“Are you sure you want to do this luv?” Spike asked gently, as they walked down the alley towards the warehouse. His arm was wrapped around her waist holding her close and he could feel the power coiled inside her like a tight string.
“Thanks to Snyder’s sudden decision to allow me back, I've got school tomorrow. I’d rather get this all done with tonight so that everyone has a chance to sleep on it.”
“But why do you want to meet my people first?” He asked idly, wondering which confrontation she feared more.
“Things are soo not going to go well with the Scoobies and I don’t think you want me to meet your pals while I’m ticked off.” Buffy admitted, knowing from their talks today how much he cared for his vampiric family. She had woken up in arms, a little sore but defiantly pleased with the way things worked out. She had actually been looking forward to spending the next two days in bed with her very yummy mate but then she’d checked her answering machine and learned Snyder had revoked her suspension. She was positive he had an ulterior motive well that or he had been abducted by aliens and given a brand new personality.
While going back to school would mean she didn’t have to face her mother with yet another school related problem, it meant that the time she and Spike had alone was rapidly coming to an end. Once everything came out, she knew there would be hurt feelings, anger and possibly even disgust and disappointment. But as much as she cared about her friends, she couldn’t live her life for them and no matter what happened, she wasn’t going to give up Spike.
For the last three days they had lived in this comfortable and secluded bubble where nothing could touch them and once they left that, they could never go back. No one knew about their relationship, so no one had been able to influence it but once the secret was out, everyone was going to have something to say about it. Which bothered her but not as much as the fact she was certain one person or several would try to do something to force them apart.
“Besides if your friends get lippy I can knock them around without actually hurting them, while all we can do to my friends is glare.” Buffy said lightly, still uncomfortable with the concept of just walking in to a vampire lair.
“Don’t be gentle luv, if they push you, push back.” Spike said, hoping that Penn had taken off. If not, having those two in the same room was just asking for trouble and he didn’t want Buffy to hold back. “I know doing this goes against everything you’ve ever been taught but you’ll be safe with me. Never gonna let anything happen to you pet but you need to assert yourself in there. You’re now their Mistress and they need to learn to respect you. Don’t stake them unless you have to but if you’re life is in danger don’t hesitate. I’ll admit I fond of most of my family but you always come first.”
“Thanks, I didn’t just want to be William the Bloody‘s mate anyway. I do have my own reputation to think of you know.” She teased, already feeling a lot better about this meeting. She was half afraid that he’d just except her to keep her mouth shut or worse hate her if she was forced to stake someone. She believed him when she said they wouldn’t kill and she could understand that being somewhere safe would be a big incentive but like Spike had said, doing this went against everything she had learned as a Slayer.
According to her Watchers and the Council vampires were nothing more than killers without the slightest shred of human emotion. Then Angel had come along and she thought that it was the soul that made him so different but once she met Spike she knew their had to be more to it than that.
Now she thought they were more like her. She had this predator inside her but her will was strong enough to control it; just like Spike was strong enough to tame his demon. So it all came down to the individual.
That insight didn’t mean she was just going to put every vamp in town on an honor system but she would make exceptions to the rule. People had to come first but she believed that Spike could control his vampires, especially after he had told her how he had dealt with the Anointed One. According to Giles, he had a great deal of sway over his kind; almost like a thrall that bent them to his will and Spike had just walked in and dusted him. Which meant as far as big bads went, she was glad they were on the same side.
But she doubted the Scoobies or Giles would see it that way, so it couldn’t hurt to make a few new friends, even undead ones, just in case she lost all her old ones.
“You ready luv?” Spike asked pulling her to a stop in front of an large warehouse in the very heart of the industrial side of town.
“Yes already, you’re worse than my mother, you know that?” She said, pinching him in the ribs. It was actually kind of cute that he was so protective of her but she didn’t want him to forget she could still take care of herself. She wasn’t exactly a kid about to take her first ride on the big roller coaster. She was the Slayer, the killer of the undead and other assorted creepy crawlies.
