Title: In the Harsh Light of Beer
Summary: Tainted Beer makes both Buffy and Spike step out of denial, bringing to light the feelings they’ve suppressed since their first meeting. Takes place in season four but quickly goes AU around “The Harsh Light of Day.”
Pairings: Buffy/Spike
Rated: NC-17
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox.. I own nothing but I wish Spike was MINE.

Author's Note:   I would like to thank no_promises who is my wonderful beta and I would like to thank everyone that has left a review, it makes want to continue the story. This chapter is what originally inspired me to write this story and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you think!!!!

Buffy swayed on her feet as she left her dorm room, all her attention focused on keeping her balance. Carefully she walked down the stairs in front of Stevenson Hall. She was on the last step when someone called her name, breaking her concentration long enough for her foot to slip, making her lose her equilibrium.

"Shit! Not again." She  sighed and quickly looked for any new bruises she might have gained in her fall.

"Hey, you okay, sorry for startling you." A familiar voice said as a hand reached out to help her up.

"Thanks" she said as she looked up and recognized her Psych 101 TA. "Riley" An awkward silence settled between them. "Sooo" Riley shuffled his feet. "You seem to be enjoying Psych 101. Your paper on-"

She rolled her eyes at his attempt to talk to her and quickly turned him out. She marveled at how much her life had changed. If Riley had, had the balls to talk to her a week ago she would have happily listened to him talk no matter how dull the subject, all the while hoping he might be interested in her enough to ask her out. She would have jumped at the opportunity for normal, but now she knew better. She was not and had never been normal. Honestly, if he was normal, normal was completely boring. Buffy glanced at her watch and sighed.

"Riley, as much as I would love to continue this conversation, it's getting late, and I'm supposed to meet some friends before its dark."

His eyes lit up at her words. "How would you like to continue it tomorrow at the Espresso Pump say around 9:30?"

Her mind was already focused on the upcoming meeting with Anya and Oz at a local pub and had already put the TA out of her head. "Yeah, that sounds great! See you later."

As she started walking, she was relieved to discover her equilibrium was back to normal.

***

For the first time, in a week Spike walked out of his cave. For most of that time, he'd been so drunk he couldn't see straight, and the rest of the time, he had been thinking about the bloody Slayer, some might even call it brooding. Finally, the pangs of hunger forced him into the night, even though any blood he drank would come right back up. As he walked down the street, he breathed deeply, taking in the scent of the night. He managed to ignore the delicious smell of the many happy meals on legs that were out and about, instead, he fixated on the smells of alcohol and greasy bar food.

It didn't take him long to find the pub, he recognized it as the same bar he got pissed in after he kissed Buffy. At the moment, it was overflowing with college students. Silently he pushed his way to a booth in the back that was filled with drunken Co-eds. He quickly flashed some fang at the children, who fled their table and their full pitcher of beer at the sight of his demon. Spike plopped down and poured himself a drink, it had a peculiar taste to it, but hey, it was free. He shrugged it off, after all it was one of those shitty American brews.

He was thinking about ordering some food when the familiar scent of the Slayer hit his senses making his mouth water. He searched the small bar for her. She was just sitting down with Red's dogboy and some other bird. He strained his ears trying to catch their conversation, but the noise level in the pub was too high. Sighing he drained his glass and settled down to watch Buffy and her companions.

***

Buffy sighed in relief when she finally found Anya and Oz sitting at a table. She shoved her way through the college crowed, slapping at any groping hands along the way, and sat down next to Anya. She had to hand it to the ex-vengeance demon, this was the perfect place to meet. Not only would her friends and Watcher never spontaneously walk into this particular bar, but the noise level was so high, it was impossible for their conversation to be over heard.

"Hi, my name is Lucy. What can I get you to drink tonight," a sultry female voice asked as soon as Buffy sat down.

"A pitcher of whatever you have on tap, that Black Forest stuff and three glasses," Oz calmly requested.

"Oh and some chips and salsa," Anya added licking her lips hungrily.

"I'll be right back with your order."

"Sorry I'm late. I ran into my Psych 101 TA, he just didn't know when to shut up," Buffy said as soon as the waitress left their table.

