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Chapter 21
Rolling through Albuquerque, New Mexico Spike decided to stop for the night. The trio was far enough away from Los Angeles and Angel’s influence that they felt they were safe. She was still unconscious in Spike’s arms, growling softly. He felt the family bond strengthen and the pull of her demon towards his own felt extraordinary. He never felt it before, not even in the beginning with Drusilla. She was his salvation, the angel that looked upon him, raised him out of his mediocre life and placed him on a higher plane of existence.
The bond growing deeper within them, Spike felt he needed to validate it before they headed out again.

Finding a hotel wasn’t very hard, winter had returned to the southern state, making the desert chilly. Spike went to pay for the hotel, leaving William to take care of Buffy in the car. Her soft growls turned more menacing after Spike left, prompting William to climb into the back seat with her. Immediately after he touched her, she calmed down. William’s lips touched her wrinkled forehead. Whispering quiet words to her demon, William rocked her back and forth, assuring her that she was safe.

Spike opened the back door, to find William holding Buffy. Growling possessively, Spike climbed in with them, taking Buffy’s body from William. “Room 189, around the back.” William looked at Spike, holding Buffy’s body. William was about to argue when Spike morphed into his demon visage and growled a warning, “Do it, now.”

With a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and the click of the lock, the trio was locked in the room. Buffy stayed curled up where Spike deposited her on the bed. William relieved himself of the bags of blood he brought in, watching Buffy. Her hair hung over her face, obscuring his view. Spike walked around the bed and sat down next to Buffy. “Pet, you need to eat again.” Spike shook her body lightly, trying not to startle her demon. William walked over with a blood bag, hand outstretched to give it to Spike. “No need for that, William. She needs the bite. It’ll make her stronger.”

William threw the bag on the table and started to unbutton his shirt. “It should be me!”

Spike looked at William, “Nah, boy. I’ll do it.”

“I did it before… in L.A.” William squared his shoulders, ready to go to battle about it. This was Buffy. William knew the first few feedings were about the connection between two vampires, usually between a Sire and Childe. This connection would create a bond that would be the building blocks on how a vampire would act and react.

“Don’t you sass me, mate. I’m the closest thing to her natural Sire. I will take that over now!” Spike growled menacingly. Not only was Buffy beautiful, but she was the last thing of Drusilla. Spike knew it would piss William off, that was an added bonus, but he needed to take care of this new vampire, it’s what Drusilla wanted.

“But, we’re brothers? Equal!” William tried to grab Buffy’s arm, intent on dragging her over, but missed when Spike pulled her into his lap. Spike’s demon was in full force behind all Spike’s words and actions.

Spike’s face changed. “See here. We are not equal! I am a Master Vampire! Not only of this family, but by right of battle!” Spike shook his demon face away. “It’ll be good of you to remember that. I’ll take over for Drusilla. Remember that mate!”

“She’s mine!” William lunged across the bed, but Spike knocked him away with his closed fist.

Spike roared, he needed to help Buffy, instead he was stuck fighting with William about ‘who’ should help her. “No, mate. She isn’t. Drusilla might have played your little game, but I’m not. She is not yours!”

“She’s not yours!” William yelled, clutching his jaw where Spike’s fist hit.

“Yet, I’m all she has.” Spike looked down at Buffy’s body, now trembling with need.

“I’m here! You aren’t the only one she has.” William countered.

Spike got up and stalked over to William. With sure and fast punches, Spike had pounded William into the floor. William, not as coordinated or knowledgeable to block most of Spike’s assault, took the beating. “Look, William,” Spike sneered. “We still don’t know what Angel did to her! Practically starved her to death! Not like he would have been successful in killing her. She needs to feed, feel connected to someone that can protect her, teach her. You are barely old enough to have learned it all, you can’t do that.” Spike kicked William in the gut, just enough to drive his point home and then turned back to Buffy.

“I can do that!” William argued, he wanted to be there for Buffy, he loved her. Even in his weakened state, he could be there for her.

“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. She needs strong blood and I have the strongest. Mine is closest to Drusilla. Anyway, how do you think you can protect her when I beat you too a bloody pulp?”

“I love her, I can protect her.” Spike sighed; he understood the love he had for Buffy. She was a beautiful woman, and a gorgeous creature. If the roles were reversed, he would do anything for Drusilla. Even lying on the floor, struggling to get up William stood his ground, he wasn’t giving up.

“I know mate.” He looked down at Buffy. “But it isn’t enough.” Her yellow eyes slid open, looking up at him. “Love, you need to feed.” William sat on the bed next to Spike, and he reached out to Buffy.