Getting that he was making her uncomfortable with his coddling, he sent her a sexy smirk before throwing open the door with a flourish. Leading her into the cavernous room he called out. “Hi kids, we’re home!”
His words drifted up to the rafters but the rest of the warehouse remained silent.
“Oh come on, I know your there!” Buffy called out impatiently. “Two of you are on the balcony to my left, another one is in the small room towards the back and the last of your crew is checking us out from behind. So be good little vampires and come out, I am totally not in the mood for games.”
“Ohh I like her!” James said leading Elizabeth down the stairs. His mate was terrified by how this would go but he didn’t detect any malice in the Slayer’s tone. Getting his first look at her, he had to admit she was a beauty so he could understand the allure but it was the power he could feel coming off of her that was truly impressive. “It looks like you met your match Spikey.”
“Don’t call me that Jimmy my boy.” Spike said hitching his thumbs in his belt loops. “Makes me think you want my hot, tight body and my girl’s a mite possessive.”
“So you gonna make with the introductions while the other two wait and see what happens?” Buffy asked Spike, giving the stunning couple in front of her a friendly smile. The man, a tall brunette with warm hazel eyes was clearly more cautious than afraid but the willowy blonde clutching his arm had fear swirling around her like a dime store perfume. They looked like Barbie and Ken, she thought idly suppressing her instinct to lunge at them. “That‘s a lovely necklace by the way.”
Ducking her head meekly, Elizabeth felt a slight bit better because of the compliment. “James got it for me…he said it wasn‘t as pretty in the store as when it would be worn by the prettiest neck of all.”
“Aww that is soo sweet.” Buffy said melting a little at the slightly cheesy yet adoring comment. “Guys just don’t say stuff like that anymore.”
“Oi there pet, I say nice things!” Spike said trying to sound hurt but delighted by how things were going so far. He was a little pissed that the other two hadn‘t come out but he was sure that Dalton was scared stiff. Penn on the other hand, was probably up to something. “That’s Elizabeth by the way and the git lucky enough to snag her is James.”
“How long have you two been together?” Buffy asked feeling like she was just meeting her honey's friends and not being inducted as their mistress. It was a little surreal but not unpleasant, she decided.
“Nearly a hundred and twenty-two years.” James said giving his beloved a soft, intimate smile. “But I look forward to several more centuries at her side, for the world is only beautiful because she walks in it.”
“Don’t worry, if you and her leave the good little humans alone we won’t have a problem.” Buffy said wanting to both them both at ease because she was touched by the devotion and love that was obvious between them.
“What about the evil, wicked little humans.” Penn asked leaping down from the catwalk just behind them and landing on his feet gracefully. “Can we eat them Mistress?”
Wow, Buffy thought positioning herself so she could keep her eyes on all the vampires around her, it was like she had stumbled into a pretty people secret meeting or something. Just like the couple, the man before her with sandy blonde hair and a finely carved face was gorgeous but it was the wickedness shadowed in his cold brown eyes that reminded her that he wasn’t just a person, he was a vampire.
Unable to help it she cocked her head to the side and studied him for a moment. “Have we met before because you look a little familiar.”
“No my lady, I was Angelus’s childe and I have not stood in your presence before.” He said giving her the charming yet sincere smile that lured many a girl to their deaths. “But you did not answer my question Mistress. Are we permitted to feed upon the wicked, removing the threat to the humans you so cherish?”
With his spiked hair and smooth cultured voice, his words had caused something to click inside her mind like two pieces of the puzzle snapping together. He wasn’t just sired by Angelus, he had a pretty big case of hero worship going on. Which wasn’t a good thing but it did explain why he was trying to be so seductive. He wanted to get with the girl his idol had lost and that was just plain icky. “No, that’s what the cops are for and if you have a problem with that, you better get outta my town because this is your only warning.”
