~*~
Chapter 34
~*~
 
 
Anya had spent too many hours forlorn in her cell.  She wondered if Xander had managed to get to safety or if he was in another cell elsewhere.  No one was answering any of her questions.  This young man who had just entered her life brought the first rays of hope in what felt like an age and Anya knew what an age truly felt like!
 
"Ms. Jenkins, as I said, my name is Lindsey McDonald and I'm going to represent you."  He put out his hand and gave her a bright smile.
 
"So who hired you?  Lawyers don't come cheap and everyone who might care about me is no longer prosperous," Anya knew Max would not have given Xander any severance pay.
 
"Friends, like I said.  I was hired by people you trust.  We have many friends in common and not just your recent buddies here in Sunnydale.  I used to work for Wolfram and Hart."
 
Anya stared at him, assessing the truth of his claim, "I thought the Senior Partners moved out of this dimension just like D'Hoffryn did."
 
"They did.  I freelanced for a while," he cleared his throat and gave her a wry grin.  "I had a bit of a disagreement with the Partners over several things. You could say I didn't like the way they ... gave me a hand."  He chuckled as if at some private joke.  "Didn't care for how they handled a lady that I loved either."
 
Anya nodded, even though she didn't have a clue about his references.  "You're wasting your time, I'm afraid, and time is money.  This is a show trial with the fix in already.  I've lived long enough to see the handwriting on the wall."
 
"Surely you aren't THAT ancient," Lindsey teased. He looked into Anya's blank face and gave up on joking her into an upbeat attitude.  "Okay, that might be their plan, but we're going to turn the tables on them."
 
"How?"
 
"I'm sure you've heard that good lawyers are sharks?  Baby, I'm the baddest shark in the ocean," Lindsey promised.
 
Anya perked up a bit, "You think you can save me?"
 
"Yeah, I'm pretty certain.  Let's go ahead and give them their show, but we'll be the ones writing the script," he smiled.  "Now, let’s get some specifics from your perspective."  McDonald opened the file he'd been given with the required disclosures from the prosecutor’s office.  "Seems they've decided to try you as a war criminal.  Want to give me a rundown on how you figure into both Henry the VIII and the Russian revolution?  I gotta say I'm pretty impressed."
 
***
 
 "And if you ask me it's never too late to punish those who have caused so much human misery!  This female may be fully human now, but as a demon the amount of bloodshed caused by her actions is mind boggling.  I'm telling you, folks, I've had a look at the prosecution's case and this is a slam dunk!  Take it from Coop: there isn't a decent human alive who won't want a conviction and the GHI isn't going to let any of us down."  
 
"Would you turn that loudmouthed buffoon off?!"  Giles was heartily sick of the blatherings of the ignorant, pompous demagogue who reigned on the radio airwaves, drawing more and more power by spewing hate and stirring up fear.
 
Willow switched off the radio.  "I hate him too, but listening does give us an idea of what they're up to.  They use him to spread their propaganda," she shook her head sadly.  "You'd think people would wise up!"
 
"Sadly, most people allow themselves to be spoon-fed.  They rarely check information for factuality or even common sense.  Generation after generation seems to fall for it over and over again.  Put a face in front of a camera or a loud voice behind a microphone and they are suddenly experts," Giles groused. "Joseph Goebbels wasn't the first to exploit that, though he raised it to an art form."
 
Xander looked woebegone, "I just don't get it though.  What wars did Anya ever start?"  She was the patron of scorned women.  How can she be a war criminal?"
 
"I don't know, Xander," Giles clapped his shoulder with empathy.  "We are trusting that Charles was correct that Mr. McDonald will be able to prove this is all stuff and nonsense."
 
"I'm scared for her," Xander choked back a sob.  "She acts tough, but Anya's really still a confused little girl at times.  She's just re-learning how it works being human and a lot of those things scare her.  She puts on a good show, but I've seen her struggle with things like Joyce's death, my parents’ lack of parenting skills and just little stuff like sickness."
 
