MORE THAN DREAMS.




CHAPTER ONE.
  

Beth sat at the bar, staring at the empty shot glass, and motioned the 
barman to give her another refill.  She glanced over her shoulder and 
watched the couples on the dance floor.  'Same old crowd.' she 
thought bitterly, as she fought the urge to break into floods of tears. 

"Come on, Beth." chirped the barman.  "He's not worth it!  He must 
be mad to have walked out on you!" 

Beth attempted a smile and raised the glass to her lips.  "You 
don't know the half of it, Danny." she croaked back, then downed 
the whiskey in one go. 

Danny scowled as she offered the glass back to him for yet another 
refill.  "You won't find what you're looking for in the bottom of 
a bottle you know." he whispered, but poured her another drink 
anyway.  He moved away from her to serve another customer. 

Beth stared into the honey brown liquid and sighed.  Maybe she 
couldn't find anything in there, but at least she would be able 
to sleep tonight without dreaming.  That would be good; very good.  
No waking in the middle of the night to find herself hugging the 
pillow instead of his cool, gentle, strong, beautiful body!  No dreaming 
of his deep blue-grey eyes and his sexy pouty mouth, or his finely 
chiselled face.  No dreaming of his infectious laughter or 
that impish grin when he teased her, or that fiery passion he 
evoked in her by just being in the same room with her. 

She closed her eyes and found him in her head, where she knew he 
would always be.  "I miss you so much!" she whispered to the vision, 
as he smiled sadly back at her. 

She emptied the glass and stood up, swaying slightly as the whiskey 
began to take effect.  She turned to go, and bumped into the red-
head who had moved silently towards her. 

"You ok?" asked Willow softly.  'Stupid question!' she thought to 
herself.  'Of course you're not!'  She took her arm and patted 
her hand gently.  "It'll get better, Beth...I promise!" 

"No it won't." slurred the auburn haired woman sadly.  
"It'll never 
get better, Will.  I've been there, done that..."  her voice faltered 
and she brought her hand to her eyes, pressing her fingers to her 
lids to force the tears back.  "I...I knew he wouldn't stay with me 
forever." she started. "But I always thought that at least he would 
still be out there...You 


know?"  The tears won and Willow put her arms around her friend as 
she sobbed onto her shoulder. 

"I know." she whispered.  "His luck run out.  That's all!  We all 
live with that, Beth.  What we do, none of us know when we'll be 
next." 

Beth pulled away and wiped her eyes.  "I should've been there, 
Will.  Maybe..." 

"You couldn't have done anything.  Buffy couldn't!  Come on, I'll 
take you home." Willow sighed, guiding her across the crowded dance 
floor. 

"Don't wanna!"  Beth protested.  "Can't go home, Will!  I'm ok 
now."  She sniffed back the tears and put on an obviously fake 
grin.  "Look, you go back to Tara." She spotted Willow's lover 
sitting by the pool table with Anya, watching Xander being beaten at 
the game by Buffy. 

Willow looked apprehensive.  Beth was more than a little tipsy 
and in her present state of mind was totally unpredictable.  
Her mood swings were frequent and rarely for the better just 
lately. Still, it was understandable.  Willow smiled at Tara.  
She knew how she would feel if anything happened to her shy, 
beautiful lover. 

Buffy whooped in triumph as the black ball slammed into the pocket.  
"Yes!" she yelled,punching into the air. 

Xander placed the cue on the table and shrugged.  "I was just toying 
with you Buffster.  You put money on the table and I'll show you 
how to play.." he grinned. 

"I think I've had enough, Xander.  I'm just going to chill out for 
a while." Buffy smiled.  She sat down opposite Tara and took a sip 
of her drink.  She looked up and saw Beth. 

The two women never spoke, just made eye contact.  Buffy looked 
away first, acknowledging the hurt in Beth's eyes, and knowing she 
was partly to blame. 

"Hi guys!"  Beth slurred, still wearing a forced grin on her face.  
"Anyone dancin'?"  She paused and took a pack of cigarettes out 
of her purse and lit one. 

"When did you start smoking?" gasped Tara.  "It's so bad for you...
" 

Beth took a long drag from the Marlborough and exhaled slowly.  
"Everything I do is bad for me!  Breathing, drinking, smoking, 
loving..."  Her voice faltered momentarily.  "I'm not going down 
that bloody road! I just wanna have some fun, so if you lot aren't 
up to it, I'll go it alone!" 

She took another drag from the cigarette and stubbed it out in the 
ash tray.  She stepped onto the dance floor, and with eyes closed, 
began to move slowly to the song. 

'It doesn't matter what I want.
It doesn't matter what I need.
It doesn't matter if I cry,
it doesn't matter if I bleed!
Feel the sting of tears,
Falling on the space you've left for me.'

Beth smiled at the vision in her mind.  The whiskey made her more 
than a little unsteady on her feet and she reached out to take his 
hand.  She felt his arms encompassing her and the familiar scent 
of stale cigarettes and leather filled her senses.  
"Spike..." she 
whispered, burying her face into her dancing partner's coat. 

"Who's Spike?" chuckled the voice and her daydream abruptly ended.  
She opened her eyes to find herself in the arms of a complete stranger. 
 The music still echoed around them and the stranger put a hand on 
her shoulder and smiled. 

"Name's Jerry, love.  Just thought you looked a bit lonely dancing 
on your own, but if.." 

Jerry was the proverbial tall dark and handsome; Blue jeans, white 
t-shirt and soft leather jacket;  all just tight enough to show 
off his obviously gym work-out produced frame. 

Beth put her arms around his neck and smiled.  "No, it's ok.  I 
love dancing...just a bit tipsy, that's all.  In fact, maybe I should 
go and get some air!" 

"I'll come with you.  Make sure you're ok." he mumbled back, as they went 
towards the exit, his arm firmly across her shoulders. 

Buffy jumped to her feet as she saw the pair leave.  "What 
is she doing?" she growled and followed after them.  By the time 
she reached the alley it was all over. 

Beth thrust the stake home and Jerry was dust!  "I'm drunk, not bloody 
stupid!" she kicked at the settling ashes.  "Cool skin, come to 
bed eyes; Oh, and the charming little love bites you like to give!"  
She punched at the wall, grazing her knuckles.  "I already got me 
one of them!" She cursed and touched the scar on her neck. 

She noticed Buffy on the corner and scowled.  "You think I can't 
handle it, Slayer?  You think I'll go all to pieces just because...
because.."  Her voice trailed away and she took a deep breath.  "You 
and I know the truth, don't we?" she continued. 

Buffy swallowed hard.  "What truth?  He just made a mistake.  
It happens, Beth.  I'm sorry." 

"Not that sorry, huh, Buffy?  You never did like him.  Why do you think 
I didn't tell you?  You always said that if the chip stopped working..." 
Beth put her hand to her mouth.  That wasn't supposed to come out. 

"You knew?"  Buffy gasped.  "And you never even told Giles?  I only 
found out that night when Spike nearly killed that man.  When we 
realised he was human it was obvious the chip wasn't working!  We 
were distracted and,,,,,,You knew?" 

Beth pushed past her.  "Of course I knew.  I knew before he did!  
Never told him though.  He tried so hard to hide it from me so I just 
went along with it." 

Buffy stared at the woman as she went back into the Bronze.  "Beth!"  
she called after her. "How long had you known?" 

"Three or four months, maybe more!" she called back, then disappeared 
back into the bar. 
 


CHAPTER TWO.

  
Three months ago.
 
"You're not serious!  There's no way I'm goin' to wear that poncy 
bloody outfit!  I'll never live it down!"  Spike glared at the 
tuxedo she was holding out to him.  No way was he going to wear it!
  
"We promised we'd go to the exhibition party at the gallery!  We 
promised Joyce! And I think you'll look sexy; sort of 007 and the 
like.  Come on, just try it on...for me..."  She brushed herself 
up against him  and purred in his ear.  "I'll make it worth your 
while, sweetie." she  whispered, running her hand down to his groin.
 
He gripped her arms and growled, kissing her throat.  She pushed him 
away and pouted.  "Not 'til you try this on!  No candy 'til you're 
a good boy!"
 
He grinned at her and grabbed her again.  "I'm always good!" he 
purred back, pulling her up close. "Except when I'm bad...."  He 
kissed her hard on the lips.  "Then I'm bloody brilliant!"  
He pulled her down.
 
"But the suit...." she gulped.  "Oh...ooh, Spike!.."
 
 
                               ***********************************

 

Joyce and Giles were waiting in the reception when they arrived.  
Spike had insisted on parking his beloved Desoto himself rather 
than letting some 'pimple faced Macdonalds reject' drive it into 
the car park.

"Well, don't you two look a picture!"  gushed Joyce.  "Spike, 
you in a tux?  Very sexy!"

Beth squeezed his hand.  "Told you so!" she whispered.  
She turned to her brother and kissed him on the cheek.  "Hi, 
Rupert.  You look very dashing!" she grinned. Giles blushed a 
little and Joyce took his hand, herding them towards the elevator.
 
Spike fingered his collar uncomfortably and Beth flicked his 
hand away, straightening his bow-tie.  "It's too tight!" he 
grumbled.  "I can't breathe!"
 
Beth chuckled.  "You don't breath, dopey!  Any excuse so you can take 
the tie off!"
 
"Well, if I did breathe, I'd be bloody blue in the face by now!" 
he scowled as the elevator doors opened with a loud swish and they 
stepped into the large convention room.
 
Several dozen well dressed couples were milling around, drinking, 
talking and laughing, as well as admiring the various works of art hung  
around the well lit walls.  A tall brunette glided over to them, her 
high heels clipping along the marble floor.  Her buxom figure was 
accentuated by the tight silver strapless dress that reached the 
floor, revealing a shapely leg through the thigh high side split.
 
"Joyce, Rupert!  I'm so pleased you made it!" she gushed, hugging 
them both.
 
"You look marvellous, Anne!" smiled Giles.  
"Congratulations 
on the exhibition!  You know Beth already, and the uncomfortable 
looking young man is Spike."
 
Anne nodded a greeting.  "You've been hiding him away, Beth.  Seems 
we got the two best looking men in Sunnydale!"
 
Beth grinned at her friend.  Anne was one of the few townspeople 
she got along with outside the 'scoobies', and she was delighted 
when she had heard that she was engaged to Alex Stephens, a 
senior consultant at Sunnydale hospital.  He was the one that had 
encouraged her to exhibit her paintings.
 
"Alex is around here somewhere."  Anne continued.  
"Joyce, I 
love that dress!  Blue certainly is your colour!....Oh, 
excuse me but I just want to make sure everyone is ok.  Get 
yourselves a drink and we'll see you in a while!"
 
Spike started to finger his collar again and glanced apprehensively 
round the room.  "Bit posh isn't it?" he grumbled to Joyce.  "Not 
very often you see a rich artist!"
 
Joyce laughed.  "Her fiance is a doctor, so I'd say they're pretty 
well off.  In fact, he's in a similar line of work to you....
haemotology!"
 
Spike scowled then chuckled at Joyce's quip.  "Funny!...She's right 
you know.  Blue does suit you, Joyce!"
 
Beth turned to him and smiled.  He thought the simple red dress clung 
beautifully to her curves, just low enough to tantalise with 
a hint of clevage and just enough above the knee to be sexy and not 
sleezy.  Her complexion was a little pale though.  He held out his 
hand and she took it.  "You ok, pet?" he frowned.  
"You're as white 
as a sheet!"
 
"I'm fine. Let's get a drink." she replied.  She knew she would have 
to tell him eventually, but she wanted to be wrong.  He had been 
drinking in more of her when they made love and he didn't seem 
to be getting the little reminder from his chip when enough was 
enough.
 
At first, she thought it might be her imagination, until he and 
Xander had almost come to blows the other day.  Spike had shoved 
Xander half way across the room in temper; a 


move that would normally cause him severe discomfort when the chip 
kicked in, but there was nothing.  He didn't seem to notice though.
 
 
                          ***********************************
 
 
The weeks went by and Spike began to realize he could do much more 
than before.  He also realized he had been relying too much on the 
alarm in his head to tell him how far he could go when he drank from 
her, and now that was no longer there, he had to learn self-control.  
With an enormous amount of willpower he managed to curb his 
appetite.
 
For a while he thought it was just Beth his chip had ceased to 
register, seeing as it had never really worked that well where 
she was concerned anyway.  But now he was finding that the simple 
things like just pushing past someone in the street, something 
that had once sent warning twinges through his skull, no longer 
bothered him.
 
All manner of emotions flooded through him.  First came jubilation at the thought of being the 'big bad' again; then apprehension, shock, and even a twinge of fear.
 
His un-life had changed beyond recognition this past few years, since the Initiative had effectively neutered him.  He had hated being powerless and had even tried to stake himself once or twice. And how often had he fantasized about having the chip removed?  Even Beth had tried for that, before either of them realised she was the one who had
been the cause of him getting chipped in the first place,  with almost disasterous results!
 
The demon inside him promised a wonderful spree of blood, torture and death to all of those goading humans he had reluctantly had to ally himself to; the Slayer in particular!  Now the fantasy could become reality!
 
He lay on his back in the bed and stared up at the ceiling.  His reverie was broken as the sleeping woman lying next to him nestled closer, her warm breath wafting gently across his chest.  He snuggled up to her and gently stroked her hair.
 
This was one of the reasons he felt the fear and anxiety; Beth.  Hell, it was the main one!  Becoming 'whole' again was a lot more complicated now.  He couldn't just return to his old habits even if he wanted to!
 
There it was, that doubt!  'If I wanted to?'  he thought.  Wasn't that something he had wanted from day one; the day he tried to bite Willow in the college dormatory?
 
'Oh my God!' he cursed to himself.  'I'm turning into my poofy sire! I'm startin' to sound like brood-boy!'  A low growl rumbled through his chest and Beth stirred, rubbing her hand gently along his stomach.
 

"What's the matter?" she mumbled sleepily.  "You're all tense, baby."
 
Spike gently moved his arms from around her and sat up, swinging his legs onto the floor.  "Just restless, pet."  he lied.  "Think I'll take a stroll and check out the action!"
 
Beth glanced at the clock and sighed.  It was still pretty early in the evening; too early to start patrolling!  The pair had fallen into a routine of sleeping in the afternoon and spending most of the night either patrolling with Buffy or just enjoying each other's company until the first flushes of daybreak.  A suitable compromise as the vampire by
nature was used to being active at night and Beth found it easy to split her waking hours between daylight and darkness.
 
"You want me to come with you?"  she sighed, not really ready yet to leave the warm comfort of their bed.  Her eyes began to close involuntarily as sleep beckoned to her.
 
Spike bent and kissed her cheek.  "No, you get some rest.  I'll wake you when I get back."  He got to his feet and made towards the bathroom for a quick shower.  Before he had gone halfway across the room she was fast asleep.

He showered and dressed quickly.  He kissed her tenderly and watched her as she smiled softly in her sleep.  "I love you, Beth.  Don't ever think I don't!"  he whispered then headed out into the street.

He walked slowly and deliberately in the direction of the cemetary, hoping to find some action, but before he had gone more than three blocks he ran into Buffy.

"You're out early, Spike.  The sun's only just gone down."  she quipped, noticing the vampire was not in the best of moods.  "You and Beth had a fight?"

Spike scowled at her and was tempted to just ignore her and continue walking, but he felt a need to talk to someone.  He really needed to take his mind away from the nagging demon inside him, urging him on to attack something; anything!  "So, you keeping tabs on me now?  I just needed to get out for a bit, that's all."  he answered.  "Where are you
goin' then?"
 
"There's been a rumour a new vamp nest has been set up so I'm going to see if Willie has any info...Unless you've heard anything!"  she replied, turning into the alley.

Spike paused for a moment then decided to follow after her.  The alley was pretty dark but his excellent night vision stood him in good stead. A cat hissed at him from behind the dumpster, recognising him as a predator trespassing on it's territory.

"Hold it right there!" a voice echoed from the darkness.  Buffy's eyes had barely adjusted to the blackness and she saw the outline of a man as he stepped out in front of her,  the 


gun he was holding aimed directly at her chest.  "Give me your money, sweetie."  he growled.  "And you, blondie.."  he waved the gun in Spike's direction.  "...empty your
pockets or your girlfriend's gonna get it!"
 
Buffy made a grab for the gun and managed to prise it loose from the mugger's fingers, but not before he had pulled the trigger.  The bullet gouged a bloody groove along Buffy's shoulder and she fell backwards.

Spike reacted instantly.  He dashed forward, his game face dropping into place, and he grabbed the mugger by the throat, slamming him into the wall.  He swung his fist into the man's rib cage and he felt his demon urging him on.  He could hear the mugger's blood pumping swiftly in his veins and he spun him round, still holding his throat.  He pulled his victim's head back and sank his fangs into his neck!

He was suddenly lying on the floor as Buffy dragged him backwards and flung him away from the unconscious man.  "What the hell are you doing?"  she yelled.  She checked the mugger's pulse.  He was alive. She looked from him back to the vampire.  His human face was back on but his eyes still glowed yellow.  He wiped the blood from his lips and
growled at her.
 
Buffy stepped back and winced as the pain in her shoulder began to register.  Something else was beginning to register too, and she didn't like the thought at all.

"He's human, Spike.  How did you..." she began.  "Oh, no!  The chip! It's not working is it?"  The pain in her shoulder was forgotten as the feeling of dread washed over her.  "Does that mean we're enemies again?"

Spike got slowly to his feet and brushed the dirt from his coat.  "That I don't know, Slayer.  There was a time when I couldn't wait to kick your arse from here to buggery...."

"And now?"  she demanded.  "As much as I've grown used to you, I'll stake you in a heartbeat!  You've just proved that you've no qualms about feeding off the first available human!"

"He bloody well asked for it!  Look at yourself!"  he almost shouted back.  The blood from her wound was running down her bare arm and he sub-consciously licked his lips at the sight of it.  He saw her glance at her shoulder then plunge her hand into her pocket to retrieve her stake.

"I'm not goin' to fight you, Slayer.  As much as I've thought about it! I'm not afraid of you, but I've got more people than myself to think about.  You know that!"  he growled,  his mouth watering at the sight of her blood.  "For god's sake, woman!  Do something about that injury will you?"



Buffy pulled the scarf from her hair and began to mop up the blood. "How long have you known?  Have you told Beth?"

He forced himself not to concentrate on the sweet red liquid now seeping through the material in her hand and he shook his head.  "She doesn't know.  I should have told her weeks ago, but..."   His sentence was cut off as a dark shape dropped from the fire escape above them and crashed into him.....

 
                 *********************   ***********************
 
The sun was warm on her face and he grinned as he handed her the bunch of wild flowers he had picked.  "Beauty for beauty, pet." he whispered. 

She took the bouquet and brought then close to her nose and breathed in their fragrant scent.  "They're lovely, Spike."  she smiled.  "But they're already beginning to wilt..."  The buds slowly began to wither as she watched.  She looked up at him and saw the sunlight dancing across his bleached blonde hair and she felt an un-nerving sense of loss
wash over her.  "You're leaving me!  Don't go, Spike.  I need you!"
 
He held her close and stroked her hair.  "I can't leave you, baby." He purred.  "I'm part of you.  Just like you're a part of me!"

The sky clouded over and the distant rumble of thunder echoed round them.  Darkness settled quickly, then she was alone.  The rain began to fall and she stood holding the dead flowers, the tears running down her face.  The pounding of the raindrops grew louder....

She opened her eyes and realised someone was knocking at the door.  She leapt out of bed, glancing at the clock.  It was close to midnight and she hurriedly put on her robe.

She rushed to open the door to find her brother standing there and the look on his face caused her heart to leap into her mouth in panic. "Rupert?  What is it?  Did Spike send..."  she started, then her stomach began to turn flip-flops as the panic began to take a hold on her.

"Beth, I'm...sorry."   Giles closed the door and put his arm around her shoulders.  "It was too sudden.  He never had a chance..."

Beth's lungs began to burn as she forgot to breathe, and her vision started to cloud over.  "No!  This is some kind of sick joke!"  she blurted out.  She pushed him away.

"He's dead, Beth."  he croaked.  He caught her as her legs gave way under her and half-carried her to the sofa where he sat beside her holding her hands in his.



"What..what happened?"  she said almost inaudibly.  The colour had drained completely from her cheeks and she stared down at her lap, hoping this was just another dream.  She heard Rupert talking but could barely bring her brain to recognise more than half of the words.

".....nearly killed the mugger."  he mumbled.
 
'Oh God, oh God, oh God..' was all that was going through her head. 'Wake up, Beth.....WAKE UP!'

"....human!  He and Buffy were arguing..."  he was cut off as she heard  that.

She leapt to her feet.  "Buffy?"  she growled.  "Did she....."
 
Giles stood beside her.  "No!  She didn't kill him, Beth.  They argued because Buffy found out the chip was no longer functioning!"  He paused and thought about asking if she already knew that, then shrugged it off.  "Unfortunately, some of Spike's old 'friends'  saw the opportunity to jump him while they were distracted."

She sank into his arms and sobbed for what seemed like forever.


























CHAPTER THREE.


It had been five months now and still she could not move on.  The gang had been supportive at first, and she knew they had been upset about losing the aggrevating vampire, but they could never feel as badly as she did.  She pretended to be happy in their company not wanting to sound like a broken record, but once she was home; the home they had spent so many beautiful hours, days and nights, with each other, her facade would slip away instantly.

She knew she was slowly going insane when she realized she spent most of her time talking to him.  "I'm home, Spike."  she whispered to the empty apartment.

She kicked off her shoes and stripped off her muddy clothing, padding into the bedroom to get her robe.  She tied it loosely round her and went into the kitchen to  grab a beer from the fridge then wandered back into the sitting room and slumped into the armchair.  "We got a couple of vamps and a disgusting slime demon tonight.  You would have loved
it!  All that kicking and punching and violence..."

"Sounds like fun, pet." replied the voice in her head.  "Sorry I wasn't there, but I've been kinda busy myself.  These bloody minions haven't got any sense!  If brains were dynamite they wouldn't have enough to blow their bloody noses!"

She closed her eyes and chuckled, and saw him grinning back at her, standing barefoot and shirtless.  This room in her head was sanctuary. This was where the grief and loneliness ceased to exist, and she spent as much time as she possibly could here.

At first she found it only when she slept, but now it seemed she could summon it almost anytime she wanted.  It had been difficult not to just stay there permanently, but she knew it wasn't real, was it?

He put his arm around her waist and circled round behind her, sending tingles down her spine.  She leaned back against him and moved her arm  up to place her hand gently on his cheek.  He kissed her palm and she twisted her head round to look into his eyes.  "I love you, precious." he whispered. "You know that, don't you?"

She felt a lump rise in her throat and swallowed hard.  "I know.  Love you too." she croaked as he kissed her.  She tilted her head sideways and his lips trailed down to the scar he had made on her, running his tongue along the tiny twin silvery marks, making her tremble.

His hands moved slowly down the soft material of her robe until he reached the belt.  His fingers teased gently under the fabric until she felt his coolness on her skin, as his fingertips traced small circles on her stomach.  Her heart began to beat so hard she thought it would burst

through her rib cage as he pulled the garment down over her shoulders and turned her to face him.  Another gasp escaped her as she ran her hands along his chest remembering every muscle and sinew of it.  "Please don't let me wake up!" she breathed.  "Let me stay!"

"This is my dream, pet."  he whispered back.  "You can stay forever." He held her tight in his strong arms and kissed her until she thought she would never draw another breath.  He lifted her off her feet and laid her gently on the rough wooden table.  Funny she hadn't noticed that before.  Well, it was a dream wasn't it?  Anything could happen in  a dream!

He ran his hand down her body, pausing to tease her fast hardening nipples, then she felt his cool weight pressing her into the grainy table top.  His knee pressed gently against her thighs and she parted them, pulling him closer.  He ran his hand down between her legs,
feeling her swollen and wet, as her hips arched towards him at his  touch.

Forget the pleasantries and the foreplay, she wanted him now!  She wanted him to take away all the hurt and the longing.  She needed him to make her feel alive!  She desperately needed to feel nothing but the animal passion and the lust that would drive away everything else! "Make me forget, baby!"  she begged.  "Please.."

