Ethan and Theresa stretched out on Giles’ couch, resting comfortably in the empty home after their hours long sexcapade. Giles and the rest of the Scoobies hadn’t returned, the Watcher deciding that he needed to spend the remainder of the evening in one of Sunnydale’s many dive bars. Shifting in irritation on the couch, Theresa reached underneath her back and pulled out a small, delicate book. Her eyes sparkled as she read the title aloud to Ethan.

“Oooh…‘Vampyre Mating Rituals.’ They spelled it funny, but it sure sounds fun, doesn’t it Ethan? As long as you’re in the vampire’s body, maybe we can….”

“Sounds good to me, Theresa! God, I’ve missed you. I love you so much, you know. I never stopped.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say that, Ethan. I love you too…fate kept us together even when we switched dimensions, so that has to mean that we’re soul mates.”

“I think it does, honey.”

Theresa sat up, crossed her legs, and began perusing through the small book. Her hands stopped when she came to a page entitled, “Claiming: Marriage and the Modern Vampyre.”

“Ethan, I think this is what we need to do! I know we can’t get married really here…wherever here is, but this ‘claiming’ thing? It sounds pretty nifty…and hey, maybe some of the perks of it will carry back with us to Harmony!”

Ethan smiled as he looked over the page dictating the steps of the claim, and the traits that it bestowed on the individuals involved.

A Vampyre may claim a mate from any race: demon, human, or otherwise defined. The basic premise of this ritual involves both parties biting the other, and chanting “Mine,” after the bite. The ritual must be consummated with sexual activity to be completed. This claim causes both individuals to cease their singular outlook both externally and internally, and they are ‘married’ in the truest sense of the word. At the moment of the claim’s consummation, the two are mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually combined for eternity; which results in the ability to speak telepathically to one another, to feel each other’s emotions, and, in the case of a mortal mate, results in the immortality of said mortal, and the immediate ensoulation of the vampire. The Council has noticed a distinct decline in the amount of claims that the vampyre population has made since the last recording in 1895. As of this date, March 19, 1926, fewer than one hundred claimed pairs are in existence, possibly due to the fact that the mental invasion is too much for many individuals to endure for a lifetime. Because of their lack of souls, it is believed that vampyres are unable to love, although the case of William the Bloody (also known by the pseudonym ‘Spike’) and his cohort Drusilla, the Mad, provides some speculation on this topic.

Staring at Theresa after finishing the page, Ethan placed the book down on Giles’ small table. He took her hands in his own, desperately searching her eyes for her assent.

“Theresa, I think this might have more implications than we’re thinking of right now…I don’t know if it’s right….”

Theresa’s eyes sparkled as she smiled at Ethan.

“Ethan, it’s the right thing to do…we’re soul mates, you know? This just proves to everyone in this world that we realize it. I want this…if we can’t be together in Harmony, then we can be together here. Just you, me and our little baby….”

“Theresa…you’re having Julian’s baby, not mine….”

“The baby isn’t Julian’s, Ethan…he’s yours.”

Ethan grasped Theresa in his arms, his passion and Spike’s demon taking over his cognitive thought capabilities. Vamping out, Ethan bit into Theresa’s throat, drawing a few gulps of blood before pulling back gently and staring at her.

“Mine!”

Theresa nodded and bit into Ethan’s neck, drawing a slight stream of blood into her mouth. After one swallow, she pulled back and smiled at her new mate.

“Mine!”

A sudden surge of power shot through both of their bodies, blinding them for a moment. When their senses returned, Ethan pounced on top of Theresa, tore off his jeans and slipped into her wet folds.

“I love you, Theresa…always…my mate…”

“I love you too, Ethan!”

--

As Buffy and Spike walked into Tabitha’s kitchen, bags of groceries in tow, they were suddenly hit with an enormous surge of power. A strange mist hung around their necks momentarily, and when it dissipated, Buffy and Spike gasped. Staring at each other, they realized that sole bite marks graced their necks, each in the shape of one another’s mouths. Buffy’s eyes grew wide in amazement.

“Spike…you…did I bite you or something?”

“No, pet…and I know I didn’t bite you…oi! Angel’s sodding bite mark is gone from your neck! It’s just…mine….”

“Mine is the only one on your neck too…oh God, Spike, what does this mean?”

“I don’t know, pet, but I can’t imagine it’s good. I think we really have to get home now.”

Tabitha and Timmy walked into the kitchen from their living room, distraught looks plastered on both of their faces. Timmy sighed when he looked at Buffy and Spike.

“Ohhh boy. Does Timmy have news for Buffy and Spike.”

Spike knelt down so he was at eye-level with Timmy.

“What’s wrong, lad? Does it have something to do with us suddenly getting each other’s mark?”

“I’m afraid so,” Tabitha cut in, “Do either of you know what ‘claiming’ is?”

Spike’s eyes grew wide with horror as he stood back up at Buffy’s side.

“Oh, no…they couldn’t…they wouldn’t…how would Ethan and Theresa even find out about…oh, bloody hell!”

“What? Tell me, Spike,” Buffy begged.

“It binds two vamps together for eternity…like marriage, only longer.”

“But I’m not a vampire…oh, no! Did that Ethan guy sire me?”

“No, pet, just one of the pair has to be a vamp to do it. There really aren’t too many vamps that do it nowadays, anyhow. Dru would never make that kind of commitment to me…it’s irreversible.”

“What happens?”

“Well, you get a mental link to your mate, you’re both immortals, and you gain the other’s powers…which I s’ppose is pretty great for the both of us, aside from the whole ‘I’ll always be inside your head’ thing.”

Buffy stood staring at Spike for a moment before kissing him, briefly.

“I don’t mind, Spike. I think we make a good pair, and if we’ve gotten through being sucked into some cheesy soap opera, I think we can make anything work.”

Touched by Buffy’s sweetness, Spike’s eyes began to tear up as he hugged her tightly to himself. Tabitha cleared her throat.

“Not to be a bother, dears, but you’ve really messed up the evil doings I’ve been planning, so I think it’s time for me to send you home.”

Tossing the rose petals, a handful of maggots, and a stalk of celery into her divining bowl, Tabitha chanted a few words while waving her hands over the top. A swirling purple portal opened up in front of them, causing Buffy to gasp. Tabitha smiled at Buffy and Spike, and Timmy them both around their legs. Spike nodded to Tabitha and Timmy.

“Thanks for all of your help. We won’t forget it.”

“Yes,” Buffy agreed, “I don’t think we would have been able to last if it wasn’t for the both of you.”

Buffy and Spike locked hands as stared at the portal. Breathing in a determined breath, Spike led them into the swirling gateway.

--

D’Hoffryn arrived in Giles’ living room in a burst of smoke. Theresa shrieked and searched for something to cover herself with while Ethan merely stared in horror at their horned, blue skinned visitor. D’Hoffryn shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“Mortals. Back to Harmony you go…jeez, Anyanka owes me for this…I was about to finally get into an Insdi demoness’ pants.”

Waving his hand in the air above Ethan and Theresa, a purple swirling mist enveloped them. After they vanished before him, D’Hoffryn smiled.

“Now…back to being Mr. Charming.”

With another tuft of smoke, Giles’ living room was vacant for the first time in months.

--