She nodded and sat down pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She then realized she should be making a fire. She set out in the tiny amount of light she had which was little to none and made a woodpile so that when Spike returned he could light it. She set the other wood in a pile ready to be restocked when needed.
She was tempted to touch the place where he marked her and she knew it was the opposite side than the others had used. She wasn’t upset by it though, she just was curious if it was as deep as Angel and big or if it was only two pricks like Dracula. She sighed and gave in to curiosity and reached up to touch the marks gently. They felt like two tiny holes that surprisingly didn’t hurt and didn’t feel as though they scabbed. Spike returned just at the moment with a huge bird of some kind and grinned, “Dinner, my lady.”
She giggled and he noticed that she was touching her bite marks and he frowned. He lit the fire and set the bird up to roast then sat down beside her. He reached up to cup her face and was surprised she didn’t turn away as he whispered, “I’m sorry I fed from you. It was wrong of me. I was just so hungry that I didn’t have the strength to fight you. I’m a weak, bad vamp, Buffy.”
Buffy said nothing but instead leaned her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her just as the rain started to fall. He had laid her shirt out on a rock outside of their shelter to be washed by the rain knowing she wouldn’t want to wear it covered in his blood. It was a bad reminder of what had taken place between them. He hoped they would find Dawn again before it came down to him feeding on Buffy again. She was the slayer and her blood was amazing but he loved her and didn’t want to take advantage of her.
She had her eyes closed and was thinking of how close she felt to him. She didn’t remember her feelings changing for Angel and definitely not for Dracula like this. She finally whispered into the darkness, “What’s going to happen to us?”
Spike frowned looking down at her, “What do you mean, love?”
Buffy repeated, “What will happen to us now? You always said love was blood. You’ve tasted me and I’m like a drug to vampires. What will happen to us now?”
Spike closed his eyes and whispered, “Nothing. I’ll never hurt you. I’m sorry I fed from you. It wasn’t part of my plan and if I had been in the right state of mind and not so bloody hungry, I promise I would have never gone through with it. I’ll ensure it doesn’t happen again even if I have to avoid you when I get hungry.”
Buffy whispered, “I asked and I didn’t mind. It sort of felt good in a weird sadistic kind of way. Does this change us?”
Spike shrugged, “We have already changed us, love. It was a bloody revelation as I have said before with what happened in that abandoned house. It actually started way back during our fake marriage and has continued to change us over and over again. We are humans. Well you are anyway and we are always bloody changing. Change is what we make of it.”
She sat quietly pondering his words as her stomach growled with the smell of the cooked bird on the fire. He leaned over and tasted the bird, “I think it’s done, and your stomach is growling so I won’t even ask if you are hungry.”
Buffy nodded and took the drumstick he handed her and dug in. He ate the other drumstick enjoying the taste of it. It was stronger than that of chicken but still just as good. She moaned in pleasure as she ate her fill. She ate the whole drumstick, some of the breast as well as the thighs. She was so hungry. Spike ate the drumstick and nibbled on other parts. She then felt content and sleepy. She removed the jacket and whispered, “Do you mind if I put all my clothes out there again to wash them?”
Spike shook his head but he offered, “There’s a little stream that we can use for that if you want to sleep dressed.” She removed the coat and watched as Spike pulled off his shirt and pulled it over her head. She was so touched by the gesture she didn’t know what to say. She realized she was just full of quietness tonight.
She watched as Spike pulled her shirt in for safety and as he restocked the fire and laid the shirt at a far enough distance to get the heat but not burn. She yawned and he laid down offering her his arm. She didn’t say anything and lay down next to him as he pulled the coat over both of them.
Buffy closed her eyes realizing Spike had earned more of her trust today. He had managed to feed from her and not kill her or even hurt her. He had done what not even Angel had managed to do. She sighed and rolled closer to him and was rewarded as he wrapped his arms around her. She closed her eyes only wondering for a brief minute what tomorrow would bring before drifting off to sleep. Spike kissed the top of her head thankful that she didn’t seem too upset by his mistake and closed his eyes to drift off to sleep as well.
The mysterious white-haired lady appeared for just a second and only her blue eyes could be seen from the fog as she peered out over the two warriors. She watched for a few minutes with a slight smile on her face but she said not a word and disappeared while they both slept curled up together.
Buffy yawned feeling Spike pull her closer. She smiled but managed to wiggle out of his arms. She tested her shirt realizing it was indeed dry and clean. She pulled off Spike’s shirt and pulled on her own and exhaled noisily at the state of her clothes. They were covered in rips and tears and she was surprised it was even in one piece after everything they had been through.
They were at the top of the cliff and she had no idea what the rest of the trip would bring. Curious, she stood up and walked out of the rock shelter and walked to the edge of the cliff and peered out. She looked at the forest below, the shore and water to the east and the large field to the west. To the north was a stonewall containing what appeared to be a village or fortress.
She wondered if that is where Dawn had been taken. She tried to look over the ledge to see if she could see Dawn but as far as the eye could see, she couldn’t make anything out. She realized she was just too high up for such details. She turned around and walked to the opposite side of the cliff and saw a really large forest that lead to another cliff. She was mostly glad they weren’t going in that direction, as it seemed that cliff was much higher than the one she stood on. She turned around and walked over to where they were going and she jumped slightly as she felt Spike’s arms wrap around her waist. For a split second she thought about chastising him but realized her heart wasn’t in it so she just instead enjoyed the feel of him behind her. He whispered quietly, “I guess we head towards that fortress.”
Buffy nodded in agreement. She looked up at the blue sun and looked over at what happened to be green water and let out a sigh. She really was in a different world. The sky was a vivid purple and she could really get used to the beautiful sky changes. Life was hardly easy here so she dismissed that thought immediately.
She turned around looking at Spike who was also admiring the sky. He whispered, “This place is almost as beautiful as our home is and would be paradise if it weren’t for the fact the blood sucks.”
She frowned not liking the idea of him wanting to stay here but said nothing as she walked past him.