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Never Ever Tell by Lilachigh
 
Chp 4 - 7
 
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Never Ever Tell by Lilachigh


Meeting 4 Not Cricket

He’d slid silently into town. No car this time. And he was sober. He’d passed through endless passages, through graveyards and crypts, like a dark ghost. Vampires and demons saw him coming and sensed his mission. They faded away, scared, not wishing to come between him and his deadly goal.

Now Sunnydale lay before him, and one house, one bedroom, one Slayer. He’d heard on the demon grapevine - and nothing travelled faster - that she was sick, weak, at her lowest ebb. Something about a soddin’ test from the soddin’ Watchers’ Council.

Oh he knew all about the Cruciamentum. Had seen it in action before. But he hadn’t really believed good old Wanker Giles would put her through it. What a prick! But hey, good result for vampires and demons.

He ghosted up the tree that grew outside her bedroom window, no more than a silent shadow in the moonless night. The window was open and it took seconds to slide his legs across the sill and be standing by her bed.

She was fast asleep - looking exhausted. He stared down at tumbled blonde hair, bare arms and shoulders and a neck, open and waiting for him. The beauty of his face changed in an instant and his eyes glowed golden and his fangs extended. Oh yes, Slayer number three was about to be his next kill.

He bent forwards, then hesitated and the yellow glow faded as sapphire returned to his eyes and his face shimmied back to human. Sod it! Was it a little bit unfair to kill her while she was asleep? The other two Slayers had been taken in fair fights, they’d given as good as they got - until he killed them.

Somehow, biting this Slayer in her sleep while she was weak - well, it just wasn’t cricket, was it? He flinched. Bloody hell - where had that old saying sprung from?

From the eternal Englishman who lurked somewhere in his deepest nerve cells, came a memory of Sunday afternoons, a village green, the crisp sound of ball on bat, and a distant cry of ‘Well played, William. Well played, sir!” Fair play. Declare if you’re ahead and always give the other team a sporting chance. He’d come a very long way since those days.

He stared down at the Slayer who gave a funny little snore and turned over restlessly in her sleep. He could sense how weakened she was, but it wouldn’t be long before she recovered. This might be his only chance to rid the world of her. So what was he waiting for? He reached out to waken her. If she was conscious, he could kill her, he reasoned. But even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew he couldn’t.

‘I think I’ll wait until you’re strong again, Slayer,” he muttered. “Killing something that’s got no more strength than a bloody puppy? Where’s the fun in that? Even kittens have claws.”

And instead of reaching for her throat, the vampire gently pulled the covers up over her bare shoulder before sliding out of the window and back out into the night.




5) Zipide - do - dah.



Buffy held the dress up over her breasts with one hand and struggled to pull up the zip with the other. The changing-room was too cramped, there was no wiggle room. “Willow!” she hissed through the closed curtains. “Willow! Come and zip me up. Quick!’

Goodness knows where her friend was. The trouble was that Willow could wander off at the drop of a hat, just when she was most needed.

Buffy stared down at the slim skirt with the kick pleat at the back. She loved this dress. Even if she never got to go to the Prom, she still loved this dress. She smoothed the material with an adoring hand, then sighed with relief as she felt the zip being eased up her back. “Thank goodness. Where on earth have you - ”

She stopped in mid sentence. She’d looked up to talk to Willow in the mirror - and there was no one there! But she could definitely feel fingers on the warm flesh of her back.
Spinning round she grabbed at the top of the dress and hauled it up as high as it would go. “Spike! What the hell are you doing. Get out! How dare you. Any second and you’ll be dust, vampire.”

“It’s pink,” he said cheerfully, ignoring her hissed exclamation. “Pink and girly, Slayer. Very - well - very pink.”

“It’s not pink, it’s champagne, if you must know,” Buffy said angrily. “And what the hell am I doing talking about clothes to you? Go away, Spike. I won’t tell you again.”

He pulled a hurt face. “Slayer, I’m distraught. Here was I thinking I was coming to the rescue of a damsel in distress. Is it supposed to slip off your tits like that, by the way?”

“What!” Buffy squeaked and pulled the bodice up. How embarrassing. How much had he seen? She felt her face going red. God, if only she could let go of the bodice and reach for her stake, she’d get rid of this bleached idiot once and for all. “Spike, this is a dress shop. You can’t be in here. And what are you doing in Sunnydale, anyway? You should be in Mexico.”

He sat on the little gilt chair in the corner of the cubicle and grinned at her. “Passing through, Slayer. On my way from A to B. Thought I’d look up my grandsire and see if there’s any action going at this Ascension thing that’s coming up. Sounds like a bloody good fight to me. I could do with a good scrap.”