“I have no desire to leave this place, there is much to be said for the company my lady.” He said bowing slightly.
Spike let out a low growl at his antics but didn’t move to pull Buffy back to his side. He had no idea what Penn was trying to pull but he wasn’t about to play into his hand. “Why don’t you move your arse and have Dalton come out.”
Without a word or a single complaint, which was highly out of character for him, Penn went to do as Spike had ordered.
“I don’t suppose you two cast some sort of spell on him by any chance?” James said once Penn had walked out of hearing range.
“Bloody hell mate I was hoping you could tell me what that was all about.” Spike said pulling out his smokes and lighting one up.
“Duh.” Buffy said rolling her eyes. “He wants to play like he’s Angelus but he’s totally barking up the wrong tree. Someone should have told him I was irresistibly attracted to blondes with deep blue eyes and English accents.”
“He should bloody well know that seeing as how he can feel the claim pet.” Spike said pulling her close so he could press a kiss against his mark. What she had said made sense and he only hoped that Penn’s little obsession kept him on his best behavior around his girl. But if the bastard so much as made a lewd suggestion towards her, he was dust. “Someone should have told the blighter you dumped Peaches, not the other way around.”
“You…broke up with Angelus?” Elizabeth asked unable to stop the question from passing her lips until it was to late.
“Yep, we just didn’t mesh ya know. You either feel a thing or you don’t and I didn’t anymore. So I ended it.” Buffy admitted, hoping to coax the blonde out of her shell. The fear still coming off of her was intoxicating but her submissiveness seemed to have a calming effect on her inner Slayer. It was something she’d have to mention to Spike cause she sure as hell didn’t understand it. “But he’s not the same guy you all knew. According to the diaries Angelus was all violent and arrogant while the souled version is sedate and more than a little broody because of the whole gut wrenching guilt thing.”
“For a Slayer you have quite a habit of allying yourself with vampires.” James said finally understanding why Spike was so taken with her. Not once had she treated them like vampires. It was clear by the way she had shifted during Penn’s arrival that she was on the defense but she still acted like the were all just normal humans meeting for the first time. It had been a long time since he had allowed his humanity free reign and while he delighted in his pursuits as a demons, it would still be nice to take back a small part of the life he lost the night Darla sired him.
“Tell me about it; think they’ll kick me out of the Champion hall of fame?” Buffy said, not really ready to go into that yet. How could she explain something she hadn’t even figured out. “There’s another Slayer anyways. Probably one that was trained to be a good little warrior by the council and it’s not like they were all that thrilled with me to begin with.”
“But how is that possible, there can be only one.” James said casting a shocked look towards Spike.
That particular phase floated through her mind but just when it was about to become clear, the other two vamps showed up and it was lost again. “I died but only like for a minute or two.” She said absently as she tried to focus on the present once more.
Spike noticed she was distracted by something but now wasn’t the time to call attention to it. “Buffy this is Dalton, he’s our resident book worm. Once things settle down a bit, I bet he and your Watcher would be thick as thieves.”
“Do you speak or read in any other languages?” Buffy asked, clenching her jaw as his fear seemed even stronger than Elizabeth’s. All she could think was that he was weak, easy to kill and the more he shifted around the more appealing he became.
Which was not of the good she decided, when she felt a almost overpowering need to growl building inside her chest. GROWL, she so did not growl and ignoring Dalton’s litany of accomplishments she turned to Spike. “Uhh… Spike we have that thing we need to get to and we don’t want to be late.”
Spike smiled thinking she was bored but the moment his eyes hit hers her nearly gasped in shock. Her entire eyes were now the color of the richest gold but what had startled him was the cold brutality he could see all but staining to be released inside her swirling black pupils. “Right then, best be on our way.” He said calmly as he reached out to take her arm.
“See ya…we got that thing we have to do…like now.” Buffy said pleading him with her eyes to get her out before she did something they both would probably regret.