full 3/4 1/2   skin light dark       
 
Summer Session by LunaMystik
 
The Only Evil in Town
 
<<     >>
 
Chapter 2 – The Only Evil in Town



Buffy whirled around, casting her senses about to locate the tingle-inducing vamp she sensed in her general vicinity. Tonight was her lucky night. She was really, really itching for a fight.


Should she hold back a bit, draw out the kill as long as she could, or go in fast and furious and just pound the crap out of her soon to be victim?


Stake, or bare hands?


Ooh, or should she unleash that new kick she’d been working on? She was wearing the wrong pants for it, but let nobody say that Buffy Summers was one to back down from the possibility of an uncomfortable wedgie!


She was almost embarrassed by how giddy only the hint of a nearby vamp could make her. Was she really that desperate for entertainment of the undead-ending variety?


Yeah, she really was.


And she was getting impatient about it. “Hey, evil undead,” she called out into the night. “I’m all alone and scared in this big, bad cemetery. Come over here and eat me!”


“Well, that’s a right temptin’ offer if ever I heard one.” Spike materialized next to her as if out of thin air, all black leather and blinding bright hair and cigarette smoke. And he was leering at her.


Ugh.


“Spike.” A sigh. “I should’ve known it was too good to be true.” A pause. “And, eww. That is so not what I meant.”


“My mistake. So then you’re not trawlin’ the cemeteries offerin’ carnal favors to hard-up vampires? Imagine my disappointment,” Spike drawled.


“Shut up, Spike. I’m so not in the mood for your and your icky innuendos tonight.” Buffy turned to face him, tilting her head to the right as she considered him. “What I’m in the mood for is dusty vampire death. Would you be interested in auditioning for the coveted role of ‘Slayer’s victim number one?’ It’s an important part, would totally set the tone for my murderous rampage,” she taunted while reaching for the stake she’d stashed in the small of her back.


“Save it, Slayer. You know as well as I do that the only action either us is goin’ to see tonight is each other.”


“Ok, now you’re just being gross on purpose,” Buffy pointed out, pushing the visual of Spike and herself in ‘action’ out of her traitorous mind. Flashbacks to the unfortunate engagement spell were so not needed at the moment.


“Well, yeah. You’re jus’ so easy to get riled up, Slayer. Almost take the challenge out of it, you do.” Spike took a last drag on his cigarette before crushing the butt with his boot. “So, what’re you doin’ in my cemetery?”


Buffy crossed her arms over her chest. “Your cemetery? Squatting in a crypt does not a land owner make, Spike.”


“Oi! My crypt is not a squat, I’ll have you know,” Spike protested, all righteous indignation. “’ve fixed it up right proper. ‘s even got a telly!”


“I so don’t care. Here’s an idea: how ‘bout we each go our own way? I’m not so much in the mood for trading insults with you tonight. So, well, bye,” Buffy gave him what she hoped would pass for a cheerful little dismissive wave and spun on her heel in the direction of the nearest exit. It was still early; maybe she could convince her friends that Bronzing it would be of the good tonight...


Spike fell in step beside her. “You know,” he started conversationally, “that was a pitiful exit, even for you. Losin’ your touch, are you?”


“Ugh, Spike, just leave me alone. Go...well, go do whatever it is you do now that you’re all defanged and pathetic.”


“You wound me, Slayer, really, you do. So, what crawled up your arse and died?”


She grabbed his arm and hauled him to a stop. “Not loving your conversation skills, Spike.”


“Oi, hands of the leather!”


Buffy just squeezed harder. “Why. Are. You. Following. Me?”


“Got nothin’ better to do, don’t I?” He shrugged her hand off and preemptively winced, most probably in case the chip went off. When it didn’t, he continued walking towards the exit. “Besides, ’s not like you’re busy and couldn’t use the company.”


“I neither need nor want your company. Ever.”


“Now you’re jus’ bein’ mean. Fact is, Restfield and the other cemeteries are dead –”


“Ha!”


“– an’ you’re jus’ like me; you need a good tussle on the regular, or you get restless. ‘s nothin’ to be ashamed of.”


“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”


“I know slayers, pet. I know how your kind works. You Chosen birds get off on the fight jus’ as much as vamps do. We’re jus’ more open abou’ it.”


With that, they made their way out of the cemetery. Buffy turned in the direction of downtown, with every intention of shaking off Spike’s company before she made it to the Bronze. Swinging by home to call her friends was not an option with him by her side. She’d just have to cross her fingers that the gang would be there.


The truth was, even though it kind of creeped her out to be on the same wavelength as Spike, he pretty much understood what she was feeling. And, even though it pained her to admit it, if she was honest with herself she could see that he was probably going through a worse time than she was. She had no outlet for her physical frustration, but at least she could go home and scarf down her favorite foods in a misguided attempt to dull her nerves. He couldn’t even do that. Which, eww – but objectively speaking, it had to suck.


Her friends tried to understand her restlessness, they really did. But they just couldn’t get it. They weren’t built like her; they didn’t have her Slayer instincts to deal with. For them, no baddies to defeat was a wholly good thing; for her, it was about 99.9 percent good – and the remaining 0.1 percent was currently driving her insane. Really, she was metaphorically clawing at the walls here!


And since her current predicament was caused by the lack of baddies in town, and Spike could only get his rocks off – violently speaking, of course – by destroying demons, it was fair to assume that he was going as crazy as she was. Hell, he was merely walking next to her and she could feel him ready to jump out of his skin.


