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.

Authors Note:  I would like to thank all reviewers, your comments inspire me to continue writing. This chapter is un-beta'd at the moment, please let me know if you see any major problems. I hope you enjoy.

Buffy snuggled deeper into her pleasantly cool pillow. She froze when it groaned in response to her wiggling. She moaned in pleasure when she felt something twitch deep inside her. Slowly she lifted her head and met the lust filled eyes of a familiar bleached blond vampire.

"Spike," she asked so softly that even with his supernatural hearing he barely heard it. Her eyes widened as her memories of earlier surfaced. "Oh my god! We… we… we…," He could feel her start to panic, her instincts telling her to run away. Before she could move he wrapped his arms tightly around his new mate. He was shocked to feel her trembling against him, in her distress. The smell of her tears broke his un-beating heart as they slipped down her cheeks.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"We claimed (sob) each other, (sob) and you (sob) hate me (sob)."

Spike couldn't help chuckling at her ridiculous words. With tears streaming down her face, she glared at her mate.

"You're laughing at me," she screeched and began slapping his chest in protest. " You big meanie!"

Seeing how distraught she was, he rolled them over, pinned her hands above her head and rested his forehead against hers. Without warning, he opened the claim. Buffy closed her eyes as wave after wave of emotion hit her. She could feel his anguish over her tears and how happy and content he was to have her as his mate. Her breath hitched when a wave of love washed over her, warming her soul. Tears of relief filled her eyes and clutched at him desperately. Slowly she opened her end of their link, revealing the feeling of love she had been hiding, from everyone, for him.

Spike stifled his sob, but couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes and landed on Buffy's face. Gently she rolled them over and held him tightly as their emotions overwhelmed them. He caressed her face with his hands, wiping away her tears. He then carefully tangled his hands in her hair and brought her lips to his. When she felt his lips lightly brush against her own, her eyes closed, and she immediately opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. It was unlike any they had shared before. It was tender and soft, as their tongues caressed each other. When Buffy came up for air, she realized that while she was lost in the bone melting lip lock, Spike had rolled so that he lay comfortably between her thighs. When she looked up at him, she couldn't help trace his prominent cheek bones with her fingertips.

"Change for me?"

He stared at her for a few moments trying to understand the motivation behind her request. This gentleness was new to him. He had always longed to make love to his woman, but Dru had only loved pain in bed thanks to her "Daddy". Now he found himself craving the touch of the Slayer, and he couldn't help fearing her rejection once she saw his true face.

"Please show me."

 He allowed his demon to surface as he looked into her eyes and waited for her reaction. Buffy examined his "game face" for a few seconds. Even his demon was handsome with his ridged brow reminding her of a lion. Again she lifted her hand and mapped out his changed features with the tips of her fingers, paying special attention to the bumps and ridges on his forehead. Closing his eyes, he leaned into her touch. A soft noise that sounded suspiciously like a cat's purr came from his chest. Smiling she continued to stroke his face and the noise doubled in volume. Finally, she couldn't hold back her laughter and let out a small giggle. Immediately the purring stopped, and the yellow eyes of a pissed off  vampire looked down at her. She pecked him on the lips then whispered in his ear. "You were purring"

"Was not." Spike pouted.

Buffy only nodded before kissing him again. She teased his lips with her tongue before taking his lower lip between her teeth and biting it. She sucked his lip into her mouth making him moan. Without hesitation, she swept her tongue into his mouth and boldly played with his fangs, carefully avoiding drawing blood just yet. She could feel him twitching inside her pussy, reminding her that they were still intimately connected. Suddenly curious she flexed her vaginal muscles around him only using a fraction of her strength. Spike tossed his head back and groaned in pleasure when he felt her cunny squeeze him.

"Oh god, did I hurt you," she asked worriedly, mistaking his groan of  pleasure for one of pain. He slowly lowered his forehead to hers and breathed in her scent.

"No, kitten, that felt amazing. Squeeze me as hard as you can. I can take it." He swiftly captured her lips and gave her a quick toe curling kiss. Slowly he pulled out of her until just the head of his cock was inside her then pushed back in just as languidly. Buffy moaned and wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him even deeper, then flexed around him again. Closing his eyes he barely stopped himself from coming instantly. She smiled knowingly at him when he began thrusting faster and harder. Seeing the smug look on her face, he lowered his mouth and bit a pebbled nipple before sucking it into his mouth. Her response was to drag her nails down his back, leaving red scratches I her wake.

He lifted his head from her breast when he felt her walls begin to flutter around his dick. He wanted to watch her as she came, but his eyes were drawn to her neck and the new bite mark. With a growl, he struck, his fangs sinking into the already damaged flesh. Buffy knew that the moment Spike began to draw on her blood she would be gone, lost to the world, as her orgasm swept over her and wanted to take him with her. She felt her fangs drop a moment before she plunged them into his neck. Simultaneously they swallowed three mouth fulls of blood.

"You are mine as I am yours eternally," they managed to say before their climax engulfed them and they cried out as pleasure ripped through their bodies.

