This is excellently cold JL - I love this mean Buffy, telling Spike he could speak, while controling him mentally; Spike getting no protection from the Giles and the gang although he plainly needs it and LOL at Anya's big mouth. More more more, please.

Poor Spike. I hope Buffy or Spie has some sort of inner revelation to ward off some of the violence. I love the building suspense!

I've enjoyed your stories so far, and I'm trusting you here, but have to admit that this one presents a very disturbing picture of Buffy. Really hoping you won't take the easy way out and have Spike forgive her after a "heartfelt apology" or some such nonsense. Would love to see her get a comeuppance...Ooh, maybe Angel could intervene and trounce her ass for a change. That would be interesting! Wishful thinking on my part, but will stay tuned to see where you go next.

I can't believe no one's going to help him out. Are they all that mean? Silly question.

PLEASE make her at least start to care about how she is hurting him emotionally! I know Joss and co. never did, but oh please let her see it and care.

Anya should dump Xander (as she should have on the show). He wants Buffy and is emotionally abusive to Anya no matter how anyone wants to twist that to make it sound better.

Tense episode...excellent.

Kathleen

No idea what you are planning, except that Spike is probably in a lot of trouble. I think it that it may take Xander seeing what is going on to really bring it home to the scoobies. Could he walk in on them maybe? I'm sure that then he would have pity for spike, as he did after Glory.

Also not thrilled with what seem to be the upcoming rounds of more abuses. You're a compelling reader (hence with the reading!) -- but I am getting worried on this one. How can Spike feel 'hurt' when she 'rejects' him? Yeah, yeah, there's the claim -- he can't really fight back. But are we supposed to think he has feelings for this raging bitch? This is a season 4 fic. They have no history beyond UST -- and that just doesn't seem like enough for him to be retaining any positive feelings for her at this point. So I'm hoping the 'hurt' is also just an aspect of the claim -- and that the 'real' Spike is totally out of there the minute he is free of the bond.

If not, this is really kind of sick, I'm afraid. Least, that's how I read it now. I just don't see a Spuffy ending here. There just is no foundation in anything positive to justify the HUGE amount of work these two would have to do to move to anything remotely resembling a decent relationship. Well, maybe you will surprise! I really have liked all your other work. And this is, at a minimum, interesting.

Poor Spike but Dense people talk about rage then send Spike with her. Great Story. Hope the ostrich scoobies at least feel guilty. Great Chapter

Oh, I also wanted to say, at first, I was feeling bad for Buffy, not being able to control the rage inside her; but now, after that conversation, I am not feeling so bad for her anymore. She is very self centered (well, we all knew that), and seems more inclined to keep as much of the truth as possible hidden, than to just suck it up, and have some help figuring out what is wrong with her. Those violent tendencies came out against Xander, and almost Anya a few chapters ago. Maybe she should start thinking about what might happen if she goes off the deep end on one of her friends. Is it going to take someone dying before she finally admits that there is something REALLY worng here?

I think Spike is in BIG trouble when they get out of sight from everyone else. I am glad that SOME of it is in the open, but I am preparing for a very violent next chapter. Great job on this one.

I don't comment everytime because I'm reading your story from an archive, but I want to check in and say how much I am loving this.

Hits all my buttons. Can't wait until the next chapter.

great chapter

Buffy ans Xander need to do some self reflectin. don't ya think?

poor spike..

loveley chapter - poor spike I hope anya notices that Spike left with Buffy and stops it before he gets beat again

You are good writer and have good stories...but I don't think I can take much more of this story. It makes sick to think what Buffy will do to Spike and that no one cares. It's just aweful how she is this possessive person with no feelings for another being. It doesn't feel like she's being possessed by anything...it seems like she's acting that way because she can and the claim gave her that freedom...I don't think I can read anymore...

Oh dear, oh dear. Poor Spike, me thinks he's guna get it.

ARGH!! More abuse coming up! Only Anya had any idea about what Buffy was doing to Spike. Giles and Willow keep their heads firmly stuck where the sun don't shine. I hope something changes soon.

And here we go with the abuse again. Yay. I'm so thrilled...

Oh, and maybe Spike can get bashed around the head a lot so there's evidence for the Scoobies next time.

Poor Anya - she can do much better than Xander. And hey - she warned Buffy not to do this ritual.

enjoyed the update. am getting tired of abusive buffy, but i was tired of it in cannon, too. come on get someone on spike side, please. thanks for the fine read.

Oh please be nice Buffy. Great update.

Run Spike RUN! Cling to Giles or Willow or Anya!! Probably Giles since Buffy will get pissy about girl clingage

oh god. that is not good at all.

Kill the bitch, drive a stake into her heart and dance on her corpse.

I love this story and I love your writing, but I fear I may need to wait a few chapters before I read again. I have a sick little ball of pain in my stomache at the moment, and something tells me it'll take more than one chapter to get past it.