Menehune and Night Marchers by gotkona

Chapter #1 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Buffy looked out her window at the vast expanses of lava surrounding the runway. When their dad had offered his vacation house on the island of Hawaii for a chance to get away, Dawn had said yes without ever consulting her. Dawn was in contact with Hank Summers on a regular basis since they had moved to Italy. It seemed he was a bit concerned when he heard all of Sunnydale had been swallowed up by a crater, and part of his paternal responsibility started coming through. He had mentioned to Dawn that he had made a killing in the stock market selling some hot new stock and had bought a vacation home in Hawaii. By the looks of the lush scenery below, they were going to a very unpopulated place. Great, just what she needed - alone time to think about the man she loved. The man she lost twice now. It had been bad enough when Spike had died saving the world in Sunnydale, but finding out that he had died again fighting the good fight with Angel in L.A. a month ago… That had been beyond bad. It had hurt that he hadn’t called to tell her he was back, and if Giles hadn’t gotten a message from his contact in the States, she wouldn’t have even known. The wheels of the plane touched down, and the little jarring action woke Dawn up from her nap. “Are we there?” Dawn asked while rubbing her eyes. “Yeah, we just touched down now. Did you have a good sleep? You were sure drooling a lot,” Buffy replied. “Yep. Rested and beyond ready to lie around and work on my tan. Do you know if Dad’s house is close to the beach or has a pool? And how do we get there? Is it stocked with food, or do we need to shop? Because you know I totally don’t mind shopping if we have to get stuff,” Dawn said without taking a breath. “Slow down. Dad said he’d order a car to pick us up and that he made arrangements to have the house stocked with food. As for a beach or pool, I don’t have a clue since I’ve never been there before.” Buffy and Dawn walked down the plane’s steps and into the quaint but hot Kona International Airport. They noticed a man in a bright Hawaiian shirt, holding a sign that said “Summers.” Making their way to him, Buffy said, “We’re the Summers.” “Aloha and welcome. My name is Ka´ne,” he said as he placed plumeria leis over both their heads. “Let’s get your luggage, and we can be on our way.” After picking up the luggage, they waited for him to bring the limo around. When everything was stored and they were seated in the air-conditioned car, he proceeded to drive. He left the divider down so he could speak with them. “There are cold drinks in the fridge, and I took the liberty of picking up some of the best guidebooks for you. Big Island Revealed is a great book for tourists, and Tales of the Menehune is about the history of the Hawaiian Islands and tells the stories of Pele, the fire goddess, and the Menehune.” “Who is Pele, and what’s a Menehune?” Dawn asked. “Ahh, Pele is the goddess of fire and lives in Kilauea Volcano, and the Menehune are tiny pixies or magical people, and you can read a better account about what they do in the book,’’ said Ka’ne. They traveled for about twenty to thirty minutes when the driver turned down a roadway that led to a gated entrance. He punched several numbers into a keypad, and the gates opened. They first drove about one-fourth of a mile through a lava field, then some trees, and ended up at a lush entrance to a beautiful stone house. Ka’ne opened the door for them and asked them to follow. He led them up a staircase to a door. Pulling a key from his pocket, he unlocked the door and ushered them inside. Buffy and Dawn did not know what to expect, but they never imagined something so breathtaking. They had stepped into the great room, and looking across it, there was a wall of windows that looked out to the pool, spa, and a gorgeous view of the ocean. The house must have been built on the edge of a cliff because the infinity edge of the pool made it seem as if the pool ran into the ocean from this view. “Wow!” Dawn exclaimed. “Why didn’t Dad ever send us here before? It’s gorgeous.” “Your father just became owner of this home about six months ago. The previous owner was my employer also. He built this house for his family here because he was told by one of the Kapuna that this was a magical spot.” “What’s a Kapuna?” Buffy asked. “A Kapuna is a ‘wise one’, or spiritual leader,” said the driver. “Let me show you the rest of the house. A master bedroom opens up to the pool, and there are other bedrooms on the east side of the house. The kitchen also faces west for breathtaking views. The fridge is stocked full, but if there is any other kind of food or drink you desire, just pick up the phone in the kitchen, and it rings at my cottage. I can get you what you want if it is available on the Island.” “Hey, Buff, why don’t you take the master bedroom, and I’ll take one of the back ones?” Buffy nodded yes but was still walking around as if her head was somewhere else. The driver brought up their luggage, bid them goodbye, and reminded them to call if they needed anything. “First thing I’m doing,” Dawn said as she ran into and out of each of the bedrooms, “is picking a room. I want this one, on the opposite side of the house from you. Second thing I’m doing is putting on my bathing suit, grabbing a cold drink, and jumping into that great pool. Wanna join me?” “Yeah, I’m gonna unpack first, and then I’ll join you,” Buffy said with a depressed tone. “Quit with the mopey face. You’re in Hawaii, in a breathtaking house overlooking the ocean - what more could you want?” “Spike. I want Spike here to enjoy it with me,” Buffy answered with a far away look in her eyes. “Buffy, you know that can’t happen. Hey, I miss him, too. The big jerk couldn’t even tell us he was back, and now he is gone for real. Anyway, if he was here, he couldn’t really experience the whole ‘Aloha feeling’ with all that sun causing him to dust.” This was said as Buffy walked away and into the master bedroom to unpack. She was tired of people telling her to get over it. She could stay depressed as long as she wanted. Maybe a little sunshine might cheer her up, but it couldn’t help the loneliness she still was feeling. Dawn grabbed the books that the driver gave to them, along with a towel and a Coke. She found a lounge chair facing the sun, slathered on sunscreen, and laid down. She picked up the book on mythology and began to read. She was so into the book that she didn’t hear her sister come out and drag a lounge to her side, proceeding to put on her sunscreen. “Hey, is that any good?” asked Buffy. “Yeah, the Menehune are really interesting. Kind of a mix between trolls and pixies. Says they have magical powers, mainly come out at night, and have been known to have built large, complicated structures. It also says that people who live where their magic lies may come upon good fortune and their wishes may be granted. Wow, maybe we are sitting in their magic area. Remember how he said this place was built on a magical site?” “Uh huh,” came from a disinterested Buffy. “Hey, are you hungry? I’m gonna go see what’s in the kitchen.” “Bring me back whatever,” Buffy replied. After a snack, a swim, and a shower, the Summers girls decided they should eat dinner and make it an early night. Dawn fixed them something to eat, and they sat at the outside table, watching the most incredible sunset either had ever seen. Soon after, they said goodnight and parted to their own sides of the house and beds. Buffy grabbed her “special nightwear” since she was feeling so down. Her “special nightwear” consisted of an old black tee of Spike’s and one of her black thongs that he liked so much. It always made her feel a little better wearing that to bed. She got into the massive king-size bed and picked up a magazine to read before going to sleep. Her mind couldn’t concentrate on the article - it kept going back to missing Spike. When the tears started hitting the pages, she thought she had better turn off the light and have herself a good cry. As she leaned over to turn off the switch, unbeknownst to her, several tears fell on a stone embedded in the flooring. As the room went dark, she whispered, “Oh, Spike, I wish you were here and I could tell you how much I love you.” Because her eyes were full of tears, she didn’t see the green flickers of light swirling on the stone. Sparks began to quickly move around the stone, and before she could call out to Dawn, a big clap of thunder sounded. In the next instant, Spike, in all his leather-clad glory, stood before her in her room. I'd like to apologize to any Native Hawaiians for tweaking the mythology of Menehunes and Night Marchers to fit my story. I'd also like to send out many thanks to my betas on this chapter: testylizard, Allison, and Klemptor. Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios.

