~Chapter Six~
AN: Thank you to all the nice reviews! I really don't have any rampant plotbunnies for a sequel to this one like I do for Dark Destinies. That is why I wondered if the "fans" cared if I cut if off now or extended it, because that'll be the end, hehe. Maybe something will come to me while I work on the next chapter or two, though, you never know. And to those of you who voted for Angelus, the votes for Non-Angelus outnumbered you, sorry. But that's okay, yeah, he's still acting all bad. A big thank you to Jessica and Tami for their betaing skills, and help with the trouble spots.
Later that day, Willow walked back into the house with Tara after class and saw there was a message on the answering machine. She eagerly hurried over to it since she expected it to be news from Angel saying he had found Buffy. He should have been there by now, but maybe they had run so they had gotten worried. What if the demon Cordelia saw came before they got back?
She froze at the icy tone of Buffy's voice as it filled the room. She had never heard her friend sound like that; at least not that she could recall hearing. It scared her even before the words sunk in. Angel lied? He... he what?? B-but, he had his soul, didn't he? They would have sensed it if he didn't or Cordelia or one of the others would have called to warn them.
Tara stood silently, not thinking this the best time to be all "I told you so" so she turned to go into the kitchen. They would have to have a talk, though, after Willow got over her shock as well as calling Xander and Giles to let them know. Maybe she could help Willow learn to change and together they would be better suited to deal with Xander, especially with Anya's help. Like her, Anya had been silent up until now, but both would have to give their lover a good talking to about friendship. After this, they were sure to be more ready to listen.
Buffy ran to the door even before she heard the knocking, sensing the vampire on the other side. She threw open the door and launched herself into Spike's arms before he had time to say anything. Not like he was going to protest anyways. He did start to move her back into the room so he could close the door behind them for some privacy while she clung to him.
"Shh," he soothed softly and held her just as tightly. He sat down on the bed with her in his lap, checking for himself that she was all right. His lips brushed her temple, "Your mate is here now. Spike'll make it all better."
She burrowed deeper into his embrace if that was possible, pulling the edges of his duster about her so she could wrap herself in his scent. She continued to sniffle then and wiped her nose in his shirt. He rolled his eyes, but continued to hold her as she shook. The anger welled inside him at seeing her like this. His warrior. How dare that wanker reduce his beautiful slayer to a weeping mess like this!
"Spike," she lifted her head and swiped at her nose with the back of her hand, "If... if I had let you claim me the other night... would he have still done it?"
His heart wrenched hard as he looked into her eyes. How could he say the truth without making her feel like this was all her fault? She obviously had already drawn the conclusions and was blaming herself for letting it happen. Even if he hadn't initiated the claim, he knew she would have blamed herself but it made it worse for her.
"Pet, you never know. If he was too set on gettin' you t' himself, he may have done it anyways," he was proud of himself for finding something comforting to say that was probably true. "Or he may have done somethin' worse, such as harm me, too. He snapped an' who knows what a person will do when they snap."
"You are too nice to me," she sighed and laid her cheek against his shoulder again.
He was surprised. That was hardly anywhere near anything he had ever been accused of.
"I'm tellin' you the truth," he told her as he shrugged out of his duster. She refused to let it go so he wrapped it around her as he laid her back on the bed then started tucking her in. "There's no one t' blame for his behaviour but Angel. He will get what's comin' t' him if I have anythin' t' say about it."
She caught his hand.
"You're not leaving me."
"Of course not, luv."
"I want you to claim me. I'm ready."
"Maybe after you've got some rest," he kissed her softly the leaned back against the headboard. "You're still recoverin' an' I want you t' feel better first. We can talk more 'bout it later when you wake up."
"No!" She sat up and put her hands to his chest, scowling at him angrily. "I want you to claim me NOW!"
"Buffy, no, you-"
Suddenly, she was biting at his neck angrily as she gave up trying to make him take charge. He struggled to push her away, but her teeth tore into his skin and blood flowed into her mouth before he could get her off. He pushed her back and she looked up at him with her mouth bloodied, licking her lips before pressing them into a stubborn line.
"Mine!" she growled out then grabbed the pencil off the nightstand, "Now you do it back before I stake you."
He doubted she would seriously stake him, but he couldn't call her bluff. His demon roared at her display of dominance and feeling the mating ritual had begun, it grew stronger as it pushed him to complete it. His face shifted and his fangs dropped before he was bending her back with a low growl, burying his fangs in her neck as she had wanted. Her fingers clutched at him while he drank, giving little mewls of pleasure and pain.
