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Chapter four

Buffy and Spike left the apartment just after dark. Buffy watched her lover, dressed head to toe in black, reach for his trusty duster as he shut the door. It was the third incarnation of the coat since she had known him. Wolfram and Hart had delivered a dozen of them to her door the day after they had arrived back in Rome, with a note telling Spike there would be no more.

Spike seemed pensive as they walked towards the bike they used for getting through the Roman traffic.

‘What’s up love, you seem quiet?’ asked Buffy. There had been no snarky comments for a couple of hours.

‘Nothing, love,’ came the reply.

‘Bollocks.’ Buffy stole one of Spikes own expletives, making him smile.

‘It’s OK, luv, I was just thinking, … it would be really nice to walk with you under the sun, to see the blue of the ocean, to see a sunrise, you know, all that stuff I’ve missed for 120 years. I was thinking about the day walker, whether it was a spell or a gem; even if it only lasted for a day, it would be incredible. You gave up so much to be with me, I want to take you boating, or on a picnic, just to see you in daylight. I could have sat and have had breakfast with you this morning, or just had a cup of coffee at a café and watched the sunlight play on a fountain. Bugger, you brought the poet out in me again, Goldilocks. I wish you’d stop doing that, you turn me into a poncy wanker.’

‘I’ll not have you call the man I love a ponce or a wanker, and I don’t care about the other stuff, ever. I am with you because you’re one hell of a man. I’ve seen the best of you and the worst, I love your strength and you weakness, you’re the one William, demon and man I love YOU.’

Spike’s eyes filled with tears and he drew Buffy into his arms, wrapping her in his coat against the chill in the air. She could smell that wonderful mix of leather, smoke, whisky, and the pure masculine smell that was all Spike. She felt so at home in his arms and wondered, again, how she could have ever doubted his love for her. They were one soul. Then he kissed her gently, loving her with every bit of his soul and his demon, both happy just to be with her and bask in her presence, sniffing her hair, tasting the scent of vanilla and Buffy.

He led her towards the bike and handed over her helmet. They climbed aboard the bike, and were away; Buffy grabbed Spike’s waist and they sped off into the night, headed for the more affluent side of Rome, up in the hills where the Villa Rosa was located.

The villa was set in its own grounds; formal gardens laid out in a nineteenth century style. The high wall would have prevented anyone else from seeing in, but both Buffy and Spike jumped straight up onto it without a run.

They saw a brightly lit house on three floors. The sound of laughter could be heard and their senses told them that there were vampires inside. The top floor seemed darker, with smaller windows and lights being turned out. A dog could be heard barking from within the house, and Spike could follow its course through the building by the noise it was making; he could also hear a voice telling it to ‘hush’ and the barking stopped.

A door towards the back of the building caught their attention when it opened and a man and a woman left through it. They were illuminated from behind by the bright lights from the house, showing both were of average height and build; the woman had long hair caught up in a pony tail. The man was clean shaven and looked young, as did the woman. The man threw back his head in laughter at something the woman had said to him; he then offered her his arm and led the way towards the small garden gate that led to a park. Buffy’s senses were screaming vampire and Spike’s screamed slayer. Who ever this couple were, they were powerful. It oozed off of them like a thick fog, tainting the air with its charge.

Buffy and Spike followed at a short distance; not wanting to be seen, but to see.
They had only just entered the main part of the park when they both smelled demon. It cracked in the air, pungent and rancid. They heard the sounds of fighting and without thinking, or stopping to see what the other would do, they headed towards the sounds of trouble.

Four Arachnis demons had surrounded the couple from the villa. Large and spider like, a sickly red in colour; they had humanoid heads atop an eight foot high, eight-legged body. They were striking with their forelimbs, trying to stab at the couple from the villa. The woman was trying to fight off one pair whilst the man had the other, but it was a losing battle. Again without thinking, Buffy and Spike split apart. Spike made a leap for the creature closest to him whilst Buffy went to aid the woman. Coming from behind she took a leap and landed on the spider’s back. Buffy leaned forward and grabbed the head, twisting it right off. The creature fell to the ground with a dreadful groaning noise that seemed to come from its thorax. The noise distracted the others for the split second needed by the other three warriors. Spike leapt for the body of the spider nearest him. He punched through the thorax, ripping out internal organs with a squelching sound. The other couple took full advantage of the help. The man sprung onto the biggest of the remaining demons, stabbing into its head with a sword. The two women tag teamed with each other, distracting the last of the monsters while Spike jumped up onto its back and ran up to the head. He twisted the head clean off. Thanks to the aid that Buffy and Spike had given, all four of the creature were dead within minutes, their wretched odour poisoning the air and the corpses oozing into the ground.

The two couples then looked towards each other. The vampires started forwards, towards each other, sniffing the air, both recognising a Master when they smelled one. The women looked on, both with an identical smile on their faces, as the men circled one another. Then Buffy held out her hand.
‘Buffy Summers.’
‘Matilda du Pris.’
‘Shall we stop the testosterone war, or let them play?’ asked Buffy.
Matilda started laughing. ‘Charles,’ she called and the other Vampire looked back towards the women.
Spike let out a little territorial growl. ‘Mine,’
‘Spike,’ Buffy chastised with a smile.