He slipped into her and she held him so tight her arms ached.  With each thrust she wrapped her legs around him tighter, almost believing she could keep him here forever.  The tears were flowing freely down her face now and she wanted so much for this to be real, and to find him still with her when she woke from this wonderful dream.  She kissed
ferociously down his neck and nipped at him.  "More!"  she demanded, the fires igniting in her guts.  "Let me stay, Spike.  Ohh..."

Her world exploded as he pushed her over the brink, sending her brain into overload.  She felt his fangs in her neck and the pleasure grew so intense she thought she would die!  His own release was not far behind and he poured into her, panting her name over and over.

She opened her eyes and found herself alone, back in the apartment.  She reached for a cigarette and lit it before she began to weep again.  'Why didn't you let me stay?' she sobbed to herself.


              ********************************************

The newly risen vampire turned out to be no push-over.  A gymnastics student when alive, he still knew how to use his abilities to best advantage.  Buffy managed to score a hit with a flying kick, knocking him over, but he sprung back to his feet with amazing speed.




He lunged at her, fangs gleaming in the moonlight.  Only her Slayer reflexes saved her from being flattened against the crypt wall and she managed to dodge and plunge the stake into him, turning him to dust.

She brushed off the vampire's remnants from her clothes and was about to call it a night when she heard laughter coming from behind the crypt door.  She crept closer and listened.

"I told you she wouldn't have a problem!"  the female English voice giggled.  "She never does!"

Buffy knew Beth's voice and she strained to hear who she was talking to.  There was a moment of silence before Beth spoke again.

"I know.  I told you I would!"  she chuckled.

Buffy pushed the door slowly ajar.  She knew this was Spike's old place.  She could still hear only Beth in there and she managed to open the door enough to see the dark haired woman sitting cross-legged on the floor with her eyes closed, conversing with her imaginary companion. 

"Why do you never let me stay, Spike?"  she whispered.  Her eyes shot open and she saw Buffy.

"Beth?  Who are you talking to?"  Buffy glanced round the empty crypt.

Beth got to her feet and blushed.  She felt more than a little foolish and knew Buffy was thinking she was completely mad.  She was probably right!  "Um, no one.  Just..er…. remembering old times!"  she mumbled.

"We...I mean, I saw your little fight.  These new vamps certainly know a few moves these days!  Do you fancy a pint?  I know I do!"  she gushed, ushering Buffy out of the crypt and closing the door firmly shut behind  her.


                                *******************************

Giles put down his book as the bell over the shop door rang, heralding Willow's arrival.  "Hi Giles!"  she sang.  "What's the biggy?  You're going to have to learn how to use that computer!"

"I know how to use it!"  he scowled.  "I just don't have your knack of breaking into other people's databases!"



Buffy appeared from the training room, mopping the sweat from her face with a towel.  "Really, Giles."  she scolded.  "That's illegal.  I'm shocked!"  The two women smirked at each other.

Willow stretched out her arms, linking her fingers, and cracked her knuckles before seating herself in the swivel chair.  She clicked the mouse and the computer screen changed.  "Ok, where do you want to go today?" she grinned.

Giles glanced at Buffy, who nodded in agreement.  "Lets have a peek at the Watcher's Council."  he began.  "Specifically any reports of a Master Vampire setting up shop."

Willow frowned then began to dance her fingers across the keyboard. "Are we expecting trouble?  I mean, more than we usually get, that is?" She continued to type.

"Not really.  Just curious to know what's happening outside Sunnydale." replied Buffy, her voice edged with something Willow couldn't quite place.

"Ok."  she mumbled.  "It'll take me a little time, though."

Buffy and Giles moved away to give her room to work.  "I don't know whether this is a good idea, Giles.  You know, ignorance is bliss and all that."  Buffy whispered.

Giles removed his glasses and put them on the table.  "I prefer 'know your enemy'." he replied.  "If that's what he is!  For all we know, he's plotting something!  If it turns out I'm wrong, then fine.  At least then there could be a chance...."

"Maybe you're right." she countered.  "But if anything were going to happen, surely he would have done it by now?  It's been months!"

They were interrupted as Willow called them.  "I'm in, guys!"  she said breathlessly.  "I'm just going to check out recent reports now."

They stood watching over her shoulder as she scrolled down the screen. "Let's see.." mused the red head.  "They cleared out a nest in Venezuela a couple of weeks ago...oh, and a chaos demon wreaked havoc in Hawaii, but they managed to sort that out too!"

"Well, just concentrate on the vamp reports, Will."  whispered Buffy. No one spoke for several minutes until Willow sat back from the keyboard and turned to them with a look of surprise on her face.

"This can't be right!  Seems like they've had reports of a Master Vampire organising a nest in Birmingham, England.  Seems he's a bit unusual!  They say he has left a trail of victims all over the place, but...."  she gasped.

Giles and Buffy glanced at each other, waiting to hear the worst.

"A trail of victims, the majority of whom seem to have survived!  Hold on...there's another page to the report coming up.  They seem to think his name is....Guys, this can't be right, can it?"  She looked at her friends in amazement as the name glared out at them from the screen. 'WILLIAM THE BLOODY'.

Buffy and Giles didn't look at all surprised and that puzzled Willow even more.  Before she could ask the question, Buffy sighed heavily and put her hand on her friend's arm.

"He's not dead, Willow.  He just wanted everyone to think he was!" she murmured.

Giles retrieved his glasses from the table and looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  "I knew.  I just didn't expect things to turn out as badly for Beth as they have done!  I don't think he even thought about that either!"

"Then is it what you said?  Her talking to herself, her going off into a daydream every five minutes!"  Buffy growled.

"He's obviously having trouble making a kill which seems to indicate something is stopping him.  My guess is he's experiencing the same phenomenon. She's not losing her mind." he whispered almost inaudibly. "They appear to be linked.  You could say they are in each other's thrall!"


                          ****************************************

Spike woke with a start.  The sheets were damp beside him and he scowled.  'Bloody wet dreams!  At my age?  I'm turnin' into a soddin' pubescent teenager!'

Damn those dreams!  They were so real, and even when they only talked in them she held him there much longer than he could really afford to be! He only had to close his eyes for a moment and he could see her, and his minions were already mumbling amongst themselves about their crazy Master.  In fact, he had already had to destroy two of them when they thought they could take him down and become the new head of the nest.

The worst part was his near inability to make a kill!  Hopefully none of his subordinates had cottoned on to that!  Oh, he had stalked and fed with no problem, but when it came to the final act, when he could drain his victims completely, something almost always stopped him!  It was like the chip only without the pain.  He growled as the demon inside him goaded him over that.  It wasn't as if he had developed a conscience or anything.  In fact, he was looking forward to the kill!  But when it came down to it the demon very rarely won!

He thought back to the battle in the alley when Buffy discovered his chip was no longer working.  It was only by sheer luck they weren't both killed when a group of his old 'buddies' decided to attack while they were arguing.

The assailant jumping from the fire escape had staked him sure enough, but was mere millimeters off target or he would be dust and none of this mind-muddling confusion would be happening to him now.  He would be gone and no one, except perhaps for Beth, would have been too upset about it.

The most surprising part had been the Slayer saving him when his attacker tried to plunge the stake into him again before he had chance to recover!  He would have expected her to let the vampire do the job for her.  There was a turn-up for the books!  'Always been too
soft-hearted, Slayer!  Gonna get you killed one day!  Always thought it would be me that done it, though!' he grinned to himself.

The wounded pair had ended up at Ripper's house to get their respective injuries tended to, and that was when he decided it would be better for everyone if he left Sunnydale for good.

"Now I know I can do what I want, how long before I kill her?"  he had said. "I've thought about turnin' her you know.  Just so she would always be with me!" He saw Ripper clench his fists.  "I know she wouldn't want that!  She deserves to be happy, Ripper."

Giles nodded slowly in agreement.  The thought that Beth could be a soulless blood sucking monster shook him, but he knew it was Spike's way of saying how much he loved her.  He knew she would grow old and die, and barring an unfortunate piece of bad luck concerning a sharp stick, sunlight, decapitation or a holy water bath, the vampire would be left alone for eternity. 'Immortality is a curse, not a blessing!' he thought to himself.

Spike sat silent for a few moments, summoning the right words to tell them what he was going to do.  "It's better for her, better for everyone, if I'm dead!" he sighed.  He saw the puzzled look Buffy was giving him.  "I don't mean stake me, Slayer!" he growled.  "I mean, I just go as far away from here as I can and you tell everyone the vamps in the alley got me."

"What about Beth?" breathed Buffy.  "She'll be devastated!"

The vampire closed his eyes and took an unnecessary deep breath. "She'll get over it!  She'll find somebody else; someone human.  She deserves a normal life, Buffy.  Promise me you won't let on about what I'm telling you!  Promise me!"

Buffy nodded.  She didn't like it, but she knew he was right.

Since he had made that decision, Beth had haunted him day and night.  He hoped she was faring better than he was.  'Probably moved on now, haven't you pet?  Might even have found a new dancin' partner I shouldn't wonder!'  He pushed away the overwhelming 


sense of jealousy at the thought of someone else being on the receiving end of her passionate nature.  'Be happy, pet.'

He dressed quickly and left his bedroom to go and bully some of his minions into doing the most difficult tasks he could think of just so he could torture them unmercifully when they failed.








































CHAPTER FOUR


Spike left Sunnydale with just the clothes on his back and a bankroll Giles had given him from the safe in the Magic Shop.  He still couldn't resist rifling the cash register for the grand sum of $27.00 though.

He stole a car from the parking lot outside the Bronze and headed towards Greenville.  With every mile he travelled he fought the urge to turn back and get her.  For once in his un-life he would do something right;  give her the chance to live completely in her own world instead of having to share his.

On the outskirts of the little town he pulled off the road and drove down a dark muddy track towards the airfield.  He had heard there was a demon running the place who would help him....for a price!

He pulled up by the little wooden hut that threatened to collapse under the weight of the ridiculously large sign that hung from it's rafters.

                          "TYNAN'S INTERNATIONAL AIRFREIGHT -
                                  EXPORTS ARE OUR BUSINESS"

He turned off the engine and stepped out of the car.  He glanced at the sky and calculated he had about two hours before dawn and he did not intend to be still standing in the open when that happened.

His boot struck the door hard and it smashed open with a loud bang.  The once sleeping figure leapt out of the cot in the corner and grabbed a rifle.

"Whoever you are, there ain't no money here!  You've got two seconds...." the figure yelled.

Spike moved fast, grabbing both the rifle barrel, ripping it from the figure's grasp, and the throat of it's owner.  "That's no way to treat a payin' customer!" he growled.  He felt the man relax and he let him go.

"Paying?  Why didn't you say so?"  the man grinned and switched on the light.  "What you need?  Got a load to move?  Wanting a pick-up?"

Spike took in the grimey office and wrinkled his nose in disgust at the smell of damp and sweat.  "I've got me to move, Biggles! Out of the country in a nice dark cargo hold would be good!"  he snarled.

The man sniffed him. "Ah...vampire, right?  Can pick up the scent of your kind a mile off!"

Spike shoved him back.  "I'll have you know I shower regular!" he replied, more than a little insulted.  He opened his coat a little and sniffed inside it.  All he could smell was leather and cigarettes.

"Name's Tynan.  Didn't mean no offence.  It's just us Gregan demons got a real good set of sinus'"  the man continued, his face changing to a bluish grey with an enormous three nostrilled nose.  "You said you got cash?"

Spike took the bankroll from his pocket and waved it in front of Tynan's face.  "This enough?  I want to get to England.  I'm feelin' a mite home sick!"  he growled.

Tynan took the money and began to count it.  "It's enough!  I can get you on a transport tonight.  You can hole up in the back 'til then!"

Spike nodded, then grabbed the demon by the scruff of his neck.  "Just one thing!  You double-cross me and I'll tear that proboscis off your ugly face!  Got it?"

Tynan nodded vigorously as Spike released him.


                       *****************************************


By the time the 'plane reached England Spike was not only suffering from cramp being bundled up in the crate, he was ravenous!  He was being thrown from one side of of the box to the other as the cargo was unloaded into the waiting truck and he barely managed to keep his patience to avoid revealing his presence until nightfall.  His vampire senses warned him that the day was not yet over.  He heard the back of the truck being slammed shut as the engine roared to life. He reluctantly settled back against the wall of the crate and tried to take his mind off the gnawing hunger.

By the time the cargo was unloaded into the warehouse and night had fallen, Spike had given up on keeping up his human facade.  He waited until he heard the truck drive off and silence settled around him.

That was it!  He threw his weight hard against the 'door' and it began to give.  He smashed against it twice more before the wood splintered and he charged out into the dimly lit building.  His game face on, he sniffed the air and smelt his victim before he heard him.

He ducked into the shadows as the night watchman came striding down the aisle brandishing a crow bar.

"Who's there?" he yelled.


Spike leapt out in front of him and swiped the crow bar away, his eyes flashing yellow and fangs bared ready to strike.

The night watchman turned to run but the vampire swung out his arm and clothes-lined him, crushing his windpipe.  He hugged his victim to his chest and licked his lips in anticipation.

The man clawed at his throat trying in vain to draw in another breath, and the smell of his terror sent a rush of sheer elation through the vampire.  He lifted the victim off his feet and sank his fangs into the man's jugular.

With every drop of the sweet nectar that ran over his tongue and down his throat the demon inside grew stronger. 'Take more, Spike. Feel the rush!' it urged.

Spike bit down harder and felt the man's ribs begin to crack under his tightening embrace.

He heard the heart begin to slow and the death rattle beginning to rumble in his meal's crushed throat.  He gorged himself until the very last drop of blood was drained and the body hung limply in his arms.

He tossed the corpse aside and licked the last droplets of blood from his lips, grinning widely.  "I feel so much better!" he spoke aloud. "Think I'm gonna like being me again!"

He stepped out into the moonlight still grinning as his game face dropped away, the demon inside him placated for now.


                        *****************************************


He was really pleased to find himself in Manchester.  He had even managed to get to see his favourite team, United, beat Arsenal in the league cup last Wednesday evening.  Getting the ticket was easy enough as his last meal had just happened to have one in his wallet.

He told himself he was just not that hungry when he failed to finish his victim off.  The demon inside grumbled and complained when the vampire left the teenager bloody yet still breathing, but Spike just told it to "Shut the fuck up!"

Apart from the football though, he was unbelievably bored with the city.  He had only run into a small handful of his own kind in the three months he had been here and they were about as intellectually challenging as a house brick.  He missed the verbal sparring he had
enjoyed with the Slayer, and the good old fashioned knock-down drag-out fights on the nightly patrols.  More importantly, he missed Beth.


'Not that you would want me now I'm feedin' off the happy meals again!" he thought ruefully.  'Probably would've staked me in my sleep by now!"

He lay on the bundle of sacking and stared blankly around the cellar of  the derelict slum he had reluctantly begun to call home.  He was tired, but he really didn't want to close his eyes.  Every time he did, she would be there.  He watched as she cried for him and wanted to hold her and tell her time would make things better, but he could never get her
to hear him.

Despite himself, he drifted off to sleep and saw her dancing by herself.  He held out his hand and she took it, burying her face into his chest.  He heard her breathe his name.  "Spike..."

His eyes shot open and he barely managed to dodge the sharp stake swinging down towards his heart.  "Bloody hell!" he yelled, scrambling to his feet to face two men in business suits.  "Who the hell are you?"

The larger of the two lunged forward and attempted a front kick.  Spike swatted the leg away, spinning the assailant round and countered with a twin punch to the kidneys.  As the attacker fell to his knees his partner landed a punch on the side of the vampire's head.

Spike reeled from the force of the blow then bounded forward, drop-kicking the man to the floor.  He flung his arm around his neck and yanked his head back violently, smirking as he heard the neck snap.

He threw the body down and leapt on the larger man who was getting painfully to his feet.  Game face on he pinned the 'suit' to the wall.

"Who are you?" he growled.  "Who sent you?"

"You can't hide.  We know who you are and the Council is..." the man spat back.

Spike slammed him into the wall again.  "Council?  Watchers' Council? You think you ponces are good enough to take me on, do you?" he laughed. "You're just another bloody meal, mate!"

"You can kill me, but more will follow!  It's hunting season on William the Bloody... ..mate!" snapped the man.

Spike sucked in his cheeks and shrugged.  "Whatever!" he scowled and bit deep into the man's throat, feasting on the rich red liquid.

His unexpected meal finished, he collected his meagre possessions together, lit a cigarette, and waited for nightfall.


'Time to move on.' he thought.  Well, he never liked this city much anyway!


                                ******************************

From Manchester he moved up to Leeds, but they trailed him there too. Over the next month he hopped from town to town staying only long enough to eat and sleep.

He finally arrived in Birmingham New Street station one cold October night.  He wandered round the city centre until he found a cozy little pub on the outskirts.  It was a small old fashioned place that most of the teenage set usually avoided.  There was a roaring fire in the hearth and a couple of regulars stood toasting their rear ends as they eyed the blonde newcomer suspiciously.

"Evenin'!" Spike greeted them only wanting to get a couple of pints of good old English beer.  The couple nodded politely and continued their conversation.  He ordered a pint of bitter and sat in the corner, facing the door.

He was on his fifth pint when she came in.  She was a pretty little brunette with deep brown eyes and a figure that made heads turn.  A real good looker, and definitely one of the un-dead!  She smiled at him and waltzed up to the bar.

She came over to his table and placed a beer in front of him.  "I asked the barman what you were drinking.  Hope you don't mind, sweetie!"  she drawled in a broad brummie accent.  "Mind if I sit down?"  Before he could answer she put down her own drink and sat beside him on the bench seat.

"You're new around here aren't you?" she continued.  "You'll have to see David to find out what territory you can have!"

Spike nearly choked on his beer.  "You what?!  I don't ask anybody, darlin'!" he spluttered.

The girl sat silently for a moment, looking a little apprehensive. "David's the boss here and he can be more than a little nasty if anyone disagrees with him." she said finally.

Spike scowled.  "I can be nasty too, luv!  Nobody tells me what to do!" He downed his pint and picked up the one she had bought for him.

The girl shuddered then smiled again.  "I like you."  she whispered. "My name's Carly.  What's yours?"

"Spike.  You want another drink?" he answered, standing to go to the bar.



He returned quickly with drinks and was soon deep in conversation with Carly.  They drank until it was closing time and then staggered drunkenly into the street.

Spike vaguely remembered being led by the hand down several dark alleys until they reached a boarded up factory.  She slid a board out of the way and pulled him inside.  She dragged him down a long corridor until she came to a door marked 'PAYROLL'.

"This is my room."  She put her arms round his neck and pressed herself to him.  "You can share if you like."  She giggled and opened the door, still clinging to him with one arm.

He allowed himself to be led in and she was on him before the door had swung shut behind them.  Her game face on she began to lick and nip at his neck, tugging at his clothes.  He suddenly realised she was dictating his actions and he snarled, gripping her wrists.

He saw her puzzled look and then his eyes dropped to see the swell of her breasts.  She relaxed against him and began to grind her hips, feeling him grow hard against her groin.  He pulled her arms above her head and twisted her round, slamming her into the wall.

"Oh yes!" she groaned.  "Come on then, show my why you got your name,  babe!"


                            ***********************************


When he awoke, his senses told him it must be late morning.  It took him a few moments to take in his surroundings and the fact he was curled up naked on the floor with the woman.  She had her back towards him and in the dim light he mistook her for someone.  "Beth?" he whispered hopefully.

The woman  shuffled round to face him.  "Who's Beth?" she asked sleepily.

It all came flooding back to him now. Carly!  He jumped up and hunted for his clothes, ignoring her question.

Carly continued.  "You were talking about her in your sleep, too!" she growled.  "And you kept calling me that when we were shagging!  Is she someone I should be jealous of?"

Spike laughed and pulled on his jeans.  "Jealousy would denote a modicum of feeling between us, sugar!  Don't know about you, but all I was after was a good shag!"

Carly picked up a shoe and threw it at him.  "Well, fuck you!" she yelled.


Spike dodged the flying object and grinned.  "You already did, darlin'! Now where do I find that wanker David?"

"Two doors up on the left." she mumbled.  As he opened the door she called him back.  "Spike?  Maybe we could do it again sometime!"

Spike paused for a moment in the doorway to light a cigarette.  "Yeah!" he mumbled back.  "Maybe!"

He wandered down the corridor and marched through the door marked 'MANAGER'.  The dark haired vampire occupying the room leapt out of his water bed along with the blonde woman he was sharing with.  Both of them had vamped out and were ready to fight.

Spike stood his ground and vamped out too.  "I'm Spike, a.k.a. William The Bloody!"  He could see they had heard of him.  "I'm takin' over! Any objections?"

David went to make a move but his partner held his arm.  "He's the one wot done away with two Slayers!  You don't want to mess with...." she began.  He pulled his arm free and advanced on the bleached blonde.

Spike lunged forward, pulling a stake from his pocket, and stabbed David in the heart, sending him exploding into dust.  He turned on the female.  "I said...any objections!"

The vampiress shook her head and grabbed her clothes.  "Not me!" she croaked.  "You're the boss!"

Spike cupped his hand under her chin and applied pressure until she yelped in pain.  "That's right!  I'm the boss!  Tell your little playmates we're having a little 'get to know you' meetin' here at dusk. Now, don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out!"

The vampiress rushed out of the room and Spike kicked the door shut behind her.  He ambled across the room and dived onto the bed, making the mattress undulate and ripple violently.  He bounced up and down and smirked.

'This beats the last place I was in.' he thought.  He closed his eyes and concentrated on the soothing sensation of the water bed still making gentle waves under him.









CHAPTER FIVE.


It happened again.  One minute she was clearing away the empty plates after Xander and Anya had gone home after dinner and the next she was standing in a cold dark street.  She knew it was just another hallucination but she also knew he would be there.

That secret room in her head was better.  That was where she could be alone with him; but here was where she would see him as the killer, the demon!

A muffled cry from a closed shop doorway caught her attention and she saw a couple huddled there.  "Spike?" she whispered, making the shadowy long-coated figure back away from the woman he was holding to be framed in the halo of the street lamps.  He turned and she saw the blood wet on his fangs and lips.

"Every time I turn around you're here!"  he grumbled half-heartedly, as his victim edged away from him.  He turned to the woman and his face slowly began to change from the evil visage to his human appearance. "Run away!" he ordered the dazed woman who was clutching at the wound on her neck.  "Run!  Before I change my mind!"

Beth watched as the woman staggered along the empty street, running her hands across the buildings for support.

Spike sucked in his cheeks and scowled at her.  "A man's gotta eat, pet!" he growled as he moved towards her.  He put a hand out to her but met with only empty space.  "You're like a ghost, haunting me every bloody time!"

Beth sighed.  It wasn't the first time she had imagined this;  seeing him revert to being the blood-sucking predator he had been before the chip had been implanted..  "It's more like the other way round, love." she whispered.  "I'm not the one who got wasted in Sunnydale.  So why do I do this to myself?  Why are you always popping into my head and taking over everything I do?"

Spike turned to leave.  "I must be soddin' crazy talkin' to myself!" he whispered back.  "After all this time I should be gettin' on with my un-life!  Bet you're gettin' on with yours!  I left you so that you could do that!"  He continued walking away hoping the vision would disappear as quickly as it came.  He could feel the demon inside
complaining about his lack of a kill, but he somehow quelled it's anger every time this wierd and insane thing happened.  It was almost as if she had some physical hold over him, even though he knew it was just imagination.

A group of night-clubbers pushed past him, giggling at the bleached blonde who appeared to be more drunk than they were.  After all, he was talking to himself!



Beth followed him.  "I tried to move on." she half-sobbed.  "But how can I?  The day you 'died' is still an open wound, Spike.  I can't move on...I don't think I ever will!  You're in my head all the time, and I keep coming to you in my dreams.  Only they're not just dreams anymore....."

"Not just dreams."  He finished.  "Dreams come in your sleep, not uninvited at any time of the day or night.  I'm crazy!  That's all there is to it!  Stop following me!" He spun round to face her.  The bright street lamps made her look almost transparent; like a spirit.  Part of him had wanted her to be real.  Part of him had wanted her to know he was really alive; well figuratively speaking anyway.  He still ached to hold her in his arms and even the attention of Carly could do nothing to ease that longing, but he had left and she would eventually find someone; someone who was less likely to turn on her  as he would if the
demon got the better of him.

She turned her head to look at something he couldn't see. "I have to go...Someone's at the door."  She faded from sight and he scowled.