Chapter #2 - Chapter 2

Chap. 2 Dawn, hearing the big, thunderous noise, ran to Buffy’s room to see what had happened. Seeing Spike, she enthusiastically put her arms around him and said, “Buffy, what did you do?” Buffy answered with awe in her voice, “Nothing. I just wished Spike was here, and there he was. I’ve made that wish hundreds of times before tonight, but nothing ever happened. I can’t believe it. Spike, is that really you?” Spike, slightly disoriented from being pulled out of some other worldly dimension and from Dawn hugging him, replied, “Buffy? Bit? Where am I?” “Hawaii,” they both echoed. “Bleeding hell, how’d I get here? Not that I’m not happy to see you both, but the last thing I remember is being suspended in some kind of a peaceful dimension. What did you do?” “Buffy did it, not me,” Dawn answered in an accusatory tone. “All I did was wish you were here while I was crying myself to sleep.” “Buffy, did your tears fall on anything? Remember that book I was reading on the Menehune? One of the things I read said that if tears fall on a Menehune stone while the person is wishing for something, something will come true if that person is worthy,” Dawn explained without a breath. “Well, luv, looks like your tears brought me back. Your tears and the Menewhatsit?” “Menehune, pixies or fairy people. They are responsible for a lot in Hawaiian myth and lore,” Dawn replied. “Well, thanks to them! Let me look at you, Bit. My, you’ve grown into a fine young lady,” Spike said with admiration in his voice. “And Slayer, Buffy, you are as beautiful as ever, but you seem a bit haggard. The Immortal keeping you too busy?” The last part came out a bit more sarcastically than Spike wanted. “The Immortal? Spike, that was Buffy’s rebound guy after you died in Sunnydale. They broke up after a month together. How did you know about him, anyway?” asked Dawn in her usual run-on way. “Peaches and I were in Rome a few months back, and we saw Buffy and the Immortal out dancing. The little boy, Andrew, even said that The Immortal was always around and there was much snogging going on. Angel and I figured you moved on from us.” “Is that why you got killed in L.A.? Were you trying to die? What could you and Angel have been thinking to go up against the Black Thorn? Were you both insane?” Buffy asked in desperation. Buffy still wasn’t sure if she should be happy or if this was all a dream. “No. Angel wanted to take down Wolfram and Hart, so we went after the Circle of the Black Thorn. Gave them a good fight, too!” Spike said proudly. “Didn’t think we would all die. I guess the Powers That Be didn’t want me totally dead, though, ’cause here I am.” Taking his first look around, Spike noticed the full moon rising over the ocean. ”Wow, nice place for the Summers girls. Why are you here, and hey, is that an infinity-edge pool and hot tub outside?” It finally sunk into Buffy’s brain that Spike was really back, and she threw herself into his arms and proceeded to put all the pent-up longing for him into a kiss. Spike responded by putting his arms around her and kissing her back. He was not going to miss an opportunity to kiss the woman he loved. How he had missed the smell and feel of her in his arms - he thought he’d never feel this way again. Hearing Dawn clear her throat, they both reluctantly pulled apart. “I’m gonna go to bed now. On the OTHER SIDE of the house. Please try to keep it to a low roar so I can get some sleep,” Dawn said as she winked and turned to leave Buffy’s room. Spike stepped back from Buffy and asked, “Want to have a swim, luv? I’ve never been in an infinity-edge pool with a full moon in Hawaii. It’s bloody romantic.” He threw his leather coat on the chair, pulled his shirt over his head, and started to unbuckle his belt. “Spike, I can’t believe you just got back from some other dimension and all you want to do is swim,” Buffy said in desperation, but as she watched him slip his black jeans over his tight ass and down his muscular legs, she lost all track of that thought. She had forgotten how perfect his body was, but the memories were coming back quickly as he stood naked in the moonlight. The light was hitting his alabaster skin in such a way that he looked reflective in the night. He turned his head over his shoulder, gave Buffy his patented sexy smirk, and proceeded to walk down the steps into the water. “You’ve got to come in, luv - this water is perfect,” he said in a husky voice. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she pulled off Spike’s old shirt, slipped off her underwear, and gracefully dove into the pool, coming up right beside Spike as he was watching the waves of the ocean from the edge of the pool. Before he could turn around, she had clamped her legs around his waist and threw her arms around his chest. The coolness of the water had caused Buffy’s nipples to pucker, and the tight little buds were pressing into Spike’s back. Spike could feel a stirring in his nether region and was wondering what Buffy was going to do next. He was not expecting to feel her tongue licking the side of his neck. With a growl, he twirled around so fast that now they were chest to chest. Buffy let out a quiet “Eek!” at the feeling of Spike turning so fast but immediately attached her lips to his. She kissed him until air became an issue for her, took a breath, and dove back to his luscious lips again. Spike, not one to pass up a good thing, grabbed hold of Buffy’s ass and pulled her closer. He felt her start to grind against his pelvis and hoped this was going to continue in the direction it was going and that she wasn’t going to freak and run away like before. Buffy felt Spike’s erection pressing into her. She had been dreaming about being with him ever since she told him that she loved him in Sunnydale. She had regretted not making love to him that last night together. And yes, her mind did say ‘making love’ since no matter what she thought about their previous relationship, it was all about love now. While Buffy was having this conversation in her mind, Spike had maneuvered her against the edge of the pool. It felt like he was going to explode from the need to be in her. “We’ll go slow next time, luv. Right now, I need to be in you.” With that said, he poised himself at her entrance and plunged into her warm, wet channel. Buffy let out a cross between a hiss and a moan. It had been so long since she had been with anyone that she was tight and Spike’s large girth was feeling a bit snug now. Luckily, the uncomfortable feeling lasted only seconds and she could concentrate on how wonderful Spike made her feel. She looked into his eyes and saw love in them. There was just a glint of yellow showing, which meant he was trying to keep his demon at bay. Her back was scraping on the edge of the pool, but she didn’t really mind the pain since all she kept thinking about was that she was in his arms again. Spike was not going to be able to last long this first time, so in order to not have Buffy unsatisfied, he slid one of his fingers down into her trimmed curls and started to flick her clit just like she liked. Some things you never forget, even if you died twice in between. Buffy was getting close and started to slide up and down on his cock faster and faster. “Oh, Spike. I’m cumming… I’m cumming… Cum with me, too.” Having Buffy call out his name was all he needed. He thrust once, twice, and came with a loud growl. Thanks to my wonderful betas Allison and Klemptor and to Kat, Robyn, MarzBar, pfeifferpack, vladt, and SpikesSlayer2 for the reviews.

