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CHAPTER THREE – Teasing and Tantrums

Buffy strolled along the cemetery path alongside Spike as they began their nightly patrol. Absently twirling a stake in her right hand, she glanced over at her blond lover and let out a small sigh.

She'd seen the look Rowan had given Spike before she left and for some reason it had unsettled her. Not that it was unusual for the vampire to have admirer's, because he did. Both female and male alike. It was just that normally, her feelings ranged from extremely proud to more than a little smug, knowing that Spike was hers and they'd never have him. With Rowan however, she'd felt pure, unrestrained, good old fashioned, green-eyed jealousy. And that's what bothered her. She barely knew the woman and yet, if she'd had the chance, she would've cheerfully ripped her eyes out and shoved down her throat.

Laying her hand possessively on Spike's leg had been instinctual and the vampire had responded in kind, even though he'd cast her a slightly puzzled glance at the same time. He too, was apparently surprised at her show of possession but from the smile he gave her, he was more than happy for her to carry on.

With another sigh, she glanced over at her slaying partner again and resolutely pushed thoughts of the other woman to the back of her mind. The chances of them coming into regular contact with Rowan were slim to none really. Anya hadn't ever had a friend before and once they reminded her that she wouldn't be able to tell Rowan about the Scoobies and her being a Slayer, she reckoned the ex-demon would probably just not bother.

"Quiet tonight," Spike suddenly spoke up, breaking into her thoughts. "What say we do one more sweep then go to my crypt and get good and naked?" He paused then and frowned slightly before amending, "Well…naked anyway."

Buffy smiled but before she could respond, there came a loud bellow of rage quickly followed by a terrified scream from the bushes in front of them. "Rain check?" the Slayer asked ruefully.

"Third this week," Spike replied with a nod.

"Don't worry, honey, I'll make it up to you," she promised with a wink then gripped her stake more firmly and set off at a run.

The vampire grinned and muttered a heartfelt, "Can't wait, love," before setting off after her.

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Xander helped Anya carry their plates out to the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher before heading back into the lounge. They sat down on the couch and Xander put his arm around Anya's shoulder, smiling as she nestled in closer to him and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"That was a fantastic dinner," he told her softly as he slowly ran his free hand up and down her arm. "And this is a fantastic top," he added, enjoying the feel of the silky material under his hand.

"Thanks, sweetie," Anya replied, tilting her head to look at her husband. "I'm glad you like it. Not only is it cheap and sexy but it also helped me make my first friend who, by the way, you haven't said anything about. Didn't you like her?"

Xander's eyes widened at the faint accusing look his wife gave him and felt himself getting flushed. "Uh…yeah…of course I liked her…what's not to like?" he mumbled falteringly as his head filled with images of Rowan gyrating her hips in the middle of the Bronze. Swallowing hard, he shook his head slightly to dispel his traitorous thoughts and then stilled as he realised what else she'd said.

Pushing her away from him gently, he stared into her eyes with a frown. "What do you mean, make your first friend?" he asked in surprise. "What about Buffy and Willow and the rest of the gang? Don't you think they're your friends?"

Anya pouted a little and looked away from his searching gaze. "Of course they're friends, but they're your friends, not mine," she told him with a sigh. "Rowan is the first person I've met that isn’t a part of the gang and who actually likes me for me, not just because I'm your wife."

Xander couldn't have been more shocked if she'd just stood up and said she was leaving him for a Chaos demon. "Come on Ahn, you know that's not true…" he began.

"Yes, it is," she cut in forcefully as she looked back up at him. "They're nice enough to me, but I'm not stupid, nor am I blind…I see the way they look at each other when I say things…well…except for Spike…he just finds it funny." She sighed heavily. "Even you keep telling me to stay quiet. But Rowan…Rowan didn't do that this afternoon." She paused, searching for the right words. "It's…it was nice to be listened to like a normal person for a change and not looked at and treated like an ex-vengeance demon."

"Well, that’s probably because she doesn’t know you are one, Hon," Xander replied without thinking. As soon as the words were out, he wanted nothing more than to take them back…especially when he saw the hurt expression that overcame his wife’s face at his flippant remark. "Ahn, honey…" he began ruefully, but she roughly pushed away from him and stood up.

"Don’t bother, Xander, I understand what you’re saying," she told him unhappily. "Doesn’t matter that I’m human now. Because I wasn’t once, it just means that your friends can continue to treat me like an outsider and it’s okay with you…that you’ll even join in. It also means that no-one could like me for me." She cast him a pained look. "That about cover it?"

Xander stood up and tried to take her in his arms but she quickly stepped away. "No! God, no, Anya, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean it like that…"

"Oh, I think you did, Xander," she cut in quietly. Drawing herself up, she schooled her features into an impassive mask and gestured to the settee. "I hope you’ll be very comfortable out here tonight, sleeping on a lumpy couch and having no orgasms." She turned to go then looked over her shoulder to add, "And you can stick that in your pipe of inappropriate-ness and smoke it!"