'Bloody hell!' he cursed to himself.  'This is getting beyond a joke!....'  He looked up at the stars and a thought struck him.  'God, I hope you're not really feelin' that way.  Course you're not!  When the hell did I get a guilty conscience?...No, you've moved on sweet.  Wish I could do the same.'   He kicked at a discarded beer bottle, smashing it against the kerb, and strode off in the direction of his lair.


                    ********************************************

Beth took in a deep breath and tried to stop shaking.  She felt completely drained after that all too real daydream.  She swept her hair back from her face and answered the door.

Two men greeted her, a blonde and a balding brunette.  It took a few moments for her to realise she knew one of them.  "Gary?" she questioned.

The blonde smiled at her.  "Long time, no see Beth. Can we come in?" he asked.  Beth stepped back and motioned for them to enter, still stunned to see a face from the past, a thousand and one questions running through her mind.

"This is Mitch.  To cut to the point, we're here to get you to come with us." he continued.

Beth laughed.  "I'm not going anywhere!  I don't work for the Council anymore.  Haven't done for more than seven years!"

Mitch scowled at her.  "Told you the bitch wouldn't co-operate!  Too busy screwing corpses! What's the matter?  Did you get mixed up on who's supposed to be staking who?" he growled.


"What did you say?"  Beth moved forward and shoved the plump man back towards the door.  "Get out!  Gary, you and your jumped up little..."

Gary stood his ground.  "Don't you want to know what your boyfriend is up to?" he whispered.  "William the Bloody, blood-sucking lover boy that he is!"

Beth stumbled backwards, her mouth open in shock and surprise.  "You bastard! You know he's dead!"  She wanted to wipe the smug grin from his face and hurt him so much she could taste it.  How dare he come into her home and start dredging up her worst memories.

Mitch began to amble round the room, picking up photographs from the shelf.  "Don't they make a cute couple?" he said, holding up a framed photo of Beth and Spike taken at the art exhibition.  He deliberately dropped it on the floor and ground the heel of his shoe into the glass.

That was it!  Beth threw herself at him and knocked him against the wall.  She went to kick him between the legs but Gary grabbed her under the arms and pulled her backwards before she could complete the move.

"He's not dead.  Well, he is, but he's still moving around, honey!" snarled Mitch as he straightened his jacket.  "Tell her!"

"Look!  Let's calm down a little."  Gary started.  "Mitch, leave the furniture intact!  Now, let's just sit down and talk. Ok, Beth?"

She pulled her arms free and slumped into the armchair.  "Talk then! Before I really lose my temper!"

"You always were hot-headed!" chuckled Gary.  "One of our top front-liners, though.  I remember when we were both assigned to Boston. You went charging in head-first and..."

"Cut the crap!" she snapped.  "You said Spike's alive.  Prove it!"

Gary opened his briefcase and passed her a thick folder.  As she read through the reports and saw the photographs the more she wanted to be somewhere else; anywhere else!   'They lied to me!' she thought bitterly.  'He just upped and left me!'

"This picture was taken just a week ago, in England."  Gary said, passing her the print.  "The girl next to him is one of his little gang."

She stared long and hard at the photograph, especially at the pretty brunette that was hanging off Spike's arm.  'How could you?' she thought.  'Why didn't you just tell me you wanted to leave?'  This was too much.  She crumpled the photo tightly in her hands and 

fought off the waves of nausea spreading through her.  Unexpectedly, she felt a sudden flow of relief.  He was still out there after all.  He may not be with her, but she had already told Willow she hadn't expected him to stay with her forever, hadn't she?  At that moment, all she needed to know was that he was 'alive'.  That much at least dragged her from under the dark cloud she had found hanging over her ever since Rupert had told her, lied to her, about Spike's demise in the alley.

"So what do you think of the boyfriend now?"  growled Mitch, staring at her with disgust and loathing. He noticed the tiny scars on her neck and grinned.  "You were just a convenient snack, sweetheart!  While he was neutered you were the only human blood he could get.  Just happens he got laid too!"

Gary poised ready to stop any attack she was planning to make on his companion, and was surprised when she merely smiled up at her protagonist.

"Probably more than you've got lately, blubber boy!"  she spat.  "At least he could see his dick without having to hold his stomach in!"

Beth jumped to her feet at Mitch advanced towards her, balling his fists.  Gary got between the pair and tried to calm his colleague down. "You asked for that!" he warned him.  "Just keep your mouth shut, Mitch!  If you don't, I'll punch you myself!"

Mitch backed down and Beth relaxed a little.

"Why do you need me?" Beth asked finally.  "You know where he is, so what's the problem?  I'm not going to be any help; I'm his ex after all!"

"Not so much ex as absent I think."  Gary mumbled, seeing the puzzlement spread across her face.  "One of his group was cornered by our team and seemed to think that giving information might just save him from being dusted." He paused for a moment and motioned for her to sit back down. She shook her head.

"I'll stand.  Just in case lard-arse decides to get lippy again!  Carry on."  she urged.

"He told us that his Master was insane and that he was prone to having sort of black-outs.  He said that Spike wasn't killing his victims and that he would spend a lot of time talking to himself." he said.

'Oh, my God.' thought Beth.  "He let victims escape?  Do you have pictures of them?"  she managed to ask, keeping her voice steady.

Gary took some more polaroids from his case and handed them to her.  She already knew what they would look like.  She had seen them before.  She skimmed through them quickly, trying not to show signs of recognition, but they were the ones she had seen in 


her visions.  The times she had caught him feeding on them, then watching as, sensing her presence, he managed to reign in the demon inside him  and release his hold on the 'happy meals' before it could kill them.  "Go on, what else did this vampire say?" she urged.

"He said that he thought Spike was talking to someone called Beth. Talking to you!" he finished.  He looked at the marks on her throat again.  "It's clear he fed off you, but did you..um..did you..."

"Did I bite him?" she finished his sentence for him and waited until he nodded.  "Not that it's any of your business, but...yes.  I bit him!  He told me it would make us closer."  She laughed out loud.  "Didn't work very well did it?  First chance he got he was off across the bloody Atlantic! Anyway, like I said, I still don't know why you need me!"

Mitch guffawed and edged closer, only stopping when Gary raised his hand to warn him to keep his distance.  "I thought you said she was bright! Look, lady, if you've shared blood then you're tied!  Kinda like a marriage licence only there's no divorce court, just death!"

"He's right." said Gary.  "We've had someone watching you, Beth.  We know you've been blanking out too.  He's not talking to himself is he? You've been communicating all this time and been putting it down to wishful thinking or something, haven't you?"  Beth shook her head and went to deny it.  "Don't lie.  Our people do their job very well, as you
know!  Spike may have left you physically, but you're linked mentally! It's very Bram Stokerish, I know, but it's called being in each other's Thrall.  It took us some time to figure it out, but thats the way it is.  You're bonded, Beth."

She took a moment for it to sink in.  The room in her head, where they would most often meet and talk, and make love; not a dream after all!

"I still don't see why you need me." she whispered, hoping they wouldn't notice how much lighter her mood had suddenly become.

"Our people can't get close to him.  Even the pictures are taken with telephoto lenses.  He seems to know when we're close by, so he either sends out his goons to deal with the problem or just moves on.  He killed a couple of our guys in Manchester, but that's as close as we've ever got to him."  Gary paused.  "We think that if you are there it will draw him out into the open for us."

"Are you mad?" gasped Beth.  "Why the hell would I help you?  I love him, Gary.  There's no way I'd let you..."

"He used you, lady!"  Mitch interrupted.  "You were just food and a fuck!  Don't that make you wanna get even?"


"No...That's not true!"  She stammered, placing her hand over her brow to ease the headache she was getting.  'Not true! He loved me!'  her brain repeated over and over, then that seed of doubt began to nag away at her.  'He took you for a ride, stupid! '  It kept saying.  'You gave him anything he wanted!'  She pushed the doubt away, holding on to her previous thoughts, but the doubt was already sprouting into flower. "Let me think about it!  I...I need to sleep on it first!"

Gary nodded sympathetically.  Mitch simply grinned wider.  'Serves you right!' he gloated silently.  'Bloody traitor. God-damned necrophiliac whore!'


                    *********************************************

Giles opened the door to be met with a sharp slap across the face.  He reeled backwards in shock as Beth stormed in, pushing him out of the way.

"You lied to me!  Buffy and you fucking well lied!  How could you?"  she screamed at him.  She raised her hand to slap him again but instead slumped to her knees and began to cry.

Giles bent to help her up but she swatted him away.  "Don't touch me, Rupert!  How could you do this to me?  Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

He stood nervously over her not really knowing what to say. "Um...what..what are you talking about?" he stammered.

"He just left!  Why couldn't you be honest about it?" she sobbed.  "Do you think it's been easier for me thinking he's dead and that I'm losing my mind?  Well do you?"

He tried again to help her up and this time she allowed him to pull her to her feet and sit her on the sofa.  "He thought it would be easier this way."  he mumbled.  "He didn't want you to follow him because he thought he might hurt you!"

"Ha!" she laughed sarcastically.  "Easier for him you mean!  He didn't even have the guts to tell me he didn't want me anymore!  That would have hurt, but not as much as him dying! Now I'm stuck in the sodding Twilight Zone!"

Rupert put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her.  "The visions."  he stated simply.  "You're not going mad, you're..."

She interrupted him.  "..in each other's thrall?"  She noticed the look of surprise that fell across her brother's face.  "I know about that now.  I had a visit from a couple of Watcher's Council arseholes!  I heard it all from them, when you should have been the one to tell me, Rupert. Why couldn't you tell me that he just didn't love me anymore?"


Rupert moved one hand towards her cheek and brushed the tears away. "That's not true, Beth.  He loves you enough to leave you!  He thought he might kill you or worse....turn you.  We only found out about the bond between you tonight.  I was going to tell you....."

He told her everything that had been said that night, trying to make her understand Spike's reasoning.  He explained the link between them was not something that happened often, merely because vampires usually only made a brief connection with an erstwhile victim.  Before things could get this far, the victim would normally be dead.

"This thing between the two of you is an exception.  Spike never wanted you as his victim, then or now.  I think he honestly believed it was the right thing to do to keep you both in tune with each other." he continued.  "We all got used to the fact that you would be able to predict each other's actions and words so easily.  I think we just assumed it was because you were both so close. I'm sure he never realised it could be this problem!  It never crossed my mind it could be anything other than a natural progression of a deep relationship!....Let me get you something to drink.."  He stood and went to pour her a glass of brandy.

"They want me to help them get to him, Rupert." she whispered.

He handed her a glass and she downed the drink in one go.  "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I don't know.....Do you mind if I bunk down on the sofa tonight?  I really don't want to go home!"  she answered.

"Of course you can.  I'll get you some bedding."  He ran up the stairs to fetch it.  In the few moments it took him to sort out a blanket and pillow and bring it back down, she was curled up asleep.  He wrapped the blanket around her and kissed her forehead.  "Sleep tight." he whispered, and took himself off to bed.


                    ****************************************

The room was dimly lit by a low watt bulb that hung over it's centre and she sensed him standing in the shadows.  "Spike?  It's really me, baby. I know you didn't die, and I know you're in England!  We're not crazy, love!"  she whispered.

He stepped into the light and walked slowly towards her.  "This dream is much better than the last."  he whispered back.  He put his arms out to hold her and she hesitated briefly before allowing him to pull her close to his chest. She wanted to be angry at him but all she could feel was his cool skin beginning to warm as her own body heat began to spread across him.   She nestled her face into his bare chest and hugged him closer.



"You're a vampire.  You must know what thrall means!" she murmured.  She felt his muscles tense as a faint realisation hit him. "We've just taken it to it's limits, Spike. You should've stayed you know.  Whatever you think you might do, it's got to be better than what's been happening to us!"

He ran his hands down her back and sighed.  "Now I know I'm luny!  I'm dreaming up, literally, rational explanations in my bloody hallucinations!" he grumbled.  "Damn it, Beth.  I wish it could have been different!"

She pulled back from him to look into his eyes and smiled.  "It will be.  I'm coming to get you, if you want me!  I'm coming to get you before those Council pratts can touch you!  This is reality sweetheart; please believe me!"

He bent his head to kiss her. 'Reality or not..'  he thought.  'This is where I want to be.'  His lips touched hers, tenderly at first, and he ran his tongue softly into her mouth, her own tongue embracing his in a slow sensuous dance.  Her body melted against his and he could feel every curve, every inch of her through the thin summer dress she was wearing.  He deepened the kiss and pressed his lips harder against hers. His head was swimming as an almost uncontrollable passion enveloped him.  Right now he didn't care that this could not be real; right now this was his entire existence, holding this precious mortal in his arms and feeling her heat as she pressed against him.

He gripped her shoulders and slid the straps down her arms, allowing the dress to slip slowly down her body then tugged at the clasp of her bra, marvelling at her full round breasts as the garment yielded to him.

"I want you, baby."  he groaned.  "Not just like this. I love you Beth!"  He felt her fingers brush down his stomach and slowly undo the buttons on his jeans, releasing his erection as her other hand tugged the denim down over his buttocks.  He bent slightly to pull his jeans off over his bare feet then dropped to his knees and kissed her navel. He ran his tongue along the thin silver scar on her stomach and gently eased off her panties.

She shuddered as his tongue moved lower, and she combed her fingers through his thick bleached hair.  She moaned softly as he placed his hands on her buttocks and held her fast as his mouth delved into the soft folds between her legs.

He lapped slowly at the warm moisture welling up inside her and felt her begin to shake and tremble as his tongue darted inside her.  He could hear her breath become laboured and her heart pounding almost deafeningly in her chest as her insides began to quiver and contract. He quickened his ministrations and she cried out as he pushed her hard over
the edge.

He pulled her down to him, her body shaking and her legs no longer able to hold her, rolling them both onto the floor.  She landed on top of him and kissed him urgently.


She pulled herself down along the length of his body until he felt he burning lips brushing the tip of his erection.  She slowly took him into her mouth and his hips arched towards her as she began to tease and suck him until he was wildly oblivious to anything else.  She could feel he was close.

She raised her head and began to kiss her way back up his abdomen, his chest and back to his lips.  "Not yet, baby."  she teased.  "Not yet!"

She knelt back on her heels and lowered herself down onto him and he grabbed her hips and pulled her down, effectively impaling her.  She began to wriggle and writhe around him and he thrust his hips towards her with her every downward motion, as she engulfed him to the hilt.

He began to knead and squeeze her breasts, feeling her beginning to build again, and knowing he couldn't hold out himself much longer. He moved his hands to her hips again, urging her to go faster.

As she began to buck around him he gave in, his seed shooting into her as they both cried out in unison.



























CHAPTER SIX.


Giles barrelled out of the front door, his hold-all packed to bursting, as the first flushes of dawn appeared in the sky.  So urgent was his need to get to the car he couldn't stop in time, smacking straight into Buffy as she ran up the path.

"Oh, uh...Buffy!  Sorry can't stop!  Got a plane to catch!"  he mumbled, straightening his coat.  Another figure appeared beside her.  "Carl?" he queried.

"Rupert...Are you going where I think you are?" Carl Fenn stood firmly in Giles' way, denying him access to the car.  "They've already contacted you then."

Giles stood confused for a moment, then realised what he was talking about.  "Not me." he said quietly.  "They paid a visit to Beth."

Buffy took her ex-Watcher's arm and ushered him back towards the house. "Carl has something very important to tell you, Giles.  Can we go inside and talk?"  Giles hesitated for a moment, looking at his watch. He had a little time before his flight so he reluctantly turned and unlocked the door, allowing them to enter.

"I don't have much time.  I've got to catch that flight, so make it quick...I don't think you can tell me any more than I already know!" Giles said, motioning them to sit down.

Carl glanced at Buffy who mouthed a silent 'Go on.' to him.  The young man took in a deep breath.  "Beth's gone after him alone, has she?"  he asked, pausing long enough for Giles to affirm the fact with a nod of the head.  "How much did Gary Peters tell her?"

Giles slowly related the story that Beth had told him.  "She snuck out in the middle of the night.  Just left me a note to say she was going to sort things out;  in England." he finished.  He glanced again at his watch.

"If that's what they told her, it's not exactly the truth.." Buffy said cautiously.  "Giles, Carl found out what they were planning." She took Carl's hand in hers and squeezed it gently.  His work kept him away from her for long periods of time and she had missed him so much, but she wished his visit had been made under different circumstances.

Carl smiled gravely at Buffy then continued to tell Giles what he had learned.  "At first, the Council merely wanted to keep track of Spike. After a short time several members decided to take it upon themselves to get rid of him once and for all."  He saw Giles look in the air in impatience.  "I know you've already heard that...but things have taken another turn."




"Look, Carl, Buffy...I don't mean to be rude, but I really must go after her.  Whatever she's planning, it won't take long before Peters tracks her down."  Giles sighed impatiently.

"They probably already know where she is." Buffy whispered.  "Giles, they want her too!"

Giles went to speak but Carl beat him to it.  "It's true.  Once they figured out that there's some kind of mental bond between them, they changed their agenda." he started.  "They don't want to kill him any more, they want to study him.  They want both of them so they can use them like lab rats and find out more about this 'thrall'!"

Giles leapt to his feet and grabbed his hold-all.  "All the more reason for me to get that flight!"  he yelled, heading for the door.

Carl and Buffy ran after him.  "I'll go with you..You'll need help!" Carl shouted after him.  He turned and kissed Buffy full on the lips before following the older man to the car.  "Let's get going!"

"Be careful!"  Buffy called after the fast disappearing car, then turned to close Giles' front door.  'Business as usual for me, I guess.' she thought.



           ***************************************************


3a.m. and Beth awoke in a cold sweat.  She smiled softly as she realised that her brother had tucked her into a soft blanket and let her sleep on.  It brought back warm memories of when she was a little girl, and he would read her bedtime stories until her eyelids would grow heavy and then he would kiss her on the forehead and tell her he would always look out for her.  Despite the fact she moved away as she grew older, she knew he would always be there when she needed him, and that gave her more comfort than he ever knew.  She loved her brother very much, but as was so often the case these days, she had to do this thing on her own. She would get to England and find Spike.  If she was right, he would welcome her.  If she was wrong.....well, if she WAS wrong, she knew she could never kill him even if he gave her the chance. Better to die by his hands than by the hands of any of the creatures she met on her almost nightly excursions along the hell mouth.

She hastily scribbled a note for Rupert then gathered her coat and purse before heading off into the night.  With luck, Gary and Mitch wouldn't notice her absence until she was already aboard the plane, but somehow she doubted that.  They probably already knew she was here instead of at home.


She climbed into Spike's black Desoto and headed for the airport.  The windows were still pretty well blacked out, except for a small slit she had cleared to enable her to see where she was going, and she smiled when she thought what his face would be like if he knew she had started driving it!  'Battery would be flat as a pancake if I didn't turn the engine over now and again, lover.'  she thought to herself, snatching up a cigarette from the pack lying on the dashboard.  She lit it,  then her expression settled into a mask of determination.

At the airport she managed to get a ticket to Birmingham Airport and was barely through the gates when she heard someone shout her.  She glanced over her shoulder and saw Gary racing towards her, only to be stopped by the ticket collector.  She extended her middle finger at him and smirked as the gates closed on him, then boarded the 747 with a sigh of relief.

It was only when the landing gear left the tarmac that she felt at ease enough to close her eyes and get a little more sleep.


         ***********************************************************


"Don't give me excuses, you mindless buffoon!" yelled Spike.  "I told you to find out some perfectly simple information.."  He slammed his fist into the cowering vampire's face, sending him sprawling.  "..and you come back with absolutely, friggin', sod all!" He dragged the vampire back to his feet again and took a stake from his belt, waving it threateningly under the quivering minion's nose.

"I'm sorry, Master!  It's just that...I really tried to find it!" the battered blood-sucker pleaded.  "Give me another chance. I Promise I'll....."

Spike plunged the stake into his underling's shoulder and the smaller vampire hissed in pain, then relief as he didn't explode into a dusty cloud.  "Next time, I won't miss, Gellion!" hissed Spike, throwing the vampire across the room towards the door.  "Now get back out there and try again!"

Gellion got painfully to his feet and glanced at the door.  "But, Master it's...it's still daylight!" he protested as his Master moved towards him.  "Um...ok....I'm going!  I'll stay in the shadows!"  Gellion dodged out of the door and hugged the shadows of the alley as he painfully made his way back towards the city centre library.

Spike turned to face the small group he had assembled on the main factory floor, his leather duster swishing loudly as he spun.  "Now, children.."  he sneered at them.  "What did you manage to get for me?"

 

A raven haired woman held out a package towards him and he snatched it from her.  "I got this for you, Spike. Thought you might like it!"  She breathed seductively.  She had seen how Carly managed to appease their Master by using 'womanly' wiles, and was pleased to see Spike grin at the gift.

"Good girl, Lizzie."  he smirked.  "Ramones Anthology!  Very good!"  His face suddenly changed and his eyes flashed bright yellow as he threw the CD back at her.  "Only problem is,  no one has yet been bright enough to realise we need a bloody stereo to play it!"

Lizzie backed away, looking for somewhere to hide from his temper.  "I'm sorry, Master.  We'll get one....won't we?"  she looked pleadingly at her fellow vampires, who all bowed their heads and muttered in agreement.

Spike threw his hands up in exasperation.  "Bloody Hell!" he cursed. "How the hell did I get stuck with such a load of mindless cretins like you lot? Get out of my sight.  All of you!"  He scowled as they all began to make a hasty retreat.  All except for Carly.

She waited for the others to leave before approaching him, and ran her fingers across his now furrowed forehead.  "Want me to make it better, Spike?"  she cooed, leaning forward to kiss him.

Spike gripped her shoulders and returned the kiss, then pushed her away.  "Just sod off!  I'm not in the mood!" he snapped and stomped back to his room.

Once alone behind closed doors his shoulders slumped and he rubbed his head.  'Must be the only vamp in history to get bloody migraines.' he cursed to himself, taking off his coat and throwing it across the rough wooden table just behind the door.  He flung himself onto the water bed, hoping the undulating base would sooth him somewhat.  But all he could think about was the information he sorely needed from Gellion.

'Thrall!  All I want is some info about bloody thrall!' he mused. 'Dracula, you bloody nancy!  What I'd give for a good talk with you, you poncy bloody Barnum!'  That was a trick he had used a lot.  Spike had never had any time for parlour games, and neither had most of his vampire counterparts.  'Catch 'em and eat 'em.' was much more simple. Even Angelus, who loved to 'play' with his food had never used that little trick.

Maybe he was clutching at straws starting to believe his dreams and hallucinations were real, but that certainly beat the alternative!  He had been with Dru for over a century, witnessing true insanity, and he refused to even contemplate that he might just be heading in the same direction.



She said she was coming to find him.  Well, if that did happen, maybe he wasn't mad after all;  all his 'imaginary' talks with her would be proved real, and even that really annoying habit of seeing her before he could kill seemed to pale into insignificance as he almost felt his dead heart try to beat at the thought of seeing her again.  "I miss you
Beth..." he whispered to the empty room.  He closed his eyes, the same sentence repeating over and over in his head.  'I'm coming to get you, if you want me!'

What a stupid question!  Of course he wanted her.  How many times had he wanted to turn back the clock to the time he left Sunnydale?  A hundred, a thousand?  If only he had just taken her with him!  'Don't be a pratt!' he chided himself.  'No chip equals eat the human!'  As much as he wanted her, he knew he could never let her find him, not if that meant him making her his 'happy meal'!

He punched the water filled mattress again to make it ripple under him and tried to sleep.


                    **************************************************


Giles and Fenn paced the airport lounge.  The flight was delayed by two hours and the waiting was almost unbearable.  The two men barely spoke but both were worried.  Beth had had five hours head start on them already, and goodness knows what problems she would have encountered in that time!

Carl stopped pacing and grabbed Giles' arm.  "We've got company, Rupert." he whispered, pointing to the two suited men approaching them.

Giles glared at them as they came nearer.  "Peters!"  he spat.  "Fancy meeting you here!  I assume your friend is this Mitch I've heard so much about!"

Gary Peters smiled with his lips, but his eyes were filled with anger. "Rupert Giles and Carl Fenn!" he mumbled through gritted teeth.  He turned to Mitch.  "A failed Watcher and a book worm!" he confided to him in a stage whisper.

Mitch eyed the pair with distaste.  "Met your sister, Watcher!  Good looker, but she likes her meat way past its sell by date, if you get my drift!" he spat.

