Chapter 40 – It Can’t Rain All the Time
We walked the narrow path,
Beneath the smoking skies.
Sometimes you can barely tell the difference
Between darkness and light.
Do you have faith?
In what we believe?
The truest test is when we cannot see.
Jane Siberry
Dylan didn’t want to acknowledge
it. In a way it was admitting he was wrong about his future with Spike, but it
couldn’t be. Not this time. Not when Marguerite was so sure, too. He watched with
disbelieving eyes as the vampire moved in synchronicity with his mate. Almost
as if they were one being and not two. He shook his head to dispel the foolish
notion as he picked up his pace to keep up with his companions.
Jake was leading them deep
into
Coupled with the fact that
several eyewitnesses reported seeing large human-like creatures just on the
edge of the trees the sheriff had contacted The
Matrix for help. Research indicated that there weren’t any demons that
called this area home. The morning had been spent in going over aerial views of
the town and surrounding territory. An abandoned gold mine had been spotted on property
that was now part of a government land preservation deal. Surrounding the mine
were several buildings that demons could be using as a temporary hideout.
In the lead was Jake,
followed by Ted, then Buffy and Spike with Dylan behind them and Bob at the
end. Jake was taking them to the mine by a long overgrown road in hopes of not
being seen before they were ready to attack. The steep climb was getting to
them all, and especially to Bob. He kept complaining that he preferred to catch
his marks on a bar stool deep in the heart of
Suddenly, Jake slowed,
putting his arm out for the others to follow suit. He pointed to several bushes
that were crushed as if something large had been drug over them.
“It seems we may be going
the right way,” Jake commented in a hushed tone. “Keep your eyes and ears
open,” and with that admonishment, he started forward again.
Spike stepped in front of Buffy,
leading the way. One hand held tightly to his battle axe and the other to his
wife’s hand. Dylan thought it was a bit dangerous, but it also looked like at
any moment they’d be ready to jump in the fray. Never before in his life had
he’d seen two people so totally committed to one another. Could fidelity and
forever really exist? Where he’d grown up it was a miracle if a couple even
managed to get married long enough to have a child much less stay together for
a decade.
“Hey, Dylan, pick up the
pace,” Bob teased, poking the younger man in the back. “You’re letting this old
fart catch up to you and that ain’t making you look too good.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Dylan
responded, glancing over his shoulder. “I’m just trying to make you look better
that’s all.”
Bob’s jab at the youngest
member was just what everyone needed to break the tension filled atmosphere
around them. They all laughed which also alienated any chance of them
suspecting why Dylan had been lagging. Relieved at not being reprimanded for
not paying attention, he hurried ahead. The mountain grew steeper taking away
any chance for conversation. The group returned to concentrating on the path
before them and trying to find any clues to the demons they were searching for.
Their footsteps were slow as
they forged through an old overgrown trail. Several times someone slipped, rode
the grass and leaves backward until they could regain their hold on the steep
terrain. No one spoke as they concentrated on the way. It was a mistake because
just as Jake reached the next plateau a gun blast broke through the silence. Those
in back ducked as a bullet flew just above Ted’s head and imbedded itself in a
tree not far from them.
“Holy shit,” Ted yelped, grabbing
his head and squatting down. He raised the hand holding his sword, ready to do
battle as the group moved closer to one another. Weapons drawn, they formed a
circle, crouching close to the ground as they visually searched the woods for
the shooter.
A rustle not far from them
had them turning to the left of the path, but then there was one to the right
of them. They were surrounded. Everyone tensed ready to do battle as the first
demon broke through the trees.
There wasn’t time for anyone
to think much less figure out who they were fighting. Dylan pulled his knife
from its sheath on his ankle and went toward the closest demon. They were
pouring out of the bushes. He lost count as they became embroiled in the fight.
“I recognize these ugly
mugs,” Spike bit out, as he buried his axe in one of the demon’s chests. “Their
little friends tried to take over Sunnydale once a long time ago.”
“Oh, yeah,” one demon said.
“I recognize your bitch, too. She’s a robot…”
“No, I’m not,” Buffy
declared placing a well aimed foot into the Hellion’s groin. “Believe me I’m
all woman.” She followed it with a punch to his jaw, driving his chain into the
sensitive gum area above his teeth. Blood poured from his mouth as Buffy jumped
back to avoid being splattered with it.