When he was finally able to move again, Spike turned them so they were laying on their sides. He wrapped his arms more securely around his mate and began to softly purr in contentment. Buffy tried to think of an appropriate word, to describe what had just happened.

'Wow!'

"My thoughts exactly, luv."

Her face scrunched in confusion.

'Cor, she's bloody adorable when she's trying to think.'

Her eyes bulged in shock.

'Oh. My. God. You're in my head!'

Spike couldn't help laughing in joy when her words traveled through his mind.

'And you're in mine. It's a rare trait of the claim and means we were meant to be together, Slayer.'

'Buffy.'

'What?'

'Buffy, not slayer.'

'Buffy.' he nuzzled her neck. 'My Buffy!'

She barely stifled her giggle when his purring grew louder with his words.

'Spike.'

'Yes, Buffy.'

'You're purring again.'

'You tell anyone, and I'll put you over my knee even if you are my blood mate.'

'Promises, promises.'

'Ooo, does the high and mighty Slayer have a bit of kink in her?'

'I have no clue, I guess it's up to you to find out!'

'Cheeky bint.' Spike slowly kissed his way up Buffy's jaw before lightly nibbling on her lips. They kissed lazily, just simply enjoying making out with one another. After a while, he began to kiss down her neck giving her a chance to catch her breath. His path was impeded when she yawned.

'Sleepy, kitten?'

'Mmm, what time is it?'

'By the feel of it, around one in the morning. Why don't you catch some kip, I highly doubt anyone is going to find us here. I think I scared everyone off earlier.'

'I forgot we were in a bar, what's kip?'

'Sleep, go to sleep, sweetling.'

'K.' With a sigh, she snuggled closer into her mate and swiftly fell asleep. Spike followed her into the world of dreams still purring into the night.

***

Forrest looked down at the small display in his hands. Two lights blinked on the screen, indicating the presence of two hostiles in one of the buildings further up the street from his position.

"Periwinkle to Lilac, over," he spoke into his radio.

"Roger, this is Lilac, over."

"I have a multiple HST sighting just east of my current location, over."

"Roger, beta and gamma teams will converge on your position. Apprehend them, then return to base, over."

"Roger, Periwinckle out."

Fifteen minutes later Forrest and six other commandos quietly entered the small pub.

***
Oz tried to concentrate on the strange scent of the frat boys turned Neanderthals that had terrorized the college campus earlier that night, while attempting to appear interested in Xaner's philosophical debate on which was superior, Twinkies or Ding Dongs.

"So, Oz, which one gets your vote?"

"I'm an equal opportunist when it comes to pastries." He suddenly stopped walking when he caught the unmistakable smell of sex mixed with the  Slayers unique scent. Curious, he followed the smell down the street. He was about to cross it to enter the building the aroma originated from when Xander grabbed his arm pulling him into an ally.

"What are armed men doing in a bar this time of night?" Xander asked no one in particular.

Oz peeked around the corner of the alley and observed a group of men in fatigues enter the pub he, Anya and Buffy had met in earlier.

"Buffy's in there." Oz aid as he realized the bar was the building her smell was coming from.

A scream pierced the air. He didn't think, just took off running as fast as he could, Xander right behind him. The place was trashed, tables were knocked over, and chairs lay broken on the ground. When an unconscious, twitching, and extremely naked Slayer with a couple of solders crouched over her came into view, Oz launched himself at one of the men. Snarling he punched the commando under him, for once embracing the strength his demon gave him, knocking the man out in one blow. Turning, he swiped the leg out from under another man making him fall awkwardly over a table. Standing Oz looked around him. Seven men in total lay scattered about the room.

"Spike!" Xander said in a high pitched girly scream. The vampire was butt ass naked, kneeling next to Buffy and carefully looking her over for any serious injuries. Xander quickly picked up a broken wooden chair leg and charged the oblivious vampire, burying the improvised stake in Spike's back, piercing his heart. Instead of turning to dust the blond demon turned and growled at the brunet teen. With the change in angle, Oz was able to see the fresh bite that adorned Spike's neck and the matching one on Buffy's throat. His eyes widened when he felt the power coming off of the mated pair wash over him. Immediately his wolf recognized them as strong alphas worthy of his fealty even though they were not Werewolfs. Slowly he knelt on the ground infront of the vampire and bared his throat to Spike as a sign of submission.

"What the fuck are you doing, Oz?"

"Xander, not now."

The vampire inched towards Oz sniffing at the werewolfs exposed neck. Spike growled softly then gently bit the teen taking a sip of his blood.

"Mine."

"Yours." Oz blinked when his wolf seized control of his vocal cords and growled out the declaration of loyalty to the vampire and the slayer before him. Shaking off his demon Spike turned back to his mate who was finally showing signs of waking.

"Buffy, are you okay, baby?"

"Yeah, I'm… Oh my god, Spike, who staked you!" Her eyes were filled with worry.

Gently she wrapped her arms around him and carefully pulled the chair leg from his back. The wound closed instantly once the stake was removed. The vampire nuzzled his mate and licked his mark trying to calm her.