Giles went to take a swing at him but Carl knocked his arm down.  "We don't need a scene, Rupert.  This ass is just on the wind up!"

Mitch sneered.  "We've got a welcoming committee waiting for her at the other end, anyway, so you'll see her soon enough!"



Gary put up his hand to motion Mitch to shut up then smiled again. "He's right.  We've put out a warrant for her arrest!  The Brits are going to pick her up for murder the second she lands and we have been promoted to the FBI to take her off their hands!  It's quite amazing what a few well placed 'phone calls will do!"

"Murder?" gasped Giles.  "You've trumped up charges...."

Gary interrupted before he could finish the sentence.  "Actually, we didn't have to make anything up!  We merely decided to re-open an unsolved case file.  Remember Doctor Mylar?"   He noticed Giles look of shock.  "You didn't think we knew about that did you?  It suited our purpose to brush the whole thing under the carpet....until now!"

"You bastards!" whispered Giles.  "You know as well as I that Mylar deserved what he got!"

"Maybe so." returned Gary.  "But our society does have laws, you know. Rights and privileges; Can't take the law into one's own hands, etc, etc, etc!"  He stopped as an announcement boomed over the tanoy system. "Seems our flight is ready for boarding.  I do hope they have a good in-flight movie!"

"I am personally going to kill those two!" growled Giles as they moved towards the gate.

Carl nodded.  "I'll give you a hand!"


                                **********************************


















CHAPTER SEVEN.


A hand touching her shoulder woke her instantly.  It took several seconds for her to remember where she was.

"If you'd put your seat back into the upright position, we're going to be landing shortly, Miss."  the cabin steward smiled.

"Oh..um, yes.  Thank you."  Beth murmured back, shaking off the last remnants of, for once, a dreamless sleep.  A feeling of excitement and fear gnawed at her insides as the plane began it's descent and she wondered if her Council 'friends' would be waiting for her on arrival.

She had no doubt they would be hunting her and she thanked whatever god was listening that she had had the presence of mind to keep plenty of emergency cash stashed away for a rainy day.  There was no way she could use her credit or ATM cards now; it would be like standing on the top of the world's tallest building shouting "Here I am. Come and get me!" through a megaphone!  Her only problem was changing the several thousand dollars in her purse to sterling.  She had only changed a small amount before boarding the plane in case it drew too much attention to her.

The landing gear hit the tarmac a little heavily, bouncing off it twice before eventually gliding along the runway.  As they taxied to the terminal she caught a glimpse of a couple of police cars just behind the waiting baggage truck.  'Damn!' she cursed.  'You don't do things by half, Gary!'

An announcement from the cockpit confirmed her suspicions. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please stay in your seats while the local authorities board the plane for a routine check.  Please have your passports ready.  As I said, this is merely a routine check, and there is nothing to be alarmed about.  Thank you for your co-operation."

She opened her purse and quickly stuffed the currency into her jeans and coat pockets, much to the surprise of the lady seated next to her.

"Travellers cheques are much safer, dear."  she tutted.  "You're asking for trouble carrying...."

Beth glared at her.  "Sod off!" she spat.  "Nobody asked you!"  She rummaged through her purse once more and slipped a nail file under her waistband.

The woman scowled and looked quickly away.  "Such bad manners!" she muttered.




The cabin crew opened the door and two policemen made their way down the aisle.  They made an unconvincing display of checking everyone's passport but they already knew who they were looking for.  They finally reached her.

"Miss Giles.  Would you come with us please?" the first officer demanded.  She unbuckled her seat belt and slid past the nosy woman and into the aisle.  There was nothing she could do at this point other than to let them escort her from the plane.  There were too many people and not enough room for her to attempt to flee.  The second officer took her purse from her and they herded her towards the steps.

Before descending, the first officer took her arm and slapped one half of a pair of handcuffs onto her wrist, inserting his own wrist into the other half.  "Bethany Sarah Giles, I am arresting you for the murder of Dr. Simon Mylar.  You are not obliged to say anything..."

"I've heard it all before!" she interrupted.  "You'll appoint a lawyer, yada, yada, yada!"  She tugged at the cuffs, making her captor lose his balance somewhat as they headed down the steps onto the tarmac.  His companion grabbed her unchained arm and twisted it behind her back. "Oww! I'll have you for bloody brutality!" she grimaced.

They marched her across the tarmac and shoved her towards the waiting police car.  As the policeman released his arm from the handcuffs she knew this was her one chance.

Before anyone could react she gripped the keyholder by the elbow, dragging him hard into the knee she brought up, winding him.  The nail file was out and held painfully to his windpipe before his fellow officers could pounce on her.

"Stay back or I'll manicure this little boy real good!" she snapped.

Nobody moved as she ordered her captive to open the driver's door.  "How thoughtful!  You left the keys in for me!  Now throw the cuff keys onto the seat!"

As soon as he did so she flung the hostage at the group and leapt into the car, locking the door.  She turned the key and the engine roared into life.  They were pounding on the windows as she floored the pedal, glass from the side window showering her as one of them punched through it in an attempt to grab her.  A couple of them ran in front of her but leapt out of the way when it was obvious she was not going to stop.

With tyres screeching and the smell of burning rubber she sped away from them, the other car now in pursuit.  She headed for the runways first, fighting the wheel as the tyres hit an oil patch, spinning her 360 degrees.  She glanced in the rear view mirror to see the other car gaining on her.  She looked over her shoulder to see a 727 coming in to land and she was directly in it's path!

Beth slammed her foot down on the accelerator, hoping the car would be fast enough.  The plane was looming larger as she shot across it's path, barely missing the slipstream as it passed.

The other car was not quite so lucky.  The heated air and the rush from the plane's engines whipped the car violently across the runway, sending it tumbling into the overgrown grass verge.

As Beth sped on she caught sight of the driver and his passengers scramble from the wreckage and she breathed a sigh of relief.  She swung the vehicle around the side of the luggage holding area and, snatching up the cuff keys, jumped from the car running.

By the time Airport Security was in place she had managed to melt into the crowds of holiday-makers littering the Euro-Hub and swiped a coat lying unguarded across a pile of suitcases.  Slipping it on she managed to reach the outside and jumped into a taxi.  She had no idea where to start, but told the cabbie to head for the city centre.


                          **************************************

"I've already told you, I don't know where she is!" snapped Giles."Detective…. .er..Flannery, is it?"

The detective sat silently opposite, tapping his ball point pen on the table top.  Giles sighed heavily. "Would you please stop that infernal rapping?  If I am under arrest, just lock me away in one of your quiet little cells.  If I'm not, then I would very much like to get out of here!"

"Your sister is wanted for murder, Mr. Giles."  Flannery finally spoke. "Not to mention GBH on my officers, destruction of police property; a.k.a. one patrol car!  Then there's the matter of reckless endangerment of two hundred and forty passengers and crew on board the 727 she nearly drove into!"  He took a breath and turned off the tape recorder that was placed between them.  "Unfortunately, we can't charge you or Mr. Fenn with anything at the moment.  But I warn you, if she does contact either of you, you will inform us or I'll have you both locked up for obstruction!  However,  for now you are free to go!"

Giles met Carl in the corridor and they both headed towards the exit. "Mr Fenn, Mr Giles!"  Flannery called after them.  "I take it you will be staying at the Chamberlain hotel?"

Carl turned.  "I think we already told you that!"  he scowled.  "Why don't you check all those little notes you were scribbling down?  Or were you just drawing pretty pictures?"  He turned again and he and Giles walked out into the street.

"This is not good, Rupert!" whispered Carl.  "Beth's face will be plastered all over the evening papers by now.  How long will she be able to avoid being picked up?"

"She's resourceful, Carl." Giles replied.  "But you're right.  It is just a matter of time!"

As they walked up the crowded street Giles scanned the crowds in the vain hope he would spot her.  This time she had landed in a world of trouble and he seriously doubted he would be able to do much to protect her.  Gary Peters had the authorities eating out of his hand and every policeman in Birmingham, in Great Britain, would be looking for her by now!

The two men walked in silence for a time, pausing only to ask for directions.  Once in the hotel lobby Carl spoke again.  "I'll contact a few people in the Council.  Find out just how far this breakaway faction has managed to take over.  Maybe they can do something about those charges, for a start!  Well, the murder charge anyway!  Not too sure what they would be able to do about the rest of them.  After all, there were certainly a few reliable witnesses to attest to the fact she did cause a problem at the airport!"

"You do that!" mumbled Giles.  "I'll try to pinpoint the area that Spike has been making his attacks.  You can guarantee that Beth will be doing the same."


                         ****************************************


As soon as Beth arrived in the city centre she found Thomas Cooks on New Street and managed to change some of her currency.  She clutched the £700 and decided now would be a good time for a shopping spree....before finding a place to hole up.  She rubbed her wrist where the handcuffs had left a red welt and she smirked as she thought of the taxi driver's face when he discovered them shoved down the back seat of his cab.

A quick trip to some of the clothing stores and the local chemist done, she headed into the ladies toilets at the Pallisades to change.  The disabled cubicle was the only one with a sink so she ripped the OUT OF ORDER sign from one of the other ones and slapped it onto the door before locking herself in.

She carefully unpacked her carrier bags and laid the items out on the floor.  She took hold of the scissors and stared at her reflection in the mirror.  With a sigh, she began to cut her hair....

An hour later she emerged.  She was quite pleased with her transformation and felt sure she would be able to evade the authorities for some time if she kept a low profile.


As she made her way past a couple of policemen they barely even glanced at the short haired blonde in the baggy turtle neck sweater, black tracksuit bottoms and grey fleece jacket.

She stepped into the street and paused to light a cigarette as she pondered how she would find somewhere to stay.  Most hotels would require a credit card to check in and as she wouldn't be able to use hers even if the police hadn't confiscated them, that was going to be a problem!

Her other problem was having no weapons.  If she was to look for Spike she knew she would run into one or more of his underlings, so a stake at the very least would be in order!

A quick visit to a sporting goods store got her a sleeping bag and a hunting knife, and with all the building work going on for a new shopping complex she would be able to salvage some wood.

By the time she had collected up her supplies and bundled them into the newly purchased back-pack, the shops were closing for the night.  Her stomach growled unmercifully with hunger so she grabbed a burger, fries and coffee from MacDonalds before wandering the back streets of the city.

The air was crisp and cold and her breath sent steam rising into the air as she scoured the dark deserted industrial area.  Most of the buildings were still occupied, but some were boarded up and derelict.  She finally found one that had already had the rusty lock forced and she entered cautiously.

The distinct odour of urine and filth hit her immediately and as she shone the torch around the room it was obvious this was where the junkies and homeless came to either feed their habit or shelter from the elements.  Old food wrappers and spent syringes littered the floor here and there and she jumped as a pile of rags in the corner began to move.

The teenager staggered to his feet, swaying drunkenly.  "Fuck off!  This is my spot!" he slurred, clutching a bottle of spirits.  "Touch my stuff and I'll..."

Beth crouched down in an attempt to show she was not here to steal from him or threaten him.  "I just want to sleep here, kid...I'll move further down the building. Ok?"  she whispered.

The boy hesitated for a moment then settled back down.  "Jus..don't touch my stuff!" he muttered before sitting back down and flinging the filthy rags back over his painfully thin body in an attempt to keep warm.



She found a spot for herself and settled down against the wall, taking out yet another cigarette and lighting it.  She saw the boy still watching her and threw him one too. He mumbled a half-hearted thankyou as she tossed her lighter to him.  He lit it and tossed it back.  "Tell you what, kid.  You keep an eye on my stuff when I go out, and I'll pay you." she whispered.  He looked doubtful.  "I mean it.  I'll give you a tenner when I go and another tenner when I get back, as long as you leave well alone."

The boy took a drag on his cigarette and thought for a moment.  "Fair enough!" he mumbled then fell silent, staring into space.

She finished her cigarette then took out the knife and the wood and began to whittle the end into a sharp point.  Her senses tingled as she felt a distant presence.  'I feel you, love.' she thought to herself, hoping the thought would reach him.  She fought the urge to close her eyes and go to him.  She needed to concentrate on the task at hand.


                          ******************************************

Spike growled menacingly at his prey.  His eyes flashed a golden yellow and his fangs gleamed in the moonlight.  His deep ridged brow twisted into a frown as he fed.  He groaned in unwilling compliance and released the tramp, frustrated when he still heard his victim's heart beating. 'I feel you, love.' echoed in his mind as he licked the fresh blood from his lips and he walked reluctantly away from his 'snack'.  He had drunk enough to sate his hunger, but still the demon wanted a kill.

The blonde vampire sucked in his cheeks and scowled as his features changed back to their human appearance.  The demon would be disappointed then!  Oddly, Spike didn't feel that way.  Even when she wasn't in his head, just lately he found the strength of will from somewhere to let his victims live.  At first he mentally beat himself up over that, but now he had begun to accept he was never going to be the man, the vampire, he was before the Initiative.

Maybe the chip had done more than control his violent tendencies.  Maybe it had altered his brain waves permanently!  Ok, so it no longer functioned and there was no pain anymore, but somehow it must have changed him irrepairably.

He slunk past the run down buildings and was hit by a tidal wave of emotions.  He gasped at the sheer intensity of it and had to stop to regain his composure.  "Christ!" he whispered.  "You're already here!"

He felt her presence so strongly he spun round in a circle expecting her to be right beside him, but the street was empty except for the tramp who was getting painfully to his feet in the distance. He shook his head in dismay at his choice in victims.  Just lately, he had taken to dining off the homeless and destitute because they were less 

likely to report his attacks than his earlier ones.  He drew the line at the junkies and the drug addicts after he had fed from one and spent hours trying to fight off an imaginary walking, talking Bugs Bunny!

He could feel her!  Disappointment, relief, longing, dismay.  All passed through him as he began to move again. He didn't want to see her;  yes he did!  He needed to see her;  no he bloody well didn't!  Conflicting thoughts whirled around in his head and he felt a migraine coming on.

He bowed his head and a discarded newspaper caught his eye.  He bent and picked it up, staring long and hard at the picture on the front page.

MURDER SUSPECT CAUSES AIRPORT CHAOS screamed the headline.  Her features stared back at him from the front page.  As he read the article a smile came to his lips.  'Thats my girl!' he grinned silently.  'Don't let the bastards get one over on you!'

He ran his fingers gently along the printed contours of her face, then frowned.  She told him she was coming for him!  Then he wasn't going mad after all!  Everything she told him was true!  "This is goin' to be a tough one to get out of baby." he whispered to the picture.  "How the hell are you goin' to escape from this?"

He instinctively dropped back into the shadows as he heard a door opening across the street.  He caught a glimpse of a short haired blonde sneak out of the building and make her way into the alley.  A hint of recognition struck him but he shrugged it off.  'Another bloody druggy!' he tutted, then headed in the opposite direction.

As he entered his lair the sound of music echoed round him.  Carly rushed up to him excitedly.  "How'd you like the stereo, Spike?" she grinned, pulling him to the centre of the floor.  "Come on, let's dance!"

He growled and pushed past her.  "I don't do dancin'!" he glowered at her.  He turned to the small group assembled there and felt no small satisfaction at their fearful simpering as his game face appeared.

"It isn't dawn yet, so all of you...get out and bloody kill something!" he yelled.

Carly went to turn off the music but he grabbed.  "Leave it on!" he scowled, pushing her towards the door.  "Now all of you, bugger off!"


                                **********************************




CHAPTER EIGHT.
  

"It's just a minor set-back." Gary Peters assured his partner, chuckling softly.  "I knew Beth wouldn't let a little thing like the law get in her way!" 

Mitch scowled at him.  He was getting more than a little annoyed with the way Peters spoke about the woman with such admiration.  "How the fuck can you find all this so funny, Peters?" he snapped.  "We should'a just grabbed the little bitch when we had the chance.  But, no!  You had to be all gentlemanly about it!  So she was a friend of yours.  So what?  She changed sides, Gary.  Our orders are clear.  Get her, get the vampire, give 'em to the labcoats and that's all!" 

"She was more than just a friend!  We watched each other's backs on more missions that I can count!"  Gary argued back.  "You should have seen her back then..."  He shook his head.  "But you're right.  She's just another mission objective.  Now, our vampire was seen in Bradford Street the night before last, so I've got a team checking out the surrounding area.  I've also put a couple of men on Giles and Fenn.  You can bet they're looking too!" 

Gary studied the street map spread across the table again, tracing his index finger over the areas he had marked with indelible pen. 

Mitch snatched up the telephone as soon as it began to ring, and after a short conversation, replaced the receiver and grinned.  "We got a lead!"  he said quietly.  "Got a new 'hunter' in town.  Seems like our girl has changed her image, but she took on a vamp a couple of hours ago, then kicked the crap outta our man when he tried to grab her."  He took the black pen and placed an 'x' on the map. 

Gary smiled to himself.  "She's in the right area.  It's only a matter of time before we can get the two of them together." he almost whispered.  "I'm surprised they haven't found each other already!" 
  

                          *********************************** 
  

Carly paced the room nervously.  "Gellion was strong, Spike, but she ran rings round him! She's been trained to get us..." 

Spike merely shrugged.  "Gellion was a pratt!  Strength is not the same as ability.  But you say she was a small blonde?"  He fleetingly thought of the 'junkie' he had caught a glimpse of earlier, coming out of the factory and his first instinct was 'Slayer'. 

'Short, blonde and fast...' he mused.  Had the Slayer decided to hunt him after all?  He

dismissed the thought almost instantly.  She wouldn't have left the Hellmouth just to track him down.  She had more urgent tasks to perform than that.  He had never wanted to destroy the world; unlike many of the demons she would encounter on her nightly patrols. 

"What should we do?"  Carly pleaded.  "Do you think she has friends with her?  What if they..." 

"Shut up!" he snapped at her.  "I'm tryin' to bloody think!"  If not the Slayer then.." Bloody hell!"  he gasped in realisation.  A smirk spread across his face.  "It must be her." 

"Should we get her, darlin'? I could get a group of us together and catch her!" 

Spike gripped her by the shoulders and shook her, his eyes changing to golden yellow.  "You do, and I'll break your pretty little neck!  She's mine!"  He pushed her away.  "An' don't call me darlin'!  Get out!" 

Carly sullenly left the room and slammed the door behind her, mumbling under her breath. 

'Christ, luv!' thought Spike, closing his eyes in an attempt to conjure her up in his head.  'I
should've known it was you.' 

"Told you I was coming."  Beth whispered back.  She sat in the corner of the dilapidated
building, a sleeping bag wrapped around her shoulders. 

"Yeah, you did." he mused.  "New image?" he chuckled at her cropped blonde hair.  He
crouched down beside her and glanced across the room to see another figure huddled against the wall, sleeping. 

"Don't mind him.  Just a kid with no-where to go." she smiled.  "You look tired." 

"Where are you?" He ran his fingers across her cheek.  "You know, I wasn't goin' to let you find me, pet.  But now you're here, I don't want to keep away." 

"I should bloody well think so!" she pouted putting her hand on his.  "It'll take me months to grow this damn junk out of my hair!  Not to mention the small fact that every copper in the country is tryin' to get my arse into a nice little jail cell!" 

"I read about it."  He noticed she also had the newspaper.  "I'm very impressed!" he chuckled, then his face set into a serious expression.  "Tell me where you are, Beth." 

"Axion Tools, I think it's called." she answered, then he was gone.  She opened her eyes and took out a cigarette.  As she lit it she wondered if that had been a mere dream or had she really spoken to him? 

The visions and the dream world had started to merge these days and although she knew some of the contact was real, it was becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between reality and fantasy. 

As she watched her cigarette finally burn down to just the filter, the sound of footsteps made her jump to her feet, clutching the stake and hunting knife in readiness.  The small battery operated lamp she had purchased on a last minute whim barely cut into the dense blackness of the abandoned building and she stared hard into the shadows trying to focus on the silhouette slowly approaching her.  The flashlight lay unused at her feet and she was unsure which weapon to discard so she could pick it up. 

As the figure came nearer, the lamp picked out the gleaming golden yellow eyes, which made the choice for her.  She dropped the knife and bent to pick up the flashlight, turning on the beam to see the vamped out bleached blonde as he approached. 

Her breath caught in her throat as she recognised him.  Was he in game face just to enhance his night vision, or was he planning to feed?  She dropped the stake and lowered the flashlight.  It didn't matter anymore. 

'Kiss me or kill me.'  she thought as she felt his arms wrap around her. 

It seemed an age before she felt his lips searching for hers, kissing her hungrily.  "Oh, baby." He groaned into her mouth and she tucked her arms under his coat and held him tight around the waist. 

She pulled away suddenly and slapped him.  "You bastard!" she growled.  "Do you know what I've been through?" 

He rubbed his cheek and frowned.  "I did what I thought was right, pet.....God, I can't believe I said that!" 

She lunged at him and he expected a barrage of fists, but was pleasantly surprised as she leapt into his arms and covered his face with kisses.  "I'm so damn mad at you!" she breathed.  "I could bloody well stake you for this!" 

The boy in the far corner stirred.  "Keep the noise down, ay?  I'm tryin' to bloody sleep here!" 

Spike took her hand.  "It's not dawn for a couple of hours yet.  Lets go for a walk." 
She nodded in silent agreement and they made their way outside. 

As Spike put his arm across her shoulder, he tensed.  Something was wrong; he could sense it. Before either of them had time to react, a blue flash shot across the street, hitting them square on, sending them flying backwards. 


Gary Peters wandered nonchalently across the road, followed by three men, one of them
replacing the safety on the tazer rifle he was carrying. 

He stood over the unconscious couple and smiled as a truck moved quietly along the street and stopped behind him.  "Lets get this package delivered people.  Before they wake up!" 

Carly watched from the shadows, taking care not to make a sound.  Who was the woman with her Master?  He seemed to be too friendly with her for her to be his next meal.  More importantly, who were the men that were bundling the pair into the back of the truck instead of destroying the vampire? 

She waited until the street was clear before venturing out of hiding.  Curiosity getting the better of her, she snuck into the building to have a look. 

She quickly found the woman's belongings and rummaged through them.  She hissed when she saw the stake and almost burned her hand on the cross hidden at the bottom of the bag. The newspaper headlines caught her eye and she looked at the photograph.  The hair was different, but this was definitely the woman she had seen with Spike.  

"Bethany Sarah Giles." she whispered.  "Beth!  So that's who you are!" she smirked. 

"Hey!  Leave that stuff alone!"  a voice called out.  She almost flew across the floor and gripped the teenager by the throat.  Her fangs gleamed in the dim lamp light and she licked her lips. 

The teenager stared in horror at the contorted face, heavily ridged brow and burning yellow eyes. 

"Oh, I love young blood!" Carly gasped, plunging her fangs into his neck. 
  

                           *********************************** 
  

Carl and Giles edged along the brick wall cautiously.  "If it's not his nest, it's definitely
someone's!  Must have been at least a dozen vamps going in and out of here in the last hour!" whispered Carl. 

"One thing I can say about Spike is, if this is where he's set up home, it doesn't surprise me in the least!  He has always had a penchant for old factories." muttered Giles. 

He sincerely hoped this was the place and that Beth had not yet found it.  He wanted to sound Spike out first to ensure the vampire wouldn't harm her. 


Their progress was interrupted when Carl pushed Giles back into the shadows just before a young woman came rushing past them.  She moved a plank away from the entrance and slid inside.  The two men waited for a few moments and followed her in. 

As they entered they could hear several voices raised in anger.

"I should be next in line! You wanna fight?"

"If he comes back he’ll be really pissed off if….."

Carl and Giles managed to find a good vantage point without being detected.  The woman they had followed was surrounded by five vampires, two of them women.  She dropped into a game face and hissed loudly.

"You all know Spike’s stronger than any of us!  If he finds out someone’s taken his place he’ll just tear their bloody head off!"  she snarled.

One of the males grabbed her arm.  "We all know you got the hots for him, Carly!  You’re the one that warned him when Darius was planning to take him out!"

Carly ripped her arm from his grasp.  "So what? Darius would’ve been dust even if I hadn’t!  I just made sure I got in the Master’s good books!"  she snapped back.  "Thing is, I know how you can get him!  I know his weakness!"

The group lapsed into puzzled silence and Carly flung the newspaper she was carrying onto the floor in front of them.  "You’ve all seen ‘im go off into that weird trance.." she waited for them to agree.  "You’ve heard him talking to himself right?  Well, she’s the one he’s been thinkin’ about."