Buffy looked at him in despair. The last thing she wanted was Spike in the mix when she and Angel were trying to work out their problems.

“Anyway,” he stretched and she turned away so as not to watch the muscles rippling under his black T-shirt. For some reason it made her feel uncomfortable. “Peaches was busy when I called round. He had a visitor - ” He threw her a look under black lashes that were far too long for a man. But Buffy wasn’t listening. All she wanted was for him not to be there.

“Spike. Go. Now. To Mexico. Or wherever you usually slink off to when you get out of Sunnydale.”

Spike shrugged, stood up and pushed his way out of the cubicle. He’d been going to tell her that he’d watched her mother going into Angel’s mansion. He’d been going to tell her what he’d overheard them talking about. He’d thought she’d be interested to know that her mother thought Angel should end their relationship.

But, sod it, if she was going to be all pompous and Slayerish, especially after he’d helped her to get dressed, he wouldn’t bother. Let them make their little plans without the Slayer knowing. He checked that the coast was clear, then stuck his head back round the curtain. As he’d thought, the dress was now down around her waist and both her breasts were bare to his gaze.

He grinned wickedly at her nipples. “They look pink to me, too, Slayer! But I bet they taste of champagne!”




6) Knight in black leather

Joyce Summers swung the car over into the parking area by the rest stop on the highway out of Sunnydale. She turned to look at her daughter in the seat next to her.
“I still don’t see why this is necessary, Buffy. If you think there’s great danger around, then I should be at home, in case you need me.”

“Mom, we’ve been through all this. I can’t concentrate on the Mayor and his Ascension if I have to worry about you and there’s no one I trust to look out for you when I’m not there.” They got out of the car and Buffy gave her mother a hug. “Take care. I’ll catch the bus back to town. You just drive on and I’ll contact you - well - whenever I can. And don’t worry.”

“Yeah, don’t worry Mommy, your little girl’s going to be in good hands!”

Buffy swung round to find three hulking great brutes standing behind them. Not demons or vamps, just human dross. She wished desperately she could stake them as she would a vampire, but knew that would make her no better than Faith if she did.

“Look, we’re not bothering you. Why not just walk away?” she suggested calmly, eyeing the nearest one and reckoning she could smash his kneecap with one good kick and that didn’t really count as hurting, did it?

Neanderthal number one just giggled inanely and started towards her, hands swinging up into fists. “I like little blonde girls a lot,” he said. “I can show you a really good time, sweetheart. Then I’ll show your Mommy. I bet she hasn’t had any since you were made, eh?”

“Mom, get in the car and lock the doors,” Buffy said quietly.

“Buffy - ”

“Car, now!”

She felt Joyce slide away from her and slam the door shut. Buffy would have been happier if she’d just driven away, but knew she wouldn’t leave her daughter standing there, facing these idiots.

Neanderthal swung at her while his friends jeered in the background. Buffy’s foot caught him on his knee, just as she’d imagined and he fell yelling to the floor. But her impetus had taken her towards the other two and their fists connected with her ribcage in smashing blows.

“You’ll pay for that, bitch!” the first one said, his blackened teeth bared in an angry grin and Buffy felt the first smidgen of fear trickle down her back. Three humans were far more difficult to fight than three vampires.

Then, as she crouched, something fast, black coated and blond haired, erupted between her and her attackers. The blackened teeth shattered and there was a cracking of ribs and howling as a dusty boot connected into very tender intimate parts of certain bodies.

The first guy was grabbed as the other two stumbled away. The figure paused in front of Buffy and bent its mouth towards the thick neck above the dirty checked shirt.

“Spike! Stop. Let him go.”

He spun round, game faced, golden eyes glowing. As she watched, the human appeared. “Slayer! That was fun. Hey, all legitimate, too, what with the coming to the rescue of you and your Mom and all. Want me to finish him off? Could do with a good meal.”

“No! Thank you, but a world of no! They’re humans, Spike. However bad they are, I can’t allow you to - ”

“OK, OK, don’t get your knickers in a twist.” Growling, he pushed the man violently towards the darker corner of the car park, then lit a cigarette and stared at her through the flame of his lighter. “Getting Joyce out of town, I suppose.”

She nodded.

“Good idea, Slayer. Going to be fun and games all round at the Ascension. Sorry I can’t stay and watch you all die, but Peaches said I’d only be in the way.”

“I don’t intend to die, so you won’t miss much,” she snapped.

