Across Sunnydale several people woke with a start.

Willow and Tara sat up, clutching at each other hands, the same name escaping from their lips.

"Buffy!"

Giles lurched forward in his armchair, the open book resting on his chest falling to the floor, forgotten, as memories of his Slayer filled his mind.

Joyce woke and stumbled to her daughter's room. "Buffy?" The empty room lay silent.

Riley grunted and pulled his latest fang buddy closer, aware that he would have to wear a turtleneck around his girlfriend for the next few weeks. That's if he saw her again. She had been mysteriously absent for the last few days.

*********

Spike stumbled and fell to his knees. He looked down at his precious burden. 'A soul?'

"Master Spike?"

Spike glared over his shoulder as one of Dracula's brides approached him with a small chest. "Wot?"

"My Master wanted you to have this as a gift and a token of his gratitude for, well… taking her." The tall vampiress sneered at the unconscious form in Spike's arms.

Spike squinted up at the vampire. "Bit of a pain in the arse, was she?"

"Very much so, she fought him tooth and nail and was not grateful for his Dark Gift." She sighed.

Spike rolled his eyes at the female vampire's affectations of her git of a sire.

”It was intolerable. He was forced to subdue her with his thrall. Personally, I'm glad to see the back of her and I think my Master is, too." She grinned impishly at the unsurprised expression on Spike's face. "You don't look too surprised."

"Hardly! He gave her over too quickly." He nodded to the box. "Stick it in my pocket, gorgeous." The smiling bride did as he asked and then brushed a kiss over his sharp cheekbones.

"Good luck, Master Spike." With that, she disappeared into the castle.

"Oi, do me a favour and bite the Whelp for me!" Spike called after her.

"I will." Her voice drifted off.

"What am I going to do with you, sweetness?" Spike looked down at the comatose vampire cradled reverently in his arms.

Buffy whimpered at the sound of his voice and nestled closer to him.

"We need to get out of dodge and regroup before you come out to your mates and the Watcher,” Spike commented as he hauled himself up tiredly. The large amount of blood Buffy had drunk from him was taking its toll on his already depleted resources.

Spike strode off into the night.

*********

Giles scrambled to his feet as his memories of Buffy returned. He raced for the telephone.

"Joyce? Is Buffy there?"

He pinched the top of his nose with his index finger and thumb, lines of worry appearing on his face.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"Wait there, I'll come to you." Giles slammed the receiver down and ran from his apartment.

As he drove over to Revello Drive, he pondered the strange events of the last few days. Mostly worrying was why Spike had been to only one to recall Buffy.

*********

Giles ran from his car up the walk as Joyce swung open the front door. Her usually smiling face pinched with worry.

“Joyce,” Giles gasped. He reached over and grabbed hold of her clammy hands.

“Oh…Giles, I saw her in my mirror! She looked so sad and scared, she called me Mommy…She hasn’t called me Mommy since she was baby…”

“Joyce, calm down, please…” Giles pulled the crying woman into her house and wrapped his arm around her shaking shoulders.

“What’s happened to her?” Joyce asked through her tears.

“I…I don’t know, I can’t for the life of me work out why I didn’t remember her!”

Joyce nodded. “I know, I had a few flashes after Spike came over…Wait, Spike, he was acting very strangely…”

Giles pulled Joyce down onto the sofa with him. “What do you mean?”

“Well…I found him peering in Buffy’s window and startled him…I startled him and he, well, fell off the roof.” Joyce explained.

“Really? That’s odd. I mean, he’s a vampire. How could he be startled by anyone?” Giles frowned.

“I know, he’s usually tries to act so calm and collected, and he asked me what to do if someone was missing…”

Giles frowned. “How did he remain unaffected by whatever spell was cast on us?”

Joyce shrugged. “Maybe he was immune, or the person who cast it didn’t realise he knew…knows Buffy?”

“That makes sense. And Joyce, please don’t worry. I’m sure Buffy is all right.” He gingerly patted Joyce’s hand.

“Did you remember anything about Buffy?” Joyce asked, her curiosity peaked.

“No…well, not until after Spike came looking for her at the shop. I wonder if any of the others had flashes?” Giles’ Watcher persona surged to the fore.

“What do we do know?” Joyce asked.

“We need to expand our search,” Giles commented as he went to the phone.

“Expand?”

“Well…Xander is missing, too. He’s been enthralled by…” Giles pulled a face. “By Dracula.”

“Dracula? He’s real?” Joyce’s eyes widened in surprise and excitement.

Giles nodded as he dialled Willow and Tara’s dorm number. “Yes, he is.”

“Do you think he may have something to do with…”

“Oh!” Giles interrupted. “You maybe right! Records suggest he has magical gifts…”

Joyce gasped. “My baby girl! He might have done something to her!”

