t had another row with Xander. Willow was still in a state of shock over Buffy’s revelations about Spike’s sister. “Buffy, this is amazing,” she said now, flicking through pages of a huge, ancient book. “Does Spike really think this Hope child could still be alive after all this time?” Buffy shrugged. “It doesn’t make sense to me, Will. But then I’ve never been big on dimensions and alternative universes and demon worlds. I leave all that to you and Giles usually.” “And we’re helping Spike because?” Anya asked with painful accuracy. “I mean, I can sympathise with little girl lost in demon world – although to be fair, I expect she’s had a really good time in all these years – but she isn’t going to be the same, now is she? I mean, what’s Spike going to do if he finds a wrinkled old lady demon, over a hundred years old, who turns out to be his little sister!” Willow’s eyes grew round and large. “Or someone who’s grown lots of tentacles, or more eyes, or – ” “Enough tentacle talk,” Buffy broke in. “You’re both forgetting, Spike helped look after Dawn when I was dead. I feel I owe him at least the chance for you two to take a look at this locket thingy and see if you can make it work.” “Will the rich husband be coming, too?” Anya said, suddenly enthusiastic. “Div’vid? No, Arabella swears he’s in L.A. I don’t know who it could have been that Xander saw the other evening. Another Frovlax, I suppose. And where is Xander? Didn’t you tell him about the meeting?” Anya tossed her head. “Xander didn’t get home until three this morning. And I could smell perfume all over him. Horrible gardenia perfume. He slept on the kitchen floor! I didn’t even want him on the couch, impregnating it with that scent. It was impossible to wake him. I really do think you did a bad job with Xander, Willow ” “Me?” Willow said, her voice raising a pitch in tone. “So not responsible for your boyfriend’s – ” “Buffy!” The three girls at the table jumped as Spike’s voice rang out. Buffy stood up, hoping her expression was completely neutral, the way she’d practised in front of the bathroom mirror this morning. He was standing in the doorway to the basement steps, his arm around his cousin’s slim shoulders, as if protecting her from all comers. Buffy pushed back the surge of irritation this sight gave her. Arabella managed to look small and vulnerable – like a small vulnerable rattlesnake, Buffy thought angrily. “This is my cousin, Arabella,” he said to Willow and Anya. “Bella, you know Buffy, of course. That’s Willow, the witch, and Anya, who used to be a Vengeance Demon.” Arabella moved out of the shelter of his body and walked demurely to greet the other girls. Buffy was amazed at how she looked; where had the sexy, man-eating vampire gone? Her dark curly hair was tamed, swept up in a neat pleat; big round spectacles shielded her eyes, making her look like a rather anxious, cuddly owl. A cute fluffy white sweater over a dark green skirt and black boots. And hanging around her neck, a heavily embossed silver locket. She looked very feminine but completely non-threatening, the sort of girl you would happily let talk to your guy at a party while you went to the bathroom. Buffy glanced down at her own worn jeans and old red T-shirt. She knew she’d washed and conditioned her hair that morning, but at the sight of Arabella she felt grubby and dull. Buffy could sense Willow and Anya’s puzzled stares in her direction. This girl was nothing like the predator Buffy had described to them. “I really appreciate all you people trying to help William and I in our quest,” Arabella said huskily, sitting down at the tale next to Willow. “I know that working with another vampire must be difficult for you, especially as I’m not chipped like my cousin, but I can assure you, I am completely harmless. I’ve lived a very quiet life. I eat pig’s blood and Cornflakes.” She smiled across at Anya. “Can I say how much I admire the way you’ve coped with your new life as a human? Spike told me all about it. He’s been so impressed and I was when he gave me the details.” Anya’s expression changed from suspicious to friendly in a blind. “Oh, oh, well, that’s very nice of you. It has been difficult and not a lot of people realise that.” And she glared at Willow. “And you’re Buffy’s best friend, aren’t you?” Arabella said, turning the blazing blue eyes on Willow. “She’s so lucky to have the backing of someone as pretty and clever as you!” The vampire girl sighed. “I never had a best friend, except Cousin William, of course, and I don’t think we could call him pretty, could we!” And she laughed and reached up to pat Spike’s arm where he stood behind her. Buffy wondered if it would go unnoticed if she threw up in the middle of the table. “We’d better get to work,” she said briefly. “Let Willow see the locket, Arabella.” The vampire tried to slide the chain over her head, then turned and smiled warmly at Spike, indicating that the clasp was trapped in her hair. Buffy found she was digging her fingernails into her palms so hard she was sure there would be bloody marks if she looked. Spike’s blond head was bent so close to the brown curls, his mouth centimetres from her cheek as he carefully untangled the chain and lifted it clear. One of the oldest tricks in the book and Spike fell for it, as if, as if he were a seventeen-year-old virgin, Buffy raged silently. Willow took the locket and laying it on the table, stared at it for a long time. She ran her finger down the seam and tried to prise it open, but it stayed solid. “Darla said there was something inside it?” Arabella nodded. “It was at my leaving party before I went home to get married. She was very tipsy, laughing at Spike. He was drunk and being obnoxious – sorry William, but you were – then she turned to me and said, ‘He wouldn’t be so cocky if he knew where I’d sent Hope, his little sister.’ Then she tapped on this locket round her neck and said, “It amuses me to think the truth is so close to him and he’ll never know.” The vampire girl took off her glasses and wiped her eyes. “I asked her what she meant, because I’d never known William had a sister. She kept saying it was a big secret and that I must never tell him because if he tried to follow her, he’d die.” “And you kept the secret from him all these years?” Buffy broke in bitterly and was aware of Spike throwing her a startled glance. “Jeez, that must have been really hard. All those conversations and you never thought of telling him he had a half sister who might still be alive!” Arabella turned with a reproachful look on her face. “Oh, don’t you think I wanted to tell him? I’ve explained all this to dear William. But I was so scared. For all I knew the locket had been charmed in some magical way and William would die if he managed to even open it. ” A lone tear trickled down her face and Buffy wondered why it was that some girls could cry and still look beautiful? When she cried she got red eyes and an even redder nose. She ended up looking like a squashed tomato. Arabella sighed and went on, her voice thick with anguish. “I know I was wrong, but William was the only relation I had in the whole world. I – I admit I was selfish. I didn‘t want him to die, and he was so happy with Dru, and I was with Div’vid, I just kept the secret. But now I know just how wrong I was and I’m trying my best to make amends.” Buffy turned away in disgust, as she listened to Willow and Anya making sympathetic noises. “Well, Red, can you open it?” Spike asked, his whole body tense. Willow was busy turning the pages of a smelly leather bound book. “You were right in thinking this book would give you the answer, Spike,” she said. “But you would still have needed a witch to do the charm. Ah, here it is!” She and Anya banged heads as they both bent over the page together. Willow glared at the ex-demon who sat back huffily and only looked happier when Arabella surreptitiously patted her hand. “It’s a very old charm,” Willow said. “I’ve never heard of it before. The locket is a key to another dimension.” “What?” Buffy said. “You mean Dru sent Hope to the same place Glory came from?” “No, of course, not,” Anya said impatiently. “We’ve been through all this before, Buffy. There are hundreds of different demon dimensions. They all have doorways from this world and there have to be keys to unlock the doors. There’s no way of knowing what the dimension was like that Hope was sent to, but as the locket isn’t a green shiny light, I’m sure it isn’t Glory’s.” Spike, who was concentrating on standing still when all he wanted to do was yell and run and punch something, said, “Red, can you open the soddin’ locket or not?” Willow glanced up at her best friend. “Well, yes, I can, but Buffy, do you want an open portal into a demon dimension here in Sunnydale?” Buffy blinked as four pair of eyes gazed at her. Willow’s anxious, Anya’s curious, Arabella’s hidden behind her glasses and Spike’s – blue and brave, trying not to plead. This wasn’t fair, she thought. She shouldn’t have to make this sort of decision. Would she be putting everyone in Sunnydale in danger if they opened this portal? What if a whole horde of demons came pouring out and she couldn’t contain them? She could imagine what Giles would say; that she must consider the bigger picture and not worry about Spike’s feelings. And surely he was right. She had to push aside all her memories of asking Spike to take care of Dawn and her mom over the years, of knowing how he’d cared for her sister, been tortured by Glory to keep the Key’s identity a secret, then watched over the teenager while Buffy had been dead and gone. None of that had to matter because you had to look at the bigger picture. She opened her mouth to say, “I’m so sorry, Spike – ” and then Arabella moved her hand slightly and Buffy could see her face. She was smiling! A little curved smile that made her look like a cat who has just spotted a very tasty mouse. She knew what Buffy was going to say and she was glad! This was exactly what Spike‘s cousin wanted – for Hope to be left where she was and for it all to be Buffy’s fault. And in that instant Buffy knew that Arabella knew far more about the demon dimension than she was telling. She wasn’t worried about the portal being opened. She wanted it left shut for a totally different reason. She wanted to be the one to tell Spike about his sister, but didn’t want the sister back in his life. Spike had turned away, his shoulders drooping in despair. Buffy felt her heart ache. OK, he was a soulless vampire, but he was her soulless vampire. She had the right to make his life miserable, but not anyone else! She was tired of the big picture, tired of always doing what was right for everyone else. Spike had helped Dawn. She would help Hope. “Open the locket, Will,” she said and felt herself smile as Spike turned and shot her a look of blazing thanks. To be continued