“Buffy? Are you OK. Have those men gone?” It was her mother from the car. “Who are you talking to?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Mom. Don’t worry, it’s no one.” Then as her mouth seemed to take on a life of its own, “Spike, which way are you ...?” she stopped: there was no way she could ask an evil thing to help.

Spike raised an eyebrow at her. “Joyce? Don’t worry, Slayer. I’ll drive along behind her all the way to where she‘s going. She won’t even know I’m there. After all, like you just said, I’m no one!”

“And you wouldn’t - ”

Spike looked as shocked as a Big Bad could and for a weird moment, Buffy could see a different man looking out of his eyes, someone softer and - a silly word came into her mind - gallant.

“No snacking - promise. Hey, you can trust me, Slayer.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “That’s something I’ll never, ever do, Spike. Believe me. I’d tell you I loved you before I said I trusted you!”

And as she waited for the bus back into Sunnydale and the death and mayhem that awaited her, she wondered why on earth she’d said that and why he’d laughed all the way back to his car.



No 7) Damsels in Distress


The steam was still rising from the ruins of Sunnydale High School. Buffy stood, staring into the dark, at the chaos she’d begun and finished. Angel had walked away from her. Just - walked away.

How could he do that? She thought her heart was going to split the pain was so bad. She would never have given up, never just resigned from the fight like that. There would be books they could consult, Giles would have helped. Curses could be lifted. Anything was possible if you truly believed.

She didn’t know which was worse: the pain of his leaving or the pain of believing his love of the great tragedy that was his life was more than the love he had for her.
Suddenly, the hairs of the back of her neck tingled. Vampire! He’d come back. He hadn’t left her. She was still loved.

But the figure in black was not him.

“Spike!” Her disappointment was so acute she could have killed him on the spot.

“Don’t sound so pleased to see me, Slayer. I just thought I’d let you know that your - ’

“Go away. Just get out of here! I can’t stand the sight of you tonight.”

“But - ”

“I won’t warn you again, Spike. I can’t deal with you tonight.” She knew she was being harsher than she needed, that she’d asked him to look out for her mother, but she had an overwhelming desire to hit out and hurt someone. Make them pay for the pain she was carrying. And it was no good being nasty to Willow or Giles or Xander. They would just look soulful and miserable and it would make her feel worse. But Spike - that was someone she could hurt and her pain would go away.

She lashed out and her fist caught him full in the face, unprepared for her blow. A flurry of punches followed until he was down and she was kicking and kicking and kicking...

Then the emptiness followed. She stared at the black leather figure on the floor. The blood spattered on the ground. He hadn’t even tried to fight back, had probably guessed she would stake him if he did. The tears that she’d controlled all this time began to flow and she turned and ran.

Spike got to his feet, anger coursing through him. He’d come to tell her that her mum was okay and this was all the thanks he got. Well, never again. That was the last time he did a favour for anyone. He snarled into game face as a pretty blonde girl emerged from the shadows. He could hurt and kill, too. He’d show the Slayer just how much damage a real Big Bad could do.

He reached out, then stopped. Vampire. New vampire.

“Buffy’s always been a bitch,” she said, tossing back her hair. “I never liked her. Did she hurt you?”

Spike shrugged away the pain. “Not really. Who are you?”

The girl frowned as if she couldn’t quite remember, then smiled. “ I was graduating today, but there was a big fight and a bigger snake and I got bit. I think I’m a vampire now.”

Spike laughed harshly. “You are that all right.” He lit a cigarette and started to go.

“Wait up. What do I do next? Where do I go?”

“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,” Spike drawled in his best Clark Gable impression.

The girl came closer. Spike raised an eyebrow. She had quite a figure and he was missing female company since Dru had - well, since he was on his own.
A man had needs, after all, and he wasn’t like Peaches. How that wanker could turn his back on a delectable piece like the Slayer and go off brooding into the night defeated him.

“Can I tag along with you then?”

He hesitated. He had a feeling that those big eyes and tits might become a bit boring after a while, but she’d only get herself staked if he left her on her own, and hey, just because the Slayer was feeling love-sick, there was no reason for him to follow suit.

“Pretty please. I’ll do anything you want. And I’ll even tell you all about Buffy Summers and how nasty she’s been to people.”

She pressed herself against him and his body reacted almost against his will.
“OK. For a couple of days. What’s your name?”

“I think it used to be Harmony.”

“Harm.” He grinned evilly. “That‘s a great name for a vampire. Mine’s Spike.”

The girl laughed. She thought Buffy Summers was an idiot for beating up on this guy. “I think I’ll just call you my Blondie Bear.”

another meeting follows shortly. Reviews would be good.












 
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