Chapter #3 - chapter 3

The couple held onto each other for a few minutes, lightly stroking one another. After about ten minutes, Spike carried Buffy out of the pool, into the bedroom, and over to the bath towels. He gently let her legs fall to the floor and reached for a towel. He was a bit hindered because Buffy’s arms were still locked around his neck. “Buffy, luv, you can let go of me. I want to get a towel to help you dry off.” Buffy held on tight and said, “I can’t let go. I’m afraid you’ll leave again. I can’t lose you now that you’re back.” Buffy’s eyes filled with tears as she thought about her life without Spike. “Luv, I’m not going anywhere. Plan to stay right by your side with maybe only a side trip to find a butcher for some blood.” “Oh my God! I forgot you need blood. Shall I call Dawn to go find a butcher?” Buffy, forgetting her insecurities, let go of Spike’s neck, grabbed a towel, and started to dry off. “Oh, on second thought, it’s kind of late. Can you wait until tomorrow morning?” “Sure, I can. My mind’s really not on food right now, anyway,” he said with a raised eyebrow. “Thought I might feast on some delectable Slayer first. Been a while since I’ve had a taste.” Buffy felt a flood of moisture between her legs after Spike’s last words. She dropped her towel and stalked over to him. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she pushed him back towards the bed. It didn’t bother her that he was still wet from the pool - it just cooled off her already smoldering skin. Thigh to thigh, chest to breasts, and lips to lips, they tumbled onto the king-size bed. Buffy moved up onto her hands and started to sway so that her hair tickled Spike. Spike just laid back and enjoyed the view of Buffy swaying and grinding on him. As much as he wanted to topple her over and pound into her until they both exploded, he thought it best to let her have the control this time. It felt good to have her want him and have her initiate the lovemaking. Before when they had sex, it was always rough and quick, and he wanted to truly have Buffy make love with him now. Buffy pulled her hair out of her face and grabbed a clip off the nightstand to pin it up. Never for a minute did she stop moving against Spike. She had so much she wanted to tell him, show him that she didn’t know where to start. She racked her brain for the things Spike liked her to do to him in the past and was shocked at how cruel they had been to each other. A few good memories came back, and she decided to see if Spike remembered. She slowly slid down his body until her face was even with his manly bits. She inhaled the scent that was Spike and felt another rush of moisture between her legs. She gingerly lifted his cock and started to take long licks from the base to the head, just like a lollypop, only this was a giant-size lolly. “Buffy,” Spike said, raising his head off the pillow and looking at her. “What are you doin’?” “I’m cheating,” Buffy replied while continuing to lick Spike’s cock all over. She reared up a bit and engulfed as much of his girth as she could. She hollowed out her cheeks and sucked him as far back as her throat allowed. Oh, how she missed the taste of him. “I can’t believe you remembered me saying that to you, luv. That was over three years ago. If I would have known how good you were with your mouth, I would have let you continue back then. Harder, luv. It feels soooooo good.” Buffy continued her sucking, licking, and hand motions on his cock. She let out a moan every once in awhile because it was really turning her on, too. Her moaning vibrated against Spike’s cock and made him groan out loud. “Oh, luv, now! I’m cumming!” Spike hissed as his eyes rolled up into their sockets. Buffy continued her ministrations while swallowing all of Spike’s cum. As she finished licking him clean, Spike grabbed her shoulders and lifted her up to him. He kissed her deeply but then broke off to say, “I love you, Buffy!” “I love you, too, Spike. I really truly do. It took me until you were gone to realize it, but you are the man I truly love.” As their lips met in a sweet kiss, Buffy opened one eye and noticed that the sliders were still open, which would lead to a very dusty morning when the sun came up. She broke from their embrace, jumped out of the bed, and pulled the sliders closed. She made sure the slats were closed tight, too. “I have a feeling that we will be sleepin’ in and would have forgotten about those. Thank you for thinking of me, pet.” Buffy sauntered over to the bed and said, “You’re right about sleepin’ in. I’m not finished with you yet, Big Bad. Are you up for a ride?” Spike nodded his head yes. Buffy climbed upon his thighs and took a look at his semi-erect cock and said, “Well, what happened to that vampire constitution? We can’t have little Spike looking like that. What can I do? I think I’ll try the licking that worked so well before.” Buffy engulfed Spike’s cock within her mouth, and in seconds, Spike’s little spike was not so little anymore. Buffy mounted Spike and began a sensuous up and down motion. Spike couldn’t believe she was being so gentle with their lovemaking since she never was like that before. His hips moved in the opposite motion as Buffy’s and he gripped her hips to keep her upright. Buffy, on the other hand, was experimenting with different angles. She leaned back on his thighs and let her long hair tickle his shins. “Look at us, Spike. Look at how we are joined together perfectly. We fit so well.” Spike looked down to where they were joined, and it was a perfect fit. He reached down and stared to flick Buffy’s clit, which made her gyrations get more frantic. Just as she started to cum, he gave her clit a little twist and felt her explode around his cock. “Oh, Spike, that was wonderful, but I feel like I need more.” “More, you say? You need more, Slayer? I’ll give you more.” He flipped them over so that he was on top. She moved her legs to clasp around his back as he began to pound into her. “Yes! Yes, Spike! That’s it, but I need more… want more… want to feel you deeper inside of me. Bite me. Please bite me and make me yours!” “Buffy, sweetheart, do you know what you are asking? You’re askin’ for a claiming. Do you know what that means? There’s no turning back from that, Buffy. It’s forever.” “Yes, it’s what I want. Don’t you want it, too? If you do, make me yours forever.” Spike picked up his pace, thrusting harder into Buffy. His demon was itching to come out and claim this woman, but Spike was trying to make it good for Buffy, too, and wanted to wait for the right moment. Just as he felt she was getting close again, his demon broke forth. Buffy turned her head and pulled her hair aside, giving him better access. Spike leaned down and licked her neck along her jugular, and Buffy let out a sensual moan. He could feel the blood pounding in her veins. He looked her in the eyes once more for permission, which she silently gave to him. His fangs penetrated her neck, and as he pulled his first taste of blood into his mouth, Buffy exploded into the biggest orgasm she had ever had. Spike pulled his fangs out and said, “Mine” to which Buffy replied, “Yours, only yours.” She then reared up and bit him hard with her blunt teeth. She sucked until she tasted the coppery taste of blood and then said, “Mine.” Spike, having poured his seed into Buffy’s hot quim when she bit him, replied, “Yours. Yours forever.” Thanks again to my betas, Allison and Klemptor, for the great job they did.