"That’s okay, while we were waiting, I filled him in on what's been going on."

Buffy looked at the werewolf as she spoke. "Then you understand why we told you and our need for secrecy."

He nodded.

"I know your loyal to Willow, and I would never ask you to betray that. I only request that you don't tell anyone, including Willow, what you know."

Oz contemplated her words for a few moments. "I won't lie to Willow, if she asks, but I will keep your secret and do what I can to help."

"Thank you." Buffy sighed in relief. "So, Anya, what did you want to talk about?"

"I got in touch with Eevee yesterday. She's  looking forward to meeting you, she just has to finish up some work in another dimension, she should be here in a couple of days."

"Thank God, my life has reached a new level of strange these past couple of weeks, hopefully she can explain it all to me."

"I'm certain she can help  after all what's happening to you has been her pet project for over a thousand years. In the mean time, I thought Oz could help by telling us what you growled in your sleep."

Both girls looked expectantly at Oz. "I think your were claiming a mate. The growls had a possessive over tone, in one word mine."

"Buffy do you remember what you were dreaming about?"

The Slayer slowly nodded her head. "I was biting someone" she said hesitantly "and he was biting me back."

"Was he a vampire?" Anya asked.

"Yes"

 Silence fell awkwardly at their table. None of them sure what to think about the new information.

"Here you guys go. Sorry it took so long, there was an issue with some grabby men," Lucy said braking the hush at their table as she placed their order down.
"Thank you," Oz said.

Buffy watched as the stoic werewolf filled her glass.

"I don't know if I should be drinking this, my equilibrium has been kinda off lately."

"Has anything else been off this past week?" Anya asked concern filling her eyes.

"Yeah I feel bloated, like there's too much blood in my body. I can feel it sloshing around inside me. Plus," Buffy flipped her long hair over her shoulder to display the right side of her neck. "I've got this weird rash like thing." The side of her neck was raw around the bite scars of both the Master and Angel.

"It's probably just part of what's going on with you, nothing to overly worry about, at the moment. Eevee will be here in a couple of days and everything will be as right as rain. I think you should enjoy yourself, relax and have a beer or two." Anya said perkily then looked down at her watch and smiled. "Besides Oz and I have to go, we have a double date tonight. I can't wait to see Xander."

"If you need anything we will be at the Bronze. A new band is playing, and their lead singer, Varruca, is amazing. I think Willow will really like it." Swiftly Buffy's new confidants left her with a full pitcher of beer and an empty table. She looked down at her glass admiring the color and shrugged her shoulders. "Bottoms up."

***

Spike carefully watched Buffy as she sat alone at her table, steadily making her way through the pitcher of beer dogboy had ordered shortly before he and the other chit left, leaving the slayer on her own. His eyes narrowed as a group of college boys sat down at the slayers table. Mindlessly he ate the extra spicy buffalo wings he had ordered and finished off his second pitcher of beer. He was so focused on the slayer who sat across the room that he did not notice as his demon surfaced and his face slowly shifting to show his bumpies and fangs. As he continued to drink, the potion in the beer took effect. Spike gradually became buried deep in his mind while his demon took complete control, his golden eyes pinned on what should be his natural enemy. 

***

 For the first time, in a long time, Buffy didn't care about much but the foamy amber liquid in front of her, it was pretty and nummy and warmed her inside. She paid no attention to the boys around her, she only cared that they gave her more foamy goodness. Time had no meaning to her tonight. She only noticed its passing by the constant refilling of her glass with the amber liquor. She didn't pay attention to  the gradual tapering off of patrons as the night progressed.  Nor did she notice the physical change of her drinking companions, or the now vamped out and growling Spike who sat there staring at her. She was completely oblivious to the decline of her own thought process as the slayer in her took over, her eyes glowed, her skin blazed gold and her fangs dropped. She was happy in her own little world until her now cave man companions notice her presence

"Want girl!" One of the Neanderthal frat boys yelled, firmly grabbing Buffy's arm. She growled and yanked her arm from his grasp, he did not smell right to her. Somehow she instinctively knew that he was not a suitable mate.

