“So Buffster, we’ve been parading around Restfield for over an hour, and William’s demon-Doublemint-twin has been a no show.  Are you sure it’s still here?”
 
Xander weaved around another grave marker while voicing his complaint.  Ever since the trio left the Magic Box, Buffy had become eerily quiet.  So much so, Xander nearly jumped out of his own skin when she finally broke the silence.
 
“He’s here.  I can feel him.”  Buffy continued forward, her rapt attention remaining on their surroundings.
 
“Then why’s he playing ‘I see you, but you can’t see me’?”  Willow’s gaze darted around, hoping to catch a glimpse of what her friend was sensing.
 
“Can you really blame him?  If I was used for target practice, I wouldn’t be too eager to roll out the welcome mat either.  But you’re right, Willow.  Since we’ve only got four hours before sun up, this little game of demon-hide-n-seek has to end.”  Buffy stopped mid-stride in a small clearing near a crypt.  Xander and Willow followed suit.
 
“Okay, obviously he won’t show with you two near me.  The best we can do is for you guys to take cover near this crypt, and when I give the word—well, you know what to do.”  Buffy motioned to the stone structure as she started walking toward another smaller clearing among a row of headstones.
 
“Buffy, how are you planning on getting him to come out?  I don’t think olly-olly-oxen-free is gonna work here.” Xander raised a brow in uncertainty at what his friend had in mind.
 
Buffy stopped in the clearing and faced her friends.  Willow had moved near the side of the mausoleum while Xander remained rooted on spot.
 
“You’re right, Xan.  He’s going to need a special invite.” 
 
Buffy unsheathed a small dagger from her boot and brought it to her open palm.  Without flinching, she dragged the blade across her flesh, creating a deep gash that instantly welled with blood.
 
Without another word, Buffy turned her back to her friends and raised her wounded hand into the air.  Taking this action as her answer, Xander and Willow shifted into position.
 
Willow watched as their friend moved in a slow circle, resembling a rotating Statue of Liberty.  In a way, she kinda was, but instead of, “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses to breathe free…” it was more, ‘give me a tired, hungry vamp that doesn’t really need to breathe, but still does.’  Or more specifically, give me Spike’s demon.
 
“Even though this was invite only, don’tcha think other vamps will try and crash this party.”  Xander’s words shook Willow out of her thoughts.
 
“Xander, Buffy knows what she’s doing.  Plus, don’t you remember what she told us when she first met the demon?  He dusted a fledgling with his bare hands.  I have no doubt he’ll take care of any other vamps.”
 
Willow shuddered from this imagery.  She knew Spike was dangerous.  As if she could ever forget the whole bottle in the face or trying to take a bite of her incidents—but over the last year, well, besides the whole Adam-thing, she’d come to see Spike more as the resident sorta-naughty more than the big bad.  However, the thought of him being reduced to his pure demon—all she knew was she was glad to be on the other side of the means to incapacitate said demon.
 
“Yeah, I do.  That’s why I’m thinking a vamp already jonesing for slayers—using a blood-o-gram is not of the good,” Xander muttered while he shifted restlessly.
 
“I have to agree with you there.  But Buffy knows what she’s getting into and unfortunately with time not being on our side—” Willow’s whispering stopped when in the distance she spotted a vamp with unforgettable bleached hair emerging from the shadows.
 
Xander followed his friend’s line of vision, and they both watched in silence the scene before them unfolded.
 
Buffy knew it wouldn’t take long for Spike’s demon to pick up the scent of her blood.  Vampires were notorious for the whole smelling thing.  Then add hunger to the mix; let’s just say the dinner bell around her neck was the size of the Liberty Bell.
 
She watched him approaching cautiously.  Gone was his swagger and the gaze he’d affixed on her earlier, replaced by golden eyes shifting constantly, and stilted, guarded movements.  His body was also slightly hunched and appeared to be protecting his biggest Achilles’ heel—his heart.    
 
The demon stopped and cocked his head to the side, seeming to sense Willow and Xander’s presence.  In response, he released a low warning growl.  Thankfully, they remained still and out of sight, and after a few more tense moments, he continued toward Buffy.
 
After a slow, vigilant trek, the demon chose to stop within ten feet of her.  His gaze finally stopped shifting and was now set on her.
 
All of his hesitant actions and reactions reminded Buffy of a frightened animal.  Treating him as such, she lowered herself into a less intimidating, partially kneeling position and slowly extended her bleeding hand toward him while cupping her palm so the blood pooled.
 
From this new position, the moonlight emphasized how truly affected he was by the lack of feeding.  His clothes, which were once form fitting on his lithe body, now visibly hung on his thinning frame. 
 
She noticed his trademark coat showed the signs of his earlier injury.  Buffy shuddered at the thought of him tearing the arrow free from his body, and the heavily flowing blood saturating the leather.     
 
Her eyes then rose to study his features.  His demonic ridges accentuated his sunken and dark-ringed eyes.  Just as his counterpart’s, his skin appeared translucent and delicate with thin blue veins spider webbing beneath the surface.  His lips, the gatekeeper for his once exploring tongue, was split and waxen.
 
While tentatively sniffing the air, he warily closed the final distance between them.  With his gaze fixed with hers, she felt the first soft draws of breath stirring across her fingers tips. 
 
Buffy tried to calm her breathing and keep completely still.  She knew any sudden movements on her part would cause him to bolt.  Despite his declining health, if he felt threatened, he would fight fang and nail to get free, even if it meant injuring himself further.  It was the whole animal chewing off his own leg caught in a trap type of thing.
 
One minute she was ensnared by his intense stare and the next, her eyes were fluttering closed on there own volition when she felt his tongue slowly sweeping across her palm.
 