"Don't sell her short, Xander.  Anya is far stronger than you might think.  She has seen much in her long life and while she may not express herself with anything remotely like diplomacy and tact, she has more wisdom than you seem to realize."
 
"God, I hope so!  I hate thinking of her alone and confused."
 
Willow smiled at her old friend, "It'll be fine, Xan.  Before you know it, she'll be right here annoying all of us in her own special Anya way."
 
***
 
"What is this?"  The lead prosecutor looked at the paperwork incredulously.  "Motions to dismiss?  Suppression of evidence?  I don't think you know who you are dealing with here, McDonald."  His face was florid with suppressed rage, "You think you can use fancy, high-priced lawyer tricks to keep that bitch from a public execution?"
 
"I know exactly who I am dealing with, believe me.  The motions are mostly just part of the show.  We'll be having that trial, but it's going to be a fair one."
 
The prosecutor laughed in Lindsey's face.  "In your dreams."
 
McDonald calmly laid out several documents and photographs on the desk.  The prosecutor's eyes widened as he took in what was in the papers and blanched as he looked closer at the photos.  DAMN, it was most every top-ranking Global Human Initiative member and some of the most prominent elected officials!  How the hell did this cowboy-lawyer get this stuff?
 
"Oh, I have copies.  Lots and lots of copies, and of more than this, besides.  I think I have enough dirt on most of you to bury you all actually.  Perks of working for W & H for endless years, not literally of course."  Lindsey smirked at the ashen man.  "Anything happens to me, so much as a hangnail, and these go public.  You'll never find all the copies either, so why don't we take a step back and start dealing like professionals?"
 
"You think you can blackmail all of us?  You think we'll just let her out?"  The prosecutor began to pace nervously while thinking out loud, “Can’t turn back now even if we want to. It’s too public.  Too many have seen our case."
 
Lindsey shrugged, "Fine with me.  I've got no problem going on with the show.  I'll do my job and you do yours, only we're playing fair.  We'll take this mess to a jury.  My client will be treated with respect and with full rights and protections under the law.  No dirty tricks and these files I have will stay between us.  Any monkey business and the PR you've used to gin this whole thing up will look like nothing when I get done.  The pitchforks and torches will be out for you and most all of your little world domination wannabes."
 
The prosecutor nodded mutely.
 
"Are we clear?"
 
"Crystal."  The prosecutor’s voice sounded like a strangled cat.
 
Lindsey refiled the documents and photos and flashed a wicked grin, "Okay, let's dance."
 
***
 
Spike took Buffy by the hand and lead her to a chair, "Sit for a mo', love.  Need to do a few things.  Wasn't sure when I could bring you here or if you'd come."
 
Buffy gave the clearly nervous vampire a confused look but complied.
 
Spike reached into his deep pockets and pulled out a handful of items that clattered to the desktop.  Buffy watched, bemused, as he started setting up small votive sized candles here and there around the room and lighting them.  Spike fiddled with the largest item, a Walkman player, then grinned in satisfaction as he set it to play.  Buffy was prepared for an ear assault of punk rock, but to her surprise was instead hit with Frank Sinatra singing, "It Had To Be You."
 
Spike slipped off his duster and held out his hand to Buffy, "Dance with me, beautiful?"
 
Buffy slipped into his arms easily and they began to sway to the gentle rhythm as if born to it.  Buffy's head rested perfectly on his shoulder as she let him lead her in the dance.
 
"For some reason I never pictured you ballroom dancing to Sinatra," Buffy admitted.
 
"Lots about me you don't know.  Lived a long time, Buffy, not just born when mosh pits and slam dancin' became a thing.  Cut my teeth on the waltz and country dances, I’ll have you know," he smiled down at her.  "Frank there seems a tad more romantic than Johnny Rotten, even to a sorry sod like me."
 
"So you are going for full-out romantic then?"  Buffy teased.
 
Spike shot her an annoyed look, "You can't tell?"
 
Buffy giggled, "Of course I can, you dope.  I think it's sweet."
 
