“What?” Spike said, shifting nervously beneath the glares tossed his way.

“You BIT her?” Xander ground out, outraged.

“No, I didn’t bite her.” Spike stated glaring back at the boy.

“Then what’s with him saying you have a blood bond with her?” Xander stood up, his hands clenched into fists at his side.

“Doesn’t bloody well mean I bit her!” Spike stood up and shouted in Xander’s face.

Methos jumped to his feet and pulled Spike away from Xander, and then shoved Xander back into his seat. “Enough children.” He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. “No, Spike did not bite her. “

“Then where did the blood bond come from Methos?” Joyce asked, clearly puzzled.

Spike muttered something under his breath, causing Giles to raise one eyebrow in his direction. “Care to speak up and share with the rest of us?”

“I said,” Spike began, “that even if I had bitten her, it wouldn’t be any business of yours.” He grumbled softly.

Xander made as if to speak, but found his mouth covered by Anya’s hand. “Don’t say a word. You won’t like the response.” Anya said quietly.

Methos began pacing back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back. “From what Spike has told me, Mother fed him her blood just before the fight the other night.”

Spike nodded. “She sliced her finger, and rubbed the blood on my lips, then told me to lick it off.”

“Did she say anything?” Anya inquired.

“She mumbled something under her breath; I didn’t quite catch what it was though.” Spike said and rubbed the back of his neck. “She told me…” and he closed his eyes in thought, “that they couldn’t kill me by normal means, not while she is alive.” He opened his eyes and looked around the room.

Methos blinked once, and shook his head. “Damn, she must really be serious about this then”, he muttered to himself.

Joyce caught Methos’ eye and said quietly, “Do you really think so?” There was a note of hope in her voice.

Methos nodded. “Yes, I do. And it’s about time too.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy motioned to Whistler, “On your knees messenger.”

Whistler dropped to his knees, his eyes fixed on the floor in front of him. “My life, my soul, my very existence is in your hands, Milady.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Buffy said with a cold grin. She thought for a moment, and then asked, “Tannic, how long has this one been a messenger?”

“A little over 300 years Milady.” Tannic replied.

“And has he ever failed in his responsibilities before this?” Buffy asked.

“No Milady, he has not.” Tannic replied.

“Then perhaps the failure lies not with the messenger, but with the one who oversees his duties. I believe that to be you, is it not Tannic?” Buffy asked, almost rhetorically.

“Yes Milady, it is.” Tannic swallowed hard, wondering if he was going to be next on the block.

“Then I believe we shall relieve you of the burden of overseeing the messenger, and pass him on to someone who is less prone to, shall we say, following their own agenda.” Buffy said with a wry grin. “Vareas, approach please.”

The slender vampiress approached and bowed her head to Buffy, “I am at your service Milady.”

“It is our will that you take over as the overseer of this messenger. He will be in your charge for the next 300 years. See that he learns what it appears he has failed to learn.” Buffy said.

“Of course, it will be my pleasure.” Vareas purred, and placed a hand on the back of Whistler’s neck. “Come. You will follow me.”

Whistler rose to his feet, keeping his eyes lowered, and bowed once to Buffy. He then turned and followed Vareas to the side of the dais where they would witness the punishment of the Cursed One.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Would the two of you care to fill us in? Or is it some sort of family secret?” Giles asked with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“Not so much a secret, as a hope we have had for a long time,” Joyce said with a sad smile.

Spike snapped his fingers in an attempt to gain their attention. “Oi, back on topic here people.” He looked over to Methos and said “How do I go about this whole thing anyway?”

Methos rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, “Well, I think first you should just try and see if you can feel any type of connection to her, think of her, picture her in your mind.” He shrugged. “If you can’t feel her, then there is no way you can communicate with her.”

“So, he just, what? Closes his eyes and pictures her in his head?” Xander asked. “How do we know he won’t go all pervy on us and imagine her naked?”

“The way in which he chooses to picture her, in order to feel the bond, is up to him Mr. Harris.” Methos said with a trace of impatience.

“Do be quiet Xander, so Spike can concentrate. Buffy really needs to get this information.” Anya said in a loud hiss. “She needs to get back here and kick council ass so I can make money and have more orgasms.” She nodded her head decisively.

Methos chuckled. “Indeed Anya, indeed. Life can be so boring without either of those.”

Spike settled himself comfortably into his chair and closed his eyes. He began by shutting out the sounds the people around him were making. Tuning out the conversations, the sounds of their breathing, even the sounds of their heartbeats, he concentrated on Buffy instead of those he considered his responsibility. He was counting on Methos to protect them while he turned his attention elsewhere. An image began to form in his mind, and he smiled to himself. Buffy, spread out on his bed as she had been after their shower the night before. He called her name in his mind, whispering it softly, like a lover’s caress. He continued to call her name, hoping he could reach her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy’s head snapped up, her eyes taking on a far-away look, and her lips thinned. “Lets get this over with, I have places to be.”