She felt the instant rush of pleasure flooding her body.  Her mind focused only on his ministrations.  Her steady breathing became shallow pants, and the thin wisp of fabric guarding her sensitive womanhood from harsh denim started to dampen from desire.
 
His lapping slowed only momentarily when he lowered himself to his knees.  He resembled a reverent man receiving Holy Communion.  She believed to him, her blood was exactly that.
 
While her eyes remained closed due to the all-consuming bliss, her free hand rose and she started gently raking her fingers through his unruly curls.  The low purr that had started with his feeding now increased tenfold, causing another wave of pleasure to crash through her.  It took all her inner strength to not give in to her own hunger.
 
“Don’t worry, everything will be okay now.  I just hope you won’t be too mad at me after you wake from your nice, long nap.”  Buffy’s fingers continued tenderly trailing through his hair while she spoke calmly.  After several more sweeps, Buffy knew it was time to act and opened her eyes.
 
“I’m so sorry—Do it now!”
 
Once her stern order hit the air, she was met with a pair of golden eyes filled with a combination of fear and hurt before he growled, shifted, and scurried away.  Buffy nervously looked toward the crypt and watched Xander training the tranquilizer gun on the fleeing vamp.
 
Xander’s first shot missed.  The dart struck the ground two feet from its intended target.  Without missing a stride, the demon continued running.
 
Instinctually, Buffy then gave chase.  The fear of her loosing the demon, and the inevitability of losing Spike forever fueled her strides.  When she was within reach, she leapt and landed on his back, bringing him to the ground.
 
“A little help here!” Buffy called for help, as the demon beneath her bucked and snarled.
 
The distinctive sounds of two pairs of running feet, the gun cocking, and darts being launched, filled her with some relief.  However, she didn’t give the demon a margin of freedom until she felt his body noticeably relaxing under hers.  When she finally heard his telltale snoring, Buffy knew it was safe to move off the now sleeping vamp.
 
“Is he—snoring?”  Ten feet away, Willow commented from her spot next to Xander before taking two hesitant steps forward.
 
Buffy stood and brushed off bits of dirt from her knees.  “Yeah, it’s surprising someone that doesn’t require breathing would be sawing logs like that.”
 
“So, don’tcha think a ‘Yay team!’ is in order?”  Xander shifted the tranquilizer gun and rested it on his shoulder while approaching Buffy.
 
“I’d say a total, ‘Yay!’ Well, only if I’d thought out this plan a little better.” Buffy regarded the vamp at her feet before returning her gaze to her friends.
 
“How’s that?  I see one down for the count demon—check.  Now we just have to get him to—” Xander’s slapped his freed palm against his forehead in an ah-ha moment.
 
“Yup, we forgot about bringing said down for the count demon back to Giles,” Buffy huffed with frustration.
 
“Oh, no prob!  Well, minor prob, but an easy fix!  There’s a gas station payphone about a mile from here.  We’ll call Giles and have him pick up you and Mr. Sleepyhead at the entrance of Restfield.  See easy-peasy!”  Willow beamed a smile at her dismayed friend. 
 
“So says the girl that doesn’t have to lug an unconscious vamp through the cemetery.  Okay, that sounds like a plan.  But before you guys go, could you please help me get him upright?”  Buffy grumbled as she crouched and gently rolled Spike’s demon onto his back. 
 
 

 
“That’s it!  It’s a strictly liquid diet when you get back to normal.  No more blooming onions or spicy buffalo wings for you, pal,” Buffy grumbled, straining slightly under the demon’s weight as she continued using a fireman’s carry to bring him to the predetermined meeting point.
 
His only response was a snort, followed by another round of snores.  “Yeah, I thought you’d say that.”
 
Buffy heaved a sigh of relief when she saw a pair of headlights streaming through the opened gate.  Giles, Willow, and Xander quickly exited the car and together helped to bring Spike’s demon down off Buffy’s shoulders and carefully placed him in the backseat of Giles’ car.
 
Once the demon was situated, Giles approached Buffy who was still stretching out her taxed limbs.  “Everything went fairly well I see.”
 
“Yeah, it was a little dicey there for a few with bucking bronco vamp, but after a few shots of sleepy-time, voila, you have the music or more fittingly, the drugs that soothed the savage beast.”
 
Buffy gave her arms a final stretch over her head before walking toward the car.  Giles followed until each stood on either side.
 
“How’s William?”  All of the earlier humor in her voice was gone, replaced by trepidation.
 
“He has been sleeping soundly the entire time.”  Giles opened the driver’s door and slid inside, prompting Buffy to do the same.  Both closed their doors with care.
 
“That’s of the good, isn’t it?”  Buffy turned to look at the sleeping vamp wedged between a wary Xander and Willow.
 
Giles turned the key, bringing the car to life.  “I’m afraid it isn’t, Buffy.”
 
 

 
Author’s Notes:

Big thanks to my lovely betas, who I wouldn't have this story without: Sanityfair and Diebirchen.  Ladies, you mean the world to me.  

Please take a minute to let me know what you think.  A mere moment on your part goes a long way.  Thank you.

Oh, next chapter will be up next Monday!
 
Doublemint is an American type of gum.  They used identical twins as a commercial gimmick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doublemint
 
“Olly olly oxen free“ is used during hide-n-seek or kick the can.  The saying overall means, you can come out without being penalized. I.e.: not being it.  There are several versions of this saying. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olly_olly_oxen_free
 
This is a small excerpt from an Inscription inside the Statue of Liberty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Emma_Lazarus_plaque.jpg
 
The Liberty Bell is the “iconic symbol of American Independence”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Bell