Chapter 15. Baroque
Buffy bathed and dressed in record time, due in great part to the fact she didn’t have much to choose from, what with most of her clothes still in her room at The Mandeville.
She twirled in front of the full-length mirror she’d found inside the closet’s door, the form-hugging jeans and peasant blouse a long cry from anything she’d wore in front of Spike so far. Although to be fair, he’d already seen her in her pajamas and without a single drop of make-up on and he hadn’t run away scared. Much to the contrary, he snuggled with her all night long. And if she said so herself, she didn’t look half-bad dressed like this and hopefully he’d think so too.
She walked into the bathroom to apply her make-up and sighed dejectedly when her eyes settled on the red-purplish bruise which covered almost half of her face. She’d done her best to push Riley and what he’d attempted to do to her to the back of her mind, which was not too difficult when she was in the same room with Spike… but now he wasn’t here. She was alone, faced with the fact that if he’d not gotten there in time, Riley would have succeeded.
She’d been overly confident during her encounter in the hotel’s lobby when she made it both verbally and physically clear to Riley that he stood no chance with her and to back off. And even when Mr. Giles hinted at Riley’s possible dark demeanor the other day, she hadn’t listened, lost as she was in a Spike-induced haze.
She never expected Riley to do… well, what he tried to do. Granted she didn’t really know him all that well and he’d never been anything more to her than a business contact. A rather dull, boring, slightly over-bearing business contact who kept hinting he was interested in her… no matter how much she dodged his advances. She groaned internally. Maybe she should’ve seen this coming? Well, it was all over now, and all thanks to her to her knight, er, vampire in shining armor.
Buffy winced as she dabbed a little foundation over her skin to cover the ‘still-too-tender-to-touch’ bruise and sighed again. No amount of foundation or concealer would hide it that’s for sure, so perhaps she shouldn’t even try. Not like she’d be seeing anyone other than Anne and Mr. Giles, or so she hoped.
Once ready, she walked back into the room and sat on the bed; her fingers lingering over the sheets as she drifted back to her memories of Spike instead, especially the most recent. Her body still hummed from his earlier attentions and her heart fluttered inside her chest at the recollection of his heated promise. ‘Soon’, he’d said, although soon wasn’t quick enough for her. He’d been so perfect, so selfless, the ideal gentleman and she couldn’t have asked for a more wondrous conclusion to the night spent lying in his arms than when he…
She didn’t want to finish that thought as she was already blushing and didn’t want him to see her that way or…
“I can smell your… desire.” His words from earlier that morning echoed in her mind. She really hadn’t paid that much attention to his declaration then. How could she as lost in lust as she’d been at the time? But… but what if he could actually smell her? Did her arousal really have a scent or was it a vampire thing? ‘Oh God, oh God, oh God.’ Her cheeks burned with embarrassment at the mere idea. She truly needed to find out more about vampires and their ‘abilities’ and the sooner the better.
******
Spike knocked on her door about thirty minutes after having walked her to her bedroom. During that time, he’d made a few phone calls to certain members of his staff and his plan for a perfect evening for two were promptly set into motion. Still, as set as he was on a magical night full of romance—one they would remember for the rest of their lives—waiting one more day felt like forever. Especially after seeing how breathtaking she looked while he pleasured her this morning… listening to her sweet moans, tiny, desire-filled pants for air and the whisper of his name in bliss. And after smelling the intoxicating aroma of her sweet release… Christ, waiting would be pure torture and letting her go home when it was time… he simply couldn’t bear to think about that right now. He was determined to live in the moment and not worry about the future until he absolutely had to.
She opened the door, smiling at him and he was amazed once again at her radiance. She was truly breathtaking… even with her hair covering half her face. He wondered why she was wearing it like that. Then he remembered. He’d seen the bruise last night and again today when they woke up. Not that he could’ve done anything to help her heal. The important thing was that he’d gotten her out of the hotel before the oaf had a chance to harm her any further and into his house where she was safe. And this morning, well, he’d been too distracted pleasuring her to pay much attention to her injury.
If only he had the chance to meet the overgrown hall monitor once again, alone, in an obscure alley… That thought brought back another memory from the night before when they met Giles outside The Mandeville. And after reading the morning newspaper, he truly needed to talk to his employee about his suspicions and the sooner the better.
“’Lo again, love. Ready for breakfast?” he asked, before kissing her non-injured cheek lightly and offering his arm to her.
“Breakfast?” She glanced down at her wrist-watch. “It’s well past noon already.”
He shrugged. “So? Doesn’ mean we can’ have breakfast if we want to.”
“Uhmm, I’ve been meaning to ask…” She stopped walking, turning toward him. “Do you even need food? I thought vampires only drank blood, but I’ve seen you eat.”