Chapter #4 - chapter 4

As the sun rose into the sky, the newly mated couple lay in each other’s arms, sleeping. Contented smiles graced both of their faces. On the other side of the house, Dawn awakened from a peaceful slumber. She padded to the kitchen to fix herself something to eat. “Eat! What is Spike going to eat? I’ll call Ka’ne and see if he can get us some blood,” she said to herself. After explaining to Ka’ne that she and Buffy needed the blood for blood pudding, he said he’d do his best to get them some, but it could take a day or so. Dawn thanked him and hung up the phone. She listened to see if she could hear any noise coming from Buffy’s room, but all was quiet. She went back to her room and put on her bikini. She figured she had to do some serious research on the Menehune by the pool. Fortunately, the house had WiFi, so she was able to search several databases for all she could on the Menehune. Around one in the afternoon, after Dawn had eaten lunch, Buffy came staggering out of her room, dressed in a short robe. Seeing Dawn outside, she plopped down in the nearest chair. “What’s up? You in research mode? I thought we were supposed to be getting away from it all” “Doesn’t someone look pretty happy? Are you gonna spill the details on your night, or do I have to use my imagination? Oh my God, are those bite marks on your neck?” “Yes, I am happy. No, I am not telling you any details. And yes, these are bite marks, but before you freak, let me explain. Spike and I claimed each other last night. I think this is probably gonna upset you, but I had to do what would make me happy, and I wanted to claim Spike.” “Upset? I’m not upset - I’m ecstatic. Does that mean you two are like married in the vampire world? Does that make Spike my brother-in-law now?” “Yes, we’re a couple. It’s not a legal marriage.” ‘At least not yet,’ Buffy thought to herself. “Oh I need to call Ka’ne and ask him about getting some blood.” “Don’t worry - I did already and said it was for blood pudding. It may take him a day to get it, though. How hungry is Spike?” “Don’t know. We really didn’t discuss it last night, and what little he took from me won’t hold him long. He’s asleep now, so I’ll wait ’til later in the day. Do you think we should change rooms? I know he likes being off the pool, but it’s really sunny there mid-day until sunset.” “If he’s happy, stay. We’ll keep the doors there closed during the day. I didn’t take Spike for the pool kind of guy.” “I don’t think it’s just the pool. He’s a very romantic guy, and the way he was talking about the moonlight over the ocean, I think he hasn’t seen that scene for awhile. I think I’m going to use one of the other showers now so I don’t wake him. Be back in a few.” Buffy used one of the other showers, but since she didn’t bring a change of clothes, she had to put her robe back on. “Maybe if I’m real quiet, I can tip-toe back into the room to get my bikini and get some sun.” She carefully opened the door and peeked in. Spike was asleep with his arm thrown over his eyes. She quietly went in and grabbed her suit from the chair. Not being able to resist, she stood and stared at the sexiness that was Spike. She never thought she’d see him again, let alone have him in her bed. This time, things were going to be different. She was going to make it up to him for how she had treated him. She reached for the door handle when she head the sheets rustle. “Where you headin’, luv? You leavin’ me alone in this big bed? I thought we’d spend the day here.” Buffy turned around and threw her suit on the chair - she could sunbathe later. Much later. She climbed back on the bed and gave Spike a good morning kiss. “I was gonna lay out in the sun, but I’d rather lay on you. I figured you’d want to sleep a bit since I kept you up most of the night.” “I slept a lot but woke up as soon as you left my arms. I’m not through with you yet, Slayer. Do you feel the claim pulling you to me? That’s one of the many benefits. We can become more in-tune to each other’s thoughts and needs.” “Hey, I think I’m feeling what you need right now. Of course, I didn’t need the claim to know what you need - I can see it in your eyes. Can you feel what I want?” Buffy was thinking some pretty vivid pictures about what Spike could do with his tongue. “Slayer, what a dirty little mind you have! I knew there was more to love than your strength and beauty. Come here and let me demonstrate what my tongue can really do. Oi, is that Slayer musk I smell? I haven’t even touched you yet.” “Spike, you know all you have to do is look at me and I’m wet. You’re the only one that could ever do that. Even before when our relationship was not so good, you still excited me like no one else. Now, it’s so much better because of love.” Spike grabbed Buffy by the waist and gently laid her on the bed. He made quick work of her robe and took a moment to appreciate his golden goddess. Buffy, growing a bit impatient, cleared her throat and said, “Hey, you in there? I thought tongue action was gonna be happening.” Spike gave her a wicked grin and curled his tongue behind his teeth - he knew that always got the ladies. He’d decided to take it slow and started with her feet, laving each toe before moving to the next. He proceeded to lick up her calves with long, leisurely movements that made Buffy moan aloud. Next, he started to work on each thigh. First, he peppered them with kisses and then went back and traced ‘I love you’ with his tongue on each thigh. Buffy was beside herself with anticipation. “Spike, you better hurry…ahhh.” Spike had started to lick her outer lips from her core to her clit. He knew that this would drive her crazy, so he continued. He inserted two fingers inside her and searched for the spongy bundle of nerves that could really set her off. When he found it, he pressed lightly while simultaneously sucking her clit into his mouth. Buffy exploded from Spike’s combined efforts. “Ohhhh, Spike…Ohh sooooo good! More, suck me more!” Spike decided to try something a little different. He grasped both her ankles in his hands and pushed them up to her bum. This opened her up to him completely. He stared at his golden beauty for a few minutes before he bent his head back down. Buffy was completely open to him, something that had never happened before. He continued pumping her with his fingers and licking and sucking on her clit. After losing track of how many orgasms Spike had brought her to with his tongue, she finally whispered, “Enough. I can’t take anymore. You wiped me out.” “But, luv, I’m not finished with you yet.” With that said, Spike slid his rock-hard cock into Buffy’s quim. He almost lost his load from the heat and wetness that surrounded him. He tried to maintain control so as to make it good for both of them. Slowly, he slid in and out while her internal muscles were squeezing him. “I thought you said I wiped you out, luv? How do you still have that much muscle strength left?” “When it comes to my Big Bad, I can always muster a little more strength.” Buffy continued to squeeze with each inward thrust. It had never felt this good before, and yet she knew that each and every time would be better than the last. Buffy could see the tight control that Spike was trying to keep and finally said, “Let it go. Just let go of your demon and lose control.” She leaned up and bit him over her previous bite marks. Spike went wild. He didn’t know if it was from Buffy telling him to lose control or that she had bitten him again. His demon came forth, and he slid his fangs over his mark. Their explosions into each other rocked the bed against the wall. “Hey, you guys? I thought Spike was sleeping. Doesn’t sound like much sleeping’s going on in there, and I’m getting lonely out here. Plus, I have some news about the Menehune,” Dawn yelled. An exhausted Spike rolled off Buffy and pulled her to his side. “I think we were a little loud there, pet. I’m not going to be able to look Dawn in the eyes when I see her next.” “Oh, don’t worry, she loves you no matter how loud we are. In fact, she was very excited to see that we claimed each other. She was calling you her ‘brother-in-law’.” “I’m honored. I will definitely give her a hug when I get up, but I’m pretty knackered, so I think I’m gonna get some shut-eye.” “Ok. I’m gonna shower again and then see what’s the what.” Buffy jumped out of bed and into shower. After changing into her suit, she went back to the pool deck. Many thanks to Allison and Klemptor for being my betas.