"Well, don't know about sweet, but it's all so much less than you deserve.  Love to have taken you someplace nice, not an abandoned warehouse.  Do it up proper with a fancy meal and perfect wine to go with it.  Decadent chocolate somethin' for dessert.  Start the whole thing out with flowers...not roses, too common.  'M thinkin' maybe a bouquet that tries to say it all."
 
"What do you mean says it all?"
 
"In my day, we did a thing called the language of flowers.  Each flower had a special meaning, a message.  Even the color made a difference."
 
"Yeah?  What would be in this bouquet you'd bring me?"  Buffy was breathless, genuinely moved by Spike's tender side.
 
"Well, there would have to be bachelor buttons for anticipation, violets for faithfulness, a bit of blue hyacinth to express sincerity and, in the middle, one perfect red rose to declare passionate love."  Spike smiled into Buffy's hair as they danced.
 
"That sounds lovely," Buffy sighed as the moved slowly around the slightly dusty floor.
 
"Not half as lovely as you," Spike noted.
 
The song came to a close only to start with "This Guy's In Love With You" by Herb Albert and Spike didn't break stride as they continued to dance. 
 
"So did you put a playlist together like those flowers you were talking about?"
 
Spike leaned back and bit his lower lip, dipping his head to look up through his lashes at her shyly, "Um, yeah, 'fraid so."
 
They danced through several equally romantic, downright mushy, songs until Buffy cracked up as Bette Midler's voice began to warble "Wind Beneath My Wings".  "Okay, how did that get in there?"
 
"Think I'd forget somethin' as important as the song you wanted for our weddin'?"
 
Buffy stared up into his earnest eyes and answered frankly, "No, no I don't. Somehow I don't think you'd forget anything important to someone you love."
 
"Got that right, pet."
 
Buffy's hand moved from Spike's shoulder to the nape of his neck.  She'd always been fascinated with the sweet curls that often showed themselves there and they proved as soft as she had imagined.
The familiar sounds of the Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” seemed the perfect temp for the soft caresses the couple began to share as the whole crazy world seemed to stop just for them.
 
Spikes lips descended with near maddening slowness towards Buffy’s eagerly waiting, slightly opened welcome.  Amazingly soft lips touched hers tenderly, not with the harsh demand that Buffy would have expected from a vampire, even a vampire in love. 
 
Spike’s long fingers played in her hair worshipfully as the kiss deepened into something that felt as natural and welcome as spring after a long hard winter.  They had stopped dancing as the music played on.
 
Buffy left one hand to play at his nape while the other inched its way under his shirt leaving invisible streaks of fire where skin met skin.  Her hand moved slowly upward dragging the cotton material with it. Finally her other hand joined in the joyous task of removing the barrier to Buffy’s hands access to Spike’s alabaster perfection.  The shirt hit the ground unheeded.
 
Spike’s hands were busy as well following the path his mind had envisioned millions of times over the years.  Her buttons gave way to his expert manipulation and Buffy’s shrug helped free her to his gaze.  His eyes devoured her as he took in the red lace bra encasing two perfectly rounded mounds that he craved more than he had ever desired what flowed through veins.  His head dipped to place adoring kisses on the pink flesh revealed.
 
Buffy’s head rolled back on her shoulders as Spike’s hungry mouth moved on her.  The bra, expertly unsnapped, fell to join the blouse on the floor between the lovers.  She moaned in pleasure at finally being skin to skin.  Elvis seemed to be reading her mind as he sang out, “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You”.  The tiny candles flared as if inspired by their rising passion.
 
Spike’s fingers played on her hard nipples, teasing and caressing before his lips closed over the right one to gently suckle.  Buffy felt lightning shoot straight to her core as he played her perfectly.  Her hands moved to his belt buckle, deftly undoing the obstacle and moving on to flip the top button of his jeans.
 
His cock was straining at the zipper that she was carefully lowering, ‘Silly vampire going commando!  Could hurt something important,’ she thought as his eager member practically leapt into her waiting hand.
 