Xander watched her walk into the bedroom then flinched as she slammed the door so hard it almost came off its hinges. Looking down at the couch, he sat down with a sigh and set to pondering on just how he was going to find a cure for the ‘foot in mouth’ syndrome into which he kept relapsing on a regular basis.

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"Get the hell out of here," Spike snarled at the young woman who had almost ended up as a tasty snack for the Fyarl demon that Buffy was currently delivering a right upper cut to.

The sobbing girl nodded and ran off as fast as she could, leaving the vampire to wade in and lend a hand to the petite, blonde Slayer. Just as he ran over, the Fyarl smacked Buffy hard across the face, knocking her backwards then raised the axe he was carrying and swung it down in order to deliver the fatal blow.

Spike gave a bellow of rage and took a flying leap at the demon. Catching it around the waist, the vampire's momentum knocked them both to the floor where he grabbed its arm and smashed it hard onto the ground dislodging the axe from its grasp.

Quickly standing, he kicked the weapon out of the way then bent over to haul the hulking demon back up to its feet. Cursing it in Fyarl, Spike punched it soundly in the face then followed up with a roundhouse kick to its gut. The demon grunted as it doubled over in pain but still managed to block the vampire's next kick and struck out with its fist in retaliation, catching Spike hard across his jaw.

His head snapped to the side and he felt the distinctive metallic taste of blood fill his mouth. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that," the vampire growled, letting his true face come forward. With a ferocious growl, he set upon the demon using all his strength and speed.

Buffy sat up with a groan and pushed the hair out of her face as she slowly stood up. Seeing that Spike and the Fyarl were locked in battle, she watched them for a few moments deciding whether to intervene when she noticed the axe lying a couple of feet away. Walking over, she picked it up then turned back to the fighting demons and couldn't help but smile. Damn, Spike looked good. Just watching him made her hot and she squirmed slightly, pressing her thighs together as felt the familiar rush of fluid between her thighs that always accompanied her lust for him.

The sweet scent of her arousal reached out and flooded Spike's senses making him salivate in anticipation. Delivering a punch that stunned the Fyarl momentarily, Spike shook off his game face and took the opportunity to look back over his shoulder at her with a smirk. Tongue rolling up behind his teeth, he gave her a heated look that promised much once the fight was over.

The Slayer's responding coy look lasted but a few seconds as it quickly changed to one of concern. Realising he'd allowed himself to get distracted, Spike turned back to the Fyarl and muttered an expletive. During the scant few moments he'd been leering at Buffy, the large demon had obtained a sturdy stick from the ground and was now lumbering towards him with the intent of making sure he met a dusty end.

"Spike, get down!" Buffy yelled at her blond lover as she drew the axe back and expertly threw it at the creature. Spike dropped to a crouch and watched the weapon fly over his head to embed into the Fyarl's skull. With a painful wail, the demon fell backwards, dead before it had even touched the ground.

"Nice shot," Spike complimented as he stood up and walked over to the body. Placing a booted foot on the Fyarl's shoulder, he bent forward then grabbed the axe's handle and pulled it out of its head in one clean jerk. Weighing it in his hand, he smiled at the balance and looked up as Buffy joined him.

"Thanks," the Slayer replied as she held her hand out for the weapon.

"Uh-uh," Spike said, shaking his head and moving the axe behind his back. "Finders keepers."

"But I found it," she retorted, trying to step around him and grab the weapon.

"Gotta pay the price first," he told her with a smirk.

Buffy folded her arms and desperately tried to hold back her smile. "And what price is that?"

The vampire moved closer, his eyes darkening as they travelled down her face to focus solely on her mouth. "What do you think?"

Tapping a finger on her bottom lip, the Slayer frowned slightly as she pretended to think it over. "Hmmm…what could the price be…oh! I know! Chicken wings!"

Spike shook his head. "No."

"Those blooming onion thingy's?"

"Nope."

"Candles?"

"Not even warm, pet."

"Yes they are, if you have enough of them…"

"Buffy…"

"Okay, I give in, what's the price?"

"Just a kiss."

Smiling sweetly, Buffy closed the small distance between them then slid her hands up the front of his jacket and clasped her hands behind his neck. "You silly vampire," she whispered, raising her face to his. "Kissing you is not a price…it's a gift."

Spike swallowed hard at the loving look in her eyes and brought his arms around to grasp her waist as she tugged him down for a blistering kiss. Just as he was contemplating taking her right then and there, she pulled away, leaving him feeling more than a little frustrated and oddly bereft. Looking down at his hands he saw they were empty and his gaze immediately snapped to her face, taking in the wide grin and mischievous glint in her eyes.

"You devious little devil," he declared, pointing at the axe that she now held in her right hand.

"What?" she replied, her tone one of complete innocence.