Chapter #5 - Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks to Allison and Klemptor for the wonderful beta job. “So, what’s the what? And is there any food around here? I’m starving.” Dawn looked at Buffy and said, “Well, it’s about time you came out of there. I made you a sandwich about an hour ago and put it in the fridge. Why don’t you get it and come sit by me? I’ll let you know what I found.” Buffy plopped down next to her sister with a sandwich and a soda. Man, was she hungry. She hadn’t felt this hungry since before the fight with the First. She knew she was losing weight, but it hadn’t mattered before. Now she would take better care of herself. “OK, here is what I found. Some of it is good, and some is not so great. Your tears falling on the stone caused your wish to come true, hence the return of Spike. That’s the good. Now, here is the not so great. If Spike leaves this island, he will disappear again. The magic only works where it was created. So, if you want Spike back for good, you will have to live here. Buffy, did you hear what I said?” Buffy was just sitting there with her mouth open. Spike would disappear if he left the island. ‘I guess there are worse things that could happen,’ she thought. She wondered if her dad would let them stay at his house. How was she going to explain Spike coming back? She just told her dad she was a Slayer six months ago and that she had been in love with two vampires. Thoughts kept bombarding her head. What was she going to do? Buffy noticed Dawn’s mouth moving but was not hearing what she was saying. “Huh, did you say something?” “I asked you what you planned on doing. I mean, Hawaii is great but not exactly vampire-friendly. Maybe we should talk to Ka’ne and see if he knows more on the Menehune myth.” “Yeah, that would be good. Do you think you could call him and ask him a few questions?” “I’ll check in with him now. Do you think I should mention Spike or that he is a vampire? I don’t even think there is a Hawaiian word for vampire. I didn’t see any in the myths section.” “I’d leave out the part about vampire for now. Maybe you can tell him that I wished for someone who was killed to come back to me. He seems to know a lot about the mythology, and maybe if he can’t help us, he might know someone who can.” Dawn called down to Ka’ne and explained the situation, using as little detail as possible. Ka’ne did not sound too surprised hearing Dawn’s story. He agreed with her findings that if Spike left the island, he would cease to exist - there was no way around that, the magic stays on the island. He did want to meet this Spike that came back from the dead, though. Dawn agreed to let him come to the house since he said he was able to collect some of the blood and would have it for them by eight that night. Spike awoke from a sound sleep to soft lips brushing against his cheek. He opened one eye to see his Goldilocks peppering his cheek with kisses, trying to wake him up. “Are you trying to get me up, luv? I thought we were going to spend the whole day in bed, catching up?” “Oh, Spike, you know I would love to do that, but Dawnie has been researching your return and we found out some things. Plus, Ka’ne is coming over in a few minutes with some blood for you and wants to meet you. By the way, he doesn’t know you are a vampire, only that you were dead and gone and now have returned.” “Ok, what’s the news? Is it bad? ’Cause then I don’t want to hear it,” a dejected Spike replied. “It’s not all bad. Yes, you are here because my tears fell on the stone. That is the good news, but the bad is that you’re bound to this island. If you leave, you won’t exist. If you can manage to stay here, I will have all my things sent from Rome and move in with you. Our main problem is that this is a sunlighty type of place. How would you feel about that?” “Oh, thank the gods. I thought you were going to tell me I was going to disappear in a week or something. I can handle anything if you’re by my side. We can manage with the sunlight, but do you think your father will let us stay in his house?” “I’m gonna wait until we talk to Ka’ne before I call my dad. Why don’t you get up and shower and come out to the great room? You’ll be able to see the sunset if we put you in one of the chairs closer to the front door.” “I’ll be out in a few,” Spike said as he got out of bed and strolled to the shower. Around eight, the doorbell rang and Dawn got up to let Ka’ne inside. He came with a shopping bag with several quarts of blood and some books. Dawn thanked him and placed the blood in the fridge. She didn’t want him to see her heating it up for Spike. Buffy stood up to introduce Ka’ne to Spike. Before pleasantries could be exchanged, Ka’ne put his hand out and touched Spike’s arm. “He is a vampire. Was he a vampire before he was dead?” replied the shocked but calm Ka’ne. “How did you know? Are you some kind of mystic?” asked Dawn. “Spike was a vampire who got his soul when we knew him in California but died twice, trying to save the world. My sister really loved and missed him and wished for him to be back, and here he is.” “This is the Menehune at work. They brought him back to you because they must have felt you were worthy of their magic. I have studied all my books, and there is no way around this, but he cannot leave the island.” “Spike and I have talked about it, and if that is the only way to be together, then I will move here to be with him. Maybe we can set up some kind of training center here for Slayers.” Buffy gasped as she realized she let out more information than she wanted. “Slayers? Are you both Slayers? We know of the Chosen One - we just have never seen one. How can you both be Slayers if there is only one Chosen One?” Ka’ne asked. “Yes, I am the Slayer. I was the last Chosen One, but we did a spell that brought forth all the potential Slayers and made them full-fledged ones instead. We belong to an organization that is trying to round them all up and train them to fight evil. Maybe we could set up a training center here, and Slayers could come to me and Spike for training. It could be like a Slayer retreat.” “The islands of Hawaii have many mystical and rejuvenating powers. This would be a perfect place for retreats and meditation. If your father would be willing, this property is large and a retreat center could be built here. We already know it is a magical place.” “Yeah, I am going to need to call Dad and Giles in England to see if we should proceed on this. It would be great to be able to do it all here.” “I will come back tomorrow with more blood for the vampire, and you can let me know what you have decided. I bid you all good night.” Ka’ne walked back to his car and drove away. “Well, let’s call Giles and see what he says. We can call Dad tomorrow morning and ask him if we can stay. I don’t know how he will handle the retreat building part of it. Maybe we can ask Giles if there is money to help build it.” Buffy’s mind was going a mile a minute with all the details. “Buffy, slow down. We don’t have to do it all tonight, luv. Why don’t you call Giles first, and we can take it from there? I’d love to see the Watcher’s face when you tell him I’m back.” Giles could be heard cleaning his glasses as Buffy relayed the news to him. He kept saying, “I bloody don’t believe it.” When Buffy asked if he had money to build a retreat, he mentioned that the Council still had a bank account with plenty of funds and that it wouldn’t be a problem. He seemed quite taken with a Slayer retreat and training center in Hawaii, too. Promises were made to keep each other up-to-date, and then Buffy put down the phone. “OK, guys, here is the big question - how is Spike gonna live on a tropical island? He’s here, and you have a job for him with the training of the Slayers, but what kind of life is he gonna have here, not being able to enjoy paradise? Did you think about that?” Dawn asked in hushed tone. “Yeah, luv. I am happy to be back, but what kind of a life is this gonna be for you? Work at night, sleep during the day? You won’t be happy. You need to be out in the sunshine, and I can’t be there. Maybe I can just stay here, and you can come for a week or two when you can.” “I will not hear any of that. I just got you back, and we mated, Spike. How do you think I can go away from you now? There has to be something that will help you. If we only had the Gem of Amara, then you could go out in the sunshine with me.” Buffy put her arms around Spike and gave him a tight hug. “Dawnie, get into research mode. See if there is anything that can let Spike walk in the sunshine and not go poof. Maybe we need to call in some of the Native Hawaiians and their wise people. What were they called?” “Kapuna. That is the name of the wise ones. I will look and see if there are any still on this island. If I find them, what kind of things are we looking for here? Do you want a spell or charm or what?” Dawn asked as she was pulling open her laptop. “At this point, I will take anything. Spike, why don’t you heat up some of that blood? I think it is gonna be a researchy type of night.” After several hours, Spike, who had gone out and taken a swim, came back in and saw Dawn asleep at the laptop while Buffy was reading some books on the Hawaiian islands. “Any luck?” he asked. “Well, there are a few Kapuna on this island, but they are located on the other side, near the volcano. I guess we can travel to see them at night and find a place to stay until we can meet up with them. I want Dawn to call Ka’ne tomorrow and see if he knows of anyone closer. She’s beat. Would you mind helping me get her to bed?” “Sure, luv. Then you should get to bed, too. You look tired, and you have your work cut out for you over the next few weeks.” “Okay. Plus, I want to call my dad in the morning and get his approval on the plans.”