Chapter #6 - Chp 6 Empty

Three for a Secret by Lilachigh Chp 6 Empty! The silver locket lay on the table at the back of the Magic Box. Willow had placed it on a piece of black velvet and the engraved metal gleamed dully in the light of several tall candles the witch had lit and set in a circle around it. Buffy stood with her back to a shelf of books, watching as the preparations continued for unlocking the locket. Anya and Willow, unwilling partners, scurried around the shop, producing and discarding different ingredients, checking the charm in the book over and over again, arguing about exactly how many pickled mistletoe berries there might be in a spoonful. Arabella and Spike were sitting on the bottom step of the stairs leading up to the off-limits gallery. Their heads were close together and although Buffy couldn’t hear what they were talking about, she had the feeling that she was being mentioned because both vampires looked up at the same time and four blazing blue eyes flashed across the room at her. Spike suddenly stood up and walked across to her. “Are you certain about this?” he asked quietly. He looked tense; Buffy could see the strain on his face, the way his hands were clenching into fists before he thrust them into his duster pockets in an effort to keep himself under control. “Yes, of course,” she replied. “But, Spike, we don’t know what’s going to happen. I mean, it’s years and years ago. Even if Hope is still alive, she won’t – can’t – be the little girl you saw back in England.” Spike rocked back and forwards on his heels. “So what are you saying, Slayer? That if she comes back – wrong – you’ll kill her? Is this a warning?” Buffy flinched. That wasn’t what she’d meant at all. OK, Spike was a vampire, but, hey, chipped and helpless and recently they’d got – well – close. As odd as it seemed, she didn’t want him to be hurt. At one time she’d have said vampires didn’t have feelings that could be bruised, but she knew now that she was wrong. And she could only imagine how he would feel if some – thing – appeared through the portal. And that ‘thing’ was Hope, his half sister. “No – wait – Spike – that’s not – ” “Buffy – I couldn’t let you destroy her.” His voice was taut with pain. “I wouldn’t want to and the chip won’t let me, but I’d try to save my sister.” “Spike – ” she tried to interrupt, then there was a swift movement and Arabella was at his side, the fluffy white sweater and big round glasses making her look sweet and unthreatening. “William – don’t be cross with Buffy.” The English girl’s voice dripped concern. “She’s only doing her job. She’s the Slayer. You know what that means as well as I do. We’re here on her sufferance – well, I’m sure I am. And I’m grateful to her for giving me the chance to help you find Hope. I’m sure she’ll stand back and let us do what we can for the child.” “Spike, listen, I’ve no intention of – ” “Buffy – we’re ready!” Anya looked up from the table and beckoned imperiously. “Yes, we need to act now,” Willow added. “Some of these ingredients are very unstable. Buffy cast a frantic glance at Spike, but he was no longer looking at her. Arabella was pulling him gently across the room to where Willow and Anya were waiting. Buffy followed them, feeling deeply unhappy and apprehensive. Spike had misunderstood her completely – or else Arabella had spun him a story that he’d believed because his beloved cousin had said it. And she couldn’t understand why that was upsetting her so much. “Right, everyone sit and hold hands,” Willow said. Buffy sat between Spike and Anya. Arabella was on his other side with Willow and Anya completing the circle. Spike’s hand felt as cold as normal. Buffy squeezed his fingers, but there was no reply. She glanced sideways at him, but he was staring fixedly at the locket. “We’ll sort it out, Spike,“ she murmured. “I promise I’ll – ” “Shssh,” Willow said and dropping Anya’s hand began to throw the ingredients into a copper bowl. A weird orange smoke began to curl lazily into the room. Then Anya picked up the locket, and lowered it into the mixture. Willow linked hands with Arabella and Anya, then began chanting, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Buffy could hardly hear the individual words, but the sound made her head ache. She felt her brain was about to explode and for a few seconds thought she could hear all the thoughts in the room – “Will it work? It must work?” “Who was Xander with last night? He smelt of perfume. I’ll kill him if he’s cheating on me.” “God, a sister! My sister. God, don’t let Buffy kill her. I bloody well won’t know what to do if she does.” “I’ll get him yet. William will be mine!” Buffy shook her head violently as the pain grew worse. She could see that everyone else was suffering. “Don’t break the circle!“ Anya yelled as a violent wind began to blow from somewhere. Willow was thrown away from the table, Spike grabbed his cousin and Buffy and held them fast as all the candles were snuffed out and with a loud bang, the copper bowl broke in two and the locket fell onto the table top. Buffy struggled free from Spike’s grasp and stared around, expecting to find – what exactly? The shop lay there just as before, full of the weird and wonderful objects Anya loved to sell. There was no whirling magic portal, no splitting of the heavens, no other dimension. “Oh – well, that’s very disappointing.” Anya smoothed down her tousled hair and frowned at the broken bowl. She reached over and handed the locket back to Spike. “It looks as if that charm didn’t work.” Spike peered at the locket, then ran his finger along the clasp. With a click, the locket opened. Arabella gasped and leant forward to look. “Well?” Willow said, picking herself up from the floor and dabbing at a bloody nose. “It’s empty,” he said quietly and held it out to her. “Spike, I’m so sorry,” Buffy began. “Perhaps there’s another charm. Another way of getting to her.” Spike shoved the locket deep into his leather coat. “Good of you to worry, Slayer,” he said. “But I reckon this was our one chance.” Arabella reached out to touch his cheek, her blue eyes glazed with tears. “Poor William. Oh, I feel so bad about this. Perhaps if I’d told you sooner we could have found a charm that worked. Dru might have had some good ideas. Or perhaps I shouldn’t have told you at all. Div’vid didn’t want me to. I should have listened to him.” Spike smiled wearily at her. “Don’t fret yourself, Bella. You did what you thought was best. I’d rather know about Hope than not. I won’t give up, though. There must be some sodding way - ” “That was just what I was saying,” Buffy broke in. She was beginning to get annoyed at Spike for blanking her in this way. He was supposed to love her, for god’s sake! Why didn’t he trust her? She’d promised not to stake Arabella at the anniversary party and she’d kept her word under enormous provocation. So why didn’t he believe her now when she said she wouldn’t kill Hope if she came back as a demon – or worse? But she knew. Of course she knew. The English girl standing so close to her cousin they were almost not breathing the same air, was constantly dripping poison in his ear, drop by drop. Buffy found herself wishing violently that she had staked Arabella when they first met. Dusted her, got rid of her weeks ago. And she still didn’t understand why she was so angry at Spike. She didn’t love him. What did it matter if he didn’t trust her? “Is it all right if I open the shop now?” Anya asked briskly, brushing the remains of the spell off the table into a rubbish bin. “I’m sure I can hear customers outside, waiting to spend their hard earned money in here.” “And I’ve got a lecture in half an hour,” Willow said wearily. “I’m sorry, Spike. I don’t know why it didn’t work. Perhaps there weren’t enough of us round the table. If you like, I can round up Xander and Dawn and we can try again.” Spike shook his head. “The locket’s open and empty. I think that tells us everything. Perhaps it never was the key to finding Hope. Knowing Darla, she could have lied through her teeth, just to impress Arabella. Or just to make trouble. I know that’s what I’d have bloody well done!” “Er – Buffy – ” Anya was at the door, she’d swung it open and was standing, gazing out. “I think perhaps you’d better come here.” “Why – what’s the matter – is it – ” She stopped and gasped. Outside should have been the sunlit street of Sunnydale, But it wasn’t there. Instead there was a deep emerald green forest, trees stretching as far as she could see. Bright pink butterflies flitted through the branches and blue and yellow parrot type birds darted through the air. Buffy couldn’t move until she felt Spike’s hand clasp her shoulder and she turned her head to see her eyes blazing down at her. “Well, Slayer, it certainly isn’t Kansas!” To be continued

Chapter #7 - Chp 7 A white rabbit?

Chapter 8 : A white rabbit? “Buffy! I did it! I opened the portal. Wow! It‘s amazing. Like a picture from a Tolkien book.” Willow was craning her neck to look between Anya and Buffy, almost pushing Spike out of the way. “Excuse me, I think the words “we did it” would be more appropriate,” said Anya with a distinct sniff. “Oh, right, yes, we did it,” Willow said absentmindedly. She went to step outside the door into the forest that spread before them, then squeaked as Buffy grabbed her arm and pulled her back, closing the door with a thud. “Will, wait a second. Let’s think this through before we become all action girls.” “Buffy, it’s the other dimension, the one where Spike’s sister was sent.” “OK, say it is, what exactly are we planning on doing next?” “Find Hope,” Spike said, reaching for the door handle, eyes blazing. “Spike, wait, please.” “Buffy you seem almost anxious that we don’t find Hope,” Arabella broke in, her voice trembling with bewilderment. Buffy took a deep breath. She refused to lose her temper with Spike’s cousin: she knew the vampire girl was waiting for her to do just that. Shout, yell, make a scene, even try to stake her. Inch by inch she was pushing her along that path and with a cold sinking feeling, Buffy realised that she would lose Spike completely if that happened. In this war she was being out thought and out guessed. But from now on she would be on her guard. “I’m anxious that we have a plan before we go out there. And even more anxious that we know how to get Sunnydale back!” She struggled to keep her voice even, and realised by the changing expressions on Spike’s face that her words were at last getting through. “Red, can you get us back?” Willow glanced at Anya who shrugged and sat down at the table. Different dimensions were no big deal to her. Seen one seen them all, she thought. They were never that exciting; usually boring, like the shrimp world or dangerous in an icky sort of way with body parts strewn everywhere and constant storms, like this one. Willow frowned. “I think all I need to do is reverse the spell,” she said slowly. “And we’ve still got the ingredients we need here in the shop. So yes, we can get home, Buffy. Now can we please explore?” Buffy gave in. “OK, but try and keep the door of The Magic Box within view at all times. And stay together.” Spike was already opening the door and stepping out into the shadowy forest glade. A big pink bird swooped down, shrieking cheerfully at the intruder, then flew away to sit on a branch, chattering curiously. Two chipmunk type creatures skittered away playfully from beneath his feet. Arabella followed him, Buffy and Willow a step behind. Buffy turned to Anya was still standing in the doorway. The rest of the shop was invisible; the door appearing to hang in thin air. “Are you coming out?” The ex-demon shook her head. “There’s nothing interesting and it looks like rain. You’ll all get soaked and I’ve got my best jeans on. I’m going to do some stocktaking instead. Much more sensible use of my time.” Buffy grinned. It didn’t look in the slightest bit like rain. Anya was so adept at doing exactly what she wanted. “OK. Keep the door shut. We don’t know who or what else is living here.” She turned to find that Willow was already a hundred yards away, wandering along, gazing up at the canopy of green leaves that wove a dense ceiling above their heads. “Don’t go too far!” she called, beginning to feel like a schoolmistress on an outing instead of the Slayer on a mission. Spike glanced at her. “Not quite what I expected,” he said. “How can we tell which way to search? It all looks the sodding same.” Arabella was sitting on a fallen log, and to Buffy’s delight – she seemed irritated. She was rubbing dirt off her shoes, looking as if she’d be only too glad to take them off and throw them away. But when she realised Buffy was glancing in her direction, her expression changed to one of concern. “William, it was a very long time ago. Things will have changed. Perhaps it didn’t look like this when Darla sent Hope through the portal.” Buffy sensed a flare of pain from the vampire. She wanted to say something kind, something to make him feel better, but he didn’t seem to want sympathy from her. He was getting enough of that from his cousin. She bit her lip. Well, if he wouldn’t take sympathy, perhaps he’d take the one thing she could give him – help. “Spike – you’ve got the locket, haven’t you?” He looked at question at her, but slid the heavy silver carved necklet out of his pocket. “Do you reckon this is going to be of some use now?” Buffy shrugged. “I have no idea. But it opened the portal, didn’t it? And Darla obviously felt it was vitally important. There must be lots of other ways of opening a doorway to this dimension, so maybe the locket has some other use as well.” She stared round at the waving green leaves, the dappled shade, little butterflies like gems flicking and fluttering in a gentle breeze. Even as she looked, a small, Bambi type deer peeked from behind a bush and tiptoed across the path in front of them. “God this place!” Spike’s face softened. “It’s like some Walt Disney film. At least if Hope’s been living here, she’s had a lovely world to exist in.” Arabella stared around, her beautiful face set with the blank expression Buffy was beginning to recognise. She didn’t agree with her cousin in the slightest. She obviously thought this world was awful, but wild horses wouldn’t have made her disagree with Spike. Arabella leant over and picked the locket out of his palm. Buffy started forward, then held herself in check. Now was not the time to intervene. Not when they hadn’t found a single clue to Hope’s existence. Arabella held the locket out at arms’ length, watching as it swung to and fro on the end of the heavy silver chain. Then she began to make little circles in the air with it and Buffy had the oddest sensation that Spike’s cousin knew exactly what she was doing. That she had, in fact, done all this before. She blinked and started. For a wild instant, the green forest before her had vanished and a dark, desolate, rock strewn wilderness took its place. Then it, too, vanished, and the deep emerald forest returned, birds singing, little animals scurrying around, a big rabbit standing on its hind legs and – Buffy rubbed her eyes and the wilderness flashed back and away. But this time she knew something was very wrong. The rabbit was wearing a blue coat and looking at a watch! “Spike!” she whispered, “can you see that rabbit?” And even as she spoke, it vanished. “What the bloody hell!” Spike spun round in game face, his eyes flashing gold. “Buffy! Bella! Watch out, there‘s a panther behind that bush. I saw it move. This place isn’t as harmless as it looks.” Arabella stopped swinging the locket. “Harmless? I don’t know how you ever thought it was, William. Look at all the rats and snakes slithering about. I just feel so sorry for poor Hope. How could Darla have done that to a little child?” “Bella, what the heck are you talking about? There aren’t any snakes and rats. Just a bloody big panther thing. Can’t you hear it growling? Buffy, call Willow back before it hunts her down.” Buffy stared around her. There were far more birds and butterflies now. Fluttering, swirling, every colour of the rainbow. More Bambis and OK – that was it! A black and white cat with frenzied eyes chased a yellow bird across the grass towards her. She snatched the locket out of Arabella’s startled hand and shoved it deep into her jeans’ pocket. “Spike, Arabella. Tell me, what exactly do you see?” Spike flared back into human form. “The panther’s gone. That was bloody weird, Slayer. It looked just like the one out of The Jungle Book.” Buffy nodded slowly. “And I’ve just seen Bambi, The White Rabbit and half the cartoons I used to watch when I was a child.” Arabella jumped up. She‘d taken off her fake glasses and pulled her brown curls loose from their tight clips. “You’re both mad. The place is a mess of old boxes and rubbish, rats and mice and snakes.” “No, it isn’t,” Buffy said slowly. “I think it’s far worse than that. When you were swinging the locket, I got a glimpse. It’s a hellish place. But something, someone wants us to see it differently.” “It’s using our memories,” Spike said quietly. “Shape shifting the environment. Like an Orderna demon does to lull its prey, to make it stand still.” Buffy nodded. “We all see something different. Willow said it looked like a page out of Tolkien when she first opened the door. Anya thought it was going to rain. To me it looks like Disney. You think it looks like The Jungle Book and Arabella – ” She cast a quick look at the vampire girl and, for a second, a quick flash of pity stabbed her. Rats and snakes, filth and dirt, what had happened in Arabella’s life for that memory to be used so easily? “Who’s doing it to us?” Spike said angrily “There’s no one here, Slayer. The only other human I can sense at all is Willow wandering around.” The despair in his voice burnt in her brain. The chance of finding his half sister had seemed so real a few hours ago. Now it seemed hopeless. How could a little Victorian girl have survived if she’d been thrust through a portal into this shape-shifting dimension? Surely she would have died of shock if nothing else? Buffy glanced at Arabella. There was an expression on the vampire’s face that she couldn’t quite work out. Smug? Satisfied? She had her hand on Spike’s shoulder, all cousinly concern, but Buffy had spent too much time in Cordelia’s company not to know when a girl was acting a part, vampire or not. “Can you remember anything else Darla said?” she asked sharply. Arabella shrugged. “Oh, Buffy, don’t think I haven’t tried and tried to recall that night in France. But it is such a long time ago. She was experimenting with magic for The Master, trying to see what would happen if you sent humans through different portals. She told me she had opened one with the locket and sent Hope through. William, I’m so sorry! I would give anything to find Hope for you.” Spike sighed. “Not your fault, ‘Bella. No one’s fault. We are what we are, even Darla. Don’t feel guilty. It was a rotten secret to have to keep. And you’d been told I’d die if I tried to interfere.” Buffy bit her lip hard. What the hell was the matter with Spike? Couldn’t he see this girl was playing him? All this rubbish about protecting him from himself. They’d all been vampires together, for heaven’s sake! And she realised, too, that Arabella hadn’t actually answered her question directly. She still hadn’t come straight out and said that Darla had told her nothing else about how to find Hope. “Arabella – ” Buffy began angrily, aware of Spike’s startled look as she took a step towards his cousin. And she felt a wave of desolation sweep over her as he automatically put a protecting hand on Arabella’s shoulder. But just then there was an enormous commotion behind them. They spun round in time to see Xander leap from the Magic Box doorway, chased by a furious, growling, seven foot, emerald green Frovlax demon. Div’vid had arrived to find his wife! To be continued

