Chapter 11

“About Spike…”

“I should report him for questionable conduct, Buffy.”

“To who? For doing what?”

“There’s something off about him. I think we should investigate him for your safety—for everyone’s safety, I mean.”

“You can’t.”

“I can and I will, Buffy.”

Anger traveled through Buffy’s body. “Mess with my boyfriend and—Riley, do you have any idea what a pissed off Slayer is capable of?”

“He is a demon, isn’t he? Damn it, do you know how much trouble I could get into for sweeping this kind of information under the rug? And I still can’t get over the feeling that he looks familiar--.”

“He’s saved your life how many times in the past week or so? He does the same thing that we do, he fights evil and he protects people. If you report him, you’re turning in one of the good guys.”

Riley wiped his mouth with his hand and looked as if he were deep in thought. He exploded seconds later. “I can’t believe you’re dating a thing like that! He’s clearly not human!”

“He is not a thing! Is that what this is about, why you keep finding me everywhere? Do you still think you have a chance with me?”

Riley shook his head but a blush covered his cheeks. “I don’t see why you’re dating him when...I think we could really have something here! I’m confused... when I’m around you I can feel my skin humming, Buffy, my hands—my every inch of me. I’ve never been this excited about anybody before. I’m not trying to scare you, and I’m not going to force myself on you--.”

“Good for you because you wouldn’t get very far. I’m with Spike; you’ve got to understand that and he’s my first priority, alright? Sure, it’d be nice to have another fighting buddy on my side but I still know nothing about you. You’re a stranger to me and I can’t handle all of your top secret, confidential crap. Until you tell me what you are and what your solider friends hope to accomplish, I agree with Spike; you should stay away.” Buffy picked up her crossbow and headed to the door.

“I can’t do that!” He yelled as Buffy lifted the heavy door.” This is not just your turf!”

“No, I guess there’s enough evil in the Hellmouth to spread around but not when it comes to Spike—report him or send any goons after him....” She shook her head and left Riley in the crypt, not able to find the words to express the damage that she would cause if anything were to happen to the man that she loved.
***

“Spike, I’m sorry about your wrist.”

“It’s not broken.” Not looking at Buffy, he flicked his cigarette, letting ash fall from the tip. “Just sore.”

“You weren’t listening to me.”

“You’re right.”

“Spike,” she said, standing in front of him, “don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not.”

“I think you’re lying.” She tenderly picked up his wrist and ran her fingers over it. “I’m really sorry.”

“Oh, stop. It’s nothing to let your chin quiver over. I got caught up in the moment and nearly ratted myself out. I’m surprised that you didn’t just backhand me a few times.”

“He wanted to report you and he knows you’re not human,” she whispered. “I won’t let that happen. I know you want to be able to bite again but I’d rather have you neutered than in a cage.”

“Well, I agree with that sometimes and other times I think I’ll do just about anything to get my head fixed. How would you feel if one day you couldn’t eat anything unless it was pre-chewed for you?”

“That’s disgusting.”

“Comparing human blood to swine’s is like that—it’s disgusting, but hey, it keeps me around and kicking, right?” He sighed and finally looked her in the eye. “I left just in time to see them bagging our green demon and that’s how it was: a literal bagging. It took a lot for me not to follow them, but then I thought about you and I stayed put like a good puppy.”

Not sure what to say, Buffy crossed her arms and pouted.

“I told you not to worry about it, pet. Do you ever listen? Come here.” He looked annoyed as he motioned her forward, making Buffy more upset. “Oh, love, stop it.” His tone was softer, and he stood up and walked to her when Buffy refused to go to him. “This has been a long day, sweetness.”

She nodded, holding him close as he petted her hair.

“First there was that quake, then this ‘end of the world’ bull, and now Riley’s just the icing on the cake by officially ruining our date and making things rocky between us. Have I mentioned that I hate that guy?”

“Just about every few minutes.”

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Do we really have to go back to Scooby headquarters, kitten? Can’t we turn in? It has to be well past midnight by now.”

“I’ll have to at least call and check in.”

“Of course. Let me hold that for you,” he said, taking the crossbow as they walked towards her house.

“Are you really not mad at me anymore?”

“I know when the time comes you’ll be on my side...”

“I am on your side,” she insisted. “Why can’t you see that?”

“Just stubborn, I guess.”

“You don’t have to tell me about it, I’m fully aware of that.”