Chapter #6 - Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to Allison and Klemptor for the quick beta. The next morning, Buffy called her dad. “Dad, I’ve got some stuff I have to tell you…,” He expressed concern over the cost of building a retreat center, but when Buffy told him the Council would pay for it, he relented and said yes. The problem they had to deal with now was finding a way to let Spike walk in sunlight. After speaking with Ka’ne the following morning, they found out that the best place to start was the Kapuna, located near the town of Volcano. They made plans to go that evening when the sun was down and after getting more blood for Spike to take on the trip. Before sundown, Dawn and Buffy loaded a rented SUV with food and supplies. As soon as it was safe, Spike got in the backseat while Dawn and Buffy took turns driving. They had requested a rental with GPS so that they could get directions as they were driving. After driving in pitch black for about three hours, they made it to Volcano. Dawn had made reservations for two rooms at a small bed and breakfast there. They checked into their rooms and then met in Buffy and Spike’s room to go over details for the next day. “Dawn, I want to try to find out where that Kapuna is located and if he can be of any help to us.” “Ka’ne gave me a phone number to try to contact the man. I guess even though he is a Kapuna, he has a daytime job, too. Not all Hawaiians appreciate the old ways and support their heritage. It sounded like a real sensitive subject with Ka’ne when he and I talked about it. I just hope this Kapuna, whose name is Hiku, can help us. I am heading back to my room so I can get up early and start calling around. I think you two should get some REAL REST tonight so you are both at full strength tomorrow. I’ll call you in the morning.” “Night, Dawn.” “Night, Bit, sleep tight. I have full trust in your ability to find this Hiku man and set up a meeting with him.” Spike gave Dawn a brotherly hug and pushed her out the door. The next morning, Dawn was able to locate and talk to Hiku. She arranged a meeting for the three of them for that night after sundown. She didn’t get into too many details with Hiku except to tell him about Buffy’s wish on the Menehune stone. He was quite interested in hearing more of the story but had to go to work. Buffy and Spike got out of bed around noon and started to get ready for the meeting. Spike had some of the blood that they had brought, and the Summers girls ate a hearty midday meal. Around seven that night, they piled into the car and drove to the house that Hiku told Dawn he lived in. They got out of the car and walked to the door with excitement and hope. Buffy felt that if Spike was going to be able to walk in the sunlight, this Kapuna was their best shot. They rang the doorbell, and it was answered by a middle-aged man with grayish hair. “Aloha. You must be Dawn, and this must be your sister and her boyfriend. Come into my house,” he said as he swept his arm in a welcoming gesture. The three walked into the household. Hiku led them to a room decorated with native Hawaiian artwork and many textbooks. “Please have a seat and tell me what you need my help with.” In the car, they had discussed that Dawn would be the spokesperson for them since she had done most of the research on the Menehune and she was familiar with some of the language. “Well, my sister Buffy…,” Dawn continued with the details of what had happened so far. She included that Spike was a vampire, and Hiku didn’t bat an eye. He listened patiently to her whole story. When Dawn had related all the details, she asked Hiku the question they had all been wondering. “Can you help Spike walk in sunlight?” “This was a very interesting story. I hope I don’t frighten you when I say that I knew someone would be asking me questions about a vampire walking in sunlight. I had a dream about this months ago and just passed it off as a one-off. I did do some research myself after the dream and found some prophecies about vampires in Hawaiian history. Maybe that was to get me ready for meeting you. Let me go find my books. I will return shortly - make yourself at home.” Hiku then scurried out of the room to find his books. Dawn, Buffy, and Spike sat in the room with shocked faces. There was something about a vampire walking in sunlight? They knew they were grasping at straws before, but now a little hope shone in all their eyes. Hiku returned with a dusty old book. It reminded Buffy of the kind of book that Giles used to have around in the library, the kind of book that always held the prophecies. “So, do you think you can help us?” Buffy asked Hiku. “Does your book tell us how Spike can walk in the sunlight without turning into dust?” “Patience, my child.” Hiku then turned to Buffy and said matter-of-factly, “You are the Slayer.” Buffy responded, “Yes, but I am not the only Chosen One anymore. We did a spell to save the world from the First Evil, and all potential Slayers were changed into Slayers. We now have a Council to help fight evil and train all the new Slayers around the world. We want Spike to help us with the training, and that is why we want to have him walk in the sunlight.” Buffy rushed through her sentences without a breath of air. “A Slayer and a vampire - that is an interesting combination. But overall, I am not surprised. It is covered in the prophecy. Here, let me read it you,” Hiku replied. “There will walk the earth a vampire with a soul, who fights for good, and he shall mate with a Slayer and together they will help conquer evil.” Hiku then paused and muttered to himself. “Excuse me for mumbling, but part of this is written in an ancient language that I am not too familiar with. I think it says that the vampire must endure many trials before he can conquer evil. Let me get a translation book and see if I can get a clearer meaning.” Hiku brought down another book with many symbols and words on its pages. He referenced both books for a few minutes while the other three stayed silent and apprehensive. “Ah, here it is. It says the vampire must first suffer many trials to get his soul back.” “Been there, done that, mate. Went to Africa a while ago and saw a demon about my soul. Suffered many trials and didn’t think I was going to make it, but I did. Tell me something else,” Spike said impatiently. “The vampire with the soul must face the Night Marchers on Halape Beach. If he survives whatever the Marchers give him, he will be able to walk in sun. Wait, wait…,” Hiku hesitated. “It also says that he will not become living, just walk in sun. I guess that means that you will still be a vampire in terms of still needing blood and will still be able to be killed by a stake or beheading.” Buffy and Spike had looks of dejection on their faces. They were both hoping in their hearts that they could find something to make Spike human again. They both quickly shook off their expressions and realized they should be happy with all they had gotten so far. “What is…are Night Marchers?” asked the ever-curious Dawn. “Are they like the Menehune? I don’t remember reading about them in the books.” “Night Marchers are ghost warriors of the highest rank. They pound drums, their feet don’t touch the ground, and they carry torches. They march to see the worthiness of new warriors, and if you are not worthy, then you die.” Hiku’s voice was a bit shaky as he recited the above. “They don’t sound too scary to me. What’s a ghost gonna do to me anyways? I’m dead already,” Spike voiced with his usual confidence. “Ah, Night Marchers are a little different than the usual ghost. Most people on the islands are deathly afraid of them. If they hear the drums pounding, they stay inside their homes and don’t venture out until daybreak. Night Marchers are the kind of stories we tell our young ones to scare them into not going out at night. I don’t know anyone that has seen a Night Marcher and lived to tell the tale.” Hiku seemed a little nervous talking about the Marchers. “Spike, do you think it will be worth it to face these Night Marchers? I don’t want to lose you now that you are back,” a nervous Buffy asked, concerned. “I have to do this, Buffy. I have to try. I will do my hardest to be worthy to them and not die at their hands.” Spike reassuringly patted Buffy on the back. “Tomorrow night or the next you must drive down to Halape Beach. There you will find a large stone about five feet wide. You will wait there for the Night Marchers. They will put you through trials of bravery and skill, and if you pass them, then they will give you an amulet or token that you will wear that will enable you to walk in sunlight.” Hiku read these last words from his book. “Sounds kind of like the Gem of Amara, but that made me indestructible. Too bad this won’t work that way,” Spike announced to the group. “I say the sooner we can do this, the better, so I am all for going tomorrow night. Can I bring anything or anyone with me?” “No, you must go alone and with no weapons. If they wish to test your skill with a sword or spear, they will supply it. I will write down the directions for you and make a little map.” Hiku was being very helpful to the group since he sensed great things to come from the vampire and slayer. He proceeded to draw a map and write the directions on a piece of paper. “Thanks, mate, I appreciate it. I guess we best get our things together and head back to the Inn. I’m gonna need to rest up for what’s next.” The three relayed their thanks to Hiku with the promise to let him know how it went.

