Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.

PROLOGUE

Spike felt the whip hit his back and he closed his eyes one more time, trying to brace himself for the pain. He wasn’t really sure what felt worse at the moment -- the seemingly endless stinging on his back or the swollen lip that felt like it was getting ready to explode. His arms were tired, his wrists even worse as he felt metal digging into flesh. He closed his eyes to shut the world out, trying to picture his dark goddess comforting him in her arms. But a voice wouldn’t let him dream.

“Has my dear childe had enough yet?” a sultry voice asked from somewhere above him.

Spike knew that voice well and he tried to hide the dread that was growing inside him.

“I don’t know. Spike’s been a very very naughty boy”, another woman chimed in. "Ms. Edith has seen him. Ms. Edith says he wants to take me away from Mommy and Daddy." At the sound of the newcomer’s voice Spike let out a sigh as his heart sank. Any hope of having this torture session end left him as he knew that his sire and grandsire wouldn’t let it stop until they had their fill of violence for the day.

He craned his neck to try and catch a glimpse of Drusilla. His dark haired goddess was affectionately in the arms of their grandsire Darla. The two were giggling and obviously finding amusement at his present condition.

He tried to shut everything out – close out his senses and ignore the pain and the humiliation. He was over a hundred years old … stronger than most vampires in the coven, a master in his own right, yet here he was broken for all the coven to see and all because he was brave enough to speak his mind.

Angelus was their Master, the head of the Aurelian clan in Sunnydale, but Spike was getting bored with life in good ole Sunnyhell. He wanted a change, wanted to leave the coven. All of which was acceptable. There were no rules against that, but he wanted Drusilla to come with him. Unfortunately, his Dark Princess didn’t want to go and leave her Daddy behind. To say that Angelus was furious upon finding out that Spike wanted to take his precious daughter with him was more than an understatement. Over and over again, Angelus told him that he had no right to even think about taking Drusilla away from her family. She belonged to the Master and to no one else. And since mere words were never enough for Angelus, he devised of Spike’s current humiliation to bring his point across.

Spike cussed himself out, wondering why he had allowed any of this to happen. He should have just grabbed Drusilla and left town. Instead, he listened to his lover’s request to stay a bit longer only to have her tell Angelus of his desires. He didn’t dare fight against the Master. It wasn’t that he couldn’t hold his own, but that to have fought back against Angelus would have incurred the wrath of the entire coven. He didn’t really care about anyone else, but had he struck back at Angelus then he would have lost Drusilla forever. Of course, now it seems it wouldn’t have really mattered.



CHAPTER 1

Spike was unceremoniously dumped back in his room. With a groan, he put one hand on the bed, trying to lift himself up from the floor. He heard his door open again and a frail creature stepped in, bringing some washcloths and some blood. He looked at the girl again, trying to remember her name. She was Angelus’ new human plaything. She was a wisp of a girl, golden tresses framed her flawless features and Spike couldn’t help but admire her beauty despite his present condition.

Quietly she went about her business – using the washcloths she brought in to tend to his new wounds. She wiped all the blood from his body and even offered to help him change which he flatly refused. Shaking her head, she tugged on his jeans, “The Master will be cross with me if you do not change. He wants you to dine with him tonight”, she said looking at him with her pleading green eyes. He could hear her heartbeat calling to him as his worn-out body ached for blood. It would be so easy to just take her right now … to pierce her lovely neck and drink. But Spike knew that that would just add fuel to the fire.

“Fine”, he said unenthusiastically. He didn’t really feel like being cordial with anyone right now.

Angelus was trying to test his patience, trying to see if he would crack but Spike didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Even sending his new toy was a mockery. Angelus was dangling his new slave in front of him, showing off the teenage beauty to his childe.

“What was your name again?” Spike finally asked giving up on wracking his brain for the information.

“Buffy”, she said offering him a tentative smile.

Spike could tell by her movements that even though she was a willing slave at the moment, she wasn’t exactly happy with her situation. He really couldn’t blame her. Knowing Angelus, he could only imagine what sick and twisted pleasure he took from her.

She pulled a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt for him to wear, and then stood in front of him, waiting for him to stand up. Shaking his head, he pulled the clothes from her hands. “I’m not that bloody helpless. Just leave the blood on the table and you can go.”

She put the bottle down on the table beside her but then turned to face him again. “I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?”

“The Master said that you should bring me with you.”

Spike couldn’t help but let out a growl which made Buffy take a few steps back away from him. It was to be another humiliation. To bring Buffy with him in essence made him a slave’s escort, lowering his status even further within the coven. He wondered what the consequences would be if he just decided not to go – beatings, torture? He knew he was going to get more of that anyway. He looked up at Buffy and caught her eyes. It seemed like she too was fully aware what was to become of her, if she went to meet the Master without him. But why should he care what happens to her anyway?

She stood there, nervously biting her lip, her eyes pleading that he not make her go alone. He moved towards her, grabbing the bottle of blood from the table. He tilted the bottle to his lips and let the sweet liquid slowly move down his throat. Closing his eyes, he let out a sigh and waited for the sweet ecstasy of blood to consume him. His body craved the sweet elixir and he couldn’t stop the low moan that escaped his lips as the wounds on his body started to heal.

Curiosity got the better of Buffy’s fear as she moved to touch his slowly healing wounds. Spike smiled and caught her hand in his. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss upon it. She pulled her hand back in surprise and tried to hide the warmth that was growing in her cheeks. He let out a chuckle, then busied himself with getting dressed.

Buffy gladly turned around and cussed herself out silently, reminding herself that the man in the room was a vampire. But she couldn’t deny that there was a sweetness to him that she hadn’t seen in Angelus. Shaking her head she reminded herself again “killer, murderer, monster!” She chanted those three words in her head, trying to be realistic of the situation.

“You’re not wearing that outfit, are you?” Spike said as he finished buttoning his shirt.

Buffy turned around looking at him questioningly.

If Angelus wanted him to be an escort, he’d at the very least doll up his date.