"Say it, please, say it," she begged.
"Mine," he purred into her ear then licked the bite closed. "An' if you ever do anythin' so foolish ever again, I'll take you across my knee an' spank you."
"You promise?" She grinned up at him and wagged her brows.
She was feeling better, so much better. Whether it was because of the claim or something else, she didn't know. She did sense that Spike was using it to send her comforting energy and that helped a lot as well. She leaned into him and gave him a slow kiss, fingers running along the waistband of his jeans. He returned the kiss and laid them both back down.
"Now, will you sleep, pet?" he asked as he pulled the blanket back around them.
"Yes, Mommy William," she laughed and then squealed when he dove at her for the quip.
Dawn waved to the car as it pulled out of the driveway before turning to head inside. Spike and Buffy wouldn't be back for awhile more, but she really didn't need to be babysat like a little kid. So when "Will" called to check on "Sarah" and tell them that "Helen" was okay, she had fibbed to tell her friend Kelly that he had said they were just on their way back to Dahlonega. She could take care of herself. She would just order a pizza and then work on her homework in front of the television like usual. Really, she would be going to college in a couple years... her sister would have to cut the cord before then. Spike, too.
She walked up the front steps to the shadowed porch, head down as she searched her backpack for the key. She didn't see one shadow detach itself from the rest and move towards her with narrowed eyes. It grabbed her before she had time to notice, covering her mouth to make sure she couldn't bring anyone with her screams as he drug her back off the porch.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he hissed in her ear, "I just need you to get your sister back."
Her eyes got wide. Angel? Captain Forehead was kidnapping her?? She took deep breaths and told herself that Spike would save her. It was a good thing Spike hadn't told the girl about what Angel had done to Buffy when he called to check on her or she wouldn't have had a chance of calming herself down.
Buffy stepped out of the shower and through the mist to the mirror. Bracing her hands on either side of the sink, she leaned forward and hung her head down, letting the dark, wet tangles hang to hide her face. Her skin was red and a bit raw from all the scrubbing she had done while under the scalding hot spray. She still didn't feel clean, even after the third shower since it had happened. She had a hunch that she still wouldn't feel clean even if she had continued to scrub until she had scraped all her skin off, and by the looks of her arms she had come very close in a couple places.
With a sigh, she stepped back to sit on the edge of the tub and lean her cheek against the wall. It still just boggled the mind that Angel, who she trusted, could do this to her. And with his soul in place! How could he betray her like this?
And the sad thing, she could have prevented it. Spike had tried to make her feel better by saying it probably could have happened even if she had accepted the claim before she left. That if Angel desperate enough, he would have ignored the fact that she was mated to his Grand-Childe. But, she couldn't be so sure. If she had accepted the claim then she would have been more protected from such a tragedy in more ways than one. But no. She had shied away. Gawd, she was so stupid. And so naive to think Angel was a saint with his soul in place.
She groaned and hugged her knees to her chest as she fought away the flashbacks that had splashed across her mind yet again. Spike had been so eager to claim her before, but last night she had to practically force it on him. How could he have changed his mind? He knew when he first initiated it that it was forever, so he should have still wanted it. The only thing different was that now she had Angel's touch all over her. It figured, though, didn't it? She was damaged now and Spike was disgusted at Angel's stench being all over her. He didn't want her like he did before; especially knowing it was her own fault for not accepting his claim that would have protected her. Now that she had finally realized her feelings for Spike she was going to lose him.
She couldn't let that happen! She was going to fight for Spike and make sure he was happy with her, and not give him a chance to run from him her if she could help it. No more brooding either. He hated that. She... she was going to put on a happy face and move on, not let him see her as weak. He didn't like her weak either. She just wanted to bury herself in his comfort and cocoon herself from the outside world, letting him erase Angel's heinous touch with his own loving fingers. If he still wanted her after all that. If he wouldn't reject her now.
Finally, she stretched her legs and stood to brush her teeth before heading out of the bathroom. She didn't think she could take anymore moping in the bathroom at that moment, needing to distract herself from the bad thoughts.
Spike was still in bed dozing lazily even though it was the afternoon already. She tossed the towel aside before bouncing onto the bed with a loud cry, causing the vampire to bounce off onto the floor with his own shriek. One look at him on the floor looking like he actually had a heart attack and she rolled onto her back to laugh loudly with her legs kicking in the air.
"That was so payback for when you popped out of my trunk when we first left Sunnydale," she gasped between giggles.
"Bloody annoyin' chit!" he growled and lunged back onto the bed after her.
