Half and half

Chapter 3

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When Buffy was finally aware of anything, her first thought was that something felt terribly different. All her senses had shifted. Her body and mind were somehow rearranged, her ‘self’ twisted into a new shape and she knew that part of her was missing; the Slayer part. This wasn’t some weakening drug from the Council of Watchers in her system. It was a missing limb feeling of loss.

She was lying on her back and, by moving her head very carefully to prevent the dizzy sick feelings from getting any worse, could see that she was still on the floor of Angel’s office. The next thing she became aware of was Spike, fully fanged, crouching on the floor a few feet away. As she blinked, trying to focus properly, he stealthily moved closer until he hovered just inches above her.

It took a moment to realise that the ridges were smoother than usual, the teeth a bit longer and sharper, and his eyes weren’t just the golden yellow of a big cat but more the banked furnace of molten lava. The hand that reached up to hover above her face had long claws, his arms and torso were all sinew and corded muscle and his colour a pale blue grey locked beneath translucent white skin. Somehow Buffy knew that this was the pure demon that dwelled in Spike.

‘Ohmygod!’ Her heart skipped several beats then started a wild thumping. Demon Spike smiled and gently rested his palm on her chest, feeling the vibrations pulsing through his fingers.

“Hello, love.”

Before she had collected her wits enough to react the demon flicked at her neck with the tip of one razor sharp claw. Not the fatal slash she might have expected - if she’d had time to expect anything - but an almost genteel little nick. He leaned down, gazing intently at her all the while, and placed his mouth over the scarlet beads of blood welling up. Sighing, his fearsome eyes closed in pleasure, and instead of sharp incisors she felt the cool rasp of a tongue against her throat, cleaning away the red smears, tasting and sealing the pinprick wound as if it had never been there.

“Mmmm. Delicious darlin’. Tell me, are you just as biteable all over?”

That sounded so like the Spike she knew that Buffy finally responded and pushed him away as hard as she could. He sat back and just grinned at her.

A figure entered the room carrying a bundle of something. Before the door closed again she could just make out the sounds of someone shouting, followed by a short burst of gunfire and an answering scream.

“Spike?”

A very human looking Spike strolled over to where she still lay sprawled on the carpet. Instead of his usual clothes - which the demon beside her seemed to have acquired - he was dressed in black sweatpants that were entirely too big for him, a white Lacoste T-shirt and trainers. He wore his leather coat over the top of it all as if to desperately hang on to his bad boy image.

“No time for napping, Buffy. There’s trouble.” He jerked his head to the doorway. “And you, stop starin’ at the girl and go and see what’s going on.”

The demon gave Buffy a lewd wink and disappeared into the corridor.

“What on earth is going on, Spike? And why are there two of you?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit hard on the old noggin’ working out what’s what. Near as I can tell every human/demon hybrid is now split neatly into two separate beings. Most are running about the building looking lost or getting themselves killed. Ordinary humans seem to be unaffected, as are the pure-bred demons. There's a bit of a battle going on right now.”

Buffy absorbed the news before asking the obvious question. “So, where’s my Slayer half? I can’t feel her in me anymore, Spike.”

“Beats me, love. One minute you were both laying side by side unconscious, and then the Slayer just sprang up when I went to see if you were all right. I tried to stop her leaving and that’s when I found out I wasn’t quite as strong as I thought I was. Fetched me a right clip round the ear, she did, and then went bounding off before me or my demon could stop her.”

“Does this mean you’re William now?”

“Not really, pet. William hasn’t been preserved in aspic all these years, he’s been along for the ride together with my vampire self. He just didn’t have much influence is all,” not demon Spike admitted ruefully, “although his stubborn ability to abandon all common sense when it comes to matters of the heart seems to have stuck. We’ve sort of blended now, my demon didn’t mind the company and ‘Spike’ is the end result. I can feel echoes of the demon but only a little of its power. Guess if our supernatural ties were severed completely I’d just be a heap of dry bones on the floor.”

“Can I call you William for now? Spike One and Spike Two is just going to confuse me.”

“No problem, pet. Now, where's Dawn?"

Buffy was quick to reassure him that her sister had already left the building before she’d come looking for him. Upon returning from their hurried shopping trip they'd bumped into Fred and, despite being nearly wiped out from jet-lag, Dawn had persuaded her new friend to take a break from boring science stuff and go with her to her father's house on the outskirts of town. This devilish scheme meant that Buffy could no longer put off her mission to seek, and hopefully not destroy, the disgraced vampire. Dawn also knew that Fred's innate Texas charm would make the meeting with the father who 'wasn't' a much more pleasant experience.

At least it was one less problem to deal with, although it didn’t stop Buffy worrying. If trouble was on offer, Dawn usually found it.

William, seeing her bite her lip in thought, reached to brush her cheek with one forefinger. It still felt cool on her skin, alive but not. Buffy didn’t know if she was disappointed that he wasn’t a warm living mortal again. ‘Still can’t have everything…and he’s still the handsomest, hottest vampire - or whatever - on or under the earth.’

Reading her change in thoughts perfectly, William gave her a mock innocent look, blue sky eyes gleaming under dark lazy lashes, his perfect lips twitching with amusement. Demon Spike silently reappeared just as the couple were gravitating towards each other.