"Want girl!" He yelled and again tried to take possession of her. Before she could react, the boy was shoved to ground by another male with white hair and fangs. He stood in front of her as if to protect her and growled menacingly, staring everyone down until they all left the pub.

 Slowly the Slayer circled the unknown male, sniffing occasionally. He smelled familiar, powerful, like a predator, completely male and utterly hers. Her equal, her mate. She stopped in front of him and gently butted her head against his, growling low in her throat. She lightly nipped at his chin, drawing a small  drop of his blood, and delicately lapped at it. The explosion of flavor surprised her. The Slayer closed her eyes in pleasure. His blood spoke to her and told her about the man before her. Everything in his scent was there but it also hinted at something more. Something bright but buried deep inside him. Potential, potential for redemption.

Her eyes flew open and met the yellow eyes of her intended. Slowly she slid her tongue along one of her fangs, letting the smell of her blood permeate the air, and gently brushing her parted lips against his. Without hesitation, he sucked her tongue into his mouth, accepting her gift and tasting her blood as she had his. Once the small cut healed he swept his tongue into her mouth. Gently they explored each other's mouths as they kissed. But the desire to claim their mate was strong and their kiss quickly filled with passion as lips, fangs and tongues fought for dominance. His hands grabbed her hips and pulled her forcefully against him. Slowly she began to grind against the hard bulge in his tight black jeans. Carefully she ran her tongue around his fangs smiling against his lips when her actions drew a warning growl from him. Her mate. She could feel the rightness of it in every single touch. Suddenly he pinned her against one of the brick  walls of the bar  and ground his caged cock roughly into her mound and growled deep in his chest as he kissed and licked  down her neck, lingering at her pulse point and sucking on it gently. Bracing her hands on his shoulders, the Slayer jumped and wrapped her legs around his narrow waist. He fisted his hand in her skirt and ripped it from her body, then trailed his hands up her bare thighs and pushed her thong to the side. The Slayer eagerly reached down and freed his erection. She could feel her mate coating himself in her juices, the anticipation of finally being whole was killing her. He pulled back from their frantic kissing and rested his forehead on hers, breathing in tandem with her, gulping down air. Their eyes met, a scant inch separating them. He  growled and thrust forcefully into the welcoming heat of her pussy until their pelvises rubbed against each other. She gasped at the sensation of being totally filled, his cock stretching her deliciously. He only gave her a moment to adjust before he started to wildly slam into her. The Slayer met him thrust for thrust. They fit together as if they were made for each other. They came together violent in their passionate love making ripping clothing and leaving scratches and bruises in their drive for completion. When he felt her begin to quiver around him, he pulled her head to the side and bit deeply. She moaned from the pleasure his fangs created as he penetrated the flesh of her neck. Before giving over to her orgasm, she managed to bite the exposed side of his neck, her small fangs destroying his sire's mark. She swallowed three mouthfuls of his blood.

"Mine" she growled into his neck. He shook his head slightly, completely obliterating any previous marks, before gulping down three mouthfuls of her blood. "Mine"

As the words left his lips, their orgasms slammed into them, stronger than any previously experienced in their existence, blacking out from the intensity of it all. They fell to the floor in each other's embrace, his cock still nestled deep inside her as a glowing gold, and green mist swirled around them. The vortex of magics sank into the sleeping couple as the claim bound them together, before exploding out of them. The shock wave of energy stunned the supernatural community as it swept through Sunnydale, alerting them to the unknown, new superpower that suddenly appeared in the middle of town.

***

In Los Angeles, Angel fell to his knees as the link to Spike was severed. Tears filled his eyes as he mourned the dusting of his childe. He should be happy that Spike was gone, but in that moment it only mattered that he was family and Angel would miss the annoying vampire.

At the same time in South America, Drusilla giggled as she danced to music only she could hear.

"Did you feel that, Miss Edith? My Spikes gone, consumed by the light. He now belongs to the Sunshine." Suddenly she crouched in front of the doll. "I always knew he was destined for her. The pixies told me when I found him in that ally," she whispered before spinning away, laughing manically.