‘I could say the same about the other one, old man. Charles Richards,’ he said, holding out his hand towards Spike.

Spike shook it and the two Master Vampires walked back to the ladies.
‘You’re English,’ Spike noted as they walked.

‘No, actually, I’m Macedonian, but spent twenty plus years in England some time ago. We’ll talk more, and answer all your questions, when you all come for dinner on Friday; shall we send the cars? Seven- thirty for eight? And I think our ladies would like an excuse to dress up, and I have found it safer to indulge them in the past.’
‘I know that one,’ replied Spike with a smirk.

Spike reached for a cigarette and lit it as they continued to evaluate one another. The two women were both slim and toned, but Matilda was older, around 35, with long, chestnut hair. Both were beautiful, they could turn heads wherever they were. The men were slimly built, but all muscle. They oozed sexuality and moved like jungle cats. They had an air of authority and power; Buffy had assumed that Spike was the only one to carry it, but Charles Richards had the same aura about him. It screamed ‘dangerous to know’ but controlled, tamed, constrained by the will of the vampire in front of her.

Buffy and Spike were escorted back to where they’d left the bike, and the other couple waved as they set off back into the night. Spike could hear them talking quietly to one another as they walked. It seemed that Matilda was scared of spiders; away from Buffy and himself she was allowing those fears to surface. Then the other vampire started growling, purring, soothing the woman in his arms; a noise familiar to Spike, Buffy liked it as well.

Buffy and Spike arrived back at the apartment just before midnight, falling through the door almost doubled up with laughter and disturbing Giles, who was already enjoying a nice brandy, having arrived on the last flight in from London only an hour before. Dawn had headed to bed early and Xander and the girls were recounting the ‘tale of the meeting’ when the blonds tumbled into the room.

‘Buffy, my dear, you look wonderful,’ Giles told her, as he gave her a hug and kissed her gently on the cheek, before holding out his hand to Spike. ‘And how are you doing, Spike, you seem well, as well.’

‘We’re both fine, just curious about what you’ve found out; and we’ve got a tale to tell.’ replied Buffy.

Spike went over to the drinks and poured himself a whisky, offering Giles a top up, which was gratefully accepted.

‘Ladies first,’ Giles said with a smile, accepting the rather large and extremely good brandy Spike passed him.

‘Well, when we went out on patrol tonight we thought we’d swing past the villa where the Marcasians live. Which we did, and heard a commotion; went to investigate and found that they’d started fighting demons, when we turned up and joined in. She was older than me, Giles, but definitely a slayer, and he, the vampire, made no move towards us. We just slayed the demons, chatted for a moment and they said they’d answer all questions when we met up; gave us a salute and went back towards the Villa. When we watched ‘em, they went inside. Spike said he could hear about ten sets of heartbeats. Some were children, and there were children’s toys in the garden. Seems this lot fight the good fight as well.’

‘Either that love, or they don’t like Arachnis demons near their house,’ added Spike.

‘Well as far as we know there has been no increase in dead bodies, or fledglings. We can’t trace any kills made by the Marcasians since about 1800. They simply seemed to have vanished. So fighting the good seems to be one explanation,’ stated Giles. ‘However, one of the seers at the coven said she felt that this meeting was extremely important, but couldn’t get any danger vibes. In fact she said that on the day Willow encountered Charles Richards, she felt a sense of warmth and comfort, as if all were right with the world. It was very strong,’ he added.

Xander started laughing. ‘I, we, have slipped into some alternate reality. Vampires giving witches good feelings, Spike and Giles sharing a drink and I’m classing Spike as a friend who we’ve just found out was a Lord. Next visitation will be from the Easter bunny, accompanied by the tooth fairy.’

‘Xander, stop it,’ Buffy got the giggles as she pictured a fairy and rabbit running around the room.

‘About the title, Spike: Lord Carrington, I believe?’

‘Yes, Giles, Lord Carrington,’ replied Spike, wearily.

‘Eaton or Harrow? Oxford or Cambridge?’ enquired the watcher.

‘Harrow and Oxford. Before you ask, read Literature at Corpus Christi, came out with a first, so no more jokes about being uneducated.’ Spike’s voice had acquired the clipped tones of an upper class English Gentleman, with overtones of extreme boredom.

Xander looked puzzled. ‘Wha’?’

‘Seems our Spike went to some of the finest schools in England and had a first class education.’

‘Again, I ask: Wha’?’

‘Harrow Public School is not like an American public school. In Britain, Public Schools are the ones you pay for, and State Schools are the free ones. So Spike had the best that money could buy. Not only that but it seems he and I are related.
My Great Grandmother’s Brother was William, Lord Carrington. So that makes William my Great- Great Uncle.’ Giles started to wipe his glasses again.

‘Which is undoubtedly why he riles me so much; isn’t it nephew?’ Spike added with a grin. ‘The younger generation always seem to be a trial on their elders.’

Xander and the others just burst out laughing at the look of indignation on Giles’ face.

Buffy started to yawn at the same time. ‘Bed for me; Giles, have you been shown to your room?’

Giles nodded ‘Yes Dawn got me all settled before she went off to bed.’

‘In that case I will wish you good night and see you tomorrow.’





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