Someone picked up the paper and looked at the article.  "This the Beth he keeps ranting about?  But…"

Carly growled in impatience.  "I saw her.  She was taken when he was.  And….she’s human!"  She waited for the chatter to die down.  "If he comes back, all you gotta do to make him do what you want is to get her!  For some reason, I think he loves her!"

Giles craned his neck to get a better view.  "Discention in the ranks, I think." He whispered to Carl.

Carl nodded.  "Yes.  But where did he go?  Did she say they were taken?"

A voice from behind startled them.  "Trespassers!" They turned to face Lizzie, her face contorted and fangs ready to strike.



Carly and the group rushed towards them and the two men drew the stakes from their pockets.

Carl pulled out a cross and slowly circled, making the vampires recoil.  One of them tore a pipe from the wall and swung it down at the offending object, and Carl yelled in pain as the metal smashed down onto his forearm, nearly breaking the bone.

As the cross clattered to the floor the vampires lunged at them.  Giles barely managed to escape being bitten and stabbed one female through the chest.  His aim was slightly off, but the female hesitated just long enough for him to strike again, this time hitting the target.  As she exploded in a shower of dust, Carl managed to kick one of the males backwards, knocking both him and one of his companions to the floor.  As the first one toppled backwards, Carl plunged the stake deep into his heart.

            The five remaining vampires, including Carly, began to circle the two men, taking care to stay beyond the reach of the sharp wooden weapons.

"We’re in a bit of a tight spot!" mumbled Giles.  "There are times when I wish I was still a librarian!"

The tension was shattered by someone shouting as the planks were ripped away from the entrance.  "Police!  Hold it right…"

Flannery stopped in his tracks.  He and the detective behind him stared in disbelief.  The five people surrounding the men they had been following were hideous;  Ridged brows, evil golden yellow eyes, and sharp elongated fangs made Flannery mentally pinch himself.

"I’m dreaming!" he whispered.  "Bloody….vampires?"  He was snapped back to reality as two of them barrelled into him and his partner.  He hit the floor hard as the creature tried to grip his throat with those terrifying fangs.  He wasn’t strong enough to hold the vampire off and struggled in vain to shove it away.  He felt her saliva dripping onto his neck then…..

With a whoosh the vampire exploded into dust and Carl gripped Flannery’s hand and yanked him to his feet.  His partner was not so fortunate.  His attacker had slammed him into the wall and with a sickening crack, they heard vertebrae snapping.  The detective was tossed lifeless to the floor, just as Giles reached them and thrust the stake into the vampire’s chest.

Carl pulled another stake from his pocket and handed it to Flannery who fought to keep back the near hysteria that was threatening to overtake him.

"Stake through the heart!" yelled Carl.  "You must’ve watched Hammer House of Horror!"

Flannery stood flanked by Giles and Fenn as the three remaining vampires faced off against them.

Carly hissed loudly and glanced at Lizzie and the young male who was only a fledgling.  The female knew he was not yet strong enough to fight as well as she and her older companion.

She shoved the fledgling at the humans as she and Lizzie backed away, searching for an escape route.

The fledgling landed a punch on Giles’ chin before Carl stabbed him through the back, piercing his dead heart.  As the dust settled around them Flannery managed to rugby tackle Carly to the ground as Lizzie disappeared into the labyrinth of corridors.

With the help of Giles and Fenn he managed to hold her down and prepared to use the stake he had been given.

"Wait!"  ordered Giles.  "She may know where Beth and Spike are!"

Flannery hesitated.  "Spike?  Who the…"

Carly struggled to release their grip, then dropped her demon features to reveal her pretty human face.  "Please…I’ll tell you what I know!  Please let me live!"  she pleaded.  "I can tell you what happened to my Master….and his female!"

Flannery bit his lip in an attempt to hold back on his own questions.  He was still in too much of a state of shock to be very verbal anyway!

Giles rested the tip of his stake against the woman’s chest and smiled.  "Tell me, then I’ll consider your request."


                                         *********************************













CHAPTER NINE.


"I don’t believe this!" Flannery gasped as the three men hurried into the dark street.  "I mean…I saw them, but…"

"It’s amazing what people will fail to see, even when its under their noses!" retorted Giles, as they reached both Flannery’s and their hired car.  "It’s a self-defence mechanism of sorts.  You know, what you can’t see, can’t hurt you!"

Carl paused to retrieve his lap top from the hire car as Flannery’s hands shook so violently he couldn’t fit the key into his car door.  Carl took them from him.  "It’s ok.  Lets use our car.  Yours is too well known to your friends at the Station."  He soothed, climbing into the driver’s seat.

Giles climbed into the back as Flannery slipped into the pasenger seat.  Carl passed his lap-top to Giles and turned the key in the ignition, waiting for Flannery to give him directions.

"It may have been a mistake to let her go, Rupert." Carl said finally.  "We’re supposed to be staking vampires, not making deals with them!"

Giles sighed heavily.  "Maybe, but I’m more concerned about what Peters is up to!"  He lapsed into silence again and Carl glanced at his reflection in the rear view mirror.  The worry etched across his features was blatantly obvious.

"We’ll get her back, Rupert." murmured his friend.  "I don’t think Peters would go to all this trouble to kidnap them if he just wanted them dead!"

Dave Flannery gave brief instructions to Carl and the car sped off.  The policeman gazed blankly out of the window as they turned the corner.  In his twenty three years in the force he had never seen the likes of the creatures he had fought, who had killed his partner and friend John Fowler, and his mind was having a great deal of trouble actually accepting the fact that this was not a dream.  He ran his hand over his greying brown hair and pressed his fingers against his grey eyes in an attempt to push away the gnawing headache.  

He had made only a brief radio call to the Station, giving just enough information for his fellow officers to find and retrieve the body of his friend, telling them he was pursuing suspects and would be in contact again shortly.  He knew he would be in a lot of trouble when they finally caught up with him, but what else could he do?  He had witnessed things that they would never understand or believe, and he would merely end up in a padded cell somewhere.  He glanced at his new comrades.  At this moment, he felt he had more in common with these two strangers than any of the men and women he had spent so much time with in his career.

The car slowed to a halt outside Axion Tools and the three jumped out and went into the building.  Beth’s small lamp burned dimly in the far corner and Giles scanned the shadows with his flashlight.  The body of the boy lay carelessly tossed aside, just beyond the small mound of Beth’s belongings.

Flannery bent and checked his pulse, confirming what he already knew.  "He’s dead." He muttered, looking at the jagged puncture marks in the boy’s throat.  He stroked the dead boy’s hair gently then turned to the back-pack.  "Is this your sister’s?"

Giles rummaged through the few items until he came across a necklace in the side pocket.  He held it up and the talisman sparkled in the lamplight.  "It’s hers." He whispered, taking the delicate jewellery and placing it in his pocket.  He never understood why she insisted on not wearing it.  Spike had given it to her to protect her from his kind, but it was only rarely she ever put it on.

"There’s no point in staying here."  Carl said quietly.  "Let’s hope we can track the van!"  He turned to the policeman.  "Flannery, do you have any friends who would be willing to help, or are they more likely to throw the book at you for leaving a crime scene?"

Flannery scowled.  "Well, the book throwing will happen eventually, but I think I’ve got enough mates at the Station to give me a little leeway until I can give them a full explanation!"  He paused.  "God knows how I’m gonna do that though!  It’s more likely they’ll send for the men in white coats and haul me off to the ‘funny farm’!"

"Hmm!  You’re probably right!"  Carl agreed.  "Let’s get going while we still can!  I’ll check in on the web to see if we have any more information about Peters and his faction!"


                           ***************************************************


The painful tingling vibrating around her entire body greeted her with a vengence as she slowly regained consciousness.  It took a few moments for her eyes to fully adjust to the bright florescent lights that hung above her and she tried to sit up. That was a mistake!  As soon as she raised her head the dizziness that overtook her made her almost vomit.  She lay back down on the cold hard surface which she assumed must be the floor to wait for the feeling to pass.

After several minutes she managed to struggle to her knees and take in her surroundings.  The white-washed room was devoid of furniture except for a toilet and wash basin on the far wall.  There were no windows, and the heavy door had only a small peep-hole in it.  

She got gingerly to her feet and tried the door handle.  Not surprisingly, it was locked and she banged her fists on it, shouting in frustration.  "Open this fucking door!  Let me out!" 

she yelled, pounding on the cold metal.  She was about to spout a long line of expletives when she heard someone calling her name.

"Beth!  You ok?"

"Spike?" she gasped.  "Where are you?"  She strained to hear his reply.

"I think I’m in the next room.  Are you hurt?"  he yelled back.

She shook off the last of the dizziness and felt relief at the sound of his voice.  "Not hurt.  You?"  she called, closing her eyes.

There he was.  He had done the same thing, both of them knowing they would find each other inside their minds.  He hugged her tightly then backed up to hold her at arm’s length.  "What the hell is goin’ on?" he growled.  "Where are we?"

Beth reached out and pulled him close again.  "I’ve got a horrible feeling that my old friends at the Council have diversified a little!  They paid me a visit back in Sunnydale." She told him.  "Why we’ve been kidnapped, though, I don’t know!  They told me they were going to kill you!  They must have…."

She disappeared and Spike opened his eyes in panic.  "Beth?"  His anger rose and his game face dropped into place. "Beth!"

He heard voices coming from the next room and then Beth cursing.  The sounds of a scuffle grew louder and he began to hammer against the door, throwing all of his weight against it, but to no avail!  He heard a key turn in the lock and the door swung open to reveal two men armed with tazer rifles.  One carried a crucifix.

"Come with us!"  commanded the tall thin man.  "Just remember, we’ve got your girlfriend so don’t try anything!"

Spike shrugged off his natural instinct to attack and, for her sake, he walked meekly into the corridor, flanked by the two men.  "Who are you people?" he demanded.  "Where is she?"

The shorter man nudged him in the back to urge him to move quicker.  "Mr. Peters is waiting for you.  I’m sure he’ll let you know why your’re here…eventually!  Personally, I’d have disposed of you.  But that’s just me!"  he smirked.  "Just have this crazy idea vampires are evil and don’t deserve to exist!"

They came to a set of double doors and Spike was ushered in.  A blonde suited man sat at a polished wooden table, tapping his pencil on the note pad in front of him.  He sneered at the vampire and pointed to a chair.


"William the Bloody, a.k.a. Spike!"  he started as the bleached blonde reluctantly sat down.  "I would say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but I would be lying!"

Spike balled his fists and felt his fingernails digging into his palms.  "What the fuck is going on?"  he snapped.  "Who are you, and what have you done with Beth?"

"Gary Peters.  I’m surprised Beth has never mentioned me."  His captor began.  "We used to be very close, if you know what I mean!"

Spike growled softly and his eyes flashed from blue to yellow and back to blue again.  "I doubt that! She’s got more taste!" he spat.  "What have you done with her?"

Peters began to write on the pad.  "Nothing!  We’ve done nothing to her, and she having a cosy littly chat with one of my colleagues."  He finally answered.  ‘Possessive behaviour.’ He thought.

He leaned back in his chair and studied the vampire carefully.  This would probably be the only interview he would get with him before the lab-coats took over, and he had to move onto the next mission.  Spike’s good looks aside, Peters still found it difficult to believe that his old friend had given herself body and blood to this monster.  It surprised him even more that the vampire had not killed or turned her during the nearly three years they had been together.  

‘He must actually really love her!’ Peters thought with shock.  Until this moment he had never really taken the time to analyse the strange coupling.  He had fully expected to find the pairing was merely a convenience for the vampire while he was unable to harm a living being; but when the chip stopped working the bleached blonde still hadn’t harmed her, preferring to distance himself from her rather than risk hurting her.

Spike patted his pockets to find them empty.  "Got a cigarette?" he asked hopefully and was pleasantly surprised when his captor placed a pack of Marlborough and his zippo lighter on the table.  He took one from the packet and lit it, drawing the smoke in and holding it for a few moments before releasing it slowly back into the air.  "Why are we here?" he asked finally.

"This interesting little telepathy thing you and Beth have got going….we find it very intriguing!"  Peters smiled.

Spike sneered and flicked ash onto the notebook.  "Yeah, well.  I can bend spoons too!  A real Uri Gellar, me!" he snapped sarcastically.  "Prefer bendin’ peoples’ body parts though!  Much more entertaining!"

Peters cleared the ash from the notepad as his expression settled into one of impatience and disgust.  "Really?  According to my sources, you’ve gone soft!" he snarled.  "Leaving witnesses alive to tell the tale isn’t exactly the norm for your kind!"

"Not exactly the norm for you lot to take the time to find out about my kind!"  the vampire retorted, taking another drag of the cigarette.  "I always thought your idea of philosophising meant jabbin’ us with a sharp stick!  So let’s just get this over with!"


                                       **********************************

Beth glowered at the stern looking woman sitting opposite her.  They had sat here for over half an hour now, with the hatchet faced matron firing questions at her and expecting answers.  

"When he takes your blood, how do you feel?….What happens when you take his?" the woman, Dr. Evans, repeated again.   Beth shrugged.  She was damned if she would tell this bitch anything about her feelings!  What she shared with Spike was their business and theirs alone.  Besides, she would never be able to find the words to describe the complete and utter joy she found in his arms, and she doubted the woman would have the remotest idea about how it felt to give everything to someone who was worth more than life itself to her.

"Why would I tell you that?  Is that how you get your kicks?"  she scoffed.  "Just ‘cos you’re a dried up old virgin doesn’t give you the right to ask me about my sex life!"

Dr. Evans smiled thinly, her gaunt features portraying anything but amusement.  She regarded the fair haired young woman thoughtfully.  She almost envied the way her eyes flashed with a fiery glow and her face grew animated and flushed with an almost infectious passion for living when she actually did reply to her questions.    "You have been with the vampire for a long time, haven’t you?" she spoke softly now.

"Beth smiled to herself as she thought of the last 2 years, 10 months and 11 days, conveniently forgetting the last 5 of those months when she thought he was dead.  "Not long enough."  She whispered back.  "Never long enough!"  For fleeting seconds, her guard dropped and she almost told her captor just how much she loved her bleached blonde vampire.  Almost as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she pulled it back and smirked.  "You almost got me there!"

"It would be much better if you could be a little more co-operative, Miss Giles."  The doctor scowled.  "But it won’t make a great deal of difference to the outcome in the long run!  Now what about this neat little trick you have going?"

"What trick?" Beth frowned.  "If you want magic, you’ve got the wrong person.  I know of a few Wicca groups I could put you in touch with if you’d like, but they’d probably turn you into…."




Dr. Evans slammed her pen down hard on the desk.  "Lets not keep playing these games!" she interrupted.  "I’m talking about the way the two of you communicate!  I’m talking about how you can talk to each other through just the power of the mind!  Tell me about that!"

"Who are you people, really?" asked Beth.  "From my experience in the Watchers Council,  they never did that much in the way of research on live subjects!  What are you up to?"

"You are very astute, Beth.  May I call you Beth?"  the doctor replied.  "Some of your old Council friends got a little bored with the old ways, so they branched out on their own.  My group heard about them and we found we had a lot in common."

Beth frowned at the stern faced woman.  So it wasn’t a Council operation after all.  Well, that stood to reason!  When she had been on the front-line, things had been simple and brutal.  Seek and destroy missions were the norm, not all this cloak and dagger nonsense!
"Who are your group, then?"

The doctor scribbled down a few notes on her pad and smiled again.  This time, the smile reached her eyes and she looked genuinely pleased with herself.  "Your lover has met us before….Well, some of us anyway!  We used to be called…The Initiative!"


                                             






















CHAPTER TEN.


Flannery pressed the ‘end call’ button on his mobile phone and grinned half-heartedly.  He turned to the two men who were sipping what was loosely described as coffee, from the trailer parked on the roadside; the owner of which was waiting for the first influx of early morning factory workers.

"Seems I’ve still got a couple of friends." He murmured.  "I’ve got an old girlfriend to put a trace on the van…assuming that Carly creature remembered the registration number right!  She’ll ring me as soon as she knows anything."

They headed back to the car where they could at least escape the frosty air while they planned their next move.  Once inside the relative warmth of the vehicle Carl flipped open the lid of his lap top and logged on.  His fingers flew over the keys with practised ease as he typed in his password to collect his messages.

Giles talked quietly with the policeman, filling him in on the Spike/Beth saga.  He told him about the chip that had ceased to function in Spike’s head and how they had all come to England because of the Watchers Council.

Flannery listened first is disgust and disbelief, then in amazement as Giles continued to speak about the couple’s sheer devotion to each other.

"I thought you said vampires are evil? How could you condone…."

Giles glanced across at Carl then back to his avid listener.  "There are rare exceptions to the rule.  For instance, we know one vampire who has a soul and fights evil;  and Spike, although originally forcefully restrained by a computer chip in the brain, has somehow changed his natural instinct for preying on humans.  The strangest thing about him was the ability to love even before he did start to change, and without the benefit of a soul!

Flannery was about to ask more questions when Carl interrupted.

"Got some bad news, guys!" he whispered.  "Seems Peters and his people have teamed up with an ex-military group.  You’re not going to like this, Rupert!  I don’t think Spike will be exactly ecstatic about it either!"

"What group?" asked Giles furtively.  

Carl sighed heavily.  "It’s the remnants of the Initiative!"

Giles bit his lip and removed his glasses to clean them nervously.  "Then we have to find them quickly!" he mumbled.  "God only knows what nasty little experiments they’ve got lined up for them!"

"Initiative?"  questioned Flannery.  "The guys who put the chip…."  His mobile phone began to ring and he paused to answer it.  After a few moments he slipped it back into his pocket and turned the car key in the ignition.  "The van was spotted in Small Heath."  He growled.  "It’s abandoned, but it’ll give us a starting point for our search."

He nudged the car into gear and pulled out into the small stream of traffic.


                                           ******************************************


Dr. Evans watched the TV screens with a deceptively casual gaze.  Every now and then she paused to make notes on the thick pad in front of her.  Her companions, three studious looking men and a young chubby woman, all in the trademark white coats of the scientist, were busying themselves preparing various syringes and electrical monitors.

Two military types stood guard by the laboratory doors, armed with tazer rifles and side arms.

"This is quite interesting!"  the thin doctor finally said.  "Just look at their body language!  It’s almost like watching the same person!"

The captives, separated into different windowless, thick-walled, rooms both sat cross-legged on the hard floor.  Beth slowly inhaled another lungful of smoke from her cigarette as she scowled at the heavy locked door, a sneer forming in the corner of her mouth.

Spike stubbed out the nub end of his cigarette and growled softly as his features too settled into the same expression.  Neither of them had changed their position for the last half an hour other than to light and smoke a seemingly endless stream of cigarettes, and neither had attempted to contact each other for fear of giving their captors the satisfaction of studying their obvious mental link.

The doctor smiled to herself as she made more notes.  ‘Personality transference seems to be a side-effect to the phenomonon we are attempting to study.’ She wrote.  ‘Both subjects appear to display the same emotional traits and physical expression of such emotion.’

She turned her back on the screens to face the chubby woman.  "I think it’s time we fed our subjects, Susan.  Don’t want them to die of hunger do we?"

Susan nodded gravely and motioned for one of the guards to follow her.


                                              *************************************

Spike rose slowly to his feet as the door opened.  The chubby brunette stepped cautiously into the room, followed by the rifle wielding guard.  She placed a small tray on the floor and backed away.

Spike regarded the contents suspiciously.  Two bags of blood sat invitingly in front of him and his game face settled quickly into place as the woman closed the door behind her, locking it again.  He picked one up and studied it carefully.  He hadn’t eaten for at least 24 hours and he was beginning to feel a little light-headed.  It was tempting to just sink his fangs into the plastic and drain the sweet red liquid from it but commonsense told him it might be unwise.

‘Probably drugged!’ he cursed to himself, tossing the bag against the wall.  He moved to the far corner of the cell and sat down against the wall.  He closed his eyes for just a brief second and saw Beth.

"Initiative, love!"  she warned.  "Watch your back!"

His eyes flicked open in panic.  Initiative?!  He jumped to his feet and began to pace the floor.  He fought back the hysteria he felt building up inside him and barely managed to keep his human face in place.

‘Oh Christ!’ he thought, remembering the torture he had endured at the hands of that scheming bitch Professor Walsh before that damned chip had been implanted.

His pace slowed as he moved towards the door and he swung his fist hard against the cold metal.  "Oww…Bloody hell!" he cursed out loud as he felt his knuckles crack and the door merely vibrating under the blow.  He had to get out of here!  He had to escape!  His thoughts rambled on and on until…

‘Beth!’ His brained calmed a little.  ‘Not ‘til I get Beth!’ he reasoned, then settled back down against the wall.


                                       **************************************


Beth stared at the burger and fries they had left for her.  She was so hungry, but even more thirsty.  She picked up the polystyrene coffee cup and took the plastic lid off the top, raising the drink to her lips.  At the last moment she changed her mind.  She took the cup and poured the contents into the wash basin, turning on the tap to wash it away.  She stooped and cupped her hand under the running water and drank that instead, hoping they hadn’t doctored the water supply.

She knew she had to warn him who these people were, so she took a chance, closing her eyes and searching for him.  "Initiative, love!  Watch your back!"  she whispered, then 

reluctantly dragged herself away from him.  Hopefully, the contact had been too brief for their captors to pick up on it.  But even if they had, it was worth it to put Spike on his guard against the only people she knew he really feared and despised.

She was about to sit down again when the door opened.  Dr. Evans entered, flanked by her guards, and smiled.  "Are you not hungry?"  she said glancing at the still full tray.  "It’s not good for you to skip meals, you know!"

Beth took a step forward, balling her fists.  One of the guards pointed the rifle at her and she decided against smacking the smug doctor in the face.  "I don’t like additives in my food." She growled.  "Makes my mind wander!"

Dr. Evans pouted thoughtfully.  "Why would I drug your food?" she murmured, motioning for two of the guards to move forward.  They gripped Beth’s arms as the doctor took out a syringe from her pocket.  As Beth began to struggle the doctor wagged her finger back and forth.

"Not a good idea, Beth." She chided.  "Vampires are so fragile, you know.  A spot of sunlight, or a little splash of holy water…..You misbehave and your Spike may just end up slightly powdered!"

"You bitch!" Beth spat, but stopped struggling.  "He’ll kill all of you for this!"  She felt the stab of the needle in her shoulder.  "Do you know how much he hates the Initiative?  You’ll be lucky if anyone survives!"

The room started swaying and she felt herself being led into the corridor.  "He’ll kill you all…" she repeated as she started to feel numb, and the darkness began to close in on her.


                                        ***************************************


The purple sky was broken by swirling yellow clouds and the breeze was heavy with the scent of lilac.  The blue leafed trees swayed majestically above her head and she lay back on the lush green grass to sun herself.  A funny little insect landed on her nose and began to talk to her.  "Its safe here, Beth.  You can do whatever you want." It whispered seductively.  "You can talk to whoever you want!"  

Beth swatted the creature away and laughed out loud.  Something wasn’t right with this little scenario, but for some reason, she didn’t care!  She got to her feet and danced down to the lake at the bottom of the hill, wading waist deep into the red tinged water.  A figure on the bank made her pause.  "Hello, Ben.  It’s been a long time."  She whispered to the long dead apparition of her former fiance.  "I’m sorry I didn’t help you.  I tried!"  she held back a sob as the figure smiled.  


"Doesn’t matter, sweetheart.  You could never have changed what happened.  You had more important destiny to fulfill than be with me!  You know that now, don’t you?"  He disappeared.

Beth stood silent for a moment then her mind was overtaken by other sights and sounds that eminated from the far side of the lake.  She barely made out the outline of a thin woman dressed in white.

"You’ve given her too much, you fool!" yelled Dr. Evans.  "She’s as high as a kite!"  The doctor took a syringe and stabbed it into the unconscious woman’s arm.  Beth gasped and shuddered as the drugs took effect.  

Her surroundings changed.  She was in a dim lit room; a cold stone room.  A crypt!  Something at the back of her mind was warning her of something but she couldn’t quite hear it.  Rather than waste any more time worrying about it she wandered round the sparse furnishings with vague recognition.  "Spike?  I know you’re here!" she called softly.