Chapter #7 - Chapter 7

A/N:Thanks to Allison and Klemptor for being my betas. All Buffy kept thinking was that she was going to lose Spike again. She couldn’t bear for that to happen yet, she knew he had to try for this. Dawn was torn between being scared that Spike would die again and being happy that they found someone who could give them a bit of hope. Spike was deep in thought of how he was going to leave Buffy tomorrow night to maybe never return to see her again. Now that he was reunited with her, he couldn’t bear to be apart from her long. He sensed her sadness through the claim and pushed his own thoughts aside to send out feelings of peace to her. When they arrived at the Inn, Dawn bid them goodnight and went directly to her room. She promised to meet them for brunch at noon, which was enough time for Spike to get some rest and then fill up on blood for strength. Spike and Buffy walked into their room without speaking to each other. Neither wanted to express their concern over what Spike was about to endure. “I’m gonna go brush my teeth and get ready for bed. Are you sleepy yet?” Buffy asked Spike. “I’m not tired or sleepy, luv. I was hoping you could help me with that problem,” Spike replied in his best sexy voice. “How can you think about that? Aren’t you scared about what you are going to face tomorrow night? Doesn’t it bother you that you might not return? What am I gonna do if I lose you again now that I found you?” Buffy finally put into words what she was holding in her heart. “Buffy, I am going to do my best to pass the tests that they give me. I don’t want to lose you again either, but I have to try this. And if I pass, it will be so worth it. I can’t wait to lay by you on the sandy beach or out by the pool. You know I have a pretty hot, tight body already - can you imagine me with a tan, too? Better watch yourself, Slayer - the ladies will be lining up to glimpse the new tanned me,” Spike said assuredly. “Oh honey, I can’t wait for those days either, though I will beat any woman that comes near you, but I am worried about tomorrow night. I can’t even be there to support you. I want to give you all the help I can.” “You will be with me in spirit, luv. That’s what counts. Now, if you want to help me out, come jump into bed with me and help me take my mind off tomorrow. I need to be more tired to get a good night’s sleep.” Buffy slowly walked over to Spike and put her arms around him. She hugged him hard, and all her nervousness flowed out. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so afraid anymore. She knew he would pass the tests, just like she knew they would defeat the First. As her confidence increased, she became aware of something poking her in the stomach. “Spike, all I am doing is hugging you, and you’re excited. I can’t believe you sometimes.” “Vampire. Doesn’t take much to get us excited, and when I am hugging the woman I love, it only take seconds. What say we lay down and continue with this hugging horizontally?” Buffy pushed Spike towards the bed while pulling his t-shirt over his head. Spike was just as eagerly pulling Buffy’s tank top off, also. Once they were both without tops, they scrambled for the other’s pants. Spike won the race and had Buffy stripped of her pants and underwear before she could get his zipper down. “I won. Now you’re mine,” Spike said huskily. “And I can do anything I want with you.” “Honey, I was always yours. Do you think we should be doing this? Don’t you need to keep up your strength? I know you are going to need it for tomorrow night,” Buffy said with hesitation in her voice. She really wanted to make love with Spike, but she didn’t want to do anything to take away his strength from the trials of the next night. “Why don’t you lay back and let me do all the work? And it will only be part of what I really want to do to you. When you return successfully from the trials, we can continue with more loving.” Spike lay back against the pillows on the bed and watched Buffy climb up on his legs. He could feel her heat on his thighs, and it just got him harder. Buffy looked at Spike’s cock as it was straining towards her. She bent down and licked the pre-cum off the tip. Then she squeezed her breasts together and surrounded his hardness with them. Up and down, up and down - she made his dick slide between her swollen breasts. Spike was trying to think of unpleasant things as Buffy performed her little slide on his shaft. He was so close already, but he wanted this to last a bit longer. Buffy was getting pretty aroused herself. She could feel her juices running down her thighs and really needed to have Spike in her. She let go of her breasts and poised the tip of his cock at her opening. “Open your eyes, Spike. I want you to see me as I impale myself on your big, hard dick. I want you to see the pleasure that your bring me, but most of all, I want you to see the love in my eyes.” Spike opened his eyes and watched Buffy slide down on his cock. He almost shot his load from seeing the love and lust in her eyes. It was too much, and he let out a lusty groan himself. He was burning from her heat, and it was uncontrollable. Her thumbs skimmed up his chest and found his nipples. She pulled them between her fingers on her upward strokes and twisted them on her downward strokes. ‘A bit of pleasure and pain, just the way Spikey likes it,’ she thought. Spike couldn’t take it much longer, and his fingers found the juncture of their bodies. He had no trouble finding her swollen clit and began to flick it lightly since it seemed to be highly sensitive. It didn’t take Buffy long to cum and she did with an, “Oh Spike, yessssssssssss!” Spike’s nipples were feeling a bit too sensitive from Buffy’s ministrations, so he pushed her arms away and placed them above his shoulders. This brought Buffy’s mouth down to his, and he reared up to capture her lips. Their tongues battled fiercely with each other as Buffy continued to rock against Spike. Spike’s cock was hitting her g-spot with her every movement, and it didn’t take long for Buffy to cum again. She let out a scream, which was muffled by Spike’s mouth. Spike wanted Buffy to cum again, so he continued his movements. Just as she seemed to go over the edge, he bit her over his previous bite marks and swallowed some of that precious Slayer blood. He knew this would give him extra strength when facing the Night Marchers the next day. As soon as he felt her muscles clamping down on his cock, he let go and came with such a blast that he temporarily lost consciousness. They both fell into a restful sleep for the rest of the night

Chapter #8 - Chapter 8

The next evening, Spike followed Hiku’s directions to Halape Beach. The road was dark, and he was glad Buffy had rented him an all-terrain vehicle since most of the road was unpaved. He parked the Jeep by a grove of Koa trees and got out. “Here’s to a fair trial,” he whispered to the skies. He walked down the road on his map, sat, and waited. The moon was high in the sky and illuminated the waves and the beach. The air was still, and Spike was feeling a little apprehensive. Suddenly, he heard a drumbeat and then another. He wasn’t sure if he had adrenaline in his body, but if he did, it was pumping furiously. He jumped to his feet to await his trials. He didn’t have long to wait before he saw two rows of warriors marching towards him. There must have been about twenty. They were dressed in war attire with paint and tattoos adorning their skin. They carried spears, swords, and knives. They marched down the beach until they came to Spike and then they stopped. The warrior with the most decorated, tattooed chest stepped forward and said, “Are you prepared to die for what you wish?” “Yes,” Spike replied confidently. “I am ready to face whatever ya throw my way. I want to walk in the sunlight with my love, and I’m willin’ to fight for it.” The warrior clapped his hands and said, “Let the trials begin. If you complete all three trials successfully, then you will be granted your wish. If you do not, you will die.” He clapped his hands again and shouted, “Let us begin.” Immediately, the marchers formed a large circle. In the center were Spike and a large warrior. He was about 7 feet tall and outweighed Spike by about two hundred pounds at least. He carried a wooden spear and pointed to the ground next to Spike. There laid a spear for Spike to use. Spike grabbed the spear and began circling around the warrior. They both lunged at each other, but due to his bulk, the warrior was not as quick on his feet as Spike. Spike missed his first lunge but quickly regrouped and pivoted on the spot and stuck the warrior in the head with the spear. The warrior disappeared into the air with a loud whoosh. Spike, a little surprised at how easily he dispatched the large warrior, was anxiously awaiting what the Night Marchers threw at him next. He may have passed the first trial quickly, but he knew the next one would not be as easy. ************************************************************************ Meanwhile, back at the Inn, Buffy was pacing back and forth in her room, wearing a hole in the rug. “Buff, relax - he’s gonna do fine. If Spike could make it through the trials to get his soul back, then he can definitely do this.” Dawn was sitting on the sofa, flipping through channels. She didn’t want Buffy to know she was just as anxious as she was. “Hey, why don’t we go to the inn’s hot-spring tubs? I hear they are heated from the steam of Kilauea. Very relaxing.” “How can you think of relaxing, Dawn? I’m going nuts thinking about what Spike must be going through right now. What if they don’t think he’s a worthy warrior?” “Stop that negative thinking right now - you know Spike is a worthy warrior. He’s proved himself a champion more than once. Come on, put on your suit and let’s go try to relax. It will make the time go by quicker.” Dawn went off to change into a bathing suit and met Buffy at the hot-spring tub. At least they could relax their muscles while they were waiting. ****************************************************************** The head warrior now told Spike he must go into the cave behind the Koa trees and withstand whatever was in there for the allotted time. As Spike walked into the darkened cave, he was doused with a shower of water. The water had a sweet smell to it, and that was when Spike realized he had been covered in sugar water. He was given a torch, but it didn’t shed much light. Suddenly, he felt something crawling up his legs. He shook his leg and pointed the torch down to the ground. “Oh bugger!” Spike hissed. The ground was covered with cane spiders, cockroaches the size of his hand, and foot-long centipedes, whose bite could inject enough poison into the body to kill a man twice Spike’s size. He could feel the bites of the spiders as they climbed up his body, nipping at the sugar water. He remembered he was wearing his Doc Martens and started to stomp on the ground, killing some of the bugs but not many. He could feel his arms and thighs begin to swell from the numerous bites. He swatted at his chest and tried to prevent them from crawling up, but it was useless - they were ascending at too quick a rate. He thought he was going to be sick when he felt the bite of a centipede on his face, but he continued to swat away as many as he could . No part of his body was untouched. He could even feel them attacking his manly bits. When he didn’t think he could take anymore, there was a loud clamor, and he was back outside the cave again. “Well done. You passed the test of bravery. Not once did you shout out but you kept your wits about you. Are you ready for the third and final trial? This will test both your bravery and skills as a warrior.” The lead Marcher pointed with his hand to a clearing. Spike took a step forward towards it. Out from behind the trees leapt a large warrior. He carried no weapons, and this caused Spike to hold steady - something was up. Just as he was going forward to face the warrior, the man cupped his hands together and formed a ball of fire, which he hurled at Spike. “Oi, now there’s the trick. I have to beat another fire warrior like in the trials for my soul. I’ve done it before, so this shouldn’t be a problem.” Spike did not know that what the warrior was throwing was actually hot lava. Whereas fire when thrown would die out, lava continued to burn. This posed the unusual problem of causing the two-thousand degree lava to land on the sand and continue to burn, thereby decreasing the amount of space he had to fight in. Spike tried to dodge the hurtling lava as best as he could while at the same time avoiding stepping on it while on the ground. He was becoming trapped in a circle of fire when suddenly he had a brilliant idea. He began to back out of the circle, towards the ocean. Soon, he was standing in knee-deep water. The lava warrior followed him to the water, still hurling lava at him, except now it would fizzle out when it hit the water. Spike had more room to maneuver, and he was able to hook the leg of the warrior and push him into the water face-down. He then jumped on his back, effectively pushing his face into the sand and suffocating him. All of a sudden, Spike heard the beat of the drums from the Night Marchers. The “Lava Warrior,” as Spike called him, had disappeared, and he was standing in the ocean alone. Spike walked out to the head warrior. “You have proven yourself a brave warrior. Your wish will be granted.” He held out his empty hand and a poof of smoke encompassed it. When the smoke cleared, there laid a piece of lava rock with a sketch of a man and a sun on it. The stone was pierced with a hole in which a silver chain ran through it. “Wear this around your neck when you venture into the sunshine, and you will be protected from it. If you remove it, the protection will end. You do not need to wear it during the night, for you are one of us now, and when you hear the beat of our drums, you will feel our presence and protection.” Spike took the chain and put it around his neck. It felt cool and smooth against his chest. He held out his hand to the warrior, and it was grasped firmly by him. They looked into each other’s eyes with respect. As Spike let go of the warrior’s hand, the Night Marchers started their drumbeat again and continued to walk down the beach. Spike watched them until they faded from his sight. A/N: We're almost done with this tale. Again thanks to Allison and Klemptor for being great betas.