“Woohoo, go Buffy,” Jake
called out over his shoulder. “She’s a real live, honest to God, Slayer, boys,”
he said, throwing his weight into a round house kick at a demon that wouldn’t
give up the fight despite the blood pouring from a head wound.
The humans were severely
outmatched by the strength of the demons. It was only their well perfected
battle strategies that prevented them from being killed. Buffy and Spike were
quickly going for the kill instead of toying with their opponents. There were
too many of them and they were afraid that one of their companions wouldn’t
survive if they dallied.
Dylan raged at the demons
that surrounded him. He didn’t want help from the Slayer to stay alive. It
would be something that he would never live down either to himself or the men
that he worked for. He fought with everything he had using both his knife and
his martial arts training. These demons, though, were twice his size and as
strong as a vampire.
The one in front of him
swung making him turn to avoid the meaty fist aimed his way. It only gave the
one beside him the opportunity to pick him up by his shirt front.
“Why would you think a puny
thing like you could even hurt one of us?” the demon asked, turning to his
companions for affirmation. He laughed loudly but was surprised by Dylan
planting one foot on his chest and aiming the other right for his mid-section.
“Because I can,” Dylan bit
out, as he brought his knee up into the demon’s face, then using the leverage
from his other foot he flipped backwards to land on his feet. He watched in satisfaction
as the demon fell to the ground. His jubilance didn’t last long as he caught a
demon preparing to throw an axe into the Slayer’s back. For some reason he
didn’t understand he shouted, “Watch out, Buffy,” before he threw his own knife
straight into the heart of the Hellion. With Buffy’s quick reaction to his
forewarning, she managed to escape the weapon unscathed.
Time seemed to freeze around
him as he stared into emerald eyes that returned his stare with curiosity and
gratitude. Something changed in that moment. Something he didn’t want to
understand. It pissed him off that there was a chance that he might care about
her just because he cared whether Spike was happy or not. The whole emotion bit
didn’t fit into his plans and he threw himself back into the fight hoping to
eradicate any weakness inside of him.
~~~~~~~~
Back at the cabin several
hours later Buffy was forcing herself to face the truth. The little rat had
saved her life. No matter what she did wouldn’t change that fact. Out there on
that mountain the only two things she wanted was to show Dylan how much of a
couple, she and Spike were, and how much stronger she was than he could ever
hope to be. And because he decided to be a hero, things were changed between
them. She was indebted to him whether she wanted to be or not. Spike used the
moment to back up his belief that she was all wrong about the young man. It
didn’t matter how she felt, because Dylan changed the playing field making her
the bad guy again.
“Bloody hell,” Buffy
whispered, staring at her hands dangling between her knees. “What am I going to
do?”
This weekend was supposed to
have been an intimate reunion between husband and wife, but due to
circumstances beyond her control things had turned to Dylan’s advantage. Once
again Buffy was faced with how unfair life could be. She knew if she didn’t
play this just right then it would cause problems between her and Spike.
Problems they didn’t need to deal with along with everything else going on in
their lives and just when things seemed to be looking up between them. The time
apart had given them a new appreciation for the love they shared.
Damn it, it was she that had
stood beside her husband for all these years and she wasn’t going to let him
go. Even if that meant she had to play humble to the little twit that wanted
her husband. Whoever said life was a game was right, but it was one she didn’t
plan on losing. Never had before and she certainly wasn’t going to this time.
Buffy stood, tossing her
hair, and straightening her shoulders before making her way into the hallway.
Thankfully Spike was still in the shower so he wouldn’t be a witness to her
performance. She never could fool him no matter how hard she tried. She glanced
into the living room; Dylan wasn’t there, so she headed down to the kitchen. He
was there, making a sandwich for himself.
“Hi, Dylan,” Buffy said.
“Hey,” he said, freezing as
he looked up at her.
He was giving her a classic
deer in the headlights look. It took him a second to slide his mask of
indifference back into place. He turned away to continue to slather mustard
across a slice of rye bread. The tension floated between them making Buffy
unsure of continuing. She slid her hand down the hip of her jeans before realizing
the nervousness the gesture revealed. There was no way she wanted this weasel
to know that he in any way intimidated her.
“Look,” she said. “I just
wanted to say thanks for helping me out there today.”
It took a moment for him to
respond. He finished putting the thick slices of ham on the bread before he
looked back at her.
“No problem,” he said,
cutting his sandwich in half. “Part of the team and all that rot.”