Chapter #8 - Chp 8 Betrayal

Three for a Secret by Lilachigh Chp 9 Betrayal “Buffy!” Xander raced across to her, panting with the effort, sweat pouring down his face. “Help! This – thing’s trying to kill me!” He dodged behind her, peering over her shoulder, cringing. The bright green, seven-foot demon who was only steps behind him shouted, “Kill you? No, I’m trying to slaughter you! I will pull your entrails up through your throat and make you chew them! I’ll turn your head round four times and push it up your – ” “Div’vid!” Buffy leapt in front of him and pushed against his huge green chest with both hands. “Stop right there! No pulling of entrails or turning of heads and pushing them – well anywhere! What on earth has Xander done to annoy you? And how did you two get here?” “He’s mad! A mad demon. Buffy, kill him. Don’t just stand there! Kill him!” Xander yelled in her ear. “I was just walking towards the Magic Box and he attacked me. I dived down into the sewers to escape and he followed me.” “Xander, I know him. It’s Div’vid, Arabella’s husband. You remember, I told you about them in the Bronze. Arabella is Spike’s cousin. I’m not going to kill Div’vid. Just tell me what you’ve done to annoy him?” “Me!” Xander’s voice went off the scale. “I haven’t done anything.” “That I find extremely unlikely.” Spike grinned and reached up to wrap an arm round the demon’s shoulders. “What’s up, mate? And how the hell did you get here? Arabella said you were in Los Angeles.” The Frovlax glared at Xander and shook his cow’s ears violently, obviously trying to calm down. “William – it is good to see you. This – this human thing has been carrying on with my wife! I followed him here, along the sewers and through that shop doorway.” “What?” Buffy spun round and stared at her friend. “Jeez, Xander, I know you like your women with a little demon in them, but Arabella? She’s a vampire.” “I know that now,” Xander muttered and cast a scared glance back at the doorway to the Magic Shop. But there was no sign of Anya. “I just thought she was a nice, pretty woman and bought her a cup of coffee. There was no carrying on, honestly, Buff. I’ve got Anya. I love Anya. Oh god, don’t anyone tell Anya! Please!” “I saw them together!” Div’vid roared and swung an emerald hand the size of a meat plate at Xander’s head, narrowly missing Buffy as he did so. Spike’s grin vanished. “OK, enough. There’s been some sort of foul up. You know Arabella, Div. And, sadly, I know Harris here. If you think for one moment that he would get anywhere with her, you’re bloody wrong. But you need to calm down, mate. We’ve got enough problems as it is, without you adding to them.” Buffy watched the rolling red fire die out of the demon’s eyes and cast a glance of thanks in Spike‘s direction to find he was watching her. For a long second the world stood still and she bathed in the intensity of that look. She was aware of an overwhelming sensation of relief. The way he was looking at her, surely if he was in love with Arabella, he would not have that blazing desire in his eyes? Whatever or whoever was forcing them onto opposite sides, was not winning. The love and passion in that one glance convinced her of that. “What is this place?” Div’vid asked suddenly, looking around. “What do you see?” Buffy asked gently. The demon smiled. “A rolling landscape of tall grass waiting to be eaten. A place full of food with lots of development potential. I might well be able to build a holiday home complex here. I wonder who owns it.” “A very good point,” Buffy said wearily. “And you obviously see this world differently to the rest of us.” “I don’t understand what he’s talking about,” Xander sounded puzzled. “It’s all jungle, Buff. Look – big trees, creepers, monkeys and parrots. And what are we doing here, anyway? And is that Willow over there?” “It’s another dimension,” Buffy said quietly. “Darla sent Spike’s half sister, Hope, here. Arabella had a pendant that Willow and Anya used to open the portal here. But we all see this world in a different way. It’s…it’s confusing.” Xander’s face was a picture as he tried to take in all this information in one go. Eventually he just shrugged. “When isn’t it? One minute I’m walking down the road, minding my own business and the next I’m being chased by a blood crazed seven foot demon and end up in another dimension. And Spike’s got a sister! What’s to be confusing? They didn’t even have this much fun on Star Trek, Oh no!” “Xander!” Anya’s astonished voice rang out from the Magic Box doorway. The ex-demon picked her way through what was obviously tricky terrain to his side. “Xander Harris! You came through the shop and out here without telling me? What is wrong with you?” “Ahn, I was being chased! This – this – demon – ” “Oh, it’s a Frovlax. Hi! I’m Anya. You must be Div’vid, Arabella’s husband. Buffy told us all about you. I would like you to know that I do admire a self-made demon.” She smiled sweetly up at the demon towering above her and Buffy had to feel a certain amount of admiration at the way she didn’t flinch as he breathed out heavily and the aroma of half digested, rotting hay belched out of his mouth. “Hello, Anya. How very nice to meet you. Ex-demon?” His giant hand encased hers and he smiled down at her. “I run the Magic Box shop. I don’t expect anyone will bother to tell you, because everyone around here thinks making money is a nasty business that you shouldn’t talk about. But I know Frovlaxes appreciate the value of free enterprise.” “Indeed – I was only thinking just now that I could make a tidy profit if I built a complex of holiday homes here – ” Spike broke in impatiently, “Div, old mate, I’m sorry, but I have to find my sister – Arabella – “ He turned, then froze. His cousin, who’d been sitting on a log just behind him, was no longer there. “Hey! Bella! Bella!” “Is my darling girl here, too?” Div’vid said anxiously. “I didn’t know. What have you done with her?” Buffy gritted her teeth at the ‘darling girl’, then nodded. “She was here just now. Spike – ” The vampire swung back to her, his face grim. “You’ve still got the pendant?” Buffy nodded, her hand deep in her jacket pocket, the intricate carving on the face of the locket digging into her fingers. “But where did she go? There isn’t anywhere to hide. Did you see her?” Spike shook his head, gazing around wildly. “Arabella!!!” Div’vid threw back his head and his roar echoed to the heavens and Buffy winced, her ears hurting with the sound. “Arabella!!!” Spike stood closer to Buffy and spoke softly so the demon couldn’t hear. “What do you reckon, pet? Has something or someone taken her?” Buffy frowned. “God knows, Spike. One second she was there, then Xander and Div’vid arrived and – she’d gone. I don’t know, d’you reckon she could be hiding from Div? He’s pretty intimidating when he’s angry.” Xander and Anya were standing, having an intense conversation, watching nervously as Div’vid thrashed around in the bushes and trees, searching for any sign of his wife. Anya sniffed. “Now there’s someone who seems genuinely upset and concerned about his loved one.” Xander opened his mouth to protest that he was just as genuinely concerned about her, then shut it again. Where Anya was concerned it was often easier to let her have her say until she ran out of words. “Hi, Will!” he said brightly as the redhead came back to join the group. “Xander. And – who on earth – oh, is that Arabella’s husband?” she whispered, fascinated as the green demon bellowed her name again. “He won’t find her over there.“ Buffy spun round as she overheard her speaking. “What? Will – have you seen Arabella? Do you know where she went?” Willow looked puzzled. “Sure – down that path over there. She was all, hurry, hurry, hurry.” “On her own?” Spike snapped. “Or did something take her?” Willow shook her head. “No, she was on her own. She had the pendant in her hand and was swinging it round and round. I thought – ” “No, you’re wrong. Buffy’s got the pendant.” Buffy nodded and pulling it out of her pocket, gave it to him. It hung from the end of its glittering chain, spinning gently. Willow touched it and frowned. “Yes, that’s the one Anya and I used to open the portal. Look, there’s a trace of the charm powder we used in the carving. So that means – ” “It means Arabella has a second pendant,” Buffy said grimly and felt her heart ache at the expression of betrayal that crossed Spike’s face. She had no love for his cousin, but it hurt her to see him hurting and she knew that sooner rather than later, she would have to sit quietly somewhere and sort this out inside her head. “Why wouldn’t she tell me if there was another soddin’ part to the charm?” His voice was quietly cold and Buffy felt a shiver run over her body. It was a long time since she’d heard William the Bloody speaking but for a second or two, there he was. “Perhaps – perhaps she couldn’t,” Willow said softly. “Maybe Darla put some sort of prohibiting spell on her at the same time as she told her about what she had done with Hope.” Spike pushed his fists deep into his duster pocket. “Darla wasn’t a witch, Red. She was an amoral, devious, evil great-grandmother sire of mine, but not a witch. Opening this portal would have been just about the limit of her abilities. Big spells like the one you’re talking about would have been beyond her. No, sounds to me as if there were two pendants. One to open the portal and one – ” “ - one to find where Hope is now,” Buffy finished the sentence for him. “So perhaps that’s what she’s doing,” Willow said, trying to be optimistic. “Finding her for you?” Her words fell into a bleak silence, broken only when Div’vid came thundering across to them. “William – Buffy. How can I find my dearest girl? I know something dreadful has happened to her. I can sense it.” “Div, do you know, did Bella steal two pendants from Darla?” Spike broke in abruptly. The demon looked puzzled. “Yes, of course. I thought she’d told you all about that. A silver one and a gold one.” He nodded at the carved piece Spike was still holding. “That’s the silver one.” “One for Sorrow, Two for Gold, Three for a Secret that shall never be told,” Spike said slowly. Buffy looked a question at him. “Old English saying, pet,” he said briefly. “But there’s another version. “One for Silver, Two for Gold, Three for a Secret that shall never be told.” “But why not tell you?” Buffy flung herself down on what was probably broken rocks but looked to her like soft green grass and waved away two big pink and mauve butterflies that immediately fluttered down, Disney fashion, towards her. “She was the one who finally let out the secret about Hope. If she didn’t want you to find her, then she needn’t have said a word.” Div’vid made a loud grumbling noise. “William, Bella would never do anything to hurt you. I’m sure whatever she’s doing, she’s doing for the very best of reasons.” Spike looked at him, his blue eyes gone cold, the high cheek bones slashing at flesh that seemed thinner, paler than ever. “Div, we’ve been mates since ever and Bella isn’t just my cousin, she’s my Childe. I turned her. We’re more than close. But if I find she’s been lying to me, if I discover that she’s plotting something that will stop me finding a trace of Hope, then I’m telling you straight. I’ll kill her.” To be continued