“I was never mad at you, Buffy. It’s the situation that’s driving me buggy. I have this terrible feeling that I’m going to be like this until the end and it very well pisses me off.”

“You weren’t mad that I hurt you? I still feel awful about that.”

“If it soothes your conscience, I’ve a few things in mind that you could do to make it up to me.”

“I’ll do anything, honey.”

“Oh, pet, those could be damning words.”

“Bring it on. I feel really guilty.”

“Ok, princess, as you wish.”
***

“Giles is very mad, he even said a few ‘bloody hells’.”

“Did you explain to him that the demon was captured?”

“Yup, but he still thinks that we should be out there getting the supplies that the demon was looking for. There could be more than one nasty; they love to travel in packs.”

“What does it want?”

“Well,” Buffy yawned, trying to remember. “It’s a Vahrall demon and it wants the bones of a child, the blood of man and something called the Word of Valios. The guys already checked around for the book and they can’t find it.”

“And what does the Watcher suggest that we do?”

“Research and patrol, the usual.”

“The sun’ll be up in a few hours or so. Think we could sneak in a nap or something like that?”

“Or something like that, huh?”

“You could consider it make up sex,” he suggested, running a finger from her elbow to her hand. “It’s very important, Slayer.”

“More so than saving the world?”

“We’ll win, the white hats always do.” Smiling, he turned her so he could pull down the zipper on the back of her dress. “Give us an hour tops.”

Buffy swallowed as he rolled the top of her dress to her waist, “Thirty minutes.” Threading her fingers through his hair, she hissed as he licked the valley between her breasts.

“Forty five.”

“Spike,” she moaned, spreading her legs so his hand could get between her thighs easier.

“Fifty and that’s my final offer.” They settled on the couch, tangling together as he hovered above her.

“Your offer grew, baby.”

“You noticed? I thought you’d be blinded by passion.”

“Almost but not quite.” As they kissed, she worked on undressing him. “I liked forty five.”

“I’ll make you change your mind.” With his pants around his ankles and her dress still bunched around her waist, Spike’s hand went between her legs again. “Let’s see if you’re ready to go, sweetheart.”

“You really have to check? What happened to your super-smelling abilities?” He smirked, kissing her and stroking her clit. “Spike,” she whimpered, getting fed up and positioning him at her entrance. "Spike..."

"Slayer, he said, mid-groan as he filled her to the hilt. "Forty five minutes?"

"I think I can spare an hour."
***

Buffy ran her fingers over his stomach muscles. Grinning, she kissed down his body. "You're so beautiful...you've always been so beautiful... That’s probably why you annoyed me. You were so conceited, always bragging about your strength and acting as if you oozed sexiness…”

“I don’t?”

“Not finished.” Licking her lips, she eyed his erection. “What bothered me was everything that you said was true. You’re strong, graceful and very…irresistible.”

“I’m evil too, remember that, kitten.”

“Oh, yes, downright beastly,” she encircled his shaft with one of her hands, “so, um…no good.” Glancing up at him, she smiled meekly, “Bare with me, I could be bad at this.” Before Spike could speak, she popped the head of his cock into her mouth.

“Buffy,” he said, pushing his hips towards her while she clumsily pleased him. He was on the verge of climax when the sound of the telephone shattered the mood. “Ignore it,” he hissed through clenched teeth, “you have a machine, right?”

She nodded, regaining momentum. They both relaxed once the ringing stopped.

“Fuck!”

“My purse, it’s behind you.”

Muttering a long line of colorful words, he found her cell phone. “You’re not answering it.”

“You then.” She tickled him until he answered the phone.

“This had better be good!” he roared.

Buffy reached to hold his hand and continued play with him until he tossed the phone in a huff.

“Hey, don’t break my phone! What’s wrong?”

“We need to get to your Watcher.”

“Now?” she whined, still face-to-face with his erection. She gave it a kiss, “I’m busy. You think I could finish? You were so close…”

“Buffy, do need to ask for my opinion?”

“No, I guess not.”

“Wait,” he sat up and pulled her into his arms, “instead of doing that, let me be inside you.”

“Ooo,” she cooed, sliding onto his hardness.

“We’ll just have to be quick, alright?”

She nodded, holding on to his shoulders and knowing she was in for a wild ride.
***

“What happened?” Buffy asked as they walked through the living room.

