“Forget it! There’s no way!”
“I’m just sayin’ you should mull it over.”
“I’ve mulled. No more mulling for Buffy.”
“Could be a good gig. I’d only want enough cash for a carton of smokes, rest is yours.”
“I’m sticking with my- ‘Thankful, but polite decline‘.”
“Suit yourself, Slayer. Now,” giving her a devilish grin, “Back to the mulling bit. I still get the pleasure of mullin’ you over, right?”
The playful banter between the pair seemed to brighten the space around them and lift their spirits as they traveled alone in the dark streets of Sunnydale. Spike got word of a job that required muscle and paid well, and since Buffy was having money trouble, he offered her the opportunity to make some quick cash. He even offered to help, but Buffy wasn’t biting, due to the fact that it was a demon who posted an ad in the classifieds. He should have known better, but during their brisk walk to face their newest enemy, Buffy brought up the tight situation her and Dawn were still in. He decided to let the topic slide and allow the conversation to drift elsewhere.
“Are you ready for this fight?” The Slayer inside took control and turned the conversation table from jokes to a serious state.
“More than I’ve ever been. I should have taken the wanker out a long while ago.” Spike said solemnly. “Now, remember the plan, and don’ get caught off guard Buffy. If anything happens to you…”
“I promise. I’ll be Miss Careful. And trust me, the last thing I wanna do is be turned. Been there, done that. Plus, being a vampire made me cranky.”
The two had devised a plan that they shared with the gang earlier. It was go time now. Spike and Buffy headed to the battle together, while the rest of the gang stayed behind at Buffy’s home until their presence would be needed. Xander and Willow were to arrive near a half hour after Spike and Buffy to Colton’s lair. Yet again, despite the weight of the anticipation, all too quickly they found themselves back in an antic filled discussion.
“Not sure I remember this tale…”
“When I first moved here, nightmares were coming true for people. I got sired by the Master. Luckily the effects didn’t stick.”
“Me to, or we’d be cousins of some sort, and tha’ could’ve gotten weird.”
“I don’t even know why I’m asking this, but what are you talking about?”
“Well, technically- The Master was my great, great Granddad, till you killed him, ‘course.” Spike put his head down, acting as if he was sad over the matter, but he couldn’t hide his smile for long.
Buffy pretended to play along and tease back. “Old age kills, what can I say? And really, cousins wouldn’t be so strange… Say, compared to having a relationship with your deranged and creepy maker.” As the words flowed from her lips, Spike stopped in his tracks with an open mouth. Buffy continued walking forward, never looking back and smiled.
Spike jogged lightly to catch up, “You know if we weren’t at our destination, I’d have a helluva comeback!”
“We’ve got a few more steps to go… let’s hear it.” She really enjoyed taunting him for some twisted reason.
“Well it wouldn’t suit now!” Spike complained like a young petulant boy. “Least, now I know you were jealous,” he murmured just above a whisper so she couldn‘t fully hear. “Sides‘ were here.”
Buffy’s smile disappeared as she took a deep breath. Her hands found their way to the back of her head, where they pulled out the hair tie that let loose the blond strands before roughing them up as if to make it look messy. She reached down grabbing dirt and rubbing some on her cheek, forehead, and knees. After she compiled herself, out of nowhere, Buffy cocked back her arm and connected her fist with Spike’s face.
Instantly grabbing the left side of his profile, he yelled out, “Ow! Bloody hell! What was that for?!”
She shrugged, “You said we needed it to look like a struggle. Hence the disheveled hair and dirty knees?”
“An’ I couldn’t rub some of your grimy dirt on me? Instead, I get a black eye?”
“Fits better.”
“You’re makin’ that up to me later.” Spike’s hands shot out, spinning Buffy around to put her arms behind her back. Grabbing hold of her now bound wrists, he began to shove Buffy forward towards Colton’s temporary residence, of which he commandeered from the family of four he murdered when he had first arrived.
