Pulling back ever so slightly he inquired, “Am I hurting you?”
She smiled and shook her head, “No. And only you would be worried about that at a moment like this.”
He grinned. “Told you I’d always take care of you, pet. Nearly scared me to my second death when I saw that demon tear into you.”
“How is it that I’m the only one that got hurt by it? I mean, honestly!”
“I reckon cause you were tearing their ugly little heads off. Now, let’s get back to the kissing—“
She laughed and kissed him quickly. She initiated it. She kissed him! Eagerly, he went in for more, only to be stopped by her pushing on him slightly. He looked at her in question.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “that I didn’t tell you.”
“Forgiven. But—how did you expect me to know that you felt things for me?”
“Wishful thinking, I guess? That way I wouldn’t have to say it. I’m not good at saying that stuff. You’re much better at it than I am.”
“Except I could probably do without chaining you up, eh?”
“Yeah, that I could have gladly done without.”
“Or threatening to sick Dru on you.”
“That too.”
“And maybe the altar—“
“Spike, shut up. I don’t want to think about that stuff, all right?”
“Right. Sorry. Where do we go from here?”
She blinked and moved out of his arms. “You just cut right to the chase huh?”
He shrugged, “Not known for my patience.”
“Or thinking before you talk.”
“Hey!”
She smiled cheekily at him.
“So?” he pressed, “now what?”
“Now, we . . . I don’t know,” she shrugged. “You tell me.”
Clark and Lois entered their hotel room, dirty and full of demon goo.
“Tell me again, what happened to you,” Lois demanded as she pushed gooey strands of hair from her face.
“I told you, a demon grabbed me—“
“I know that. A demon grabbed you and pulled you into some dark corner and then Superman was there to save you, but you were knocked out for a few minutes. Knocked out during the entire battle.”
“Right. See, you actually didn’t need me to tell you,” Clark muttered, gathering his things for a shower. “Do you want the shower first?”
She stared at him hard. He could practically see the wheels turning and he was hoping to distract her. So far, all his efforts had proved futile in that department.
“Lois?”
“And then you came to just after Superman left.”
“Yes. Did you want the shower first?” he asked again.
She kept staring at him, not moving.
“Lois?”
“I never really thought about it until now.”
“Thought about what?” he asked, his heart at a gallop in his chest. Dammit! He didn’t want her to find out this way. He wanted to tell her himself. But he’d panicked when she’d gotten grabbed and the demons had started swarming in. There were humans involved that did not have superhuman powers like Buffy and Spike. There was no way Superman could not make an appearance; he didn’t have time to worry over his identity at that point, not when lives were at stake.
“That you’re never around when he is.”
“Lois, that’s ridiculous.”
“No, it’s not. You always seem to miss him. There’s trouble, you disappear, and he comes in to save the day, and then you come back, saying how you were sorry to have missed him. But then there are times you’ve seemed to know what he’s done even though you weren’t there.”
“Lois, I think you’re reading into things too much. That overactive reporters mind is doing double time--“
“And when did you and Buffy get so chummy?” she went on, ignoring him.
“She s-started talking t-to me.”
“And when I took my nap earlier, you left…” she narrowed her eyes. “You left me a note saying you went out to lunch. And then Superman showed up to see Buffy…”
Oh, crap. “Lois, what are you trying to get at?” he demanded. Best to just get all the cards out on the table even though he had no idea how he was going to get himself out of this one. Another mind swiping kiss? He didn’t think he had it in him this time to do that. No matter how much he was wary of her knowing the truth, especially this way, he also figured if she did figure it out, then he wouldn’t try to erase her memory. Not this time, not with his knowledge of having a son with this woman.
Lois crossed her arms across her chest. “Why don’t you tell me?”
Lex walked around his circle, his circle that now had footprints marring the entire area. His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight.
Kitty looked around with an air of indifference. “So, someone was here then.”
He looked up at her, leveling her with his gaze. “Someone? Just someone?” he snapped sarcastically. “A bunch of someone’s were here. Look at my circle!”
“Well, that crap on the walls is still there,” Kitty shrugged.
“Yes, they are, possibly because they’re painted on with paint.”
“They could have painted over it,” Kitty said with a roll of her eyes.
“Yeah, that’s likely to happen.”
“So, now what, boss?” The vampire, Les, asked surveying the room.
“Now we up our progress. Find that dust of the Master and fast. We have to work harder before the Slayer and Superman ruin all my plans.” He walked around the room again, shaking his head. “Thought I couldn’t hate anyone as much as I hated Superman. Turns out I was wrong.”