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Chapter 7
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To say that Ilona was surprised to hear who was in her reception area would be an understatement. She remembered vividly every detail about the sexy vampire from their previous meeting. He had been the one brimming with life and oozing sex appeal almost from his pores. Oh, yes, she remembered Spike.

Angel had made her want to be wary, on guard. Perhaps it had been his reputation as Angelus, but she thought it more likely the edge he seemed to always be perched on, that feeling that at any moment he might just slip and decide to kill you.

Not many vampires made it to the top of a corporation. She had never worked with one with that much power until the L.A. branch of the firm had been handed to Angel for reasons that were well beyond her understanding.

The funny thing was that both of the male vampires had been so wrapped up in their quest and their jealous posturing over that Slayer, it had been easy to simply think of them as males, not vampires. Dangerous males, to be sure, but males nonetheless. The vibes they gave off, however, were as different as night and day. Angel made her guard go up and her senses go on full alert, whereas Spike made her wish the workday at an end with some time alone to get to know the black-clad blond with the bad boy attitude better.

Ilona worked hard for the Senior Partners, but she could play hard, too. Perhaps the fates were being kind to give her another chance at showing her personal best to the British vampire. She was sure she HAD shown him some of her personal best the last time, but it never hurt to remind a man what you had to offer.

"Ah, Spike. Buona sera. I did not hope to see you again so soon. Scusi, prego, come, come into my office and make a home for yourself there. Are you here for business or pleasure this time? I am happy to help with either, for such is MY way. You have but to command."

"Your so dour boss is not with you this time?" Ilona looked hopeful. "Is it too much to hope that you are looking for more the diverta and not so much the boom boom.? Dispiace, I ask too many questions and here you have traveled so far without my even offering so much as an espresso. Scusi. Pietro! Bring refreshment at once. What is your pleasure, Spike? We can offer many choices to fill any need you might have. Coffee, tea, vino, perhaps blood--we DO stock human you know, you have only to ask. Really, Spike, feel free to ask of me anything at all."

"Had a bit of a dust up back in LA. My sire looks to’ve been turned into dragon chow. Can’t lie and say I’m all choked up about it. Might sound bad, but Angelus was always a right wanker where I was concerned. He was pretty stark staring mad there at the end anyway. No bleedin’ idea what he was thinkin’ orderin’ me to pick up some brat then meet up in that alley. I coulda been dusted! More demons than you could swing a cat at. He musta done somethin’ to piss off someone real important. When I came to, I didn’t see a trace of the bugger. Whole law office was gone, too. Just a big pile of rubble. Had to say a sad farewell to my retainer for scut work. Kinda hopin’ the firm might have somethin’ for me here, providin’ they don’t blame me for Angel running mad on ‘em". He had decided to just jump in with a version of the facts since it was dead certain she’d have heard of the events in LA.

"I’m sure the Senior Partners would love to hear of your offer. No one can blame you for the actions of another. Clearly Angel did not know how to use a man of your obvious skills.. I myself can think of many, many uses for a man such as yourself." She was openly flirting with him now, leaning forward in her chair and showing off her assets to their full advantage.

"Yes, I had heard of the doings in California. Such an ingrate, Angelus!", she spit, as she had once before when talking of the gypsies at their last meeting. "Paaa, nothing as distasteful as an ungrateful employee, no? It was easy to see he did not appreciate you and did not treat you with the respect you deserved either. I spit upon his dust. We shall speak of him no more." She laid a hand on his left leg just above his knee and gave him a squeeze then left her hand there on his leg. The looks she was giving to him held the promise of being fully able to appreciate Spike in every way imaginable.

Spike didn’t want to appear too eager. He wasn’t planning on sleeping with the woman if he didn’t have to. It would feel too much like cheating on Buffy under the circumstances. Still he could always be forgiven for flirting his way into her files.

"Miss Costa Bianchi, I’m sorry to have come so late, but vampire and all", Spike made a cute, rather shy sweep of his lashes as he said it, as though nervous in the company of such a ripe handful of woman. "I don’t think I ever really thanked you for the generous gifts you sent to my home. I’ll never need another coat again, thanks to you. You do a right fine job of warming me up. The shoes were bloody thoughtful, too. Nothing like slipping into something Italian and well made to make a fella feel like he’s never been in anything better." Oh yeah, she was buying!