Chapter #9 - Chp 9 Two for Gold

Three for a Secret Two for Gold Buffy took a deep breath as Spike issued his challenge to Div’vid – that if he discovered Arabella was doing anything in this dimension to harm his chances of finding out what had happened to Hope, his sister, then he would kill her, regardless of the fact that she was his cousin and also his Childe, as he’d turned her all those years ago. Div’vid growled deep in his chest and pawed at the ground, tearing up great clods of earth with the polished cloven hoof that poked neatly through the cuff of his smart business suit. “You will not touch a hair on Arabella’s head or I will kill you! Friend or no friend.” Spike vamped out and prowled forward, eyes flashing gold. Buffy leapt between the two friends, wishing, not for the first time, that she were a few inches taller. Her head only came up to the middle button of Div’vid’s jacket. “OK! OK! Back off, both of you. Div’, no one’s going to hurt Arabella. Not if she hasn’t done anything and not even if she has because I promised Spike. And Spike, calm down. I expect Willow’s right – she usually is! – and your cousin has remembered something that will help you find news of Hope and gone rushing off.” For a long couple of seconds the vampire and demon glared at each other and the rest of the group held their breath until Spike’s face shimmered back into human form and the red glare vanished from the emerald demon’s eyes. “But why didn’t she tell me there was another locket?” Spike snapped. Buffy shook her head. “No idea, but let’s find her first, then we can ask her.” She stared around at what to her seemed like a Disney world scene. Two big butterflies fluttered around her head, their wings a shimmering purple and pink. She batted them away, wondering what they appeared to be to the others. Not Disney, that was for sure. It was mega weird that she saw this world in one way and everyone else saw it differently. She hadn’t wanted to let anyone out of her sight, but there was no point in them all charging off in the same direction. “We need to split up and hunt for Arabella,” she said. “Stay together and no one wander away on their own. We haven’t been threatened by anything yet, but we’ve no idea what’s out there, waiting for us.” Anya laid a hand on Div’vid’s arm. “I’ll come with you,” she said brightly. “I’d like to help.” “Ahn!” Xander’s voice was raised in astonishment and hurt. She tossed her head. “There’s no point in saying “Ahn” in that tone of voice Xander Harris! You’ve obviously been doing or saying something to this guy’s wife otherwise he wouldn’t have been chasing you. Sometimes I think you think I’m plain stupid. Just be thankful my vengeance days are over. But I warn you, if I ever discover you’ve been unfaithful to me – well, syphilis will be the least of your problems!” She caught hold of Div’vid’s arm and together they hurried off between the trees, the mournful cow like calling of Arabella’s name echoing through the trees. “Anya!” “Leave it, Xan,” Willow said. “She isn’t listening.” “Will, I need someone to stay here at The Magic Box,” Buffy said, trying to ignore Xander’s hurt expression. “I don’t want us all wandering around without someone at base – if something goes wrong, I’ll need you as back up.” Willow nodded. She stared around her and shuddered slightly. “OK, Buffy. I’d like to explore further, but this place is weird. I don’t like the way it changes whoever’s looking at it. Creepy! Come on, Xander. Let’s go inside. I want to have another look through some of Giles’ older books, see if there’s any reference to what this universe is about.” Buffy turned to Spike once they were alone. He was staring out at what seemed to her to be two pretty butterflies hovering over a clump of primroses, his expression bleak. She noticed that his hands were clenched fists and she could almost see the tension flowing from him. “Right,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. “Let’s go find Arabella.” Spike looked at her and she winced at the pain she saw in his eyes. “I don’t understand, Slayer. What’s Bella doing? This isn’t a game. Not a soddin’ joke. ” “Hey, back up a bit. No one’s saying any of this is a joke. If your sister was on this world – then we’ll find out what happened to her.” Spike turned away. She made it sound so easy but the jungle around them was growing thicker and darker as he watched. Wherever the light was coming from – and it certainly wasn’t sunshine – it was fading fast. “We’ll never find her now. It’s getting dark.” Buffy stared at him, puzzled. As far as she could see, the light flickering through the forest canopy hadn’t changed at all. “Not so much. Come on, you’re not going to find out what happened to Hope by standing here feeling sorry for yourself! And we don’t know that Arabella’s doing anything wrong. Perhaps she thinks she’s helping.” The reply ripped back at her. “What’s this, the Slayer’s pep talk to depressed vamps? You don’t even like Arabella.” “OK, she isn’t top of my Christmas card list. I don’t trust her; I never have. But she’s your family and I promised you ages ago I wouldn’t stake her unless she attacked me. She hates me, that I do know. But hey, vampire and Slayer here and she also knows that we have – we do – well, we have a connection.” “Sex,” Spike said drily. Buffy flushed. “OK, sex, a physical sort of – thingy. Call it what you like. Arabella knows this and she doesn’t like it. She loves you, Spike. Oh – ” she waved a hand to stop him speaking, “not in a cousinly, Childe sort of way. But a male and female sort of way.” “That’s a load of – ” “It’s a load of truth!” Buffy snapped, interrupting him. “Don’t you think I can sense when someone else loves you, don’t you think I don’t look at her and feel jealous!” Spike looked bewildered. “Jealous? Are you saying -?” Buffy stepped in close to him. She needed him at his fighting best. She had to break through this black despair and make him react and she only knew one way. “Yes, you stupid vamp. I feel jealous when another girl looks at you that way and I know exactly what she’s thinking. ‘Why isn’t he mine?’ ‘What would it be like if he kissed me?’ ‘What would happen if he touched me - there?’” She reached out and cupped his face between her hands. She ran her thumbs over his cheekbones, then slid he fingers down his cheeks, circling his lips, whimpering as he caught one between his teeth, sucked it into his mouth and licked it. His tongue was cold and rough against her skin and she welcomed the tremors that travelled across her nerve endings as she imagined that same tongue touching other parts of her body. She could see the despair in his eyes lift a little and the growl from his chest told her that she had at last broken through. “You don’t know the meaning of the word jealousy, pet,” he said at last, pulling her close and burying his face in her hair. “Every time I think of you and Riley, you and Liam, you and every bloody man you’ve ever spoken to, I want to rip their throats out!” “Well, if we’re making lists, can I put Dru at the top of mine?” Buffy muttered, her voice muffled from her face being almost flattened against his chest. She fought free. Breathing was good for humans. Breathing was necessary! “Dru didn’t like Bella,” Spike muttered absently and for the first time ever, Buffy felt a great fellow feeling for her mad ex rival. “She said she lied. She said no stars danced in the sky above her head. I never knew what the bloody hell she meant.” Buffy wriggled herself even closer. She’d missed this intimacy, this sense of belonging that only occurred when she was held in his arms. The temptation to agree with Dru, to tell Spike that his cousin was a no-good ho with no morals and even worse dress sense was overwhelming. But she knew deep down that however angry he was with his cousin at the moment, the bonds of family and siring were forged in steel and although they might be bending at the moment, it was unlikely that any words from her would break them entirely. “Listen, when I met Arabella at her party, I wanted to kill her. Not because she’s a vampire, but because I thought you had something going on with her. We fought over you, Spike! You can’t have forgotten that.” The rumble in his chest turned out to be laughter. “I thought you were drunk, pet. Both of you. And two girls fighting, both almost stark naked, well, you saw the effect that had on me! You felt it too! I’ve never been so hard – ” He stopped as Buffy dug him in the ribs with her elbow. Then, “Wish I’d had a video camera! I could watch it when I’m all alone in my crypt – ” The elbow dug deeper and he stopped, reluctantly. They stood in reflective silence for a moment, memories running through their heads. Then, “Hey, I still don’t believe Arabella would do anything to hurt you,” Buffy said, reluctantly pulling herself out of his embrace. “She wants you to like her. Hell, she wants you to love her. So, let‘s get to work. Find her and get to the truth.” * * * * * * A mile away, Spike’s cousin was sitting perched on a jagged rock, wearily inspecting the sole of her boot that had come loose. She felt dirty and tired and extremely irritable. This trip was not turning out as she’d expected! Arabella stared around her at the bleak, barren landscape and ducked as two huge bats came sweeping towards her, seemingly intent on getting tangled up in her hair. She pulled her boot back on, pulled the gold locket out of her pocket and stared at it. There had been no way she was going to tell William and his little Slayer about this second clue. She’d learnt a long time ago that you always kept one card up your sleeve. She could still hear Darla’s voice, the hard-edged purr that could scare you silly if you let it. “The silver pendant unlocks the door to the other dimension, but you need the gold one to find where I put the squealing child. One for silver, two for gold, three for a secret that must never be told.” Dusk was falling now. Arabella sighed and stood up. If she’d managed to leave Buffy behind when the portal opened, she’d had every intention of using the gold locket secretly so she could ‘accidentally’ lead William to his sister. She hadn’t reckoned on the whole Magic Shop being transported. All these stupid people blundering about, making her life difficult. She felt tears well in her eyes. Really, was it so much to ask – that she found happiness with the man she’d always loved? She’d waited so long for Cousin William to turn to her, for Dru’s hold on his emotions to finally weaken and die. She’d watched from nearby when the four of them, Angel, Darla, Dru and William had spent their time together. She’d always been on the outside, looking in. Oh, they’d been polite and once Angel and she had – but only the once! She’d seen the look in Darla’s eyes and backed away, graciously. Eventually she’d realised that her unlife was passing her by. She was going to end up alone, century after century. And there’d been Div’vid, waiting for her. So she’d stolen Darla’s pendants and married Div. But she’d always known Cousin William was her destiny. She’d watched and waited, year after year, through war, famine, revolutions – always alert for any sign that Dru was loosing interest, or news that some Slayer had staked her. And now there was this human, this stupid, pathetic little girl hanging around him. So Buffy Summers was a Slayer! So what? Arabella had killed one herself, many years ago. It hadn’t been that difficult. Men, especially Liam and William, made such a big fuss about Slayers. That and football. Arabella tossed back her long brown curls and brushed the dust from her skirt. The gold locket was showing her the way. It throbbed insistently went she walked in a certain direction. All she had to do was go where it wanted to go and she would find Hope. “Arabella! Sweetheart – answer meeeeee!” She frowned as the mournful mooing of Div’vid’s voice echoed across the rocky plateau she was standing on. She shouldn’t have stopped to rest. He was much closer now. And – she raised her nose and sniffed the air – there was a human woman with him. But not all human, there was a trace of demon in her as well. She smiled and turned to continue up the path. That would be just perfect – if her husband was interested in another woman, then he wouldn’t be nearly so difficult to persuade that she belonged with William. But there was, of course, the little question of all his millions. Arabella frowned as she climbed the path that led her higher and higher into the cliffs that reared up into the evening sky. No, tempting as it might be, she couldn’t give Div’ to another girl. Being with William was her main aim, but she wanted to be with William and rich! So if whoever was with her husband was any sort of threat, she would have to die. Painfully. And with a happy smile on her beautiful face, Arabella felt the pendant twitch in her palm once again and obediently climbed faster as she planned death, divorce and years of making sweet love to Cousin William. To be continued