Chapter #9 - Chapter 9

Spike took an unneeded breath and began the walk back to the Jeep. He didn’t know what time it was, but it seemed like he had been on the beach for hours. When he returned to the Jeep and saw the time, he realized he had only been gone an hour. Well, at least Buffy wouldn’t be too upset that he was gone long. He pulled out his cell phone, which was really Dawn’s cell phone since he didn’t own one. He pressed Buffy’s number and waited for it to ring. Buffy saw her phone vibrate on the edge of the hot tub and grabbed a towel to dry her hand. She flipped it open and saw the caller ID that said “Dawn”. “Honey, is that you?” she asked breathlessly. “Are you done? If you are, then you must have passed the trials. Can you walk in the sunlight now?” “Slow down, luv. Yes, I’m done, and I passed their bleedin’ tests. I am now the proud owner of a necklace that lets me be in the sunshine. Not exactly my taste in the jewelry department, but it’ll do.” “Yipeee!!!!! Dawnie, he passed the tests. Oh Spike, I was so worried. When are you coming back?” Buffy asked. “I’m in the Jeep, on my way to the Inn now. We’ve got some celebratin’ to do. Plus, I can’t wait to take a walk in the sun with my girl tomorrow.” “Okay, Spike. Drive safely and we’ll see you in a bit.” Buffy let out a big sigh and sat back in the hot tub. “Well, Dawn, he did it. I think our lives are really gonna change now. Do you think you’d want to live with us here on the island, or would you prefer going back to Italy?” EPILOGUE One year later, inside an air-conditioned gym “Welcome, SITs, to the Summers’ Retreat and Retraining Facility. I’m Buffy Summers, and I, along with Spike and Dawn, will be overseeing your training and relaxation here. You have all been through training with the Watcher’s Council, and now this is a place where you can refine your combat techniques and rejuvenate yourselves in the Hawaiian culture. Spike and I will be working on your fighting techniques with you, and during your free time, Dawn, my sister, will be leading you in some relaxation techniques along with other fun stuff like sun bathing, swimming, snorkeling, and of course shopping. Dawn will now show you to the dorms and tell you about the schedule.” Dawn lead the group of ten SITs to the dormitory to get them settled. She had decided to stay with Buffy and Spike on the island and help them with the retreat center. The Council had thought it was such a good idea that they had come up with the money to buy the place from Hank Summers - at a reduced rate - so that it could be a year-round retreat. Dawn had also completed some courses in yoga and traditional Hawaiian massage, such as lomilomi, so that she could help with the relaxation part of the retreat. She was really getting into the Hawaiian culture and the Aloha way of life. Buffy turned and walked over to Spike, who was sitting on the edge of the mat in the gym. She put out her hand, which he grabbed and hoisted himself up. “Looks like an interesting group, luv. Let’s hope we can finally work out at our full potential with this group.” Spike pulled Buffy in for a quick hug and then grabbed her hand and started to walk out the door. He was dressed in his usual black tee shirt but on his legs were a pair of white shorts. The contrast of the white against his tan legs was something Buffy would never get tired of seeing. Spike loved to sit out by the pool and tan his body. Sometimes, he was out there more than Buffy and Dawn. And after that first bad sunburn, he had learned to put sunscreen on every day. She had never seen him happier than when he was just sitting back, enjoying the sunshine on his face. He had really taken up the “aloha spirit”. The previous months had them all busy with the planning and construction of the retreat. This was their second group to come through, and after the first group gave them such great compliments, they were eager to continue on this path. Dawn had even begun dating a local surfer boy and was beyond happy with her decision to move there permanently. Giles and the gang had been out more than once to visit and supervise the construction. They planned to visit at least twice a year for a bit of relaxation. Buffy and Spike had made their relationship public to the gang and even went so far as to share vows on a beach at sunset. The ceremony was seeped in Hawaiian tradition, and as they kissed officially as husband and wife, Spike felt the presence of the Night Marchers around him - their approval was in the air. Buffy also felt a presence at the end of the ceremony and assumed it was the Menehune blessing their marriage. They had helped bring Spike back to her, and she would never forget that. If anyone spoke of the Menehune or Night Marchers with skeptism, both Buffy and Spike would quickly dispel it for them. Life was good for Buffy and Spike as they continued to live in the spirit of Aloha. Again I’d like to thank my two betas, Allison and Klemptor for their help in making this story readable. They were both quick with getting me the chapters back so I could post daily. I'd also like to thank the readers that took the time to review. It means to a lot to me since this was my first fic.