"You shouldn’t be doing this, pet." His voice echoed from the shadows.  "I shouldn’t be doing this, either!"  He stepped forward and took her in his arms.  "They’ve done something to you, luv.  Snap out of it now, while you still can!  They’re just using us like lab rats!"  He kissed her on the forehead and pushed her away.

"Spike, what are you….oh!"  Realisation came over her in waves.  Somehow they had tricked her into making this liaison.  "Go!  Ignore me, baby!  I’m so stupid….I should’ve realised!"

She willed herself to think about anything else but him, but whatever drugs they had pumped into her made it increasingly difficult to do anything except follow the easiest path;  the one to him!  Her heart began to beat overly fast and she found trouble breathing.  She clutched her chest and fell to her knees, her lungs burning.

Dr. Evans held her down as she convulsed on the guerney.  "50cc adrenhillin, NOW!" she yelled frantically.  As Beth spasmed violently it took three of them to hold her as the doctor administered the hypo.  The heart monitor screeched and squealed above the unconscious woman’s head and the readout raced violently across the screen, then flattened!

Her assistant dragged across the heart resussitater and charged the paddles.  The doctor ripped open Beth’s shirt and poised over her.  "Clear!" she yelled and pushed the paddles flat against the dying woman’s chest.  The shock surged through her, forcing her shoulders from the mattress as her spine arched rigid from the electrical energy coursing through her.  



The doctor watched the monitor for change.  A couple of beats registered, then the flatline appeared again.  "Increase the voltage!"  she yelled, rubbing the paddles together in readiness.


                                       **************************************


Spike felt a sharp pain course through his chest.  If he had been alive to start with he would have sworn he was having a heart attack!  "Oh shit!…Aagggh!"  he groaned, clutching at his chest as he sank to his knees.  "Beth!  Don’t you dare do this!"  

One minute he had seen her in the crypt, so beautiful and radiant.  So obviously drugged up to the eyeballs, too!  She would never have fallen into the trap of their contacting each other if she were of sound mind.  Next, he felt her leave him.  After that, the pain started.

He struggled to his feet and began to hammer at the door of his cell.  "Beth!"  he yelled.  "You bastards!  What have you done?"  He could feel her slipping away from him, slowly but surely.  "Damn you all!  I’m gonna kill the fuckin’ lot of you for sure!"

A sudden surge of energy coursed through him, sending him flying across the room, and slamming him into the far wall.  One phrase echoed softly through his mind before he lost consciousness.   "I love you.!"






                               
















CHAPTER ELEVEN.


Spike’s dream gave him more hope than he would have expected.  He felt a presence of such overwhelming peace he almost thought he had finally given up his earthly existence for something so much more worthwhile.  He dismissed that thought almost as soon as it entered his head.  After all, for all the evil he had perpetrated through the decades, he would be lucky if he only burned in fire and brimstone for eternity.  If this were not his dream, then it must be hers.  

His still heart ached for her.  He felt her as she fought to stay alive, and he willed her to do so.  He searched his innermost thoughts to look for her in the hope she had won the battle, but so much confusion ran through his mind with the effects of the trauma of feeling everything she did, and the emotional devastation he felt at the thought of losing her, he didn’t know whether he could really feel her back with him, or it was just wishful thinking.

He closed his eyes again, not caring anymore if these people, this Initiative, studied him or used him for their experiments.  All he wanted was to know what had become of her.  He searched and mentally called her name for hours after he had awoken from the force of feeling the traumatic experience that had befallen her.

The door to his cell opened quietly; almost too quietly for him to realise it.  He stood uncertainly and faced the thin middle aged woman in the white coat.  "What happened to her?"  he demanded.  "Why can’t I contact her?"  

The doctor looked down at her feet nervously for a moment, then faced the vampire with renewed bravado.  "She’ll live, William. She is sedated at the moment."  she whispered.  "How long she remains healthy, will be up to you!  You convince her to be co-operative, and we won’t fill her full of drugs."

"You nearly killed her, you bitch!" spat Spike.  "I need to see her, or I’ll tear your stupid face off!  I need to know you’re telling me the truth!"

Dr. Evans nodded in agreement.  "That’s fair.  After all, why should you just take my word for it?  I have to say, vampire, you chose your mate wisely.  She is loyal and loving that is certain.  What amazes me is, why haven’t you turned her?"

Spike growled low in his chest.  "If I turn her, she won’t be her, will she?"  he snarled.  "I may be a monster, but I’m not stupid!"

The doctor bowed her head slightly to signify she understood him, then beckoned him to follow her.  "If you promise to behave, I will let you see her.  However, she cannot be moved at this time, so don’t even attempt anything ridiculous!  She may die without constant care!"

Spike nodded reluctantly and followed the doctor down the corridor.  He knew the guards were following, training their rifles on him, but he would have followed the doctor meekly anyway, in an attempt to find his love.  He could’nt believe how much he needed Beth, never dreaming that after a century with Drusilla, that it would be a human who would be his eternal love.  The day he met the Watcher’s sister was one that must have been meant to be.  How else could his dead heart feel so much for a mere mortal?  He vowed to himself there and then that if anything had happened to take her away from him he would ensure everyone who hurt her, or even knew anyone who hurt her, would suffer unbelievable torment.  He had seen Angelus inflict more than enough pain over the time he was with him to know how to hurt the enemy.  Yes, he could hurt this group so badly they would beg him to end their miserable lives!

They finally halted at a doorway.  "She’s in there."  Muttered Dr. Evans.  "You may go in alone, but be aware you will not get out alive if you try anything!"

Spike swung the door open slowly.  The room smelled like any hospital room, with the antiseptic odour that always permeated the air.  A heart monitor beeped reasuringly evenly over the bed as he saw her sleeping form.

Beth stirred.  Something inside her encouraged her to awaken.  As she opened her eyes he was there, wrapping his arms gently around her.  "Oh, Spike!" she breathed.  "I’m sorry.  I never meant to let them see how we do that thing we do!"  She held him weakly to her, her body unable to fight the powerful sedatives.

"I don’t blame you, pet.  They drugged you. What could you do about it?"  He soothed.  He felt her tense in his arms as she struggled to sit up.

"I love you, Spike.  I’ll be damned if these freaks cheapen that!"  she cursed.  "If you can find a way to get out of here, you do it!  I’m no use to them without you, so the chances are they’ll let me go."

He held her for several moments before answering.  "Once you’re well enough, we’ll both get out of this place, luv.  I won’t leave without you.  You can bet on that!"

Dr. Evans grew more than a little tired at the sickeningly lovey-dovey display.  "That’s enough for today, William!  If you want to keep your promise to help us, now is the time for you to prove it!" she mumbled.

Beth grabbed his wrist.  "What promise?  Spike?  What prom…" she whispered.  Dr. Evans interrupted.

"To start with,  we have blood tests and brain scans.  But we have a number of other little tests lined up too."  she smiled as Beth glowered at her and then stared puzzled at Spike.



The doctor continued.  "William here has kindly agreed to co-operate so we won’t need to resort to drugs again.  I’m sure you’re pleased about that."

Beth tightened her grip on Spike’s wrist.  "Are you mad? " she gasped. "You know what the Initiative are like!  They’ll cut us into little pieces, Spike.  I’m not gonna…"

Spike pulled his arm free and grabbed her shoulders.  "Yes you will!"  His eyes glazed over and the familiar yellow gleam emerged.  "You will, because otherwise they’ll shoot you up with so much shit they may not be able to bring you back!"  He drew in an un-needed deep breath in an attempt to quell his temper.  "Please, luv."  He felt her shoulders relax and she buried her head in his chest.  He stroked her hair tenderly and kissed her on the top of the head.  "Good girl." he whispered and released her as he felt the doctor’s hand on his shoulder.

"Now that’s all settled.." the doctor murmured smugly, addressing the vampire.  "..perhaps you should eat something.  I give you my word the blood won’t be drugged, and you’ll need to be fit for our tests.  We’ll start as soon as you’ve finished."


                                               *********************************


Carl Fenn looked at his watch.  1.30p.m.  Flannery said he would be back half an hour ago.  Maybe he had run into more trouble from his superiors than he had anticipated.  The detective had reluctantly returned to his police station after their search for clues in the abandoned van proved fruitless.  He was carpeted the second he arrived, and after giving a very unconvincing story about druggies attacking and killing his partner, he was suspended without pay pending an investigation.

That was three days ago, and still they hadn’t come up with any leads.  Carl closed the lid on his laptop and watched as Giles headed towards him with the coffee.  The scruffy little café was not the most sanitary place to stop to eat, but it was convenient.

Giles placed the two mugs down.  "I’ve ordered fish and chips for both of us."  He muttered.  "Not exactly haute cuisine, but…"  he shrugged and sat down on the ricketty chair.  "What have you found out?"

Carl took a sip from his mug.  "They are definitely still in the country."  He began.  "Apparently, the official Council has a spy in Peters’ group, and he managed to get a message to them."

"Do they know where they’re holing up?" asked Giles impatiently. "My sister could be injured or worse, by now!"



"The message was cut short but they’re hoping he’ll get back to them…if he hasn’t been discovered."  replied Carl.  "Some good news, though." he continued. "The murder charges have been dropped due to lack of evidence, courtesy of calling in a few favours, I might add!  And I have a couple of old friends in high places that are working on the airport scene too.  Minor stuff at the moment I know, Rupert.  But at least something is happening!"  He glanced at his watch again.  "What the hell is keeping Flannery?  He said it was a routine interview with the internal affairs!  He should…."

Carl was cut short as the café door opened and Flannery stepped inside.  As the waitress placed the food in front of them Flannery spoke.  "I’ll have the same, love.  And a mug of tea too."  He took off his raincoat and draped it on the back of a vacant chair and sat down.

"Sorry I’m late.  Just wanted to catch up with the latest news with my mates."  He smiled, placing a plastic bag on the table.  "Seems these little items went missing from the evidence room!"

Giles pulled a passport and a purse from the bag.  "These are Beth’s!  How did you…"

Flannery grabbed a chip from Giles’ plate and ate it.  "Sometimes, things get mislaid, if you know what I mean.  Funny that!"  His expression told the two men not to ask any more.

Flannery’s meal arrived and they ate in silence.  Giles picked at the greasy battered so-called cod disinterestedly.  He wanted to be out there searching for his sister but commonsense told him he wouldn’t be much use to anyone if he passed out from hunger.  He tried to convince himself she would be fine, and that the Initiative were unlikely to have done anything too drastic to her, or to Spike, if they were keen to study them.  After all, it would be difficult to study a corpse!

A soft beeping noise brought him back from his reverie as Carl opened his laptop.  "What is it?" he demanded.

Carl stood up quickly.  "We’ve got an address!"  he gasped.

The three men headed towards the door, pausing only to leave some money on the table to pay the bill.  As they climbed into the car, Carl spoke again.  "Armoury Road….BSA Guns."  he instructed as Flannery jumped into the drivers seat, taking the keys from him.  He turned on the ignition and the car sped off.


                                          ************************************




Spike strained against the metal straps that held his arms firmly to the chair.  The electrodes pressed to his temples, forehead and base of his skull pulsed again, sending his whole body spasming with the pain.  In seconds it stopped.

"Stop it!…You’re hurting him!" he heard a cry.

"Beth!"  he called.  "It’s ok, luv.  I’m alright!"  Then he whispered to the mirrored wall.  "But you won’t be, you haridan!  Evans, I’m gonna put you at the top of my list!"

The doctor stood behind the glass and scowled.  "I don’t think so, William." she whispered to herself.  "By the time I’ve finished with you, you’ll be lucky if you can drool without help.  Never mind anything else!"  She moved to the adjacent window and studied the blonde woman strapped into a similar chair to the vampire.

"You broke contact, Beth!  That means we have to do it all again!"  Evans tutted.

Susan, the plump assistant, handed her a print-out of the brainwave activity between the couple.  "You were right, doctor." she muttered. "The patterns become almost identical at the point of the pain impact. Do we really need to repeat the experiment?"

The doctor slammed the print-outs down on the desk.  "When you have as many qualifications as I have, you can give me your opinion!  Until then, do as I say!  Let’s set up again!"

Susan shuffled her feet nervously.  "Yes doctor.  I’ll calibrate the machines."  she mumbled apologetically.

Evans spoke into the intercom.  "Now, Beth.  Keep the contact going and I promise this will be the last test today!" she urged.  "William, I know you have been feeling a little discomfort…"

"How about a lot of bloody discomfort?"  Spike snapped back.  

Evans sighed impatiently.  "As I was saying, this will be the final experiment today, providing you both keep the link intact until we have completed it!  Beth.  Do you understand?"

Beth strained to free her arms.  "Of course I bloody well understand!  Please….don’t hurt him.  I’ll do whatever you want.  Please!"  she begged.

"Don’t hurt him?  Or don’t hurt you?!"  the doctor replied.  "You can feel what’s happening to him, can’t you?  Don’t deny it, because we have proof positive of that!"

"Then why are you repeating the experiment?" yelled Spike.  "Oh, I get it!  You like to see people suffer!  Let me out and I’ll give you first hand experience of suffering!"

The doctor turned off the intercom and turned to her computer console.  At the press of a button a dome descended from the ceiling above Spike’s head and began to emit an eerie blue light.  The vampire tried to move his head away but the restraining strap around his throat gave him little leeway.  Within seconds the dome had encircled his head almost down to his chin and the light was so bright he had to close his eyes.  

"Funny time for a hair-do!" he growled.  "Make sure you do all the roots!"

The doctor ignored the sarcasm and studied the image that appeared on her screen.  Susan stood quietly behind her and frowned.  "The scan shows some tissue damage, doctor.  Maybe it would be unwise to…" she began.

Doctor Evans sat back in her chair and touched the screen with her light pen and highlighted several areas of the brain scan.  "Thank you, Susan!  However, we are talking about one of the un-dead here!  I see no reason to be concerned about a little brain damage occuring in someone who hasn’t even had a heartbeat for about 130 years!"  She continued to study the image for a few more moments, then raised the dome again.

"Everything seems to be in order, so let’s get on with it!" she snapped, turning the intercom back on again to address her captives.  "Close your eyes, Beth.  Make contact now!"

Beth hesitated for a moment, then complied.  Spike wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, ignoring the mind-numbing migraine that was threatening to split his skull.  Beth ran her hand along the side of his head and grimaced with pain.  "I wish I could make it go away."  she said softly.  "Maybe my sharing the pain will make it easier for you, love."

Spike put her hand on his and twined his fingers in hers.  "I’m sorry, pet.  If I’d known sharing my blood would mean you feeling this I wouldn’t have…."

She moved her hand and put a finger to his lips before he finished his sentence.  "No reason to be sorry.  Being with you, even like this, is better than not being with you at all!"  A faint buzzing began in her skull and they held each other tighter, knowing this was just the start.

Spike’s roar of agony echoed through the complex as the electrodes dispensed lightening through his brain, and Beth’s screams soon joined his own. An eternity passed before the blessing of unconsciousness struck them both.







CHAPTER TWELVE.


The contentment of oblivion was short-lived.  She tried to cling to it’s inky blackness where there was no pain or assault to her senses but the constant shaking and the distant voice calling her name was too much to ignore.  She slowly opened her eyes.

"Beth, wake up.  We’re gettin’ outta here!" Spike held her shoulders and shook her until she awoke.  "Come on, pet.  There’s not much time!"  He pulled her shakily to her feet and led her towards the open cell door.  A plump figure stood nervously glancing up and down the corridor.

"Hurry!  They’ll realise the surveylance video is pre-recorded before long!"  The woman whispered urgently.  "If they find us, we’re dead! We can’t wait until help arrives!"  

Beth grabbed Spike’s arm in panic.  "Don’t trust her, Spike!  She’s one of them!"

He held her arms and smiled softly.  "It’s okay, luv.  This is Susan.  She’s on our side.  She’s been feeding info to the proper Watchers and she’s helping us escape!"

Susan beckoned them on.  "If you stay, tonight’s experiment will turn you into a drooling vegetable!  I’ve seen your brain scan and, believe me, it’s not going to be something you’ll recover from, vampire or not!" she told Spike again.  "She’ll probably not fare much better either!"  she said, pointing to Beth. "Look!  My people are supposed to be launching an assault, but I don’t know when!  You can’t afford to wait for them.  They may be too late!"

They moved cautiously along the corridor until Susan ushered them into the old testing range.  As they edged along the bullet chipped targets of the old gun factory they could hear a commotion deep inside the building.  

"Quick!  They’ve probably discovered you’re missing!"  Susan gasped, ushering them to the window.  "Through there!  It’s a bit of a drop on the other side, but we’ll be ok!"

Spike shoved Beth towards the window and pushed the catch open.  "You first, pet!  Hang down as far as you can before you drop!"  Beth scrambled through the frame and hung by her fingertips for a few seconds before dropping into the dark street.   He let Susan go next.

Before the woman could climb out of the window the door burst open and a volley of shots sprayed the room.  Susan slammed into the glass panes, shattering them and leaving 
a fine spray of blood along the shards as three bullets tore into her.  The blood puddled around her in a thick almost black pool as her glazed eyes stared at the vampire in shock.



Spike howled in pain as two of the bullets buried themselves deep into his back.  One glance at the fallen woman and he knew she was dead.  He flung himself headlong through the broken window,  falling the 15 feet to the concrete path below.

Beth hauled him to his feet and they began to run.  For some reason, the gun shots still rang out, but not in their direction.  Several cars were parked half way up the deserted road and Spike yanked the door off the hinges of one of them and they scrambled in.  Within seconds he had hotwired it and they sped away, tyres screeching as they took the corner on two wheels.


                                           *************************************


Giles, Fenn and Flannery arrived at the BSA in time to meet up with the assault team sent by the Watchers Council.  Flannery stared in disbelief at the amount of firepower these people had managed to bring with them.  Had he not spent the last few days with these strange ‘vampire hunters’ he would have probably yelled ‘Terrorists’ as loud as he could and attempted to arrest the lot of them!  Now he actually praised the Gods that these people existed after the realisation that there was more evil in the World than that created by the human race alone.  After a short briefing on how to use the rifles the men were given they settled down to wait until darkness fell.

The sound of rifle fire from deep inside the building gave them their cue to move. A pair of bolt cutters and a well aimed boot made short work of the door and they charged inside.  The facility was not as well guarded as the one they had had in Sunnydale, only being a temporary hideout, but the dozen or so armed guards fought the invaders ferociously.  Only by sheer weight of numbers did the assault team manage to get the upper hand.

The gun battle lasted only a short time, with only three fatalities on the official Council’s side (five of Evans’ guards were killed), and Flannery barely escaping a bullet as it tore through the sleeve of his raincoat.  

Giles and Fenn searched the makeshift laboratories in an effort to find Spike and Beth.  Doctor Evans cowered behind her desk as the two men approached.  Giles yanked her to her feet as Carl browsed the computer files.

"Where are they?"  growled Giles, holding the gun he was holding to the thin woman’s temple.  "What have you done to them?"

Carl brought up a picture of the brain scan and turned to face them.  "Who’s scan is this?" he demanded.  "You seem to have been doing a real good job of trying to fry



someone’s brain!"  He opened another file and read the Doctor’s notes.  "Rupert.  She’s been using electric shock treatment on them to enhance brainwaves.  It doesn’t say how far she got but…"

Giles’ finger tightened on the trigger, bringing the hammer dangerously close to recoiling and sending a bullet into the doctor’s head.  "Where are they?" he growled again, his voice trembling with anger.

"They’re not here!"  Evans managed to croak, fear threatening to send her into hysteria.  "They…they got away!   I swear, they’re not here!"

They were interrupted as Flannery arrived with the assault team leader.  "We have the rest of the lab crew except for our mole.  We found her further in the building.  From what one of the guards has told us, she helped the captives escape, but was killed in the process."  the leader informed them.  "We have a clean-up team on the way, but what about this guy?"  He said, pointing at the detective.

Carl Fenn nodded assurance at Flannery.  "He’s ok.  You can trust him!" he said flatly as the detective sighed with relief.  "He’s the one I mentioned to the boss.  He needs a clean bill of health if we can get it!"  Flannery looked puzzled at first, then Carl squeezed his arm reassuringly.  "My people are trying to work out your little problem.  With luck, you should be back into a routine lifestyle in no time! Trust me.  I know people in…."

Flannery nodded back and finished the sentence.  "I know.  People in high places!"

Giles shoved the doctor towards the team leader and he led her away to join her group as they waited for the ‘clean-up’ squad to arrive and take them away.  "We still have Peters and his little crowd to worry about.  I think we should find Beth and Spike before they do!" he muttered.  

Carl and Flannery stared at the ex-Watcher.  He was still shaking with rage at the thought of the doctor performing experiments on his sister, and his expression was fraught with worry.  "Where do we start?" asked Flannery quietly, following as his two new friends headed out of the building and up the road.

Carl stopped dead in his tracks.  "The first thing we need to do is get another car!  Seems our lovebirds have added car theft to their Curriculum Vitaes!"  He looked at the empty space where they had been parked.  "Why the hell did they choose that hunk of junk?  It’s not as if they didn’t have any other choice! Damn it!  They got my laptop too!"


                                               *********************************

The couple drove towards the outskirts of the city, merging with the last of the rush-hour traffic.  Beth glanced over her shoulder nervously, wondering why no one was in pursuit.  

The gun battle they had heard in the factory bothered her too.  "Why aren’t they following us?  Who the hell were they shooting at after we got out?" she asked again.  Spike just grunted.

It was then that she noticed the blood on the back of his seat.  In their rush to escape she hadn’t noticed the wounds in his back.  "Oh, God!" she gasped.  "You’re losing a lot of blood, Spike.  We need to stop so I can treat it!"

He glanced across at her and forced a grin.  "It’s not like I can bleed to death now is it pet?" he tried to joke as a sharp pain shot across his shoulders.  "Might get a little paler, that’s all!"

"Don’t joke about it!" she chided.  "You also get a lot weaker until you heal too! And you need to feed, luv."  She saw the yellow gleam in his eyes and knew it wouldn’t be long before the blood-lust tried to overtake him and he would need to find fresh blood.  She had been with him for long enough to know just how hard it would be for him to keep up his human façade if he lost much more blood himself.  "We need to get off the main roads!"

The car sped through a housing estate and up the hill.  "Turn left at the next island!" she instructed.  After ten minutes they passed the village of Coleshill and were into the countryside.  "Pull into that field!" she yelled.

He complied and brought the car to a halt.  She turned on the interior light and made him turn his back to her as she yanked off his tattered t-shirt.  The bullet holes were beginning to heal but she knew she had to get the bullets out.  She opened the glove box and found a small tool roll with several screw drivers.  She picked up the thinnest one and grimaced at the thought of digging into his flesh with it.  "Sorry luv." she whispered.  "I’m afraid this is going to hurt….a lot!"

He braced himself in readiness as she began to probe the wounds.  After several minutes, which seemed like hours, she managed to prize the two pieces of mis-shapen metal from his body and rolled up his t-shirt, pressing it hard against the still weeping holes in his back.  His eyes were vivid golden yellow now, and he was barely managing to keep from dropping into game face.

Beth took a deep breath as he turned to face her, and she brushed her hair back from her neck.  "Now you have to feed."  she whispered.

He pushed her away weakly, but she took his face in her hands and pulled him towards her, kissing him gently on the lips, then tilting his head down as she arched her head back.  He saw the pulse on her neck throbbing gently and heard the blood flowing around her body.  He tried again to pull away, but he was so weak she held him there.  "No, I can’t, Beth." he mumbled almost incoherently.


"Yes, you can." she urged. "You can!"  His game face fell into place and he hesitated for only a moment before sinking his fangs into her throat.

He gave way to the gnawing hunger and began to drink deeply from her, his strength beginning to return with each drop, and he crushed her to him.  Something in the back of his mind was trying to tell him something but he couldn’t quite understand what it was saying at first.  He felt her begin to grow limp in his arms and then he realised with a start what it was.  ‘Stop before it’s too late, Spike.’  his little voice was saying. ‘Remember to stop!’

He pulled away from her in panic as she slumped against him.  He strained to hear her heartbeat but the rush of her blood pounding round his own body almost deafened out any other sound.  He began to shake her gently, calling her name softly, waiting for a sign that he had not gone too far.  It seemed a lifetime before he finally picked up the faint thumping of her heart, and she began to cough as she dragged air into her lungs.  