He felt like velvet encased steel as she wrapped her hand around his girth and began a slow rhythmic glide of her hand up and down his length.  She ran a nail gently into the slit already glistening with pre-cum as Spike shuddered and moaned.
 
Spike’s hands weren’t idle as he intently worked at removing her jeans to join his, pooled on the floor where he had just stepped carefully free of them.
 
Once free of all but Buffy’s matching red lace thong, Spike moved them both back toward the sofa bed where they both fell in a tangled collection of limbs.  He had resumed kissing her on the mouth as his expert hands explored all her delicious, willing flesh laid bare before him.  His tongue gently caressed hers as it made its own explorationsto her delight.
 
Buffy wasn’t lying idly by, but was doing her own explorations with tongue and hands.  His cock felt impossibly hard in her one hand while the rest of his body was pliant and oddly warm beneath her other hand. 
 
“So good, so beautiful,” he gasped between kisses.  “Love you so much, Buffy.”
 
“Mmmmm,” she replied the only way her sensation overloaded mind permitted.  “Need you, Spike.  Make love to me,” she begged unnecessarily.
 
“That’s the plan, my beloved,” Spike grinned down at her and began to kiss a path downward leaving a hot trail of electricity in his wake.
 
Reaching her thong, he used his teeth to bite through the side and his hand to quickly remove the final barrier to her sex.  His so talented tongue licked firmly at her clit, causing her body to jump and sing.  He chuckled, causing ripples in her nearly purring pussy.  While one hand caressed her thigh, he slowly inserted one long tapered finger deep within her, causing her to moan in pleasure.  Soon a second finger joined its mate within and his deep caresses began to drive her rapidly towards an impending climax.   His tongue began to lash her clit faster and faster, hastening her towards release.  She came like a rocket, exploding around his mouth and fingers with a shout of his name and shaking body.
 
“Wow,” she gasped as soon as she could possibly speak again.  “That was…”
 
“Yeah,” he agreed with a lopsided grin.  “Gonna make you scream my name all night, love,” he promised.
 
Buffy knew it was not likely an idle boast, but she fully intended to leave him a quivering mess as well.  Shehad no doubt her name would be shouted every bit as loudly.
 
Before Buffy could act on her plan to return the bliss she had received from his mouth, Spike had crawled panther-like up her body and positioned himself to enter her.  Buffy looked at him coquettishly and teased, “Missionary?  I don’t know why, but I always thought you’d be more unconventional.”
 
“Oh, I’m unconventional beyond your imagination, sweetheart.  Got a century of creativity and variety to share and I promise I will, all in good time.  Thing is,” he slowly pushed his cock into her waiting quim, “I’m plannin’ on a long, long night.  This isn’t gonna be a one-time thing.  First time, I want to see your beautiful face. Wanna watch every nuance, see every bit of bliss and happy play on it.  Wanna watch you gasp and pant, see your eyes dart about while I play you perfect-like.”  His cock was fully seated and he stopped moving as his words washed over her like warm sunshine, “Plan to love you every way my century of knowledge can think of and maybe a few we can make up just for us.”  His cock began to slide in its perfect dance, slow and deep, causing her to thrash and moan as he managed to hit her in just the right spots every single time.
 
Spike was as good as his word as he brought her over and over to climax.  She could die in that moment and not even notice the transition to heaven since she was so near it already.
 
They lay clasped in one another’s arms, letting music and candlelight wash them in their afterglow.  Spike’s busy fingers played her still trembling body like an instrument and he a virtuoso.  Tender kisses followed clever fingers as he brought her body fully to life.
 
Buffy stopped running her hands from their caressing of his thighs and chest to flip them both over leaving her astride her smiling vampire.  “Ready to dip into that hundred years of knowledge?”
 
“Always ready.”  And he was.
 
*****************************************************************************
 
Spike's opening playlist
 
https://youtu.be/_ipJ2P8duaY
 
https://youtu.be/qFXzBoPFEJU
 
https://youtu.be/jorJh8DTMVM
 
https://youtu.be/qiiyq2xrSI0
 
https://youtu.be/uqv5b0UjR4g