“It’s my fault,” Giles said, looking tired and sore. “I should’ve known. The Word of Valios is the name of a talisman, not a book. I blame myself entirely.”

“You had it here?” Spike asked, trying not to laugh. “Good thing we didn’t look too hard for it.”

Buffy squeezed Spike’s hand as she watched Giles, her eyes filled with sympathy. “You need something, ice maybe?”

“That would be wonderful.”

She nodded, motioning for Spike to follow her into the kitchen. “I feel bad. Here we were doing the big nasty and Giles was getting beat up.”

“We didn’t know he was housing one of the deadly ingredients.” Spike shrugged and looked in the refrigerator. “If you ask me, I think he needs a good knock in the head every once in awhile. His head must be full of dust and moldy book knowledge—it’s like a spring cleaning. Take out some brain cells, blow out some dust bunnies.”

Buffy looked at him and shook her head. His hands were full, a bag of blood in one hand and their leftovers in the other. “Didn’t you just eat?”

“You wore me out, sweetness.” He kissed her brow. “Tend to Rupert and call me when we’re going to kill the bad guy.”
***

“They’re going to open the Hellmouth,” Spike imitated Giles as they trampled on the burnt wreckage that was once Buffy’s high school. “Is there a demon who hasn’t tried to open the gate to hell?”

“Not one that I can think of. Be careful honey, this place doesn’t look too stable.”

“Can’t have us going under.” He leaped from one knocked over locker to another.

“When we get to the library keep a lookout for victims they’re keeping alive for the sacrifice. Getting them out should be what we do first.”

“Will do, love.”

“Okay,” she said, taking a deep breath, “Ready?”

“Guess so.”
***

“I don’t see any sacrifice people,” Spike said, scanning the room that was once Giles’ library. Where the floor used to be was a hole that was surrounded by chanting demons. “There’s just three of them. This should be cake, pet.”

“I hope you’re right.” They exchanged nods before jumping into the fight. Buffy pounded on one of the Vahrall demons until their supplies caught her eye. Leaving the brawling to Spike, she gathered the bones and bottle of blood. “Where are the people?”

“Buffy!”

She turned, seeing one demon hop into the hole. “Are they suicidal?”

“I…” Spike was cut off as the ground started to shake.

“Get them away from the hole!”

Buffy forgot about the ingredients and looked for weapons to use on the goons. She had one cornered as a bigger tremor shook the earth, nearly causing her to lose her balance and fall to her knees.

“Sorry!” Spike yelled, coming up behind her.

“That’s alright!” she said, while wailing on the demon. “Help me kill this thing!”
***

“Does saving the world feel mundane after the first dozen times?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“That wasn’t even that difficult—watcher boy got the worst beating.” Spike stared up at the ceiling in her bedroom. “I was actually worried it would be the end for a few seconds earlier, now I feel so let down.”

“You wanted the world to stop turning?”

“No, no, but I thought we’d have more bloodshed and whatnot. That was tame, Slayer.”

“I’m not complaining and I don’t think you should either. Minimal pain and suffering is a good thing, Mr. Doom and Gloom. Do you want me to get hurt? I know I couldn’t stand it if you were to get a freaking paper cut. I nearly bawled because of your wrist.”

“It’s all healed up, see?” He twisted his wrist, proving that the bruise had vanished.

“Good.”

“And you know I don’t anything to happen to my girl.”

“Sometimes I’m not so sure.” Spike looked at her as if she had insulted him. “Well, you’re almost rooting for the bad guys!”

“I love you, Buffy.”

“I know.”

“I’d go mad if something were to happen to you.” He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. “The way that I love you…sometimes it feels like my heart is beating again. With you, I don’t feel like the undead, I feel like the man I used to be.”

“What kind of man were you?”

“Oh, kitten, we don’t have enough time to get into that now. You need to sleep because your classes start in a mere hour or so.”

“I sleep during class. Tell me.”

Spike closed his eyes, refusing to give in to Buffy’s deadly pout. “Not now.”

“Sore subject, baby?”

“Embarrassing subject.”

“I would never laugh at you…much.”

“That’s heartwarming but still I say no.”

“Just answer me one question: were you a good guy or a bad guy?”

He searched her face and couldn’t help but pull her closer. “Good guy, kitten.”

“I knew it,” Buffy whispered, falling asleep with a content smile on her face.
***