"Oh, bloody hell!" he almost sobbed. "I thought I’d lost you!"  He pulled her into his arms again and cradled her as she nestled weakly against his chest.  Her breathing became steadier and he realised she had passed out.  He held her for almost an hour before she slowly opened her eyes.

"I’m bloody freezing!" she croaked.  "And my head’s splitting!"  She stared up into his grey-blue eyes and smiled.  "Don’t suppose we could get me something to eat now, could we?" 

Spike kissed her tenderly and held her tight for a few moments, awash with relief that he hadn’t overstepped the mark and taken too much from her.  "Lets check out the car and see if there’s anything of value in here.  Maybe we can sell somethin’ to get the money for a bed and breakfast, otherwise we’ll have to resort to my way of doin’ things!" he chuckled softly.

He leaned back and ran his hands under the passenger seat, his fingers brushing across a small plastic case.  He dragged it out and placed it on his lap, grinning.  He flipped the top open.  "Bit careless to leave something like this in the car." he smirked, as the screen of the mini computer lit up.  He pressed the enter key, but an error message appeared, demanding a password.  "We just need to sell it to a hacker who can break into the system."

Beth looked in the glovebox where she had found the tool roll and found a receipt for the hire of the vehicle.  She was about to discard it when she saw the signature of the driver.  "Oh my God!" she whispered in disbelief.

"What is it?"  muttered Spike disinterestedly, as he typed in random words in attempt to guess the password.


Beth handed him the slip of paper and pointed to the name at the bottom of the agreement.  "I think I know who was being shot at when we escaped.  The signature….it’s Rupert’s!"

Spike snapped the lid down on the laptop and snatched the paper from her.  "He’s staying at the Chamberlain Hotel."  he smiled.  "I know where that is, so if we can get back to the 

city centre he can bloody well fork out for a three course dinner for you, my girl!  Put your seatbelt on, and we’ll get going!"


                                               *******************************


The hotel lobby was busy.  Groups of  guests sat chatting and drinking at the tables, and the bar was lined two deep with customers.  Beth sat quietly in a shadowy corner as Spike made enquiries at the reception desk.  The aroma of food wafted across from the open plan buffet area and she felt her mouth watering almost uncontrollably.  

Spike returned to sit beside her, clutching the laptop under his arm.  "He’s not back yet, but I told the desk we’d found his computer and that we’d wait for him."  He pulled his cigarettes from his pocket and cursed as he realised he’d lost his lighter.  He leaned across to the adjacent table and managed to cadge a light.  As he settled back on the leather sofa Beth took the pack from him and took out a cigarette herself, taking his from between his fingers and lighting it from that.  

"That’s one habit you’d better think of changin’, pigeon." he scowled.  "It’s one thing for me to do it, but I don’t have to bloody worry about getting’ lung disease!"  He looked at her disapprovingly as she took in a long drag and slowly exhaled the smoke.  

"Yeah, well." she grumbled. "It was either this or stay drunk!  Maybe now I’ve got you back…..I have got you back, haven’t I?"  her voice faltered.  

He put his arm round her shoulder and hugged her. "Definitely!" he breathed into her ear.  "Whatever happens!"

She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed with relief,  leaning slightly to stub out the cigarette in the ashtray.  "In that case, I’ll try my best to quit!"  She glanced across the room and Spike felt her tense up.

He followed her gaze and spotted Giles and Fenn speaking to the girl at the reception.  A tall grey haired man in a raincoat stood with them, but he didn’t recognise him.  As the trio came towards them, Beth sprang to her feet.



"It’s the copper from the plane!"  she whispered.  "He’ll arrest me, for sure!"  She went to dart away but Spike gripped her wrist and pulled her back down.

"Stay!  If he tries to arrest you, I’ll sort him out!" he commanded.  As the three men reached their table, Spike stood up in front of Beth, silently daring the policeman to try and get to her.

Giles shoved past him and put Beth into such a tight hug she had to persuade him to release her so she could breathe.  "You’re safe!  Thank God!" he croaked, kissing her on the forehead, before regaining his composure.  He saw her glance at Flannery and realised what she was thinking.  "No.  He’s with us now.  He knows all about you, and Spike, and the whole bloody lot!"

Carl offered his hand to Spike, who shook it warily.  "Good to see you again, Spike.  Been a little while hasn’t it?"  His eyes dropped to the case still tucked under the vampire’s arm.  "I see you found my laptop then!  Does that mean you brought the car back too?"

Spike sucked in his cheeks and growled softly.  "Yeah!  Except you’ve lost your deposit because the door will need repairing!….Who’s this fella?"  He asked, pointing to Flannery.

Flannery nodded his head in greeting.  "Dave Flannery.  One of the boys in blue….until I met up with some of your toothy mates, that is!"

"You the one my lady got the better of at the airport then?"  Spike smirked.  "I don’t see any lasting scars.  She must be gettin’ soft!"  He turned back to Beth and Giles, as he handed over Carl’s laptop to him.  "Come on, Watcher!  Can’t you see the girl’s starvin’ to death?  How about bloody well feedin’ her?"















                                                

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.


"What time is it?"  Beth murmured sleepily.  She had devoured the steak and baked potato her brother had ordered via room service with gusto then curled up on one of the beds and slept fitfully.

Spike came and sat beside her as the other men talked quietly in the corner.  "Its nearly 2a.m. pet."  he said softly, brushing her fringe from her eyes.  "How do you feel?"

She sat up and rubbed her eyes.  "Like I got hit by a truck! What’s happening?" she replied, straining to hear what they were whispering about.  

Giles began to pace the room impatiently as Carl finished typing in a message on his computer.  "So they could be anywhere!"  he grumbled.  "We have to find a way to get them out of the country before Peters and his cronies find out where they are!  It’s not safe for them here.  It’ll be the first place he’ll look!"  He stopped pacing and smiled half-heartedly at his sister.  "If you’re feeling up to it, we have to get out of here Beth.  Before they pay us a visit!"

"Bring ‘em on!" growled Spike.  "I could do with a good fight!"  

Beth sat up and swung her legs off the bed, taking his hand in hers in an attempt to calm him down.  He pulled her gently to her feet and wrapped his arms around her.  "I’m not runnin’ from these wankers, luv.  We run now and we’ll always be runnin’!  Now’s the time to end it once and for all!"

Flannery put on his raincoat and handed Beth her fleece.  "It might be better if you come and stay at my place.  It’s not running away…"  he started, seeing the vampire’s eyes flash yellow with anger.  "It’s just buying a little time while we come up with a plan!"

The five of them left the hotel together and walked down the side street towards the car park.  The local night club was ushering out it’s customers in readiness to close and the street was full of young, mostly drunken, revellers.  As they turned into the car park Spike’s keen eyesight spotted movement in the shadows and he put out his arms to motion them to stop.  "Keep to the street!" he whispered.  "We’ve got company!"

They changed direction and merged with the gang of teenagers heading towards the taxi ranks.  At least they would be safe in a crowd.  Spike looked back over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of a rifle barrel reflecting the streetlamps and, gripping Beth’s hand tightly, began to walk faster.  

"They’re armed." he said. "Probably those Tazer rifles that took us down last time! I think we need to change our plans a bit.  My place is closer!" 


Giles, Fenn and Flannery glanced at each other nervously.  Fenn spoke first.  "Is that wise?  Last time we were there we did rather decimate your nest.  I don’t think they’ll be very pleased to see any of us!"

"I’m still their Master!" growled Spike.  "They’ll do what I tell them!"


                                               **********************************


Spike’s lair seemed deserted when they arrived.  Mingling through the crowds and dodging through the maze of small alleys and side streets did the trick in throwing their would-be attackers off their tracks, but they knew it was only a temporary respite.  Peters’ men would soon pick up the scent again, but for now, they were relatively safe.  The police had cordoned off the entrance with tape and notices proclaiming "Crime Scene" but they had long finished their forensics investigation into the death of Flannery’s partner.  The presence of so many policemen had meant that the vampires that normally hung out there had kept away.  

The blonde vampire was more than a little annoyed that his stereo, and more importantly, his water bed, had been taken away, along with most of the furniture his underlings had collected.  As he moved from room to room the place looked like it had been uninhabited for a long time.  

Beth followed him closely.  As he entered the room marked ‘MANAGER’ she barely repressed a smile.  This was the room she had so long thought was all in her head.  

Spike lowered his head and looked sideways at her,  a seductive grin on his face.  "We’ve had some pretty interestin’ times here, ‘ay pet?" he smirked, grinning wider as he saw her cheeks redden with embarrassment.  "Shame they took the bed!"

She swiped him playfully on the arm and laughed.  "You can stop looking at me like that, you lech!" she joked.  "Now is not a good time to start getting randy!"  A noise from the shadows startled them.

Spike’s game face dropped instantly into place and he charged across the room.  He grabbed the figure lurking there and dragged her into the open.  "Hello, Carly." He whispered menacingly.  "You always seem to be around when you’re not wanted!"

The female vampire hissed back at him, her fangs dripping saliva.  "Brought your human whore with you then?" she said, glaring at Beth.  "Aren’t you going to share, Spike?"  Giles appeared in the doorway, flanked by Carl and Flannery, making the vampiress hiss again and back away.  



Spike pulled his human face back into place and scowled.  "I see you’ve met!" he muttered, seeing the look of recognition passing between the three men and his minion.  "Thought you guys would’ve staked the bint!"

Beth studied her rival closely.  This was the girl on the photograph, the one she had wanted to tear the heart out of when she realised Spike was probably sleeping with her.  She looked around the room for a weapon and her eyes fell upon an old chair; one of the only pieces of furniture left in the place.  She strode towards it, lifting it in the air and smashing it down on the hard concrete floor.  She snatched up a jagged piece of the leg and headed towards the vampiress, arm raised in readiness to stake her.

Giles rushed forward and grabbed her arm.  "No!  Beth, we made a deal!" he yelled.  "She helped us to find you!"  He tried to wrestle the stake away from her as Carly tried to cower behind Spike.  Beth was strong and Giles was having difficulty holding her.

Carl came to his rescue.  He prised the wood from the woman’s hand and threw it across the room.  Beth struggled free from her brother and charged towards Carly, knocking Spike out of the way.  She landed a right hook on her rival’s chin, but hurt her fist more than she hurt the vampiress, who merely swayed slightly with the impact.

Carly moved to retaliate but Spike grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and pushed her away. He made no secret of the fact that he was enjoying the idea of two women fighting over him, but commonsense told him Beth was no match for Carly in her still weakened condition.  Had it not been for Evans’ experiments and him feeding on her (something he felt strangely angry at himself for) he would have let her vent her anger on the vampiress.  The reasoning for that was obvious when Beth turned on him instead and managed to land a kick straight between his legs.

He doubled up in agony as she caught him full force, swearing and cursing as he barely managed to dodge another.  "Oww!  Fuck! Enough!" he yelled at her, feeling his game face dropping back into place again.

Flannery and Carl pulled the angry woman back and urged her to calm down.  Giles retrieved the stake and pointed it at Carly, who thought better of re-joining the battle.  "Bloody good shot, luv!" she applauded.  "Serves the Bastard right!" 

Beth relaxed and smiled at her rival.  "Yeah!" she spat.  "He’ll think better of it next time he comes across a slapper like you!"  For a brief moment the human and the vampiress found a common bond.  Both of them had shared the bleached blonde’s bed and both of them had felt betrayed; Carly for being a substitute, and Beth for discovering he had found some comfort in someone else’s arms while she had spent months of torment believing he was dead.




Her anger subsided and she helped the injured Spike to his feet.  "Did I hurt you?" she crooned softly.  "It serves you bloody well right!  Next time you’ll think with your head and not with another part of your anatomy!"

"I don’t think it’s gonna be capable of much thinkin’ for a bit!" the vampire grimaced, finally able to stand up straight again.  "You can be a real bitch when you want!"

"I hate to break this up…." interjected Giles. "But your love life is the least of our problems at the moment.  Peters’ may find us at any time and we still haven’t come up with any ideas how to deal with him!"  He lowered the stake he had wielded at Carly, who crouched down against the wall. "We’re going to tie you up to avoid any little mishaps on your part." he informed her.

Flannery produced a pair of handcuffs and he and Carl approached the vampiress cautiously.  She hissed at them, but Spike gripped her throat until she closed her eyes and brought her human façade back into place, holding her wrists out meekly.  Once chained to the battered radiator, she huddled down quietly on the floor.

Carl seemed fascinated by the undead brunette and he crouched down beside her to talk.  "I’m sorry things have turned out this way for you." he whispered. She looked at him, puzzled.  "With you and Spike, I mean." he added.

Carly shrugged.  "He was never mine, anyway.  He just wants her!"  she whispered back, frowning in Beth’s direction.  "He’s a strange one, he is."

"That he is!"  agreed Carl.  "If it’s any consolation, I know how it feels to really care about someone who doesn’t really feel the same way."  He thought about Buffy.  She was warm and affectionate towards him, and he knew she felt something for him.  But she would probably never love him like he loved her.  She had built such a high wall around her feelings after Angel had left her, he knew it would take a stronger man than he to break down the barriers she had put up.  Even knowing that, he knew he could never turn his back on her, and he would never stop loving her.  He would stay for as long as she needed him; take whatever crumbs she would throw, and count himself lucky.  He smiled wistfully and went to join the others.

"I still think it would be better to get out of the Country while we still have time."  murmured Giles.  He rubbed his forehead in an attempt to ease the gnawing headache he had had all night.  He looked to Carl for confirmation.

The dark haired young man seemed distracted and distant, and it was obvious he hadn't heard Giles speak.  Giles touched his arm lightly, bringing him back to reality with a jolt.  "Uh?...Sorry Rupert, what did you say?"

Spike and Beth crouched against the wall where once the bed had been, with the vampire slowly regaining his composure.  The pain was dulling slowly and he managed a lopsided 

smirk at the author of his discomfort.  She smirked back at him for a moment, her expression slowly dissolving into a frown.   "You know I wouldn't have shacked up with her if I'd thought I was going to see you again, pet?" Spike questioned, referring to Carly who was sulking quietly still handcuffed to the radiator.

Beth put her hand on his and brought it up to her lips, kissing his palm tenderly.  "It's ok, luv." she whispered.  "I know why you went away.  You bloody pratt!"  Her eyes flashed in anger and she fought to stay calm.  "I'd rather you turn me or kill me than just walk out like that!  Look at all the problems we've been having since!"

Spike growled softly.  "Could never do that to you, Beth.  I'm sorry for not realising that we'd be linked for life!  Well,  life and unlife, anyway!"

The once auburn haired woman closed her eyes and smiled sadly.  "It doesn’t matter, Spike.  I know you better than you think I do.  I love you more than anything!  But I warn you, don’t even think of buggering off without telling me again!"  She paused and took a deep breath.  "You ever decide you want someone else, tell me!  I’m a big girl….."

Spike grabbed her shoulders and pressed his lips ardently to hers.  "Never leave you for anyone else….I love you, Beth.  I should’ve taken you with me…"

"Don’t say any more."  She soothed.  "I love you too, and I’m not stupid.  You’re a vampire.  You do things by instinct, I know.  You don’t have the moral boundaries that humans do, I understand that!  But I knew it the minute I fell in love with you, so if that means taking the bad with the good, then that’s what it means!"

"Spike, Beth!" Giles beckoned them over.  "Let’s get down to business.  Peters’ men will track us down in no time!"

Flannery pulled a pistol from his coat pocket and checked it.  "I’ve got a full clip. What about you two?"  he asked Giles and Fenn.

"Same here." mumbled Carl.  "Lucky the lads didn’t protest too much when we asked for weapons."

Giles took out his own pistol and held it out at arm’s length.  "Woa, Ripper!"  grunted Spike.  "That’s big boy’s toys you’ve got there.  You sure you know what you’re doing?  You aim the pointy end at the bad guys and it goes bang!"

Giles lowered the gun and glowered at the vampire.  "Thank you Spike!  I’m so glad you’re here to give me shooting lessons!" he answered sarcastically.  He slipped the gun into his pocket, cursing under his breath.  "Now maybe you could put your shining wit to one side while we work out some form of defense?"



"Sssshhh!" ordered Spike, holding his hand up to silence them.  His sharp hearing registered the sound before the humans could.  "I think we’re out of time for planning!" he whispered. "Hide!"











































CHAPTER FOURTEEN.


Mitch Taverner signalled his small group of armed men to search the building.  His subordinate had managed to track his targets to this place and he was determined to make his mission successful.  He considered his superior, Peters, to be a nostalgic fool.  If they had disabled the vampire loving slut a little they wouldn’t be in this situation now!  ‘Shoulda broken the little tart’s legs is what we shoulda done!’ he cursed to himself.  ‘Woulda stopped her runnin’!’

His team split into four groups of two, armed with infra-red visors and tazer rifles.  He himself followed the last two men down the main office block corridor.  He checked his Gloch pistol,  ensuring it was fully loaded.  If he was going to shoot anyone, he wanted to make sure they stayed down permanently.  Not for him the temporarily disabling ‘lightning’ rifles.  He downed his night vision visor and scanned the shadows carefully.

The fugitives found what hideaways they could, waiting for their chance to pounce on their would-be assailants and escape.

A low moan of fear alerted Beth.  Carly!  No one had given a thought to the vampiress still handcuffed to the radiator.  Beth managed to seek out Flannery and plunged her hand into his pockets to retrieve the keys before he could even think about protesting.  She put her hand to his mouth to warn him to keep quiet, and moved swiftly across the floor to where the woman was chained.

Spike didn’t see her go at first, concentrating on determining from what direction their enemies were approaching.

Carly saw the woman coming towards her and hissed quietly, misinterpreting her actions as a threat at first.  As Beth grabbed her wrists she realised it was keys she held and not a stake.  The vampiress relaxed a little as the cuffs were taken off.  Beth pulled her rival to her feet and dragged her into hiding.

"Why’d you do that?" whispered Carly, still confused.  "I could kill you easy!"

Beth stared across the shadows to see her lover staring at her in amazement and concern.  "For him." She whispered back, gazing back at the blonde vampire she knew she would die for if necessary.  "You may be an evil bitch, but you care for him, and that I can relate to!"

Carly fought back the urge to pounce on this human female and sink her fangs into the inviting flesh.  Commonsense told her that, for now at least, having an ally would be very prudent indeed while the strange invaders hunted for them.  ‘Maybe later.’ She told 



herself.  After all, this Beth woman could have finished her off with no trouble while she was chained up, but instead chose to put herself at risk to release her.  She had never known a human to help one of her kind before.  Until now she had merely looked on them as a food source.  The demon inside her was as confused as she was, so felt disinclined to urge it’s undead host to attack.  Her thoughts were violently interrupted as a tazer blast cut through the half-light, barely missing the two women.

Spike rushed towards the two shadowy figures, dodging as the second blast surged across the room.  He floored the first shooter, gripping him round the throat and twisting his head back violently.  The cracking of bone reverberated loudly off the brick walls as did the thud of the body hitting the floor.  The second shooter tried in vain to fire again, but the rifle had not yet re-charged, giving off a pathetic crackling sound as the vampire swung a well aimed fist into his solar plexus.

"Let’s move, people!" yelled Spike as they heard the thumping of boots hitting the tiled floor as their assailants ran towards the commotion.

The three men and two women swiftly joined him, those with firearms ready to shoot at anything that moved beyond their group.

"Spread out, you pillocks!  One good shot and we’ll be lit up like a bloody xmas tree if we stay huddled together!" Spike snorted in dismay.  The group looked at each other a little sheepishly, then split.

Carl grabbed Carly and pushed her behind a pillar.  "Keep out of sight.  Those tazers can’t go through concrete."  The brunette eyed him suspiciously for a second then shrugged in agreement.

Flannery teamed with Beth as Giles followed Spike.  "Three guns, three groups." Muttered the detective as the approaching footfalls reached the doorway.

Taverner’s team burst into the room, rifle fire strafing the area, but narrowly missing their prey as they managed to take cover behind the concrete supports.  Gun shots rang out and two of his men fell as first Flannery, then Giles, found their target.  The others dived for cover.

"Don’t let them get away!" yelled Taverner as he ducked back into the corridor.  He aimed his pistol and shot out the dim light bulb as he pulled down his visor to pick up the body heat of someone darting across the room.  He pulled the trigger and smiled to himself as the figure fell backwards on impact.

Two of his men edged along the floor on their bellies, using their infra-red sensors as a guide to finding the safest route.  Without warning, a heavy boot slammed into the back of the neck of one of them and the other was lifted off his feet.


"Vampires don’t have body heat, soldier boy!" Spike growled, his eyes glowing like yellow flame in the darkness.  He flung the helpless man head first into the wall, smashing his skull.  He managed to reach his fallen comrade and dragged him back behind one of the pillars.

"You’re one bloody stupid copper!" he growled at Flannery, who was clutching his thigh, the blood seeping through his fingers.  "You’re lucky it’s just a nick!" 

The policeman stifled a moan.  "It doesn’t feel like a sodding nick!" he grumbled.  "It burns like buggery!"

"Come on out, Miss Giles."  Taverner shouted.  "You and your boyfriend turn yourselves in and none of your friends will be hurt!"  He motioned to his two remaining men to be ready.  He knew there was no way she was going to believe that old line but it might give him chance to pick out their hiding places.

Beth closed her eyes and willed Spike to do the same.  "We have to get the drop on them, luv." She whispered to the vision.  "Any ideas?"

Spike brushed his hand gently down her shoulder and scowled.  "Not bit on plannin’, pet.  You should know that by now!" he answered.  "But thinkin’ on my feet…..Just be ready to follow my lead and I’ll see if I can get some light in here!"  He snapped his eyes open an glanced around the room.  His eyes fell on some old rags and newspapers and he took the lighter he had managed to pilfer from the hotel lobby from his pocket.  He heard Beth begin to talk to Taverner and he crawled over to the materials.  He piled them up and began to set fire to them.

"Hey, Mitch!  Still no luck getting’ it up then?" Beth goaded.  "You know you’re not going to get out of here don’t you,  you pig-faced pile of shit!  Seems to me you’re on the losing side!"  Out of the corner of her eye she saw the dried out rags begin to smoulder, then burst into flames.  The room lit up as the flames began to grow, catching the silhouettes of both the hunters and the hunted in their glow.

Carl caught sight of the rifle barrel first.  It’s owner was temporarily disoriented by the fire’s brightness as it shone painfully through his highly sensitive visor.  He whipped it off, groaning in pain as the intense light almost blinded him.

In those precious seconds Carl leapt from hiding and let off a couple of shots from his own firearm.  The first one missed,  but the second slammed into the rifleman’s chest breaking ribs and passing straight through the man’s right shoulder blade.  He howled in pain clutching the now gushing wound as he hit the floor heavily.

Carly licked her lips and felt her game face fall into place at the sight of the red liquid, and she went towards the wounded man.  She was suddenly aware of a hand gripping her 


wrist and a voice softly urging her to be cautious.  She ripped her arm away and faced him. Her first instinct was to attack this impudent human, but the soothing voice and the words he spoke seemed to make too much sense to her.

"Put yourself in the open and his friends will see you!  They WILL dust you Carly, and for what?  A quick snack?"  Carl continued.  "Stay here where it’s safe!"  He breathed a sigh of relief as the woman’s eyes changed and her face once more became human.  "Good girl.  There will always be other meals!"

The brunette nodded silently.  He was right.  There would always be other, more leisurely, meals.  Ones where she didn’t have to risk being destroyed.  She stared at the young man and pouted.  ‘Maybe I’ll save you for later.’ She thought.  ‘Maybe I’ll bring you across to keep me company!’

There were only two of their enemies left now.  The final rifleman had managed to secure a corner for himself which was easier for him to defend, while Taverner still hid in the doorway.  His position now was very tenuous.  With no more back-up his options were narrowed down to two possibilities.  Stand and fight, in which case he might take out a couple of them before they killed him.  Retreat.  There would be no shame in that and he could call for more men before returning to the battle.  He took the latter option and silently made his way back out to the street.

The remaining rifleman pulled the trigger and aimed wildly round the room.  The bright blue lightning licked the walls, floor and ceiling for several seconds before the power faded.  At that instant, Beth being the nearest ran and kicked the rifle from his hands, leaping up and planting her other foor squarely on his jaw.  The rifleman’s head snapped back and Beth spun round to smash a reverse turning kick across his temple, killing him instantly.

Spike raced to her and lifted her in the air by the waist, spinning her round.  "Bloody brilliant!" he grinned.  "We did it again!"  He lowered her down and she flung her arms around his neck as he kissed her fervently.