“Buffy?” A soft growl from Buffy was his answer. Scooting closer, Spike allowed Buffy’s head to roll to the side, letting Buffy see William. “It’ll be alright, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you.”

Buffy head turned back to Spike, the scent of Drusilla stronger on him. “Want!” Buffy rasped through her teeth, “Hungry!”

Spike positioned Buffy on his lap, resting her head against his shoulder. His hand pressed against the back of her head, brining it closer to his throat, “Take.” Her fangs pierced his skin, the hypodermic needle-like teeth pulled against his blood, drawing it towards her. The taste of his blood was glorious. The rich copper taste exploded down her throat, bringing energy and life to her sore body. Her pulls were slow and messy, letting some of Spike’s blood drip past her lips and down his neck. Taking a break, she inhaled air through her nose, amazed at the sensation. The cool air of the hotel smelled of stale sex and musty cleaning products. Her nose twitched, inhaling again. She began to recognize different scents. Spike’s scent, his body closest to Buffy, was predominant. Smokey, tangy, and a bit of something ethereal. Lifting her head from Spike’s neck, licking the blood from her lips, Buffy looked around and saw William sitting only a foot away. She inhaled, smelling him, marking his scent as purely him. Clean and spicy. He smelled of the earth. Spike’s hand nudged her chin so she would look back towards him. “Lesson one, love: clean your mark.” Buffy’s eyes looked into Spike’s, the meaning of his words finally sinking in. She licked her lips and came towards his neck. With small, unsure licks, Buffy cleaned Spike’s neck of blood that dripped down and welled into his wounds. Spike, feeling that she sufficiently cleaned and closed his wounds, allowed her head to move away.

Her golden eyes looked around at the hotel. One bed, king sized, a small couch, armoire with a television, and a table with two chairs were the only things in the room. Looking down at the ugly flowered bedspread, Buffy moved from Spike’s arms. She shifted her body off the bed and looked around. Her face shifted back to her human guise, temporarily blurring her vision. Amazed at the perception of light and depth she had when she was in her demon visage, she shifted her face again. Details of the room popped out again. Little details like the small cockroach crawling on one of the walls was missed by her human eyes, but her demon zeroed in on the little movement and light scratching of its legs along the plastered wall. She looked over at William. His face was wide open with emotions: amazement, devotion, lust, among the many swirling around his baby blue eyes. Curious bruises were forming on his face, but Buffy couldn’t bring herself to ask about them. She already knew that Spike did it. Spike was the alpha, at least in this room, and had to subdue William. Spike sat back on the pillow, watching her first steps into understanding. Her unnatural breathing continued during this process, letting her become accustomed to her environment. His blue steel eyes softened at the former slayers discovery of the cockroach on the wall. Its skittering legs caught her hearing. Quickly, Buffy went over to the cockroach and killed it with a sharp kick. Her muscles felt weird, different. No longer feeling weak as a kitten, she stretched the legs and arms. Her leg bent at the knee, Buffy brought her foot up passed her ass, pulling on the enhanced muscle. Further up her back, Buffy felt a pull in her leg, she stopped the ascent. Putting her leg down, she tried the stretch with her other leg. Amazed that she kept her balance and she could stretch her leg up so far, Buffy giggled. Being a vampire was going to be good.

Buffy looked over at the bed where both William and Spike sat, with amused eyes and wide smiles on their faces. She smiled at them and looked around some more. She felt like she had to move, being stuck in the box and then chained up at Angel’s place left her demon very stir crazy. “Angel?” Buffy looked around, afraid to see him appear suddenly. She backed up into the corner of the room, protected on two sides; she slid down to the floor. She drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them.

“Back in L.A., pet.” Spike scooted off the bed and headed towards her trembling body. He stopped only a foot or so away from her and crouched down. His finger lifted her chin, “What did he do to you?”

William moved closer to them, kneeling only a few feet away from Buffy. He heard Spike growl at William, warning him know not to come closer. Tears ran down her cheeks, clear and concise with each little drop from her human eyes. “I woke up in a box,” she started, “Angel was there. He… ripped open the lid when I got too tired to kick.” William moved closer, sitting Indian style in front of her. Spike gave him a warning look, but allowed William to sit close. Buffy needed to feel comfort for both of her human and demon counterparts. “He… said Drusilla was dead.” The pained look in Spike’s eyes confirmed that fact. “He said… don’t know why. But, I… I felt her… you know when she… then she wasn’t there. I don’t understand.” Her face shifted back into her demon visage, her tears tinged red now. Spike laid his hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to calm down so she could continue. He knew Angel tried some sort of mojo on her, he smelled the magic incense in that tiny room. “He fed me… I didn’t want to…” Buffy looked up at William and saw the wounded look in his eyes, but she continued. “It wasn’t enough. It tasted… nothing like yours.” Her eyes switched over to Spike’s. His eyes matched Williams. Blue to blue, iris to iris. Both of their eyes reflected the same gaze. The intensity of their gaze set her back; she felt that they could see into her. “He knocked me out when I went for more. I don’t know how I got off the train.” Buffy inhaled a large supply of air, ready to continue. “I woke up chained to the wall. Angel was there, watching me. I was so hungry. I couldn’t see straight. I smelled the pig’s blood that he drinks. Stale and unquenchable.” Buffy gagged at the memory of Angel trying to feed her and dumping it over her, around her: making her smell the awful stench. “He brought Giles and Willow in.”