“Let’s not worry until we have to, Joyce,” Giles murmured soothingly. “Ah, Willow, do you…good you both remember…could you possibly come over to Buffy’s and collect Anya as well?” Giles nodded. “Good and please hurry.”

*********

Spike pulled the Desoto up to the sidewalk and turned off the engine. He turned to the comatose girl laying on the backseat. “Stay here, Sweets. I’ll just nip in and nick some of your bits and bobs. Back in a tick.”

Spike slid out of the car and locked it. He melted into the shadows and approached the house cautiously. He could hear Joyce and Giles talking in the sitting room. He climbed the trellis ‘Feel like a ponce crawling into a girl’s room, trying to avoid the parents,’ he thought wryly as he pulled himself quietly into Buffy’s room. Moving swiftly, the blond vampire pulled out a suitcase.

Spike crept around the room, filling the suitcase with clothes and bits of frippery, all things he knew his new Childe would need. He paused for a moment, shaken to the core at the thought. He had a Childe.

He shook himself and then continued to gather some underwear; he resisted sniffing them and stuffed them into the case. Moving quickly, he grabbed a framed photo of Joyce and tucked it into the suitcase. His azure eye twinkled at the sight of Mr. Gordo sitting primly on Buffy’s pillow. He reached out and pocketed the small pig. Reaching under the mattress, he pulled out Mr. Pointy and Buffy’s diary.

He disappeared out of the window and into the night.

*********

Joyce looked up with a frown. “Did you hear something?”

Giles rose from the couch and moved quickly to the stairs. “Stay here,” he ordered as he disappeared up the stairs.

Hesitantly, the Watcher pushed open the door to Buffy’s room. His tired eyes scanned the room; nothing seemed to be out of place. The curtains blew in the wind so he walked over and shut the window. Scanning the garden, Giles failed to make out Spike’s dark clad form as he shrank behind the tall tree.

“Giles?” Joyce called from downstairs.

Shaking his head, the Englishman returned downstairs. “It was nothing, just the wind.”

*********

Spike relaxed as he spotted Giles walking over to the couch. “That was close, mate!”

He popped the trunk and placed the suitcase next to the cooler of blood and his rucksack.

Slipping back into the car, the blonde vampire looked over to check on his sleeping companion. His eyes traced her soft, delicate features and red-tinged mouth. “It’ll be all right, pet. Spike’ll take care of you.” Unable to resist, he reached over and ran a finger over her cheek.

He turned and started the engine.

“Let’s get out of here, luv…”

*********

The remaining Scoobies gathered at Revello Drive and were huddled together, researching. Tara and Willow snuggled on the armchair, trying to write a scrying Spell, one that would break through Dracula’s magicks.

Giles was pacing and talking to Anya, trying to reassure her that they would retrieve Xander. His irritation towards the ex-demon was poorly concealed, she still had not voiced any concern over Buffy’s absence.

Joyce had retreated to the kitchen to have some time to gather herself. She blindly prepared sandwiches and brewed coffee.

A quiet knock on the back door made her jump. Rushing over, a hopeful smile on her face, Joyce pulled the door open. Her shoulders sagged in disappointment at the sight of Riley’s bland face.

“Oh…I was hoping it was Buffy.” Joyce stood back and allowed the ex-soldier to come in.

“So still no sign of her?” Riley asked as he reached over for a sandwich. He munched on it placidly.

Joyce glared at the unconcerned boy. “Riley, aren’t you concerned about your girlfriend’s disappearance?” She twisted her fingers together to stop herself from slapping his face.

“She’ll be okay, Mrs Summers. Buffy’s tough, she’s the Slayer.” Riley’s voice was tinged with a hint of jealously. He hated that Buffy was stronger than he, but dspite this, was drawn to the excitement of her supernatural life. Anyway, he had his extra curricular activities which added spice to his life.

“Hmm…” Joyce reached over, picked up the tray of food and drinks and brushed past Riley. She noticed the poorly concealed bite marks on his neck and paused. “Riley, you’ve been hurt!” She put the tray down and reached over to Riley’s neck.

“I’m okay. A vamp just got lucky on patrol!” Riley batted her hand away as he lied.

Joyce’s eyes narrowed as her inbuilt lie detector kicked in. She decided not to say anything to Riley until she had spoken to Giles about the situation. “As long as you are okay.”

Riley nodded as he adjusted his turtleneck. “I’m fine, let’s not say anything. It’s not as important as finding Xander and Buffy.” He reached over and took the tray and disappeared into the sitting room.

*********

You are now leaving Sunnydale

“Too ruddy right we are!” Spike glared at the sign and pressed his boot-clad foot down on the accelerator. The Desoto roared as the sign was flattened under its tyres. Spike suppressed the urge to howl as he usually did, he was acutely aware of the slumbering Slayer. Spike watched as the road stretched endlessly before him. He sped up, wanting to get to the cabin before Buffy woke from her magically enforced slumber.