He pinned her to the pillows and looked down at his newly claimed mate, her chest heaving with the effort to catch her breath. Her soft skin was still damp from the shower and her wet hair clung to her face as she looked up at him wide-eyed, but not with real fear. With so many other things that made his heart melt every time he looked at her. He kissed her slowly, hands spanning her narrow ribcage. Her tiny hands started to tug at his pants and that's when he pulled back some.
"Not yet, pet, it's too soon," he told her as his knuckle brushed over her cheek. "You still need time t' heal some, physically an' mentally. I can' afford t' be selfish with you."
"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" she sighed with a cute little pout. "It's been hard to wait so long as it is with this claim thing... Giles conveniently left out of his lectures the part about how it gives you the sex drive of a bunny."
"That's only because it's new. It'll calm down as we go."
"And until then?" she looked up at him expectantly then pouted again as he shook his head, "You're so mean to me!"
"An' here last night you told me I was too nice," he sucked in his cheeks and arched a brow.
"Temporary insanity," she shot back dryly. Her heart was aching at his rejection, darker thoughts drawing their own sinister conclusions from his actions.
He frowned at her a couple more moments before chuckling, "You haven' eaten since... yeah. So, why don' you go across the street an' get somethin' from one of the fast food joints. Maybe some distance will help clear your head."
Both our heads, he added mentally. It was getting so very hard to resist her advances and he had to remind himself why constantly. She was just trying to use it as an excuse to forget her pain. It was funny, before now he would have thought he wouldn't have been so picky. But, he cared for her and wanted her to heal physically and mentally, as well as wanting their coupling to be for the right reasons. He didn't doubt her feelings for him anymore, but he didn't want to just be a tool for losing herself this time.
She eyed him for a second and he was a little worried he was already getting the knack of picking up on his thoughts using the claim. He would have to be more careful in the future, not just assuming that since she's human she would be inept at vampiric gifts.
"Fine, but this is like the last time I am ever taking an order from you," she wagged a finger at him then got up to go pull her hair into a messy knot. She bent to grab jeans, undies, and a shirt from her bag, "Want me to bring you anything back? 'Cause you better speak up now and not steal my food later."
"Some onion rings would hit the spot, pet," he smiled and got up to pull her close for another kiss before she left, admitting to himself that he was feeling the pull of the claim almost as strongly as she obviously was.
As soon as she was gone, he went over to the phone to call Dawn again. Mr. Carson was a bit surprised when Will called asking for Sarah, saying that Sarah had told them that he and Helen were on their way back. They had dropped Sarah off at their house the night before. He hung up and scowled, thinking how he was going to give Dawn the talking to of her lifetime. Did she think she could soften him up by proclaiming her love for him so she could walk all over him until Buffy was back?
He seethed as he dialed the house, needing to chew her out before Buffy got back. In no way was he going to have her know about this and get mad at him for not taking better care of her sister. He should have left her chained in the basement with some food like a dog. Then he would have known where she was when they got back because right now she wasn't picking up. He slammed down the receiver with a growl, making sure to give the girl a really good lecture... maybe even a spanking. Yes, a spanking! Then she wouldn't ever misbehave again!
"What's that look for?"
He jumped when he heard Buffy, so lost in his seething that he had missed her entering. He looked towards her and gave a shrug of his shoulder. "Missed Passions."
"Oookay..." she blinked and handed him the bag with his onion rings in it. She sat beside him on the bed and reached for the remote, clicking on the TV before starting to munch on her burger. "You are so not kissing me with onions on your breath, you know. Blood breath is icky enough."
"You'd go through withdrawals," he shot back through a mouth of onion.
"Oh get over yourself," she rolled her eyes. She licked her lips as another idea popped into her head and she gave him a thoughtful look, "But that reminds me, you need to feed before we start out."
"You offerin', luv?" he leered at her, the effect somewhat ruined by his full mouth.
She found it adorable, though, and lifted a brow, "Do you see anyone else here?"
She laughed and ducked an onion ring that was thrown her way. A fry was thrown back in retaliation and soon there was an all out food fight that led to him chasing her about the hotel room again. She ducked a hand and grabbed for the door, intending to win by darting into the sunshine where he couldn't follow. He gave a growl and grabbed her around the waist before she could open the door, tossing her over his shoulder and heading back to the bed. He tossed her onto it then pounced, pinning her back and snapping his teeth near her neck. There was momentary alarm, but the feelings flooding the claim washed away the panic in favour of deeper feelings.
"That was playin' dirty, Slayer, runnin' out int' the sun like that," he said lowly before vamping and biting into her neck.