"Prego, we’re old friends by now, call me Ilona."

Pietro arrived with a butler’s cart containing a variety of pastries and a selection of liquid refreshment. Spike could smell the O-Neg in the carafe begging to be savored. He had almost decided to indulge when Buffy’s face came up in his mind’s eye with that look she got when she most disapproved of him--in other words, her normal look.

"Thanks, pet. I’ve already eaten." He caught her disappointed look and decided to amend his refusal. "I meant the blood, pet. Rest of it looks right fine. I might pass on the bakery goods if I thought I could talk the most beautiful Italian since Sophiia Loren into joining me for dinner somewhere dark and cozy though." He gave her another calculated little-boy-lost look and sat back to wait.

"Of course, of course! I know just such a place. You should put your so handsome self in my hands; you won’t be disappointed."

"I’m sure I wouldn’t be disappointed putting myself in any part of you, pet." He assumed a look that only lacked circulation to be a blush. "Sorry, no offense intended. You’re quite lovely and, um, outgoing. Been on my own for quite some time now and don’t always think with the right part of my body in the company of a beauty such as yourself. " He tucked his tongue behind his teeth and gave her a half-lidded look filled with promise.

"No, no, think nothing of it. You have quite the senso dell’umorismo. I like a gentleman that can make me laugh. Surly you are also making a joke when you say
you have no woman to keep the nights from becoming too cold? I would think your Boffy would have been beyond happy to fall once again into your so muscled arms when she saw you."

"Actually, no. Buffy’s moved on and said I should, too. Think I’m finally ready to do like she said. Immortal’s welcome to her. Dark-haired beauties were always more my style anyway. Had my dark princess for a century ‘til she took up with a Chaos demon. Bit barmy, my Dru was, but had her charms." Spike said carefully. He hoped he had moved the conversation away from his obvious feelings for the Slayer.

"So you are not here looking for her then?" She looked closely at the vampire sitting across from her. Clearly she was trying to read as much from his expression as she was from his words.

"Why, she gone missing? That’d explain why her little sis was actin’ off. I dropped by to see the Bit earlier. Just cause her sister’s moved on’s no reason for me to snub the kid. Used to look up to me, she did." He hoped he’d laid the groundwork to explain any sighting of him in Dawn’s company.

"I really wouldn’t know. Just that Eduardo hasn’t been in town for a while and rumor had it that they were inseparable. They are most likely at his villa in Tuscany. He was born there in 1580, you know. His father was that rascal Francesco Medici, who never bothered to marry his mother, the poor girl. Ah, but such can be the way of love, no?"

"Suppose so. Seen more than a bit of it over the years. Don’t have to be worried at leaving behind any little embarrassing bundles though. One of the pluses of being a vamp. Stamina and the lack of needing to breathe help make up for any little thing we might not be able to do", he hinted. Once more he gave her a look that shot heat down her abdomen to her womb. Ilona began to squirm in her chair a bit.

"Yes, yes, I have heard such legends. But men are so prone to, how can I say this, exaggerate? They catch a fish and say it is so long when it is but half of that, no?"

"Can’t speak for all men, Ilona, but my…fish…have always managed to impress. No one’s ever claimed my…fish…were too small. Usually just the opposite, in fact. As for the stamina, well, love, no need to exaggerate here. Man learns a lot trying to keep things interesting for one demanding lady for a century. I always was a good student." He sat back in his chair and twitched his hips and moved one hand up his thigh drawing attention to the rather impressive bulge in the front of his jeans. God, she was nearly panting! Spike could have smelled her arousal even if he’d been in the other room.

"What do you say to that dinner, pet? I’m thinking I’d like to eat a bit of real Italian." Ilona was hooked and landed, now all Spike had to do was hope that she kept her apartment in the building, just as Angel had in L.A. He had a little surprise for his lusty date that would keep her out of the way while he had a peek at her real unmentionables.