Chapter #10 - Chp 10 Two by Two

Three for a Secret Chp Two by two “This isn’t sunlight, is it?” Spike asked suddenly as they climbed through long grass up a steep slope. The jungle had been left far behind them and as the trees thinned out, he’d realised as the shade grew less and less and smoke didn’t start hissing from his skin that the light coming from the sky was not the sun. Buffy stopped for a second to rest her aching legs. She gazed back down the hill to where the dark green trees of the jungle closed in, shutting off her view of the path that led back to The Magic Box. “No, that’s what we thought earlier. I don’t know what it is, but it isn’t sun.” Spike pulled a face, brushing aside two big fat bees that were buzzing around his head. “Unless it’s just a trap for unwary vampires. You know, Slayer, every hour on the hour the grey skies vanish and bang, the sun pops out to wave hello to you and goodbye to us.” “Then the sooner we get over this hill and find some proper shelter, the better,” she said dryly and pushing her hands against her thighs, forced her legs to move again. Spike kept stride effortlessly at her side, reaching out to pull her up over steep parts that looked like Mount Everest. “Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” she gasped at last. Spike tilted back his head and scented the air. “Yup, Arabella came this way, not too long ago. She was in a hurry.” “I bet,” Buffy muttered. irritated that his vampire cousin obviously didn’t find the steep climb a problem, then shot him a guilty look as she saw the expression of pain flash across his face again. “Still, I expect she was in a hurry to save Hope,” she went on, trying for bright and sounding like Dawn when she’d had far too much sugary popcorn. “Come on, Buffy, let’s be sensible,” the vampire replied, the first signs of weariness beginning to sound in his voice. “I’m not completely doo-lally. Hope isn’t going to be alive. All I can expect is some sort of answers to my questions. How long she lived. How she died. I need to know that, as you would if Dawnie – ” Buffy grabbed his arm and pulled him to a halt. She couldn’t listen to this. She flung herself down under an overhanging rock, shooing away two little furry creatures who tried to crawl onto her lap. The Disney type animals were becoming more and more insistent as the hours passed. “Look, let’s take a break for ten minutes. I am so not a mountain goat! Getting exhausted isn’t going to help. We’ve been climbing for hours.” Spike gazed down at the blonde head resting near his shoulder and a reluctant smile tweaked at his mouth. “Well, perhaps forty minutes, pet!” “La di dah. Got a built in clock now have you?” she jeered and didn’t object when he tightened his arm round her and pulled her close to kiss. “I know exactly how long it is since we made love!” he said as she broke the contact, gasping for air. When they parted, she sighed and wriggled herself comfortably into the crook of his arm and stared back down the valley towards the jungle below them. The only sounds were the chirping of little pink and yellow birds and the wind rustling the long grass. She wondered where Anya and Div’vid were. She could no longer hear Div’vid’s mournful calling for his wife. Perhaps they’d caught up with Arabella. She didn’t fancy being in the vampire girl’s shoes when her demon husband found her, although knowing Arabella, she’d twist him round her little finger as usual. “Have you remembered anything else about Hope?” she asked softly. Spike sighed. “Not big on the memories of those days, pet. Stupid git that I was; ashamed of my illegitimate half sister. Afraid of what my so called friends would say if they found out about her. God, it makes me want to puke to think of it.” “She wouldn’t have known that, though,” Buffy said. “Maybe she didn’t even know she had a big brother called William?” Spike laughed and it was a bitter sound. “Oh, I think she knew, pet. Celeste, her mother, would have told her. I remember going round to the little house my sodding father bought for his mistress and his little daughter. Not sure why I went now. Probably from some pompous do-gooding idea that I could make Celeste pack her bags and leave London.” He fell silent and Buffy was reluctant to speak, but she had to know. “And you met Hope? You said she had dark hair.” “Very dark, long and shiny and big blue eyes. I can’t remember her face – ” he halted again, his hand clenching fiercely on her shoulder – “she curtsied and said hello and smiled up at me and I – I – just walked past her, not even bothering to look properly at her. God – I deserved to be eaten by Dru and Liam, not turned.” Buffy shook her head impatiently. “You had no choice in that, Spike. Stop beating yourself up over it. And you didn’t have anything to do with killing Celeste. That was Darla, wasn’t it?” Spike nodded. “I was busy taking out all the people who’d offended me over the years. I had no idea what Darla and Angel were up to. But Buffy, would I have stopped them if I had known? The rest of my family – cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone except Arabella. I killed them all. Why would Hope have been any different?” “You’ve just said ‘except Arabella’. I think that’s your answer. You didn’t slaughter your whole family. You made a choice. OK, not a very big choice – one out of many ” And the wrong one probably, she said to herself, “but you didn’t kill Arabella, you turned her. You would have done the same for anyone you truly cared for.” A memory of his mother pushed its way forward in Spike’s mind and he savagely crushed it. There was no way he could mention that to the Slayer. She would never understand. “Bloody hell, Buffy. Your logic is weird. Most people would think being killed was the better option. Are you saying I’d have turned Hope as well if I’d had the chance? If I’d even bloody well have remembered that she and Celeste existed!” Buffy frowned and watched intently as two candy-striped ants ran up and down her arm. “No, I’ve no idea, Spike. All I know is that she was your little sister who’d done you no harm. Something inside me tells me that you wouldn’t have hurt her or let Darla hurt her, either.” “Why did you say earlier that you think Bella’s in love with me?” Spike asked suddenly changing the subject because he had no faith in her belief that he would have stopped Darla doing anything she wanted to do at that time. She’d only had to reach down and touch him - ! “You know she’s my cousin as well as my Childe. We’re family, pet. Not saying she doesn’t love me, but she hasn’t ‘fallen’ in love with me. Big difference.” Buffy glanced down at the strong pale hand that lay idly on her thigh; thin fingers slightly splayed, the black nail polish long gone. She was careful not to look up into his face: she knew her expression would give too much away. He always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, no matter what words came out of her mouth. “I wonder why we always say ‘falling’ in love? Why do we fall and not zoom up or jump into or dive into or – ” “Somersault backwards with a triple twist?” Buffy grinned. That just about summed up how she felt whenever she saw him, much as she refused to admit it, even to herself. “I suppose we fall because we’ve no idea where we’re going to bloody well land! You can’t choose the time or place or – ” Spike paused for a second and glanced down at her – “or the person. It just happens. One minute you’re walking along, minding your own business, ready for a piece of the action, your whole unlife mapped out before you, then – wallop – you fall down a friggin’ great hole into a completely new world!” “Wallop?” “Definitely wallop.” He could remember a dreadful, marvellous, vivid dream – remembered waking with Harmony at his side, but the strength and knowledge of what he’d stubbornly refused to admit to himself over the years had blotted out everything from his mind except the Slayer’s face and the fact that he had indeed fallen in love. “You fell in love with Liam,” he added and cursed as he felt her body stiffen. “And you fell for Dru!” There was a long silence as one remembered the teenage angst love affair and the other the angst ridden thrall of loving his mad sire. “We’d better get moving,“ Buffy said at last, easing herself out of his embrace and standing up. A swirl of leather and he was at her side, his eyes darkening with itensity. “Sometimes you fall softly, other times it hurts when you land,” he said. “I’ll never, ever recover from falling for you, Slayer. You know that, don’t you?” Buffy bit her lip. She wanted to tell him that she felt the same, but – well, this wasn’t the time or the place and anyway, love? Lust, maybe, and she certainly felt jealousy, but she refused to give her feelings the name of love. She turned and started climbing the slope again. Somewhere ahead was Arabella and the other locket. And perhaps a clue as to what had happened to Hope. She would concentrate on that alone and not let herself worry about falling in love with a vampire. Above her head two bright red and blue butterflies danced, their wings shimmering in the odd half light. Buffy went to swish them aside, then paused. “Spike, that’s weird, have you noticed, everywhere I go, there are animals or insects, birds and creepy crawly thingies surrounding me? And they always arrive in twos.” A mile away on the other side of the hill, Anya and Div’vid were making slow progress in their hunt for his wife. He had stopped shouting Arabella‘s name – mainly because the noise made it rain and Anya was tired of getting wet. But the biggest obstacle in their way was that they were deep in a conversation about real estate values and whether you could prove ownership in an alternate universe. “It’s too damp a world to promote for the leisure market,” Anya said, skipping over a large puddle. “But I suppose we could sell off plots of land to build houses.” Puzzled, Div’vid stared down at the slim shape who was jumping over apparently perfectly flat pieces of grass. “Damp? – I haven’t seen any dampness so far. It seems good development potential to me.” Anya sighed. She’d already worked out that everyone who arrived on this world saw it in a different way. She just didn’t understand why her way had to have so much – water – in it. “So I see rain and puddles, you see bright sunshine and blue skies,” she said. “That’s a good selling point in itself, isn’t it? I could write a really cool brochure – Live Your Own Life in Your Own World. We have the Perfect Building Plot for you. What you see is What you Get.” Her eyes sparkled at the thought of how much money they could make. She cast a glance a long way upwards towards the emerald cow-like head above her. She liked this demon. OK, she would never love anyone like she loved Xander. Div’vid wasn’t as handsome or strong, but – and she felt guilty in even thinking it – he had a better business brain. And looks weren’t everything. That was a fact Vengeance demons learnt when they were still developing the hag like lines and folds of skin. Div’vid’s little cow ears twitched in appreciation as he stared down at her. He liked this ex-demon woman a lot. Oh, admittedly she wasn’t as beautiful or fragile as his dear wife, but – and he felt guilty in even mooing it – she had a better business brain. And looks weren’t everything. This was a fact seven feet high, bright green Regurgitating Frovlax demons learnt when they were just two feet six and eau-de-nil in colour. Anya stopped suddenly, out of breath, as the hill grew steeper under their feet. “Rest for a while,” Div’vid said anxiously. He always forgot that human beings had their little weaknesses. He watched as she perched on a flat boulder and gazed out towards the far horizon. He coughed deeply, then chewed thoughtfully on a mouthful of hay he’d saved in one of his stomachs since breakfast. He had to admit, Anya was also one of the few humans he’d ever met who didn’t seem to flinch at the odours on his breath. Yes, he would never love anyone as much as he loved Bella, but there was nothing in his culture, come to think of it, that said he couldn’t have another partner. The three of them would make a nice little herd. Why hadn’t he ever thought of that before? Many miles ahead of them all now – because just because you were female didn’t stop you being powerful when you were a vampire, although you had to be so careful of getting over developed leg and arm muscles, god she should write a book about it but only loosers bothered writing – Arabella realised that the gold locket clutched in her hand was now throbbing, burning almost painfully against her smooth skin. She was nearly there – wherever there was. For the first time, a frizzon of unease crossed her mind. She didn’t believe Hope would still be alive, of course. That was just a fairy-story to get William to turn to her in his hour of need. But this universe was weird. What if the little girl had survived and was now a very, very old woman? Or completely mad? She winced as the locket sent a shaft of pain up her arm and she realised with a shriek that she was beginning to burn! Before she could stop herself, she flung it away and, nursing her blackened hand to her chest, watched in horror as it bounced sideways and was lost in a cluster of rocks! To be continued