Would it be so horrible to discuss it with him, to see if maybe they could come up with a plan to find a vamp nest to raid? Ok, so Spike and she weren’t known for their ability to communicate without having it degenerate into a screaming match, but maybe they were on the same side of an issue here. Maybe they could help each other out.


Or at the very least, maybe he’d offer her the opportunity to take out her frustration on him? It was worth considering.



--*--*--


Spike risked a sideways glance at the Slayer as they continued on their way to wherever it was she was heading. She hadn’t responded to his last dig about her Calling, and he could just about feel the nerves rolling off her. She was tense and snippy, granted not much of a change for her, but this felt different.


If he was feeling antsy because he couldn’t exhaust himself beating and killing demons, it was fair to assume that she felt the same way. Vampires and slayers were basically two sides of the same coin; evil and good, dark and light, night and day. Just because they had different approaches to the same agenda didn’t mean they couldn’t react similarly.


It was something to consider.


For all the years he’d spent tracking and studying slayers, he felt he knew a fair bit about them. But Buffy Summers was, to him, a mystery. She surrounded herself with friends, went to school, partied, and even had that overgrown git of a boyfriend. She respected her Calling, yet didn’t let it overtake her life, and because of her attitude, Spike had to respect her.


Which is where the ‘mystery’ part came in: since when did a vampire respect a slayer? Hate, fear, hunger for her blood, sure. But respect? It made no sense to him that this temperamental, arrogant, powerful slip of a chit could merit his respect. Which was why he’d just keep that information to himself.


At this point in their little jaunt through town, he could tell she was most likely heading towards the Bronze. She was probably hoping he’d take a hint and leave her alone.


She’d be sorely mistaken.


Because not only was the summer leaving him restless, but he was aching for company as well. He was a sociable creature, and he’d been hanging pretty much alone in the last few weeks. After the whole Adam debacle had gone south, he’d retreated into himself to do much needed, for lack of a better expression, soul-searching. And by the time he’d been ready to show his face again, Sunnydale had become a no-demon zone. Which did not sit well with him.


No, now that he’d stumbled upon the Slayer, she was stuck with him for the night. Even if trading insults was the only treat on the menu tonight, it would still rank higher on his list of activities than prowling an empty cemetery or getting sloshed at Willy’s. Alone.


“My friends don’t get it,” Buffy said, putting an end to the silence that had been dragging on between them as he followed her on her jaunt through town.


“Don’ get what, pet?”


“And I figure you might, you know, understand.” Buffy paused to nibble on her thumbnail, obviously debating whether to continue.


To push, or not to push, Spike wondered. On one hand, pro-


“I mean, I’m a fighter, right? At the core of it, that’s what a Slayer does; she defeats evil, she wages war on the side of good, she fight the good fight until her time is up.”


“One good day,” Spike muttered.


“Huh? Anyway,” Buffy continued, barely aware that he’d interrupted. “That’s what I am: a fighter. And right now, there’s nothing in town to kill – present company excluded.”


“Thank you.”


Buffy cracked a weak smile at that. “You’re ever so welcome. Now, quit interrupting me. I’m not even sure why I’m trying to explain this to you. But if you want me to stop, I will.”


“Oi, pet, don’ make idle threats. I feel a real heart-to-heart comin’ on. Wouldn’ want to miss all the deep insight you’re bound to throw my way,” Spike snarked, unable to resist.


She stopped, turned to him, and threw up her hands in defeat. “Why do I even bother? You’re such an ass that you can’t even appreciate that, against my better judgment, I’m trying to have a conversation with you. Just forget it, Spike.” She made little shooing movements with her hands. “Just run along and leave me alone. I should’ve known this was a bad, bad idea.”


Spike caught her arm just as she made to stalk off. “Bloody hell, Slayer! Get over yourself for a second. I want to hear what you have to say, it’s just that you and me talkin’, all civilized like, kinda threw me for a loop, yeah? Not used to you not aimin’ for the nose within fifteen seconds of a conversation.”


“And did you ever wonder why it is that you and I can’t not be at each other’s throats?” Buffy asked as she shook him off. “Because, based on your inability to not be all sarcastic boy, I’d say that it’s not my fault.”


Spike ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I know, I know. You’re tryin’ to talk, and I’m buggerin’ it all up. Carry on, I’ll try not to interrupt.”


Buffy eyed him suspiciously.


“Really,” he insisted. “I think I know what you’re gettin’ at, and I think we might be able to help each other out.”


“Ok, I have to say it: who are you, and what have you done with Spike?” Buffy held up a hand before he could respond. “Lame, I know, but you’re confusing the hell out of me right now. Are you up to something? Do you need to lull me into a false sense of security for something?”


Spike had to crack a smile at that. “Slayer, when have you ever known me to be subtle about plannin’ something evil?”


Buffy looked mollified at that. “Yeah, you’re pretty obvious when you’re scheming. Ok, I’ll continue, but only if you promise to zip it.”


“You got my word, pet,” he replied. “Shall we move on, then? If I can’t talk, I might as well be walkin’.”


Buffy gestured ahead of them with her arm. “Lead the way.”


He raised his scarred eyebrow at that, but wisely said nothing as he started off again towards downtown. The Slayer wanted to talk to him about her problems and was handing control over their destination to him. Something was up. But he’d wanted company, so he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.


Buffy fell into step beside him once more, and together they made their way down the street.


TBC...

 
<<     >>