“Vampires need to drink blood to survive, sweetheart, if we don’, we wither away and eventually dust. That doesn’ mean we can’ enjoy human food on occasion.”
“A-and do you…” she paused, trying to figure how to phrase her next question.
“Do I what, love?”
“I-I’ve seen movies where vampires drain their victims of their blood… i-is that h-how you—” Oh God, why did she think she could do this? What if he answered yes, how would she feel then?
“No, of course not. Although I won’ lie to you, I used to… before. A long, long time ago.” He noticed the way her posture relaxed at his answer, glad he could provide her with some measure of relief regarding his eating habits. “There are other ways, love. Private blood banks which cater to a very select clientele, for example.”
“Really? So there are other vampires like you?”
“Yes, well, perhaps not exactly like me. And it’s not only vampires; there are a few demons as well. There are a few of us who’ve learned it’s best to live like this, to not bring unwanted attention upon ourselves. It’s a whole less messy in the end… for all parties involved.”
“Demons?” Her eyes were wide as saucers as she listened to him. First vampires were real and now it turned out there were other kinds of demons, too? What was next? Frankenstein?
“Yeah, werewolves and the like. The majority of them are human-like and really, you wouldn’ know they were demons unless you were well-versed on the subject.”
“O-kay. Are you well-versed in the subject?”
“’M well-versed in lots of subjects, love. There are some I excel in, though.” He raised both of his eyebrows at her twice in quick succession, his trademark smirk gracing his lips, leaving her with little doubt of which subjects those might be.
‘Boy and did he ever,’ she thought, the memory of his kisses and what happened between them that morning still fresh in her mind. She blushed under his heated stare, certain as never before he knew exactly what effect his words and gestures had on her.
She started walking once again, trying to keep her hormones in check. Not an easy a task considering the reason they were going haywire was right by her side, but she could give it a try at least. And keep asking some of the questions she needed answers to in the meantime.
“How about… other things?”
“Other things?” He threw her a sideways glance.
“Well, do you have enhanced senses and such?” Yeah, that should cover it… she hoped.
“Well, yes, matter of fact I do. Preternatural speed and force, enhanced senses and accelerated healin’ are all part of the package, alon’ with immortality.”
“Like, say… hmmm, for example… smell?”
“Yes, my sense of smell is very well developed. Comes in handy, too, ‘specially every time 'm ‘round you.” He delighted in the way her cheeks reddened, then leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Can't wait to find out if you taste as good as you smell, pet.”
She frowned, not fully getting his meaning until he straightened up and winked at her, his indigo gaze raking sensuously up and down her body. She gasped, suddenly unsure how she should react to that last comment. Her body didn’t seem to have any problems with responding, though. And he was perfectly aware of it, damn him!
She was adorable, getting all tongue-tied and flustered by his not-so-subtle innuendos. He couldn’t get enough of her, of all these little moments she gifted him with. Unable to help himself for it had been too bloody long since he’d kissed her, he brought his hands up to cup her face and then capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.
She tasted like heaven, he thought as his tongue entered her mouth to tangle with hers. The most intoxicating elixir he’d ever sampled, one taste and he was completely inebriated. And he could only imagine how much more addicting savoring the evidence of her desire for him right from the source would be.
Buffy was drowning once again, falling as she always did whenever he kissed her. The world faded around them as they got lost in each other, her arms twining around his neck to press herself closer to him, to melt against the hardness of his muscular body.
Only one more day, he repeated over and over in his mind. His mouth left hers to trail a moist path down her neck, his teeth worrying the soft skin over her pulse point. Only one more day until she would be his—one which more likely would feel like a century to him. He pulled away from her, resting his forehead against hers, their eyes closed and their chests heaving as they drew in ragged breaths.
“I love you, Buffy,” he blurted. “God, I love you so much.”
Both of them backed away, almost equally astonished by the words that left his mouth, their eyes wide open and drawn to the other’s to gauge their reaction.
He hadn’t meant to say it like that. That didn’t, however, make the words any less true, the sentiment any less sincere. He loved her and while it might be too early in their relationship for her to say it back… he could only hope she’d say them before she left.
He loved her? She blinked, for a second thinking she might’ve heard him wrong until her gaze locked with his and she saw the truth burning brightly amidst the azure depths. “Y-you… do?” she asked, needing the reassurance of him saying it again.
“I do,” he nodded.
“Well, that works great then,” she beamed at him.
It did? Huh. “Care to elaborate a bit there, darlin’?” He didn’t want to get his hopes up just to have them crushed down a second later, although it was getting very difficult not to with the way she was looking at him, smiling at him.
“Because I love you too, you doofus.”
tbc
Hope you enjoy the little prezzie I left you with and of course, if you're inclined to letting me know what you thought of the chapter, I'll be happy to read it. ;)
Happy Holidays and a wonderful 2008 to all of you!
*hugs*
Mari