“I can hurt you. Just you in fact…”

I’m enjoying every minute of this. Alive, for the first time in over a year. I’m brassed-off and her bewilderment is fueling my anger. I’ve been her kick toy for so long she doesn’t know how to react to my fangs. She relies on instinct, but I sense her confusion there beneath that stone exterior. She gets off on pushing me around, kicking my crypt open, treating me like dirt beneath her cheap and flashy boots. Right now she doesn’t know how close to death she’s standing. She’s gotten so used to neutered-Spike that Big Bad can take advantage. And oh, I’m gonna take advantage. Sod love, I’m about to bag my 3rd slayer. Right up until her heartbeat starts to fade, she’ll be thinking she can beat me. Then she’ll wonder how I got so close.

*****

“How? You did something…”

He’s hitting me. It doesn’t hurt him. Everything I thought, I relied on this past year – gone. He looks like he’s hunting. He is, but if he thinks I’m going to be easy prey, well let’s just say he’s never been the brightest crayon in the box. I’m still numb, but I can fight. All things considered, I can always fight, and fighting Spike is something I’m good at. In the past, we’ve been evenly matched. But I always get an advantage, get the upper hand. Right now, I need to fight. He can’t win, I can’t let him get away with all this. He was a monster, then the chip made him pathetic. He wants to punish me – he blames me for everything. He’s a monster again, but this time I’m a monster too. And I know what his weakness is, I’ve exploited that flaw now for a while. I know how to use it against him, to beat him again.