*********

“Anything girls?” Joyce looked hopefully at Tara and Willow.

“I…we think that maybe this’ll get through whatever Dracula has cast over his c…castle.” Tara held out a sheet of paper covered in Willow’s neat handwriting.

“We’ll find Buffy, Mrs. Summers, I promise.” Willow slid inelegantly out from under Tara and stood. “We need something personal of Buffy’s. Can I go get something from her room?”

“Certainly, be my guest.” Joyce sat down tiredly. Riley shifted away from the older woman, giving her some room.

“I really think we should try this spell on Xander, too,” Anya whined petulantly.

“We will, Anya, but we also need to find Buffy, so please be patient. At least we’ve seen Xander, unlike Buffy.” Giles glared at his employee, exasperated.

“Yeah, we really have to find Buffy, I’m very worried about her,” Riley added.

Willow and Anya’s eyes narrowed at the false sincerity in Riley’s voice. For a brief second, their eyes met and they were in agreement. Something was up with the tall man. Anya sniffed delicately and her eyes widened. Her head shot up and she stared pointedly at Willow, subtly gesturing to the dining room.

“What?” Willow hissed at the dark blonde ex-demon.

“He stinks of sex,” Anya whispered back.

Willow green eyes widened in shock. “Are you sure? Scratch that, of course you’re sure!”

Both young women turned on their heels and glared at Riley, who, unaware, was flipping through a book, one hand on his neck, where he absently rubbed the most recent bites.

Anya’s sharp nails dug into Willow’s arm when she grabbed her. “Look,” she hissed.

“What?” Willow whispered.

“He’s been bitten…again,” Anya slapped her hand over her mouth.

“Again?” Willow looked over at Anya. “What do you mean, again?”

Anya looked guilty. “Well…I saw…umm… a bite on his wrist a few weeks ago and he passed it off as a patrolling injury. But now…I wonder.”

“Wonder what?” Willow was genuinely confused.

“He stinks of sex and has another set of teeth marks. Unless Buffy’s not telling us something, then I guess Riley has been going down to the docks and…” Anya’s usual candour fled at the look of surprise and anger in Willow’s eyes.

“He’s been what? Getting it on with vampy Ho-bags?” Willow squeaked.

Anya nodded enthusiastically, relieved that Willow had worked it out.

“What do we do?” Willow hissed.

“Do about what, honey?” Tara asked as she stepped into the dining room.

Anya and Willow jumped and tried not to look furtive.

“Tara, sweetie, there’s something going on with Riley,” Willow whispered as she took Tara’s hand in hers.

“You mean the bite marks?” Tara asked shrewdly.

“How did you?” Anya yelped.

“I just spotted them.” Tara shuddered.

“Ick!” Willow added.

“What do we do?” Anya asked

“Nothing. Now is not the time.” Giles stepped into the room, joining the three girls.

All three women looked shocked.

“I know, but we need to focus on Buffy and Xander. Riley’s proclivities for being bitten will be addressed, but not now.” Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them.

“So you know about his addiction?” Anya queried.

“Sadly, not until now. What was he thinking? He could have been turned and then been a danger to Buffy and all of us!” Giles exploded. All three of the girls rushed over shhhing him. “Sorry, he really is a foolish boy. I have heard of places where vamps exchange sex and biting for money…but I didn’t realise that such a place had sprouted up here in Sunnydale…” He shook his head. “Very disappointing behaviour, I would have thought Riley would know better…”

*********

“Here we go. Home sweet, well cabin…” Spike cut the engine off and turned to see if Buffy was awake. “Still off in the land of nod? Fair enough, sweets.”

Spike slipped out of the car and closed the door gently, unwilling to disturb his precious cargo. He emptied the trunk and deposited the various items inside the front door. He turned and walked back to the car. Reaching in, he gently pulled Buffy’s limp form into his arms. Spike brushed her fair hair off her face and sighed. A sick lump of worry settled in the pit of his stomach, something that was alien to Spike.

“Look, sweetness, it’s a lovely place.” Spike turned to look at the cosy wood cabin. It was a bolthole he had bought years back when he and Dru had first arrived in Sunnydale. It had a rustic charm that bordered on kitsch. A large porch ran around the entire cabin, offering shade during the day for those with a sensitive disposition for the sun. Climbing roses covered the front of the house and their delicate scent filled the warm night air. In front of the cabin was a large pond, bordered with reeds and wild flowers. Spike had used the place as a haven when Dru had become too much for him to handle. Spike had money but he chose not to be extravagant. Well, except for here.

Over the past year he had returned and updated the interior, adding a large kitchen and all mod cons. His prized TV and stereo system had been installed after a lucrative win at a poker game.

“Come on, let’s get you settled.” Spike climbed the stairs and pushed open the front door. It shut behind the two vampires with a quiet click.