Her fingers clung to his upper arms as she moaned softly, enjoying the bite thoroughly. He was still totally nude and his arousal was very much evident as he moved against her. One of her hands slipped from his arm and moved down, tracing the muscles of his abs on the journey down to his hard length. He licked the bite closed and growled into her neck, grabbing the wrist of the curious hand before it could grasp its goal.
"Now, pet... the answer isn' goin' t' change in only an hour," he sighed and started to sit up.
With an impatient cry, she jerked her hand out of his, "Spike! Will you stop being so..." she lifted her hands like she wanted to strangle him and growled, "You're driving me batty!"
"Have you forgotten what happened t' you just yesterday?!" He threw up his hands and stood up, needing distance from her to think better. To yet again remind himself why he wasn't ravishing the more than willing slayer.
He put his back to her and ran a hand through his mess of curls. That distracted him for a moment as he smoothed his hand over his curls again. The fading bleach and dark roots he could handle, but the lack of gel was getting to him. The Big Bad did not have soft curls! He turned back towards her to try to change the subject by asking if he could go back to wearing his hair like he used to, his Will persona not really that important as he hardly went out.
But, that thought flew out of his head as he stopped in his tracks to gape at Buffy who was kneeling on the bed nude. She caught her lip between her teeth and reached out a hand to him, looking so vulnerable in that moment and he quickly went to her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and held her tight.
"Oh, my sweetlin'," he purred into her skin.
"I have definitely not forgotten what happened yesterday, okay?" she sighed and stroked his hair, enjoying the soft curls so much more than the century old build up of gel. "But, I'd rather not dwell on that and just move on, try to forget all that ugliness. I want to move on with you and I feel safe when I'm in your arms. I want you to help me forget the bad stuff."
He inhaled slowly, sure he couldn't last much longer.
"I'd rather you be wantin' me 'cause you loved me an' couldn' resist my luscious body," he lifted his head and grinned down at her wryly.
"Ugh," she hit at his shoulder, "I thought we covered the whole 'I love you and can't resist your hot bod' portion long ago."
"You think I got a hot body?" his tongue curled behind his teeth.
"Oh good grief, you think you have a hot body enough for the both of us," she groaned.
"Seriously, luv," he sat on the bed and pulled her onto his lap, "We need t' wait so you can deal with what happened an' heal properly. Please, I know there's somethin' else goin' on in that pretty lil' head of yours, but I've kept from usin' the claim t' poke around in there 'cause I know you would hate me for it."
"You're right," she eyed him. "It'd earn you a black eye and a broken nose."
"Then either just wait or I will do it t' figure out what t' do t' help you."
"I told you what would help me," she trailed a finger down his chest then traced circles around one of his pale nipples.
He needed to distract her before he went stark bonkers. "Pet, there's somethin' you need t' know. I called t' check on Dawn while you were gettin' nosh an' she wasn' home. I left her with the Carsons's, but they said she had told them we were on our way back so they dropped her off at the house. She didn' answer when I called the house, though."
"What?!" she demanded and jumped off his lap, giving him the reaction he had hoped for, "Why didn't you tell me that the moment I walked in the fucking door?!"
"'Cause there's nothin' we can do until the sun goes down, unless you want t' just leave me here an' leave by yourself," he shot back sarcastically. "An' for all we know, she's just out livin' it up an' bein' a teenager while the adults are away."
"Then we still need to get there soon to give her a swift kick to the ass for being an idiot," she crossed her arms and frowned at the windows that still blocked out sunlight. "Fine, but be ready to go as soon as it's dark enough for you to go out. I'll pack the car and so all we have to do is get into the car and drive."
"Well, pet, we have a few hours until then, so why don' you come over here an' we can relax while watchin' TV for a bit," Spike patted the bed beside him as he leaned back against the pillows.
"Do you think that's safe with me all with the horny bunny-ness?" she said it with her eyes devouring ever nude inch of him, lingering on areas of interest. "Maybe I should go for a walk or something."
"C'mere," he held out his hand and she took it so he could pull her to his side. "The claim craves touch an' that doesn' mean we have t' go straight t' shaggin'. I can' believe I'm the one sayin' that," he chuckled, "But, luv, we'll just be snuggle bunnies until it's time t' go, yeah?"
She bit her lip and stood there uncertainly for a second, glancing at him through her lashes. Finally, she walked over to slide into bed beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder and snaking her arm around him. She lifted her head and pressed a light kiss to his neck before relaxing.
"Only because it's better than nothing, so you know," she told him and reached for the remote.
tbc...