"I'm alright, luv, I have the gem remember,"

"Yeah," Buffy said then hungrily kissed him, reassuring herself that Spike was not dust.

"Buffy, what the hell is going on here?! How could you let that thing touch you!? Don't you remember what happened with Angel," Xander yelled at the slayer. Growling, Spike lunged at Xander pinning him against the wall. He took a split second to examine the emotions coming from Buffy. He was pleased to discover that the mention of his grandsire only brought our feeling of anger and frustration.

"We don't have time for this shit. Those men will be waking soon, and I don't think it would be a good idea if we were here when they did. What do you think Whelp?"

Xander struggled against him, but his strength was no match for that of a vampire. "Get your hands off me! Buffy he's going to hurt me, stake him!"

Shaking her head, the Slayer stood and moved towards her mate and best friend. "Xander, what makes you think staking him would work, anyway he's right we so don't have time for this." She cupped Spike's face in her hands and kissed him, enthusiastically. "Come on baby, let's get dressed and get out of here."

However, none of their clothes had survived their violent mating. Seeing the problem, Oz, quickly took off his orange, oversized, button down shirt and handed it to Buffy. Thanking him, she slipped it on as Spike moved to the booth he had occupied earlier in the night and retrieved his black leather duster, using it to conceal his impressive danglely bits. As they left the trashed pub no one saw Forrest reach for the gun strapped to his hip, but they all heard Xander's unmanly shriek when the projectile lodged it's self in his behind. With lightning speed, Buffy turned and pounced, quickly nocking the injured commando out again.

The group swiftly moved through the streets of Sunnydale going unnoticed due to the pre-dawn hour. In less than ten minutes, they were standing outside the Watcher's door. Not bothering to knock, the werewolf flung open the front door to Giles' loft, startling the people inside.

"Giles invite him in," Buffy demanded after stumbling when Spike bounced off the invisible force barring the vampire's entry. "Willow, Anya, can you clear the table. Oz, liquor and something to grab the bullet with." The Slayer ordered as she righted herself and Xander. Everyone hurried to follow her directions except for her Watcher who just stood there doing an excellent impression of a fish.

"Giles, Xander's shot and he is too big for me to move on my own."

Slowly he picked up a loaded crossbow and aimed it at Spike's heart before hesitantly inviting him in.

"Thanks, Watcher." Spike didn't waist anytime stepping over the threshold, and helped his mate lay the moaning Xander face down on the dinning room table.

"Who has the steadiest hands." Buffy asked the room as she stretched her arms.

"I think it's between you and me, pet."

"No way, am I touching Xander's butt, you do it."

"You think I want to touch the Whelp's ass?"

"I know of another ass you won't touch again if you don't"

"Fine." Spike pouted as he grabbed the knife and scotch Oz handed him. Smiling in victory, Buffy kissed him then began making her way up the stairs to her Watcher's bedroom.

"While you're fixing the Xan-man, I'll find us something better to wear."

"I was wondering how long it would take for you two to finally get together." Anya smiled at Spike. "I wish you many great orgasms. Now how is my Xander?"

Everyone just stared at the ex-vengeance demon in shock. After a few seconds, Spike burst into laughter. "I'm Spike, William the bloody, the slayer of slayers, what's your name, pidge?"

"Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins, Previously known as the vengeance demon Anyanka. I've heard a lot about you, William. I thought your use of spikes was a very poetic form of vengeance for what those men put you through." The vampire's eyes bulged in surprise.

"A… thanks.  Umm Xander should be fine." If a vampire could blush, Spike would have been beet red. Turning he took a swig of the expensive scotch then doused the blade of the kitchen knife before ripping open Xander's pants, exposing the wound.

"What the bloody hell happened," Giles asked,  finally having regained his composure.

"Spike and I were attacked by masked commando types," Buffy answered as she walked down the stairs with a fresh set of clothes on and a pair of sweatpants in her hands for Spike.

"And what were you doing with Spike?"

"We… We…" Buffy stammered as she tried to find the right words and her cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment.

"Do they normally blink like that," Spike asked as he got his first look at the projectile in Xander's backside, "Whatever it is I'm going to have to cut it out."

Everyone huddled around trying to see what the vampire was talking about.

"Take your time. I don't want you to further lessen his orgasm giving potential." Anya pleaded with Spike.

"Ah, guys, we don't have any. That blinking thing means it's not a bullet or trank dart but a tracer," Willow said looking over Spike's shoulder. "It's like a homing beacon. And if the commando guys are reading the signal, they're headed our way."

"Fuck it" Spike growled as he vamped out. Fearing for their safety Giles pulled the trigger shooting the vampire in the chest right through his heart.

"Why is everyone trying to dust Spike," Buffy yelled in her Watcher's face as she tackled him to the ground. Ignoring the crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest Spike used his sharp claws to carefully slice open Xander's flesh and quickly grabbed the projectile.

"What do I do now," Spike asked the room, waving the small piece of technology around in the air.

Oz took the tracer and vanished down the hall to the bathroom where he flushed it down the toilet.

In the living room, all hell broke loose.