awwww....... tara n willow will be in UK,.... gonna miss them... love the update and waiting for more!!

Author's Response: I promise that they won't be absent from the story, even though they're overseas. Thanks for reviewing!

Buffy seemed almost congenitally incapable of keeping a grudge, much less understanding someone else’s, and so she had run roughshod over Spike’s desire to avoid the mansion, regardless of the potential treasure hidden there. Without realizing it, she was doing the same to her watcher.

One of my big bugbears with the character... her ability to be as flawed as any other human being. That whole paragraph is great observation though, Weyr. Done from Spike's pov though, it did make me wonder if the vampire was ever that deep thinking. It's something that I, as a rabid Spike fan have always aspired him to be, but I'm not sure how close to Joss Whedon's canon that would ever be (not close at all, I'm pretty sure).

All in all, with the Spike-centric narrative focussed on his reactions to Scooby interactions, a very nice, easy on the heart-rate chapter. Loved the dual functionality of Gile's car :- penis-extension and, ...mobile debriefing room ...



Author's Response: Touche. I probably do give Spike more intellectual credit than he is due. Sorry. I'll also endeavor to be a little harder on the heart-rate as the story goes along. ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

Spike's musings in the back seat of Giles' mid-life crisis mobile were extremely well written. I especially liked the parallels he drew between himself and Giles. The airport goodbye was also well written, and Spike offering up strands of hair highlighted his trust and friendship with Tara. Another tight chapter filled with lots of detail and excellent characterizations. I missed the oblique "Firefly" reference, though.

Author's Response: I'm afraid that my favorite scene from that 'verse had River sniffing Inara's bed and getting this funny expresion on her face. Oblique, I know, but when I was writing that scene, I had to include it. I'm glad you liked the Spike/Giles comparisons. Thanks for reviewing!

I'm so glad your muse saw fit to grace you with a continuation of this tale, I absolutely love your writing.


Author's Response: She's sometimes fickle, but after how much I enjoyed writing the first fic, she was a little more willing this time around. ;-) Thank you!

An excellent start to more of the Meret-verse. I like how you touched briefly on the changes Meret has brought to the dynamic of the gang. Having access to Spike's emotions has solidified their uneasy alliance. Buffy joining in on the looting is an excellent plot device to bring Spike and Buffy together.

The details of their discovery were creepy and fascinating. I'm looking forward to more of this.

Author's Response: Hee, just trying to set up all the pieces before I go an knock them all down. ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

Yay! To the return of the coatlverse. And yay! to that twist at the end.

Author's Response: I thought that might be appreciated. ;-) Thanks for the review!

Yea! A new story from you. So glad to see Meret back. Love the effect she has on everyone. (Especially, Spike.) Look forward as always, to updates.


Author's Response: She does tend to throw wrenches into the mix doesn't she? She's fun to write, and I'm glad you guys like reading her. Thanks for the review!

All of his masks: his sarcasm, his bravado, his questionable ability to hide his strong emotions, all were stripped away now that Meret had entered his life.

This, I think, is what made ILWS, and will make this tale, so interesting. The fact that Meret is a conduit for the strong emotions of those she sees as family. Suddenly, all of those carefully built and reinforced barriers are vulnerable, unreliable. Suddenly, they all have to get used to facing each other unashamed, unafraid and honestly. Some of her influence is already manifest, maybe(?), in the attitudes to Spike of the other Scoobies. Less blatant aggression, far less suspicion, and lots more cooperation.

I sense that your incorporation of mythical beasties is going to keep me on my toes throughout this story. I'd heard of the basilisk, but never a cockatrice. Having looked it up, I'm worried you keep being drawn to some really ugly buggers, pet... aren't there any more pretty beasties from mythology like the coatl? It'd make the dark places they're visiting a little less scary for me.

Of course, if you then add in necromancy, rictus smiling skeletons and dark magics... I might need several bottles of whiskey with spike, too!

As ever, your narrative is intelligent and really well crafted, and I'm delighted we're going to get more Spike/Buffy interaction.

Delighted you're back and posting.

Author's Response: It's good to be back. I'll try to find a less oogly critter to reference later on just for you. :-D Thanks for reviewing!

Great Start. Looking forward to reading more.
Please continue to update soon and often.

Author's Response: I'm actually posting as I go, unlike the last two stories, so I'm going to try to keep to a weekly posting schedule. I'm glad you liked it so far. Thanks for reviewing!

Good Start.

Author's Response: Thanks!