Chapter #11 - Chp 11 Choices

Three for a Secret Chapter 11 Choices Buffy and Spike had just crested a hill when they heard Arabella scream. Loud and clear, aching with pain, the sound sliced through Spike’s mind, childe calling to sire. He reacted without thinking, plunging down the steep slope, vaulting rocks and jagged holes in the ground, Buffy at his heels. They found Arabella sitting on what looked like a rock to Spike and a gentle grassy mound to Buffy, nursing her hand against her chest. She looked up at Spike, tears trembling on the edge of her big blue eyes. “Oh, William. Thank heavens you’ve come. I’m so sorry!” “You’re hurt,” Spike snapped, reaching for her hand and inspecting the black burn in the middle of her palm. “Oh, that’s nothing, nothing at all. I can bear the pain of this – ” she faltered to a stop, stretching out her other hand towards Spike and Buffy bit her lip to stop herself clapping the performance. “ - but I can’t bear the pain of knowing I’ve failed you.” “What burnt you?” Buffy asked. Arabella shot her a sideways glance and Buffy could see a flash of irritation, swiftly hidden. When she spoke, her voice was soft and repentant. “It was the pendant. The - the gold one.” “The one you never told us about!” “Buffy!” Spike sounded hurt and Buffy thought grimly that if he didn’t let go of Arabella’s hand in the next few seconds, she would cheerfully stake both of them. The silence lengthened. Spike stared into his cousin’s eyes. So deeply blue, so beautiful. You could drown in those sapphire depths. In her eyes he could see little glimpses of a past long gone, of a family, friends, a life he’d happily discarded. He’d always thought Arabella was his last link with that life. His blood, his childe and every instinct in his body was urging him to trust her. She was family, in both senses. How could she hurt him? Why would she hurt him? But – he glanced at Buffy. The Slayer didn’t trust Arabella. She never had ever since they’d first met at that bloody awful party. And not because she was the Slayer and Arabella was a vampire. It was more than that. On some sodding deeper level he knew he didn’t truly understand, but had to accept if he loved Buffy, which he did. He’d laughed at her, told her she was imagining things. That OK, Arabella was fond of him because she was family, that was all. He’d wanted, desperately, to believe that his cousin was the same beautiful, kind, delightful girl she’d been when he turned her all those years ago. He’d stupidly wanted to hang on to a picture of what he thought was true – that he had a cousin, a childe, who truly cared for him. He tried to remember what the bloody stuff was that miners dug up out of the ground, thinking they’d struck gold, made their fortunes. He knew it had a proper name but fool’s gold was what most people called it. He was beginning to think his belief in Arabella over the years was a good example of that. So, he had to make a decision – trust his past or his present? Well, there wasn’t really a choice, was there? He’d forgotten one thing over all these years, he realised now. Arabella was a vampire first, his cousin second. And he had to deal with her, because she wasn’t the only link with the past. There was Hope. “Bella, Buffy’s right. You showed me the silver pendant, told me how you’d stolen it from Darla, so why not tell me there were two?” Arabella sighed. “Oh William, I know I should have done. Don’t you think I blame myself? I’ll never forgive myself if this has ruined your chance of discovering what happened to your little sister.” The crystal tears trembled on her lashes and trickled down her face. Buffy watched, fascinated. When she cried, her nose went red and her skin went blotchy. Arabella looked like a porcelain angel. “I never lied, except I stole both the pendants from Darla. The silver one opened the doorway to this dimension, but she gave me the impression that the gold one would show exactly where Hope was. But I wasn’t sure! You do see, William, don’t you? I didn’t want you to be disappointed. I thought if I kept the gold pendant a secret, I could follow where it lead, discover what had happened to Hope and then let you know. I just wanted to….” She gazed up at him, lips trembling. “I just wanted to soften the blow if it was bad news.” “Why did the pendant suddenly burn you?” Buffy asked. Arabella shook her head, sighing dramatically. “I don’t know. Perhaps I was getting very close to the secret it holds.” “Where is it now?” A trembling hand pointed towards a big patch of scarlet and yellow flowers. “In those rocks somewhere.” Spike followed her direction. “You mean in all that long grass?” Buffy felt her patience begin to ebb. This world was beginning to get on her nerves. Grass to Spike, rocks to Arabella, flowers to her – jeez, for all she knew they were all wrong and it was a great patch of chocolate chip ice-cream they were gazing at! Spike was searching through the long grass in a desperate attempt to find the locket, but the tough strands clung to his boots and the dust he kicked up filled the air. “Stand still!” Buffy commanded at last. “You’re crushing everything into a pulp.” She sank onto her hands and knees and began to feel through the red and yellow flowers. Suddenly she gasped. Right in front of her outstretched hand stood two tiny chipmunks and they were holding the chain of the pendant between them. Slowly she curled her fingers round the still warm links of the golden chain but the chipmunks didn’t run away. “This is seriously weird. Spike can you see what I’m looking at?” She could feel his breath on her ear as he bent over her. “Bloody hell, pet. It’s caught round a giant snake! Don’t pull the pendant away. It might be deadly.” There was a rustle and Arabella peered over her other shoulder. “There’s no snake, William. What are you talking about? It‘s just a jumble of old rocks.” “OK, now back away, both of you,” Buffy snapped. She was determined to discover exactly what was going on. That they all saw this world in a different way was obvious, but this was something else. Before, the animals, birds, butterflies, insects she had seen - and always, she realised, in pairs - had never interfered with what she was doing. But these chipmunks had actually helped her to find the pendant. That was mega odd. She could accept that she saw Disney like creatures everywhere, but not that they were involving themselves in her world. She passed the still warm gold pendant back to Spike who hadn’t moved an inch. He was guarding her back, as she knew he always would. His hand clasped her shoulder but then, to her annoyance, Arabella immediately placed her hand on his arm. Buffy tried to ignore them both. Still kneeling, she stared down at the two little animals, whose bright black eyes gazed back, intently, urgently, as if determined she should do something, say something, be something… Whatever they wanted, she knew instinctively that it was important and only she could make it happen. For the first time since they‘d arrived in this world, she didn’t brush the creatures away, but slowly, very slowly, she reached out, with her hands and mind. And as her fingertips touched the chipmunks fur, her mind reached a barrier that shimmered and distorted and finally broke. She was inside and the most incredible feeling ran through her body! Warmth, joy, desire, fulfilment, safety and the knowledge that she was loved. She felt she was falling into a cloud of bright happiness, and as she fell, she realised that Spike and Arabella were there with her. * * * * Anya and Div’vid toiled up a steep, grassy slope, deep in conversation. Their plan to divide this world into saleable plots for holiday home building purposes was coming along nicely, although Anya was weary of the constant rain and didn’t quite believe that people would prefer to live here instead of Florida when they retired. But Div’vid seemed quite happy with her rough financial breakdown of costs and, after all, it couldn’t go on raining for ever. Perhaps this was just the monsoon season here, wherever here was. “You know, Div, we have to give this world a name,” she said enthusiastically. “If we’re going to sell land, then we’ll have to advertise it. We need something snappy, catchy.” “True.” The seven foot, emerald green Frovlax considered the problem. “We’ll need to make a list. I was wondering if our best bet would be to sell the land only to the demon market. There is a growing demand for holiday homes somewhere different. Demons are getting so tired of Disney World and Las Vegas. And, after all, is it going to be difficult to explain a world like this to humans?” Anya sniffed. “Well, I’m human now, of course, and I don’t find it a hard concept to grasp, but you may well be right. If I try and tell Xander that there’s a universe which will appear differently to whoever’s living in it, he’ll freak out. But I shall enjoy selling to demons. They are always so more practical about money.” She stopped and turned as she realised she was walking several yards ahead of Div’vid, talking to thin air. He was standing on the path behind her, his great cow head raised, scenting the air. He looked puzzled and as worried as a Frovlax could look without resembling a wildebeest. “What’s the matter?” “It‘s my Arabella.” Anya felt a frizzon of guilt run through her. It wasn’t that she’d forgotten Arabella, more that she had become so close to Div’vid – in a purely business sense, of course – that she’d let it slip from her mind that they were supposed to be tracking the vampire girl. “Is she OK?” Div’vid staggered and Anya realised his beautiful emerald colour was fast turning to a muddy eau-de-nil. “She isn’t here any more!” “What! You mean…you mean…she’s had an accident? She’s dead?” Div‘vid shook his head in bewilderment. “No, Anya. She’s not dead. At least, I don’t think so. She’s just not on this world at all any more. She’s gone, vanished as if she never ever existed!” To be continued