“No time for that, we’ve got trouble of the worst kind. Angelus,” the demon said laconically.

William snapped to attention and swiftly went to the bundle he had brought in earlier. A collection of guns, stakes and knives emerged from the rolled cloth.

“Guns?”

“Yeah, love, with silver bullets in them. Spotted a werewolf out there earlier.”

“Oh.”

A familiar voice and many footsteps could be heard approaching along the corridor outside. “So, I was paying my respects to the wench when the little she-devil lamped me with a tankard of ale. Got me so vexed I just drank her up then and there on the table. Never seen a tavern empty so quick in me life.”

Angelus.

Buffy started to shake. William and Spike exchanged a look and both reached for a stake.

“No, please, if you kill Angelus then won’t Angel die?”

“Might not have any choice in the matter, Buffy.”

“I know. Just try not to, okay?”

Then the demon in question filled the doorway, his arms stretched out casually to fit the frame. Rather than the fluid, almost ethereal qualities Spike’s demon showed, Angelus was a true monster. Thick ropes of muscle twisted around a body not luminous grey but blue-black, shot through with dull red lines glinting along a body map of arteries. He looked like a flayed corpse on steroids. The eyes which regarded Buffy under heavy brows fairly glowed with amused malice.

“Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of the Chosen One. Or should I say the little Sunnydale tart who I reckon currently lacks the strength to give me a good kicking? Come here, darlin’. I’ll even give you a quick fuck before I dash your brains out, can’t say fairer than that.”

Taking in the other occupants he beamed at the other demon, who was looking relaxed but expressionless.

“Ah, it’s my old buddy Spike. Tell you what, we’ll just tie up little Willy Wanker here and see he comes to no harm, then you and I can take turns with the girl. Be just like old times.” He smirked at ‘William’. “An’ you might want to compose a farewell sonnet or some such to your soon to be lost love.”

William’s eyes widened slightly but otherwise he didn’t move a muscle.

Buffy raised her stake and drew her body into a defensive stance, ready to protect herself with every ounce of strength she had. She wasn’t afraid to die, not anymore, but it would be on her terms and certainly not his.

Spike moved to stand alongside Buffy. He still felt fairly strong and he still had all the moves, but between them they were definitely no match for Angelus…and they both knew it.

With a nod to demon Spike, Angelus stepped into the room. The doorway immediately filled with the curious eyes of a ragtag entourage of demonic office workers, all eager to witness a nice spot of carnage. “Better restrain the young pup, don’t want him interferin’ in this because, well, if he dies then you’ll be nothing but dust.”

“Angelus, you always were a complete wanker,” stated demon Spike as he smiled nastily at him, “and it’ll be my pleasure to turn you into greasy pulp.”

Angelus just threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Oh, this is just too much! Two love’s bitches, and both of them too stupid to realise when they’re not wanted. Do you honestly think you can beat me, boy?”

“Don’t think it, know it! You might be bigger but I’m quicker, and I’ve been aching to do this -” Spike darted forwards to plant a solid punch in his opponent’s gut. “…for a long…” Angelus bent with the force of the blow. ”…long…” Spike brought his fists together before crashing them down on the back of demon’s neck. ”…time.”

Angelus fell down to one knee, hand outstretched to the floor to prevent himself falling further. He shook his head a bit, like an old seasoned boxer who’d just been unexpectedly dazed by a lucky shot from the young contender. A devastating kick against his temple from a scuffed black boot knocked him back to his senses and he rose up with a snarl.

In a move that belied his size Angelus hurled himself against Spike, crashing them both to the floor and successfully pinning the smaller demon securely underneath him. His large clawed hands wrapped around Spike’s throat and he squeezed, his thumbnails digging deeply into the flesh below the Adam’s apple. He was unprepared when Spike slapped both palms against his ears…hard. With his eardrums bleeding from the ferocious blow Angelus clutched at his head, allowing Spike to shove him off and leap back to his feet.

“Go!” Spike rasped to Buffy and his weaker alter-ego. “I’ll catch up.”

William grabbed Buffy and hauled her towards the door, only to face the group of demons who were staring at them with a mixture of nervous confusion and deadly intent. There were at least fifteen of them, most of which Buffy didn’t recognise. They were a collective nightmare of scales, slime and fur - even feathers. Without her powers - and with William only retaining a fraction of his - their only chance was to charge the door and hope that they could break through without any fatal injuries. Then run like hell.

A commotion at the back of the group announced a new presence and Buffy caught glimpses of swirling blonde braids and flashes of silver. As a gap appeared, she could clearly see the Slayer…who looked just like her! She was lashing out with quicksilver speed at anything stupid enough to get close. Each of her hands gripped an unnaturally sharp looking letter opener and she used them both at once to slash at the hides of any creatures that didn’t back away fast enough. The Slayer’s lips were drawn back in a savage grin and her eyes glowed with anticipation.

William was the first to recover and, smiling slightly in thanks, he tugged Buffy out into the corridor. With a last astonished glance, Buffy finally gathered her wits and allowed herself to be pulled out of their present danger.

The fugitives ran for their lives. Behind them they left Spike and the Slayer doing what they did best - creating mayhem and having a thoroughly good time in the process..

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