Too bad he had to play the bint. She was sweet enough really, and had done him no harm. Well, he wasn’t going to hurt her. Might even leave her with a fond memory or two, even if they weren’t quite the memories SHE was planning on making tonight.

~~~
Dawn had been about four blocks from her apartment when she first noticed the feeling. She was sure she saw someone out of the corner of her eye, nearly able to be seen, but not quite. Whoever it was had shadowed her all the way to the apartment, never revealing him or her self. Dawn was seriously creeped out.

She rushed into the apartment and closed the door behind her, locking the dead bolt with a sigh of relief. Her heart was racing with nervousness. She hadn’t felt like she was being followed earlier when it definitely would have been of the bad to have a tail on her. For that, she was grateful.

Dawn had delivered her small package in the men’s room of the small restaurant near the Wolfram &Hart offices. It was one of those intimate, dark, romantic places that had the smells of wonderful cooking to appeal to whatever senses your date didn’t. Dawn had no doubt at all that Spike would be able to lead the unsuspecting CEO to this exact restaurant just as they had planned. Dawn never did understand how Buffy had ever resisted Spike when he decided to turn on the charm. Her sister was the only woman Dawn could imagine being able to resist Spike in full flirt mode. Poor Ilona was toast!


The phone rang, making Dawn nearly jump out of her skin. She answered it on the third ring and before she could even say "hello", heard Giles on the other end. "Dawn, if that you? Is everything all right there?"

"Yes, Giles, it’s me. Everything’s fine. What’s up? You sound majorly stressed."

"There’s been an incident in California involving Angel’s college-aged son. His adopted parents, the Reillys, have been murdered. I haven’t been able to reach Spike. The boy insists that Spike be told at once. If this is in any way connected to all the rest, you must take all precautions, Dawn. I won’t lose you as I have your sister."

Dawn could hear real concern and affection in his voice. Funny, she had forgotten how much Giles really did love her and Buffy. He had obviously been blaming himself all this time for his surrogate daughter’s disappearance. That was Giles, becoming more rigid and closed off the more he was feeling those pesky emotions. No wonder Buffy had a hard time expressing love with a role model like that!

"God, Giles, I’m so sorry about his folks. Is he okay? Spike told me he’s really nice, not like Angel at all. Did you say his last name is Reilly? How weird is that?"

"Yes I suppose it is now that you mention it, although no stranger than the name Angel chose to give Spike. Really! Rice-Stoker. Outrageous! I can barely wait for Buffy to be returned to us so that we can all have a laugh about such things. I’m terribly worried about you, my dear. Andrew says he can return to watch your back if you so wish."

"No, he’s really better off there with you right now. You know Andrew, likely to slip at the worst time. We’re fine here. Things are happening just like the are supposed to and we’re safe as houses." Dawn hoped she was reassuring her substitute dad with her calm voice and non-alarming words.

"Tell Connor that we’ll be in touch and that we’re really, really sorry to hear what happened to his folks," Dawn continued. "Spike said that Connor thought they were his real family until just a few weeks before that last battle. Angel had the W & H people do this memory thing, sort of the reverse of what the monks did with me. I know he must have felt they were his real parents."

"The lad is staying with some girl named Nina and said Spike would know whom he was talking about. You will pass on the word, won’t you? Here is the number where he can be reached." Giles gave Dawn the number to Nina’s apartment, as well as Connor’s cell phone. Dawn promised to have Spike call as soon as he got in, wished Giles a good night and rang off.

Dawn hoped that Spike’s mission was going to be a success tonight. The sooner this mess was fixed, the better and safer it would be for them all. Dawn gazed at her front door nervously, reminding herself that the dead bolt was engaged. It was then that she spotted the small envelope someone had shoved under the door while she had been on the telephone.

Dawn picked up the sealed envelope with no addressee and took it to the kitchen to use a knife to open it. She held it up to the light to see if it looked suspicious, then realized she wouldn’t be sure what to look for and got a kitchen knife to open it. Inside there was one folded sheet of paper with a series of glyphs on it. No word, no explanation. Merely odd, foreign looking glyphs. She suddenly wished Giles was still on the line.