"I'll give you 'what'," he ground out as he began to advance on her. "Just wait until I get my hands on you."

Buffy started to giggle and back away. "If you catch me, you can have me…and the axe." With that she turned and ran off through the cemetery as fast as she could.

Grinning, Spike was about to take off after her when a rustling from a nearby bush made him pause. Turning towards the greenery, he sniffed the air trying to catch a scent of what was there and realised it was that of an animal. The rustling came again and then he made out the shape of a dog as it slunk off into the enveloping shadows.

"Last one to your crypt is a stinky, smelly vampire," Buffy's voice floated on the air, bringing him back to the task at hand. Find Buffy. Shag Buffy. Shag Buffy again. To hell with the axe. With that thought in mind, he broke into a run, quietly confident that for once in his unlife, his plan would work.

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Rowan entered the old church and headed over to the small chamber she now called home. "I'm back," she called out as she entered the room and placed a large pizza box down on the rickety table.

Out from the shadowed corners of the room appeared a fox that trotted up to her and sat down.

"I've got pizza," she told it, opening the lid and tilting the box slightly so that the animal could see the contents easier. Looking around, she frowned slightly and turned back the beast in front of her and asked, "Where’s Rufus?"

Moments later, she heard the sound of paws on the cement floor behind her, the claws clacking loudly in the surrounding quiet. Eyes narrowing, she turned around and demanded harshly, "Where the hell have been?"

The fox quickly morphed into the image of a good looking young man with green eyes and burnished copper coloured hair. "Out," he replied curtly.

"Out where, exactly?" she quizzed him, suspiciously.

"Just out," he repeated, impatiently. "You know, walking around, absorbing the local atmosphere, checking out the scenery…watching the Slayer and her Vampire making out…"

Rowan gasped. "You didn't! Are you crazy? What if they'd seen you?"

Rufus snorted derisively. "Geez, Rowan, relax! They were too busy sticking their tongues down each other's throats to notice me. Besides, I was bored. It's okay for you, you're getting out every day while I'm stuck here keeping Pops company.

Rowan let out an angry huff of aggravation and pinned Rufus with a fixed stare. There was nothing she could do about the fact he'd been out, but her brother's cocky impetuousness was the bane of her existence. On more than one occasion they'd been forced to change their plans because of him. They'd even had to depart the last town a darn sight quicker then they'd planned, leaving behind a loose end that she was worried could eventually come back to bite them in the ass.

Ignoring Rowan’s glare, Rufus grinned insolently then reached passed her and grabbed up a slice of the pizza and hungrily began to eat. "Thanks, Sis," he said, taking another bite of the greasy food.

Shaking her head, Rowan pushed back her ire then turned to the other fox and tilted her head to the side. "Don't you want anything, Dad?"

This time, the change was slower until a oldish looking man stood before them both, yawning widely. He sported a slight paunch and his thinning auburn hair was liberally streaked with grey. "Thank you, my dear," he said as he reached over and plucked a slice of pizza from the box and sat himself down on a ripped armchair that they'd obtained from the local dump three nights before. "So, how did it go today? Did you have fun?"

"Uh-huh," nodded Rowan, taking her own piece of pizza. "I finally got to meet the Slayer and her friends."

Her father drew in a sharp breath and looked at her, eyes alight with anticipation. "Really? So the game's afoot, eh, my dear?"

The sometime vixen nodded and gave him a sly smile. "I've already got to that Xander person and his wife. I had a nice little chat with her this afternoon over coffee and she’s as gullible as a child. Such insecurities for a married ex-demon." She mock sympathised before pulling a disagreeable face and adding, "It's all been sickeningly easy so far."

Her father chuckled gleefully and clapped his hands. "I knew the boy would be the weakest link in the group," he crowed happily. "Now you just have to be your usual conniving self and make their lives hell."

"I’ve started. I just hope the others are a bit more of a challenge," his daughter replied with a nasty grin. "The witches could be interesting. I think one of them is just ripe for bending my way."

Her father nodded, then turned to his son. "Are you ready to join in the festivities, my boy?"

"Always ready, Dad, you know that," he answered, taking another slice of pizza.

"Good, then make sure you go out and get some books and a backpack tonight," his father ordered gruffly. "You're going back to school."

"What?!" the young man exclaimed incredulously. His expression darkened. "But, Dad, I thought you said that this time I could be right in the thick of things…"

His father held up his hand and the boy immediately stopped talking. "You will be, Rufus, you will be," he placated soothingly.

"By being at school?" Rufus queried dubiously. "How?"

The old man smiled. "By using your charms on the Slayer's sister."

Rufus looked back at his father and returned his smile with a malicious grin of his own. "Poor little girl," he said with a mocking sigh. "She's not even gonna know what hit her."

"That's my boy," his father praised proudly and then turned his attention back to the pizza. "Now, let's eat."

TBC IN CHAPTER 4





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