"Um…how ‘bout a little help here?" a weak voice pleaded, almost apologetically.  It was Flannery.  He had managed to use his belt as a temporary tournequet but the leg wound was throbbing almost unbearably.

Giles and Fenn went to help him as Carly stood back in the shadows cast by the dying fire, contemplating what to do next.  An almost inaudible humming noise made her snap to attention.  No one else seemed to notice it.  It took her keen senses mere seconds to realise the soldier with the chest wound had levelled his rifle at the human male that had spoken kindly to her.

She moved almost too fast for the soldier to react and knocked the weapon from his grasp as he pulled the trigger, sending the blue streak of electricity into the air, narrowly 

missing Carl.  She fell on the wounded man, sinking her fangs deep into his throat and tearing away a large chunk of flesh. He was dead before his back slumped against the wall.

She turned to face the strange group she had found herself reluctantly allied with and wiped the blood from her mouth.

"Bloody hell!" gasped Spike, annoyed that he had not reacted quicker.  He regarded his erstwhile consort with new respect.  Maybe he had been more than a little too eager to dismiss her as a mere mindless bimbo.

Carl extended his hand towards her and she took it nervously.  "Thank you, Carly." He murmured softly.  Despite the fact she was a blood sucking vampire, the strange bond he felt with the woman filled him with a warm affection for her.

Carly looked decidedly shaken.  Something inside her, a feeling she never before knew she had, told her in no uncertain terms that this was one human she would prefer as a friend rather than a meal.  "Um…We love-lorn fools have to stick together, right?" she shrugged then pulled her hand away.  "Must be something to do with the name!" she laughed.

Carl grinned back.  ‘If only it was that simple…change my name!’ he thought.

Giles broke the silence.  "We have to get well away from here before our friends come back."  He glanced at the detective, who was looking decidedly worse for wear as the loss of blood began to tell on him.  "And we have to get you to a hospital!"

"We’ll go out the back way." Ordered Spike.  He grinned at Carly then at her last victim.  "Not a bad piece of work, sweetie!  You comin’ with us?"

The vampiress hesitated for a moment, passing her gaze from Spike to Beth and lastly to Carl.  "No.  I gotta stay here and wait for the gang to come back.  Besides, someone’s gotta clean up the mess!"  She smiled at Carl who looked concerned.

"Watch your back, Carly." Carl spoke finally.  "Keep out of sight.  They may send more men!"

Carly pouted and waved her hand dismissively.  "No probs!….Carl…"  she wavered slightly.  "I hope you have more luck than I have, you know…"

Carl nodded gravely in understanding then turned to follow the others out.

"Bye Spike."  Whispered the vampiress sadly, gazing into the fire’s dying embers.  She shook her head to clear her mind when a groan reached her ears.  Someone was still alive 


after all.  She quickly pinpointed who it was and bent over the injured man, her game face dropping into place.  She ran her fingers softly across his face then gripped him by the throat.  "How about a kiss, darlin’?" she growled, sinking her sharp fangs into his jugular and feasting deeply on the rich red nectar.


                        ***********************************************


Mitch Taverner growled impatiently.  Peters was busily throwing papers and computer discs into his already bulging briefcase.  As he finally forced the case closed Mitch breathed a sigh of relief.

"If we’ve got no more back-up, how we gonna find your lady friend?" he grumbled.  Their shakey alliance with the remnants of the Initiative had dissolved like an ice cube in a heat wave the moment they knew that their mission had been compromised.  Re-grouping was the term Peters’ contact had used, but it was obvious they had decided to pull out of the situation before the Council could track and destroy them.  Even their own group had left Taverner and Peters out in the cold, so to speak.

"We’ll find her.  Her and her damn blood-sucker!" Peters muttered.  "If we’re expendible, so are they!"  he picked up his case and headed for the door.  "Lets get out of here before we’re caught!"

The pair hurried through the hotel lobby and into the car park. As they rushed towards the car, the bulging case burst open under the strain and papers flew in all directions.  Peters stooped and began to pile them back into the case as Taverner reached the car and put the key in the lock.

"Leave it!  Let’s go!"  he yelled.  As he turned the key he heard a ‘pop’.  His face drained of colour and his eyes grew wide with realisation and terror.  Even as he turned to run the ‘pop’ erupted into a deafening blast as the vehicle exploded across the tarmac.

Peters was flung backwards as the shockwave reached him, metal, plastic, rubber and leather showering down around him.  A wheel came thundering towards him and he managed to roll under a parked van just in time as the burning debris smashed into the spot he had just vacated.

Car alarms were ringing out deafeningly around him and the flames began to lick over the other vehicles already battered and twisted around the blazing hulk of metal and flesh where Taverner had been.  The sound of police sirens and fire engines grew louder  and Peters struggled drunkenly to his feet, abandoning his briefcase as he staggered to escape the carnage.
  


CHAPTER FIFTEEN.


Getting Flannery to the hospital had been uneventful enough, but actually getting out before the police arrived was a minor miracle in itself!  Giles had helped the injured detective into A.& E. and ignored his insistence that he should just prop him up agains the counter and leave.

"Walk away, Rupert.  I can handle a little thing like giving my name and address!"  he muttered weakly.  His body felt like jelly as he fought the waves of dizziness that swept over him due to loss of blood, and the burning pain in his thigh was making him feel sick.  "Go on,  they’re waiting for you!"

Giles caught him as the blood loss finally hit him like a ton of bricks and his one good leg gave way under him.  "Some help here!"  Giles yelled.  "We need a doctor!"

A nurse rushed to his aid and swiftly assessed the wound.  She grabbed a porter and a wheelchair and helped Flannery into it before taking him through to the doctor.  As she disappeared through the double doors, Giles reluctantly turned to leave.

Before he had reached the exit, the nurse was back with a security guard.  "Wait!" she called as the guard grabbed Giles’ arm.  "You have to stay here.  The police will want to speak to you about how your friend was injured."

Giles pulled his arm free and straightened his jacket.  "I…I’m afraid I can’t stay.  Um …I just found him outside.  I don’t know any more than that!" he stuttered.  "I don’t even know who he…."

The automatic doors slid open and Giles was hauled bodily through them.  The guard made an attempt to stop the bleached blonde black-clad man from taking him but was grabbed by the throat and lifted off his feet.

"My friend needs to leave now, if that’s ok with you?" smirked Spike.  The guard dangled helplessly and nodded vigorously at the suggestion as a car screeched to a halt just outside. Someone at the hospital would be sorely disappointed when they reached the car park expecting to drive themselves home only to find an empty parking space!

"Get in th car, Ripper!" the vampire growled, then dropped the guard onto the floor.  As the man scrambled to his feet Spike jumped into the back seat as the vehicle sped away.  A thin ribbon of light was appearing on the horizon and he cast Beth a worried glance.

"Don’t worry." She soothed.  "Carl’s been given a safe address for us.  We’ll be there before the sun’s up."



Carl glanced at the pair in the rear view mirror as the car sped along the main road to the outskirts of the city.  "It’s not far from here.  Assuming they gave me the right directions, that is!" he quipped.  "The place belongs to one of the Council members…" he paused as Spike growled.  "Trust me.  For once you can think of us as the good guys!  I’ve even persuaded them to lay on a couple of blood bags for you!"  He chuckled to himself over the uproar that must have caused amongst his superiors.  This would be a first for the Council, aiding and abetting a vampire instead of staking him!"


                                              **********************************


They had arrived at the modest terraced house in Edgbaston just as the sun was making it’s appearance low in the sky.  The last of the shadows lingered barely long enough for the vampire to enter the house before his skin began to burn.  The occupant, a thin wirey man in his late forties, ushered them into the sparsely furnished lounge before whisking Carl into the kitchen.

The thick velvet curtains were pulled firmly closed at the window protecting Spike from the harsh winter dawn.  He paced up and down nervously as Giles and Beth sank into the soft armchairs, grateful for a chance to rest.

"For heaven’s sake, Spike!  Sit down!"  snapped Giles.  "Or are you planning on wearing a hole in the carpet!"

Spike sucked in his cheeks and took his cigarettes from his pocket.  As he lit one and took a long drag on it he sighed and threw himself down on the sofa.  Beth moved across to sit by him and stifled the urge to take a cigarette for herself.

"Don’t even ask!" Spike scolded.  "You want to smoke yourself to death, you get your own!"

As Beth swiped him playfully on the arm Giles barely suppressed a smile.  After nearly three years of seeing the couple together he suddenly realised he no longer had that feeling of revulsion and dread that his sister could be in any danger from his one-time enemy.  The smile of contentment on her face as Spike slipped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead as she nestled against him reassured him the vampire was probably the best thing that could have happened to her.

"How do you feel?…..Both of you?" he whispered.

Beth closed her eyes and sighed.  "Never better!"




Spike’s face took on an air of satisfaction and he grinned that smug ‘that’s because you’ll never find anyone better than me’ grin that irritated the hell out of the ex-watcher.  "I’m bloody starving!  I take it Fenn’s mate isn’t my breakfast, so where’s the blood?"

Carl arrived back from the kitchen with his companion, carrying trays of tea and toast.  He threw a plastic bag in Spike’s direction.  "Pigs blood for you.  Bit of a come-down considering what you have been drinking……Tea and toast for everyone else!"  he offered.   "This is Paul Edwards.  He’ll fill you in on what’s going to happen from here."

As the four of them sated their hunger and thirst, Edwards told them what had been arranged.  He filled them in about the Initiative leaving Peters high and dry, and of the car bomb that had taken care of Mitch Taverner.  "I doubt Peters will be a threat on his own.  Even his own group seem to have washed their hands of him.  With no back-up he’s unlikely to risk coming after you alone."  He stated smugly.  "As for your problem with the law, Miss Giles, we are working on that and I’ll let you know later what the outcome is.  As for the vampire…"  he paused and glowered at Spike.  "We’re arranging for him to be transported back to America as soon as possible.  The rest of you will be able to get a normal flight home.  For now though,  if you need to rest, I’ve got three empty bedrooms upstairs you can use."

Three of them trudged wearily up the stairs as Carl remained behind to sort out any last minute details.  Giles took the first room and collapsed thankfully onto the bed.

Spike opened the second door and stood aside for Beth to go in.  She clambered gratefully onto the double bed and kicked off her shoes before laying her head on the soft comfortable pillows.  She watched sleepily as her bleached blonde lover pulled off his boots and undressed, then lay down beside her, putting his arm around her waist and drawing her to him.  He nuzzled his face against her hair and sighed deeply.

"You don’t know how much I missed this, pet." He whispered.  "Can’t say I’m keen about the new hair colour though!"

She pulled back her head and went to speak but his mouth engulfed hers and all thoughts of berating him evaporated instantly as his lips caressed hers, echoing her own longing.  He covered her face, her throat, with hot eager kisses and held her so close she could barely breathe.

Beth clung to him almost desparately.  "Don’t you leave me again!" she pleaded.

"Never." He replied.  "Now get some sleep!"

Even as he spoke she rolled him onto his back and sat straddling him.  She pulled her sweater over her head and giggled softly.  "Sleep? You must be joking!" she teased, stooping to kiss his chest.  "Unless, of course, you’re too tired!"


"Now you come to mention it…." Spike closed his eyes and feigned a yawn.

Without warning he flung her onto her back and pounced on top of her, his game face dropping into place.  He bent towards her throat and she moved her head back to feel his lips caress her and his fangs graze gently over her skin.

She wriggled out of her tracksuit bottoms and held him tight.  "This is real…..isn’t it?" she breathed, running her palms down his back and letting her fingers trace along every muscle and sinew.  She felt his hand skim softly along the inside of her thighs and his mouth again captured hers.

His human face returned and he leaned back and gazed into her eyes.  "It’s real, pet." He murmured back.  "It’s real." He kissed her again, then trailed his lips slowly along her jaw line and down to the soft mounds of her breasts, taking in her sweet scent and tasting the salty persperation that made him heady with desire.

He began to suckle on one hard nipple, almost mesmerised by the sound of her heart pounding swiftly and the rise and fall of her chest as each breath she released brought with it a long low moan of pleasure.  

He felt the inside of her thighs stroking softly up and down the outside of his and he fought to curb his desire.  At this rate, he would be lucky to last thirty seconds!  ‘Think of something else, damn it!’ he cursed to himself.

As he reluctantly gained back a little self-control Beth ran her fingers through his tustled hair and moaned his name.  He looked up at her from beneath hooded eyes and smirked.  "Tell me what you want."  He crooned.

"You…" she groaned.

His smirk turned into a sly smile of self-satisfaction as he moved cat-like back up the length of her now burning body.  "Where?" he replied huskily.

"Inside me."  came the almost inaudible reply, as he slowly sheathed himself into her moist soft folds.

As he moved inside her, her world contracted to encompass this moment.  All else slipped away into insignificance as their bodies moved in time to the dance they had practiced to perfection.  If she were allowed only one moment in time to keep forever, it would be this one.  To feel him so close and know he was part of her; to feel so much love and passion for this man and to feel so safe and secure in his arms;  this was her heaven and nothing could ever mean more to her.




If she could never be with him again, this one moment would be her strength, the one thing that would never be tarnished or even equalled by anything life could throw at her.  This would forever be the reason for her existence.  She was complete.

The fire began between her legs and spread throughout her body overtaking her senses in it’s searing heat and she arched wildly towards him, dragging him over the precipice with her.

Spike moaned her name as he felt himself explode into her, gathering her so tightly in his arms he forced the breath from her lungs.  As the flames subsided they collapsed into each other’s arms.

"I’ll never leave you again.  I promise!" he whispered, as they lay wrapped around each other, content to be in their own albeit fragile universe.


                                         





























CHAPTER SIXTEEN.


"We can get you out tonight." Giles stated quietly to Spike.  "Evans has arranged for you to get on a cargo flight."

The vampire nodded hesitantly and glanced at Beth.  He was not looking forward to leaving her behind but she had assured him she would not be far behind.  Carl Fenn had told him wheels had been put in motion to smooth over her little escapade at the airport, but it would be a few days before everything could be finalised.  Flannery had made things a little easier by removing the physical evidence held against her when he had given Giles all of her personal belongings back, but there was so much more to do than that.

Beth squeezed her lover’s hand and smiled reassuringly.  "It won’t be long before we’re both back in ‘peaceful’ Sunnyhell." She laughed.  "Carl spoke to Buffy on the phone and the place is pretty much quiet at the moment."

A car pulled up outside the house and Giles peeped round the curtains to see who it was.  Carl and Edwards sauntered up the path and he went to let them in.

"How is he?" he asked.  The pair had been to the hospital to check on Flannery.

Carl grinned.  "I think they’ll be discharging him in the next few days.  I got the impression the nurses will be glad to see the back of him! "  he laughed.  "He’s definitely not a patient patient!  He’s quite pleased that he’ll be off suspension when he gets back to work though!  Seems some ‘evidence’ turned up to corroborate his story about drug dealers killing his partner!"

Giles glanced at the clock.  It was getting on for five oclock and it was already dark outside.  It would soon be time to head for the airfield at Wellsbourne to ship Spike back to the U.S.  With luck, they would all be able to follow within days, and things might actually get back to normal.  The cloud on the horizon was the fact that Peters had disappeared.  Despite Edwards’ assurance the man would probably keep well away, he could not help but feel the opposite may be true.  After all, Peters had been left high and dry by his confederates and was essentially now a non-person.  Those he had worked for wouldn’t want anything to do with him and would instantly deny all knowledge of his escapades.  With no careers, no future, and no friends, it was highly likely revenge would be uppermost on his mind.  He gazed at his sister, who sat clutching Spike’s hand as though she was afraid to let go in case he turned out to be in her imagination, and realised they would have to be extra vigilant.

Edwards checked his watch.  "It’s time to go." He muttered.

Beth jumped to her feet.  "I’m coming too.  Just to see you off." She whispered gravely.

Spike was about to protest but he knew her too well to think he could change her mind.  Her face was set in a mask of resolve so he merely shrugged and sucked in his cheeks as he nodded.   "Fair enough!"



                                      ***********************************


Peters checked his weapons again.  His prowess in hacking into computer systems had led him to the information he needed.  The vampire would be leaving the country tonight and he would be waiting for him. 

He shivered as the cold rain began to fall, chilling him to the bone as he hid in the trees.  A plane sat on the runway and a fork-lift truck was busy driving back and forth from the large warehouse, loading crates into the plane’s cargo hold.  One of those crates would soon house his intended victim, but so far there was no sign of the bleached blonde.

He checked the tazer rifle and smiled to find it fully charged, then he loaded a wooden bolt into his crossbow.  He placed both weapons carefully on the tree stump in front of him and took out his revolver, lying it next to them.  He left the stake tucked securely in his belt.

He had no intention of coming close enough to have to use the sharp piece of wood, but he was taking no chances.  His plan was to disable the vampire with the tazer rifle, shoot him through the heart with the crossbow, then move on to his next target; the woman he had once called friend; Beth.

He caught a glimpse of headlights in the distance, shimmering through the now steady downpour, as a car made it’s way slowly across the airfield.  He crouched low and raised the rifle, waiting for his opportunity to strike.

Edwards left the car first and went to talk to the overall clad man standing in the plane’s doorway.  After being assured everything was ready he waved to Spike and Beth to come over to him. The couple climbed out of the car.

Peters looked down the barrel of the rifle and waited for them to come from behind the vehicle into the open.  A surge of excitement ran through him as he realised that he might be lucky enough to bag both of his targets in one night.  If only they would move from the shadow of the car.

"Don’t be too long." Breathed Spike, as he held Beth close, feeling her lips kissing his neck.  "Someone’s gotta keep me in line!"  He pulled back from her then kissed her hard and long on the mouth.  Finally, he reluctantly broke the kiss and began to walk to the plane.

Peters took aim and flicked off the safety on the rifle.  As the power cell began to hum and glow he got the three people in his sights.  ‘One blast, and you all go down like dominoes.’ He chuckled to himself.  ‘Then I can come and pick you off at leisure!’  He pulled the trigger.

Edwards was busy scanning the surroundings when he spotted the faint flow.  "Down!" he yelled, throwing himself to the muddy ground.  Even as Spike and Beth followed suit the searing blue current streaked across the drenched field, barely missing them.

Spike was on his feet and running towards the trees in seconds.  His game face on, he roared in anger, cursing their attacker.

Beth and Edwards managed to scramble to their feet and race after him, but the vampire was gaining ground much faster than they were as they slipped and skidded on the sucking mud.

Peters stood up and fired his revolver, hitting Spike in the shoulder and knocking him backwards.  The vampire leapt back up and laughed.  "Not gonna bloody stop me, you pratt!"  he growled, beginning his advance again.

Peters raised the crossbow and smirked.  "No, but it slowed you down enough for this!"  He pulled the trigger and the deadly bolt screeched through the air towards the vampire’s heart.

Time slowed almost to a halt as the sharp point whistled closer.  Impact imminent, Spike tried to twist away.  Something larger and heavier struck him, sending him sideways and bouncing him into the mud.

Edwards kept running towards the would-be assassin, other men now joining him from the warehouse, guns blazing.  Peters fled into the trees at break-neck speed.

Spike lay dazed for a moment, feeling blood soaking into his t-shirt to mingle with the rain.  He lifted the weight from his chest and sat up, clinging to the limp body he found in his arms.

"Oh God…no! Beth!" his voice broke and cracked as his eyes stung with cold salty tears.  The wooden bolt meant for him lay firmly imbedded through her back, the sharp point protruding red and splintered just above her left breast.

She tried weakly to put her hand to his cheek and brush away the tears and rainwater running down the finely chiselled alabaster features of the man she loved.

"It’s ok." He tried to convince her.  "You’re gonna be ok!"  He could hear her heart, slower now, labouring to meet the next beat.  "Don’t leave me…." he begged.


"It’s alright….my love…" she whispered.  "You’ll…go on…for both of us…"  Her eyes were misted over now and a dark red bubble of blood dribbled slowly from the side of her mouth.

Spike strained to hear her heartbeat as it became fainter, even slower, and he held her tightly in his arms…………..








































EPILOGUE.


The funeral had been a quiet one, only family and friends being present.  Giles, of course, being her only relative, Buffy, Carl, Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya.  Spike had insisted she be buried in his old crypt and after cutting through acres of red tape, his wish had been granted.

Within days of the burial, Spike drove out of Sunnydale in his beloved black Desoto, promising he would be back one day.

Giles knew he was out for revenge and vowed to find out all he could about the whereabouts of Gary Peters.  Spike would contact him from time to time, mainly to get any information he might have, but also to talk about the woman they had both loved.

Spike had even visited L.A. briefly to ‘irritate the hell’ out of his Grand Sire Angel, he told himself.  Really, though, he thought Angel would be able to guide him to keep true to the way Beth had wanted him to exist.  His demon had somehow become much calmer and less homicidal these days, and his kill rate was virtually non-existent.  His one exception would be Peters.  That man would pay the price for what he had done.

Now, almost twelve months later, he found himself wandering down the back alleys of Las Vegas.  It was the ideal city if you wanted to disappear.  Gamblers and holiday makers alike could remain anonymous amongst the vast crowds and the throbbing night-life.  It was also an ideal place for a vampire too.  Sleeping all day and only emerging as dusk settled over the city was considered the norm for patrons of the casinos and theatres that lit up the desert.

At last he came to the last refuge for the alcoholics, the compulsive gamblers, and the down and outs.  Giles, with the help of Carl Fenn, had finally tracked his intended victim down.  He tried the door of the flop house and twisted the handle hard so that the lock snapped.

He slowly and silently edged up the dimly lit, litter strewn, stairway to the to the second floor.  He paused only a second at room 212 before kicking the door off it’s hinges.  His eyes blazed yellow and his fangs distended as his acute vision picked out the hunched up shabbily dressed figure in the darkened room.

Peters got shakily to his feet, dropping the bottle of beer he had been nursing, and pulled his shoulders back to stare defiantly at the vampire.  "So you’ve found me…"  he croaked.  "Well, it was only a matter of time, I suppose!"

He edged along the wall and made his way to the door.  To his surprise Spike did nothing to bar his way as he hesitantly side-stepped towards the opening.  "You gonna finish me now?"

Spike merely grinned.  "What makes you think I’m goin’ to kill you?" he almost sniggered.  "I’m not goin’ to kill you…"

"No.  But I am!"  the soft feminine voice struck fear into Peters’ heart and he turned to face the auburn haired woman silhouetted in the doorway.

"You’re dead!" he gasped, realisation slowly sweeping over him as her face rippled and changed into the all too familiar ridges and fangs.

"He’s very quick, isn’t he luv?" she quipped.

Peters stumbled backwards and Spike grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

"Very quick, pet."  He replied.  "He’s all yours, Beth.  This one you can suck every last drop of life out of!"

Beth smiled a sly smile and snatched Peters from her lover’s grasp.  She snapped his head back to bare the lightly stubbled throat.

"You’re my first, Gary!  Doesn’t that make you feel just a little bit special?"  she crooned softly.  She glanced at Spike for his approval.  As the bleached blonde nodded in agreement she bared her fangs and plunged them deep into Peters’ neck.

The rich, thick blood oozed over her tongue and down her throat as she drank deeply.  Her first kill!  From the moment Spike had turned her as she lay dying on the airfield, and when she had awoken inside the crypt, he had taught her to only feed enough to sate her hunger.  Her demon had fought against it for a long time, but her undying love for him had overcome her most basic instincts.  For tonight though, she could savour the overpowering nectar filling her to the very last drop.

Her victim began to weaken and she could hear his heart desparately pumping faster to try to compensate for the loss of blood.  She bit down harder, tasting his very life force draining into her.  As his last heart beat echoed in her ears, she threw the body to the floor and squealed with glee.

Spike grabbed her and kissed her, licking the last drops of blood from her lips and fangs.  Her cheeks were flushed with borrowed blood and as he hands roamed down along her hips he could smell her arousal.  It took all his willpower not to take her there and then, but he stepped back and took her by the hand.

"Maybe we should think about goin’ home now, pet." He muttered, forcing back his desire.

"The hotel?" she questioned.


"No." he replied softly.  "I mean home!….Sunnydale!"

She slipped her arm around his waist as her face once more took on it’s human visage.  "They may not accept me, luv."  She whispered softly.

"We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it."  He whispered back, placing his arm across her shoulders and leading her into the street.






THE END.