Chapter #12 - Chp 12 Puzzles

Three for a Secret Chp 12: Puzzles The inside of the Magic Box was quiet and comfortable. A warm breeze blew in through the half open door, bringing the scent of flowers. Willow and Xander were sitting at the table, one reading a book, the other a comic. Without looking up, Willow turned a page with one hand and pushed a bag of chips she’d found under the counter towards her friend. Xander took a handful, not taking his gaze from the latest Harry Potter. Willow sighed and closed the comic. “I wish our lives were as simple as these guys,” she murmured. “Kpaow! Bang! Everyone bad is dead and the heroes fly off into the night.” Xander grinned at her. It felt good sitting here with his best friend, knowing that whatever he said, she would understand, even if it came out wrong. When he was with Anya, he always had the sneaking suspicion she was analysing every word he said for sense and grammar. ‘Well, as far as we know, our heroes have flown off into the night as well.” “Without telling us? Hey, yes, you could be right.” She paused, then looked up at him from under her tangled red hair. “Do you sometimes get the feeling that we’re just the walk on parts in Buffy’s little play?” Xander frowned. Trust Will to put into words what he’d been feeling for months. “I mean, why did she want us to stay here in the shop? What damage did she think we would do to this world? And why is it OK for Anya and that Div’vid to wander around on their own?” Xander shut his book with a snap and walked across to the door. He stood, hands jammed in pockets, gazing out. He realized, with a start, that he had no great desire to go and explore any more. Did he feel left out? Yes, but there was nothing new about that sensation. The odd trailing edge of a thought flickered through his mind and he clutched at it, trying to make sense of what he was thinking. When the truth hit him, he physically rocked on his heels. He was bored! Bored, bored, bored. By the whole vampire, demon scene. Bored at always being the back-up guy who was useful in an emergency, could be relied on to help put Buffy’s plans into action, but was never, as Willow had just said, more than a bit part player. He realized that he’d enjoyed the last hour, sitting chatting with Willow, more than anything that had happened to him for ages. No Anya, no Buffy, no Spike or Dawn. Just him and his best friend. Xander turned and stared at the redhead who had picked up the comic again. He’d always known, of course, that somewhere along the way, when he should have taken the obvious path, he hadn’t. Then there’d be Cordelia, Oz, Tara and Anya. But – and the blazing thought was there and wouldn’t go away – all of that was wrong. He and Willow – that was what was meant. They’d all been treating life like some jigsaw puzzle, where they’d pushed pieces together to try and make a pattern. And they nearly did – but it wasn’t quite right. He and Willow – that was right. He sat down again, heavily. He felt weird. He felt happy. Willow could feel hot colour flooding up into her face. She got up and pretended to search for something on the shelves behind the counter. What on earth was happening to her? She loved Tara. She was gay. Oz had been – well, part of growing up, but she knew who and what she was now. So why had she just looked across at Xander – Xander! – and wanted to – felt that – realised that Oz and Tara didn’t matter. Her destiny was sitting there in front of her. And, what was even more disturbing, knowing this made her feel happy! Out on the hillside a couple of miles away, Anya and Div’vid were relaxing, gazing out over the empty world. To Anya’s relief it had stopped raining and two vast rainbows were cutting across the sky. It was such a beautiful world and would make such a lot of money if packaged and sold correctly as building plots for holiday homes. She knew hundreds of demons who might be persuaded to buy. And Div’vid was such a good partner to have. Not only did he have good ideas, but he appreciated the value of money almost as much as she did. She was working out in her mind exactly where they could build a mall when Div’vid sighed, his breath parting the long grass in front of them like a small tornado. Anya patted his vast green hand sympathetically. She wasn’t usually touched by emotions, even though now being human, she often had them herself. But the mournful expression on this demon’s face had upset her. At least his skin was returning from that nasty sickly green to a lovely deep emerald shade. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him, but she wasn’t quite sure why he was upset. “You sound sad. Was it something I said?” Div’vid shook his head, his little cow ears waggling. “No, Anya. I feel – I feel as if I’ve forgotten something important, but can’t quite remember what.” “Oh, that’s quite common amongst us business people,” Anya said cheerfully, feeling better now she knew she wasn’t to blame. “We lead busy lives and have a lot on our minds. And I expect you’ve been travelling a lot and not eating properly. I’m not surprised you’re feeling absentminded.” Div’vid looked down at her and smiled. She was very sweet, this ex-demon girl. Caring, clever and very sexy. “You’re quite right. It’s been hours since I ate a good meal. My stomachs are all empty and I can’t regurgitate anything.” Anya tutted crossly. She knew as well as the next girl that Regurgitating Frovlax demons needed to eat every two hours. “If you want to eat, just go ahead. It won’t bother me.” Div’vid hesitated. He had the oddest feeling that other people, well, one other person but he couldn’t remember who, hated to see him eating in public, always insisted that he only did so when he was alone. He gazed longingly at the acres of sweet, clover filled grasses around him. “Well, if you’re sure – ” Anya watched, pleased and proud as he grazed, his massive jaws chewing the grass with loud chomping noises. So, perhaps he wasn’t facially the best-looking demon she had ever accounted, but he had a great body and she’d always liked her men to be – well – big! And in that department she had no doubts at all. And OK, he looked like a cow, but she didn’t find that unattractive. She liked cows. And looks weren’t the person. She’d always known that Xander had hated her demon veins. It was odd, but somehow she knew Div’vid would find them quite becoming. Was she being unfaithful to Xander? She reached up and patted Div’vid on the back as he burped on a particularly rich and thorny weed. Xander wouldn’t care, she realised. Xander had Willow and it wasn’t as if Div’vid was attached to anyone… She sighed happily. It was weird, but she felt as if she’d been trying to do one of those silly puzzles and suddenly all the pieces had fallen neatly into place. It was Spike’s voice that woke Buffy from what seemed like a long, relaxing sleep. “Buffy! Slayer! Wake up, pet. You really need to open your eyes!” Buffy grunted, buried her face in the soft cotton of what she knew was his T-shirt, feeling the hardness of the muscles underneath. “Perhaps she’s dead.” All sleep vanished. That was Arabella’s light, English voice, clipping out the words in what sounded like a hopeful tone. Buffy opened her eyes and sat up. The three of them were lying on the ground in – words vanished from her mind to describe where they were. Too vast for a room, a white space stretching on and up, shining and beautiful. The very air seemed to shimmer around them. “Spike?” “Right here, pet. Wherever here is!” “The chipmunks – they were holding the pendant, the gold one. I touched it, touched them – and then – ” “It’s magic. I hate magic!” Arabella stood up and brushed down her immaculate skirt. “It’s so irresponsible and unreliable. We could be anywhere.” Spike pulled Buffy to her feet and stood, his arm round her shoulder. His eyes darkened from blue to midnight. “Do you reckon this is where Hope came when Darla sent her here? It’s bloody big – and she was very small.” Buffy squeezed the hand that lay on her shoulder. “Can I just check we’re all seeing the same place – big white area, very shiny?” The two vampires nodded. “Have you still got the gold pendant?” Spike asked. Buffy nodded. The chain had been tangled around her fingers as she’d touched the “chipmunks” or whatever they had been. She raised her other hand and the pendant swung glittering in the brilliant light. Spike dug into his duster pocket and pulled out the carved silver locket. He took the gold one from Buffy and the two pieces of jewellery swung together. “One for silver, two for gold, three for a secret that shall never be told,” he said uneasily. His voice rang out into the endless white space surrounding them and the air shimmered violently again. Arabella shuddered. “Don’t!” she snapped. She tossed back her long brown curls. “I hate this place. It’s dangerous. Can’t you feel it? We should go. The Slayer brought us here. She wants us dead. Well, I’m not staying around just to oblige her. I want to go back. William – are you listening to me. I – want – to – go – now!” “I’m not going anywhere until I find out what happened to my little sister.” Buffy glanced at him. That was the first time she had heard him use that tone of voice to his cousin. Arabella reacted immediately and vamped into game face. “Who died and made you King?” she snarled. “I want to go. This place is magical and horrible. I don’t care what happened to Hope. She died a long time ago, William. I’m sorry and all that, but you might as well accept the fact that she’s gone.” Spike vamped out and glared at his cousin. “I thought you wanted me to find her. Why did you tell me about Darla and the pendant if you didn’t want me to know?” Arabella shrugged angrily. She was feeling weird, scared and irritated. This trip wasn’t turning out as she’d hoped. Cousin William was obviously still besotted with the Slayer, they were standing in some mystical, magical world, waiting for god knew what and she would have sold her soul if she’d had one for a hot shower and a good manicure. Buffy glanced from one glaring vampire to the other and sighed. She wasn’t sure which she preferred; Spike and his cousin being all over each other or threatening to fight to the death. What was weird, though, was that she didn’t feel jealous of Arabella any more. She knew that Spike loved her: even when they were apart, that love wrapped round her like a warm cloak. And what was even weirder was that she knew without any doubts that she loved him. Why the heck had she been trying to deny it all this time? It didn’t make any sense. She and Spike might not be the perfect partnership of all time, but they were right together. She reached out now to touch the ridges across his glaring eyes and he vamped back into human form. He looked at her and, for a second his gaze was bewildered, then his eyes smiled and another piece of the puzzle snapped into place. “Buffy!” “Spike!” “All okay, then?” he said and she didn’t even need to speak, just nodded and moved towards him. Arabella backed away, scared, feeling a strange power surging between the two of them. A black dread flooded into her mind. She didn’t understand what was happening. It had all seemed so simple; tell Spike about Hope, find out what had happened to the child by using the pendants, and bask in William’s love and gratitude. Div’vid – a name, a memory of a large green demon floated through her brain. But he wasn’t important; he meant nothing to her. What was important was her survival. Because this dreadful place was destroying all her hopes and dreams. She didn’t belong here, didn’t belong anywhere. She felt lost and bereft, wanted her mother and father and sisters, all long dead, killed by the man who stood there, love for a Slayer blazing out of his eyes. She couldn’t stay with them. She knew, without knowing how, that staying would mean her death. She turned and ran – and no one stopped her. Spike and Buffy didn’t even notice Arabella had gone. Her hands were clasped around his neck as he moulded her body against his. The kiss was long and deep; not just from passion, although that was there, but from commitment, need and love. When they finally broke apart, they stood, locked in each other’s arms. The very air around them seemed to feel and taste differently, it shimmered and moved and – “Spike!” “I can see them, Buffy.” Standing on either side of them were two figures, tall, white shapes, constantly shifting, brilliant colours rippling across the surface of their bodies. The pendants had called them and whatever they were, they’d now arrived. The last instalment coming up!