“Well, I just wanted to let
you know that I appreciate it.”
It was over. She had made
the appropriate gestures of good will and gratitude. There wasn’t anything else
that was needed so she gave a small nod before turning to leave the room.
“I’d rather have you alive
to defeat you myself, than to have some demon rob me of that pleasure. Don’t care to compete against your memory as
a martyr,” he said, “this way is much more fun.”
This time it took her a
moment to accept that Dylan had actually said what he did. It was a clear
challenge that she could either ignore or accept. If she ignored it, though, he
would think her too weak to fight him. So, she faced him, crossing her arms in
front of her with her legs at shoulder width apart. It was her bitch stance,
perfected from a lifetime of using it for intimidation.
“Defeat me?” Buffy asked,
with one brow arched. “You know I could squash you like the little roach that
you are.”
“Oh, not like that,” Dylan
said. Then to further demonstrate his power of her insecurity in the love of
her husband, he took a bite of his sandwich, chewed and swallowed before he
said anything else. “You really don’t have any concept of who your husband even
is, do you? He really is worth so much more than you’ll ever let him be.”
“You’re right about one
thing,” Buffy replied. “Spike is my husband
and my mate. I know exactly who he is as he knows who I am. There is nothing
you can do to break us apart.”
The turd had the audacity to
laugh at her statement. “You really are too arrogant about your relationship
with him. It’s blinded you to what is going on inside of him. Eventually, he’ll
come to me because I can give him what you can’t.”
“What? A dick?” Buffy
laughed, shaking her head. “It doesn’t interest him that much. I have given him
something that you never will, his children, and we’re trying to have another
baby. I know that nothing will ever come before his family. So, you don’t
threaten me at all.”
She didn’t wait to hear
Dylan’s retort to her statement. There was nothing he could say to refute it,
because if there was one thing in her life to believe in, that was it. As she
walked away, she was comforted by the anger that was returning to replace the
unfamiliar feelings of peace toward Dylan. Anger was a good thing.
~~~~~~
“Hello,” Buffy whispered,
sliding back the shower curtain. “You’ve been taking too long.”
Spike froze where he was,
staring at the beauty climbing into the stall with him. The small square room
was barely big enough for both of them, but he didn’t care. Not when she was
caressing his chest with fingertips barely touching his skin.
“Hello, yourself,” he
responded, pulling her against his body with hands that almost spanned her tiny
waist. “I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you, too,” Buffy
said, shifting onto her toes so she could nuzzle his neck. “I love you,
William.”
“Love you, too,” he said,
putting his head back so she could have better access to him. Her hands roamed
to his back as she nibbled on his earlobe. Her joining him was a surprise
because he’d assumed that she wouldn’t want to make love in this situation. But
he wasn’t going to argue with her. He took a step forward, pressing her back
against the shower wall. Buffy leaned back looking up at him as she hooked a
leg over his hip.
She was slippery as satin,
he decided, his hands stroking her torso. The heat of the water was turning her
skin a rosy pink, almost as pink as the beaded nipples grazing against his
chest. He growled deep in his throat, lifting her so she could wrap her legs
around him. No place else on earth was as welcoming as the heat between his
woman’s thighs. Spike looked deep into Buffy’s eyes that stared back at him
with such love in them. This was where he belonged. He slid his cock into her,
loving the slow slick slide into a pussy that was still as tight as the day
he’d first taken her. She groaned, bucking forward to let him slip further
inside.
“Fuck me,” Buffy whispered.
There wasn’t any answer
except to give her what she wanted. Spike pulled almost completely out of her
before slamming back into her. He loved the moan Buffy uttered as he filled her
again. Adjusting his hands on her ass to make sure he was balanced, he set out
to make her scream. Suddenly needing for the others to understand the depth of
loving possession he and his mate shared. Spike didn’t hold back as he thrust
repeatedly into her. He hit every spot that he knew would drive her crazy and
the escalating begging fed his desire even more. They moved together, losing
all sense and reason, until she was screaming his name with each inward stroke.
“Now, now, now,” Buffy
begged, digging her nails into his back. She threw her head back in an open
invitation for the ultimate invasion of his body. Unable to refuse, Spike
roared with the power she gave before plunging his fangs into her throat. It
drove her over the edge and she screamed out her orgasm. He drank the blood
flowing from her throat until his body gave in to the bloodlust and shot his
seed deep within her.
to be continued…