Before the door could fully open, two vampires that worked for Colt halted Spike and Buffy’s entrance. In order to proceed, Spike flashed a little fang that accompanied a low growl. The two vampires separated, allowing passage to the elder demon. Spike felt like the fake capturing between he and the Slayer wasn’t pretend anymore. Buffy was struggling in his grasp, making his part much more difficult while he tried directing her to Colt’s master room. Spike tightened his grip because he was having difficulty keeping hold of the Slayer, which served to convince the two minions that authorized their arrival while following closely behind.
“Could be easier for you, if you’d stop with the wriggling’ act!” he yelled, hoping she would understand to play it down some so he didn’t have to man handle her.
Why didn’t he get that this has to look real if the vampires were going to buy it? She doesn’t need to be taken easy on. “Not till I’m cold and dead!” She turned sideways, slamming her body into Spike to pin his against the opposite wall.
Before the other vampires could attack, Spike’s knee came up, pressing into her lower back and pushed her face first into the drywall. He did the only thing he could think of to keep the monsters paws off her and wrapped his bicep around her neck, careful not to press too hard and deprive her of oxygen. Walking backwards, he dragged Buffy the rest of the way. Skipping courtesies, he barreled through the door with a hard shoulder check, throwing the Slayer to the wood floor at Colton’s feet.
Spike fully morphed to the demon he was all too familiar with, “You doubt your sire again and there’ll be blood to pay.”
****
“Are you ready?” Dawn asked as Tara sat down next to her.
“I think so.” Tara opened an old leather bound book as Dawn lit a few candles that created a circle around the witch.
“Xander and Willow should be there soon. You should probably start.”
A slew of words bellowed from Tara as she began reciting the incantation. The smoke from the candles all collected in the center of the circle, entwining with one another to make a spiral, mimicking a tornado. Once Tara finished the spell, she blew a small handful of a shimmering substance into the smoky spiral and all the smoke rose to the ceiling before dissipating in a bright flash.
Dawn blinked several times before speaking again. “Was it supposed to blow up?”
Tara shook her head slowly, “I don’t think it worked. L-like the magic was blocked or something?”
“So what do we do now?”
****
The street lamps seemed to be severely bright against the dark night sky. Xander and Willow had started on their short journey to Colton's. They waited a while after Spike and Buffy left to give them needed time and space to get inside. According to the plan, Colton would most likely check for more forces, but if none were found, he would have better trust of Spike. Xander and Willow would arrive later and take out the vampire guards.
“I still don't like it.”
“Well it's risky. And I just hope they know what they are doing,” Willow said. She was worried about the success rate of this plan just as much as Xander.
Xander shook his head. “Spike knows what he's doing. He did it for a hundred plus years. That's what vampires do Will, they kill people.”
Willow stopped walking to look at Xander. “He's not going to kill her... He's just making it look like he's going to kill her.” She paused after hearing her own words, “It'll be much better than it sounds.”
The pair continued walking at a fast pace to the house Colton had overtaken while he was in town. Spike had given them the address before hand so they could put the spell on it more effectively. Xander and Willow soon found themselves at 1290 Tenbrook, in front of a nice two story home. This was it.
****
Willow displayed her anxiousness by stepping off the sidewalk to cut through the yard. “Xander?” She asked after realizing he wasn't behind her. “Come on!” She whispered.
Replying in a low tone, “Will, I can't.”
“I already told you, it'll be much better in reality. Hurry up, we don't have much time.”
“I can't-- Like physically.” Xander again tried stepping onto the property but was repelled by an unknown force.''
As she saw her friend be sprung back, her forehead crinkled with confusion, “It must be a barrier of some sort... Maybe-”
“Will, behind you!” Xander shouted after seeing a dark figure behind willow in the yard.
Willow took off for the sidewalk by Xander but tripped just before she could make it. “Ahh! Get off!” She could feel the grabby hands pull on her legs. Kicking as hard as she could to knock them away, but a second figure appeared.
“Willow! Hey! Get away from her! Will!” He should loudly, unable to get past the invisible barrier. He was useless. He was forced to watch as she was carried away into the house. He had to get Tara, she could break the barrier.