“Who are they?” Spike sat back on his heels. She was surprisingly coherent and thoughtful for what she had been through. His blood was doing the trick. Satisfied that he could take over her siring role, able to control her, Spike smiled. It was too late for William to step in; it was Spike’s blood that she craved now.

“Giles’s my Watcher. Was.” Buffy looked down at the dirty carpet. “Willow was my best friend. She’s also a witch.”

“Did they cast a spell on you, love?” Spike’s hand came out and caressed her cheek. Her tears started to flow once more, and Spike allowed his fingers to wipe away most of the moisture. Giving her solace to go on.

“Yes, they did… the curse spell that they originally did to Angel.”

“Did it hurt?” William spoke up, now. His soft melodic voice soothing her more. She looked into his eyes, staring at their warm depths. He smiled slightly, hoping to encourage her to continue, but Spike stepped between them, breaking the contact.

“I… don’t know. I don’t remember. I was so hungry and they were so close, I could see their blood pumping in their necks.” Buffy looked up to the heavens, reliving the agony and torture. “The orb, the one that carries the soul glowed, but I didn’t feel any different.” Spike nodded, hoping that she wasn’t cursed. “I was so hungry. And, Giles was so close. But… Angel. He knew. It didn’t make any difference on me. The spell, it didn’t work. He pulled Giles back right as he was within reach.” Buffy let out a little hysterical laugh. “He was so god damn close!”

Spike nodded and got up to retrieve the blood bag that William had offered earlier. “Here, drink this. You’ve been starved since you woke up. The bloody poof fed you animal’s blood through him and the demon knew better. Barely keeps his bloodlust in check. Don’t know what that wanker thought his blood would do to you? Fresh bloodlust and not knowing what to do with it!”

Buffy bit into the plastic, balking at the cool blood, but swallowed it down anyway. For some reason she knew Spike wouldn’t starve her like Angel had. “So the spell didn’t work?” William moved closer to Buffy, now his knee touching her leg. Spike growled loudly and William was forced to move back. Buffy didn’t seem to even know what was going on between the two male vampires, her brethren now.

“I don’t think so… I mean when he was Angelus and we had to use the spell… he changed. His eyes glowed and stuff. It looked painful.” Buffy stopped with a contemplative look crossed her face.

“You’re doing good, love. Keep going.” Spike pulled another bag out and threw it at her. “Drink another one. The demon needs a lot right now. Neither one of us has enough to spare, you drank from both.” Spike pulled the chair up and sat down, watching William and Buffy on the floor in the corner.

“I didn’t feel any different. Just hungry.”

“So, the poof and your old posse failed with the spell. What happened? No one was around when we came in.”

“Angel was furious. He… he screamed and yelled. I heard him throw things upstairs. I don’t know what happened to Giles or Willow… they left or something. Angel… he came down and tried to make me drink some cow’s blood. It was worse than the pig’s. I couldn’t swallow it, he poured it in my mouth and I couldn’t swallow. After that… I don’t remember. Next thing was you…” her head swiveled towards William. “Your finger in my mouth and suddenly I was free.”

Spike got up from his position and came over to Buffy, blocking her view of William once again. “Come here, love. We need to rest up a bit.” Spike wound his hands around her shoulders and under her legs, lifting her dead weight up. Buffy’s arms wound around Spike’s neck. The feeling of comfort and acceptance grew within her. Spike pulled the blankets on the bed away and laid her body down. Spike settled himself next to Buffy, pulling her head to rest on his shoulder.

Spike looked over at William, who was staring at Buffy. Spike motioned with a tilt of his hand, allowing William to climb into bed. Grateful that he was allowed to rest next to Buffy, William sighed with appreciation. Spike glanced over Buffy’s golden head at William, keeping an eye on the younger vampire, knowing that the fight for dominance was not over.

a/n: SOrry I didn't update over the week. Just makes the chapters that much more special, eh?





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