Chapter #13 - Chp 13 Hope - Final chp

Three for a Secret 14 Chp 14 Hope Buffy linked her fingers tightly through Spike’s and faced the two shimmering figures. They looked vaguely human but the surface of their bodies moved like water with colours, gold, silver, ice blue and palest green flickering across them, so brilliant and so beautiful that it hurt to look. This world had produced some strange things, but this was amazing. And, strangest of all, she didn’t feel the slightest bit of apprehension. “Who are you?” she said eventually. The reply when it came was soft and musical, like bells chiming far away. She knew she shouldn’t be able to understand what was being said, but she could. “We call ourselves Arrangers.” “And you’re what, spirits, angels, gods?” The colours fluttered into primrose, pink and lilac. The bells laughed. “Gods? Oh no. We’re Arrangers. If you come to this world, we take it for granted that even if you are not aware of it, there is something wrong with your life that needs “arranging”’. Buffy started to say that not everyone came here of their own free will when Spike interrupted. “I’ve come to find my sister. She – ” “We know all about your sister, William,” came the reply. “What happened to her?” There was a silence, then a second set of bells began to chime. “Patience, vampire. You did not wish to know her in her other life.” Buffy felt Spike tense and for one awful moment thought he was going to launch himself at the glowing figure nearest to him. She tightened her grip on his cold hand and held him back. Somehow she knew that violence was not going to be the answer in this world. “Bloody hell - !” “Spike – don’t! Listen, Arrangers, I’m sure you mean well, and okay, we don’t understand exactly what you do, but we don’t mean any harm. We’re not staying, we didn’t come to get our lives rearranged, we just want to discover what happened to Hope.” “You can discover many things in this world.” Buffy sighed. She had the feeling that talking to the Arrangers was going to be like one of those tests you get given where you have to tick different boxes and they tell you in advance that there isn’t a correct answer. “We’ve noticed your world seems very different whoever is looking at it. Is that what you mean?” The bells chimed together, high and low. “Yes, who you are inside, what you have experienced, how you see life, if you come through the portal, that is how the world will appear to you.” “Well, I see it all in Disney, but I definitely don’t see life like that!” “But your life is all make believe, Buffy Summers. You are the Slayer. You pretend to be an ordinary girl, you are not. You pretend not to love this vampire, but you do. You pretend that you are happy when you’re sad. Death sits on your shoulder but you laugh at it. This world chose Disney for you.” Spike’s grip was almost crushing Buffy’s hand. “Look, mate, can we get to the soddin’ truth about Hope! What happened to her?” “She was sent here a long time ago.” “We know, by Darla, a vampire, one of my family, an Aurelian.” “We were surprised that a vampire could work the magics needed to transport a human here by herself. Usually the magics relate to the person using them. We were - puzzled when Hope arrived. We had no experience of children. Although many would benefit from having their lives rearranged, only a few manage to find us.” “My cousin Arabella said – ” “The vampire who is running?” Spike and Buffy stared round at the endless white shiny space. They hadn’t even realised that Arabella was no longer with them. There was no sign of her at all. Buffy shuddered. She could see an awful long way; it would have been impossible for Arabella to have moved so fast that she was already out of sight. Okay, she hated the vampire ho, but if anyone was going to deal with Cousin Arabella, it would have to be her, not some mystical energy thingies. “Where is she? What have you done with her?” One of the bells sounded suddenly cracked and old. “Running and running – until we wish her to stop.” * * * * * * The shiny room had been left behind, thank goodness. Arabella had found the place terrifying and didn’t even know why. But now the ground was hard and stony under her feet. It was uncomfortably hot and Arabella glanced up occasionally towards what should have been the sky. The sun in this world hadn’t killed her yet, but she didn’t trust magic, she never had. She needed to get under cover, think, plan, make things right. But she had to keep running. It was as if she had no control over her legs. She wanted to stop, but couldn’t! Arabella winced as a heel broke off her shoe as it jammed between two rocks and pitched her forward. She struggled to her feet, kicked off both shoes and began to run again. She had to – what – get away – or get closer – she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that this world was hard and ugly and she had to escape. Faint memories of people sifted through her mind, a large green demon, a man with brilliant blue eyes – had she loved or hated him? The Slayer – what did that word mean? The faces were fading, fading and she felt tears running down her cheeks because she knew that they were important, she should try and remember them….but they danced, just out of her memory’s reach, and it hurt so badly to bring them closer…. She winced as the rocks cut her bare feet, but she couldn’t stop, not even for a second. She had to run. * * * * * * Spike whirled round to the Arrangers. “Listen, I don’t know what the hell you’re doing to her but stop it! Arabella might not be the nicest person in the world, but she’s my cousin, she tried to help me. She told me about Darla and Hope, she brought me the locket – ” The lights flickering over the figures suddenly went dark – grey, black, maroon and indigo. The very air felt colder. “She helped Darla send Hope here,” the bells said. “What?” Buffy felt the surge of feelings race through Spike - anger, grief, betrayal, despair. And she realised they were now so close that she could sense everything he felt. His voice was hoarse, incredulous. “She helped Darla? But how? She told me – I thought – she’s my cousin, my childe. I turned her. She – I thought she loved me.” The bells sighed. “You killed many members of your family, William. Do you even remember who they all were? You killed your cousin’s parents, brothers and sisters, but you turned her. Why was that?” Spike vamped into game face and once again Buffy tightened her grip on him. “She was the only sodding person in the entire world who’d ever been nice to me, except my mum, of course.” “So with all your family gone, who do you think told Darla about your father’s mistress and your half sister?” Buffy felt Spike sway and she slid her arm round his waist under his duster, bracing herself against him, feeling the shock run through his body. “You and Drusilla were busy on your first killing spree. You had turned Arabella but you had also exterminated all her immediate family. Oh your cousin loved you, that is true, but she hated you as well. She loved her family. She wanted revenge. She had listened to family gossip, knew about your father’s mistress and illegitimate child.” “I don’t want to know any more!” But the Arrangers carried on, relentlessly. “Arabella thought that one day you might remember Hope. You had pushed her out of your mind, William, hadn’t you? Dismissed her from your life. But with everyone else gone, you might have recalled her. And Arabella could not take that chance that you would have family when she didn’t. So she told Darla about Hope and helped her with the magics to send the child here. The rest – well, you know the rest of the story.” Buffy licked her lips that were suddenly very dry. “So this has always been about love?” The colours on the figures lightened, softened, lilac and lavender appeared amongst the purple. “Love, well now, that is what we Arrangers understand. Humans, demons, even vampires, take love and twist it. Then they come here for us to sort things out. Love is very simple, very uncomplicated. We like things to be straightforward. Look – ” The shimmering air seemed to split in two and widen, making a window. Buffy stared – she was looking at Anya and Div’vid, sitting on a grassy hillside. Div’vid was laughing, happy, unconcerned, his head resting on Anya’s lap. She had a small shiny yellow flower in her hand and was tickling him under his chin. “Happy?” the Frovlax said and even through the magics, Buffy and Spike could hear the rumbling as his three stomachs digested what had obviously been a huge meal of fresh grass. “Very!” Anya sighed. “I think we should build ourselves a holiday home first. Just here, on this hillside. It would be a good investment.” Div’vid mooed his agreement. “And we could use it as a Show Home to attract more customers.” “Customers!” Anya hugged herself with joy. She obviously loved the word. She bent her head and kissed Div’vid as the window shimmered over again. “Wait – Anya can’t – she’s Xander’s girlfriend. And Div’vid is married to Arabella.” “He no longer remembers Arabella. Their pattern wasn’t right. We have arranged it better. Two demons – well a demon and an ex-demon, but scratch the surface and your friend is all demon still. They match, they will be happy together, they love.” Buffy was getting angry. She didn’t care about Arabella. Everything these Arrangers had said only convinced her that all her dislike and distrust of the beautiful vampire girl had been justified. But they had no right just to go around rearranging people’s lives. “But it isn’t real if you’ve just interfered and arranged it!” The colours on the Arrangers shimmied into brilliant ruby and emerald and the bells rang louder. “We do not interfere! We never ask people to come here to our world, but when they do, then we arrange the patterns correctly. We cannot make people do things they do not wish to do. Look into your heart, Buffy Summers. Have we made you fall in love with the vampire whose hand you are holding so tightly?” “But poor Xander – ” The window closed briefly then opened again. The inside of the Magic Box appeared. Xander and Willow were sitting at the table, talking. “These two are great friends. It is the most important relationship either will ever have. They love each other deeply, if not romantically. They need to be together, for a while at least.” “Reckon they’ve got everything worked out, pet,” Spike said, wearily. “It’s no good arguing with mystical beings. I’ve learnt that enough times through the years. Perhaps they’ll tell us how to bloody well get home now. I’ve had enough.” “So, you no longer wish to know about Hope?” the bells said. Spike tensed and ran his fingers angrily through his hair. “Of course I bloody well do. But I suppose you’re going to tell me you looked after her until she died.” The bells chimed violently, almost as if they were arguing between themselves. The colours rippled and coiled, sapphire and peach, crimson and apricot. Then – “Hope was with us for a while. We cared for her. We made her world a happy one. The children we have here have no place else to go. We cannot Arrange their lives until they are bigger. So Hope grew. Slowly, because that is the way here. But she was never happy. She started to fade. We thought that she would die. Then a man came to this world – a man of god – he needed our help, he desperately needed a child.” “You sold my sick sister to some religious freak?” Spike lashed out at the nearest Arranger, but his fist sailed straight through. The Arranger didn’t react and the bells chimed on. “How do you remember your sister, William?” Spike scrubbed his knuckles down the planes of his face. Buffy touched his lips with her finger. She could feel how difficult this was for him. “I only saw her once. She was slim, tall for her age, long dark hair, big eyes. I can’t picture her face. And that’s the worst thing of all. She was my sister and I can’t remember her face!” “But you see it almost every day.” “Hey, vampire here! Mirrors don’t work for me.” Buffy felt a sudden chill fizz and buzz through her veins. “The man who came here looking for a child – you said he was a man of god – do you mean a monk?” “Ah, Miss Summers, your instincts are finely tuned. Indeed, we did mean just that. A monk whose brothers were about to make some magics that were advanced, even by our standards.” “Dark hair, slim, tall – oh god – Spike! They’re talking about Dawn!” “The monks had a Key they needed to hide. This Key was energy but they were going to make it human. For that they needed shape and form. They needed a brain they could implant with memories, veins they could fill with your blood: they needed to make your sister, Miss Summers. We gave them Hope. We knew she would not survive for much longer in this world and there was nowhere else we could send her.” Buffy felt a huge surge of laughter and happiness welling up inside her. “So Dawn isn’t just my sister, she’s Spike’s as well? Spike – Dawn’s your Hope!” She caught his shoulders and shook him gently. He stood there, looking stunned, and then a soft expression she had rarely seen crossed his face. His hands cupped her face between them, his thumbs running gently, lovingly over her cheeks. “My sister, Buffy! Bloody hell! But since the first moment we met, she was never scared of me,” he whispered. “She should have been. Big Bad. Little Girl. I never understood why she wasn’t. Yes, she was your little sister, but somehow she always seemed like mine as well. And all this time, she was!” “Telling Hope how and why her life was Arranged is a decision we leave up to you, vampire.” The bells chimed again and Buffy realised the shimmering figures were growing fainter, the colours paler. “Hey, don’t go! We need to know loads more. Wait! What about Arabella?” But it was no use. The Arrangers disappeared and the shiny white room blinked twice and vanished. Buffy and Spike were back in the jungle, outside the Magic Box. Spike pulled her into his arms and kissed her – his lips soft and tender at first, then harder, more demanding, until she felt his tongue on hers. Then all restraints vanished and she dug her fingers into the back of his neck, pulling him closer and closer, giving every inch of herself to him. At last they broke apart, grinning shakily at each other. “Can’t wait to get home,” Spike muttered. “Get you somewhere private, Slayer. Private and secluded. There’s going to be screaming, lots of screaming.” Buffy felt a surge of heat race over her body. In the past she had tried to persuade herself that this feeling for him was lust, but knew it now for what it was, love. The Arrangers were right about that – they hadn’t needed to alter her life, the right pattern was in front of her eyes all the time. She refused to pretend any more. She was the Slayer, Spike was a vampire, she loved him, he loved her - the rest of the world would just have to deal with it and if they didn’t - ? Too damn bad! And even as she thought it, the Disney jungle vanished and the shining white room appeared again, with the entrance to the Magic Box open and inviting. The sound of footsteps made her turn to see Div’vid and Anya making their way towards them. Anya looked tiny against the huge green demon, but her face was serene. Div’vid looked like a Frovlax demon who’d just swallowed a very large dose of indigestion medicine. He wasn’t just bright green, he was glowing. Buffy turned to Spike, her eyes dancing. “Time to go home. We’ve got a sister to see, privacy to find!” Spike smiled, then it faded and he frowned. “What do I do about Arabella?” Buffy hesitated. The temptation to say ‘leave her to the Arrangers’ was overwhelming, but she’d grown up a lot in the past few weeks. She knew that no matter how much Spike hated his cousin at this moment, sooner or later he would hate himself even more for abandoning her. “What can we do? Try and rescue her? Is that what you want?” Suddenly the Magic Box began to shake and tremble. Obviously the Arrangers hadn’t liked the sound of her plan! “Looks like an invitation to get the hell out of Dodge,” Buffy said. “We’d better get inside.” Spike stared round at the vast shiny white space that had replaced his earlier visions. Somewhere out – there – wherever there was – his evil, double-dealing cousin was running away. She’d sent his little sister to this world out of revenge and as much as he hated her for that, he could understand how she‘d felt. But now he was going to have his own revenge. He would leave her here, lost in this eternity, running and running through a never-ending nightmare. “OK, let’s go, pet,” he said. “I want to see Dawnie and Hope!” Buffy turned, then hesitated. She couldn’t believe what she was about to say, but knew it had to be said. “When you think it through, we wouldn’t know about Hope if Arabella hadn’t brought you the locket.” Spike strode towards the shaking doorway. He could see Willow and Xander beckoning urgently. Anya and Div’vid were running now. They would get there first. He glanced at his lover and read something in her eyes that hadn’t been there before; well, not for him. A compassion, an understanding, an acceptance that whatever he did was okay by her, and a love that cleared his mind, pushing the hatred and revenge to one side. He let Buffy pass him and go inside, heard her greeting Willow and Xander. The whole world was shaking now. They were going home, him and his Slayer to the sister they now shared. He’d been without Hope all these years and now, thanks to Arabella, he’d found her again. And just before the shop blinked out of the Arrangers’ world, Spike took the two magical carved lockets from his duster pocket and dropped them on the ground. One for silver, two for gold, three for a secret that shall never be told. The end Thank you all so much for your kind reviews and comments. I know a lot of you wanted Arabella dusted but, hey, a living nightmare seems a good punishment to me and Buffy doesn’t have to start her new relationship with Spike by killing his cousin! Div’vid and Anya? Oh a match made in heaven in my mind. I want to write about their life together, becoming multi-millionaires and the Frovlax buying her the biggest diamond ring in history, but there wouldn’t be a lot of plot! Do let me know what you think of the story and thank you once again for joining me.