Chapter 4
In retrospect the dress with the wispy skirt wasn’t the best idea to wear. Not with her former lovers sitting across the limousine from her. Regrettably, no matter how she sat, they were given generous views of her legs all the way up to her hips. Self conscious, she dismissed the idea of even trying to cross her legs. They’d see her panties for sure. Not that there were a lot of them to see, but tonight she’d prefer they wouldn’t see anything at all.
Buffy tried to appear comfortable as she stared out the window as she attempted to ignore them. They were ignoring her, well, except for the glances they kept flashing her way before they also turned to look out the windows. They were all tense, and she assumed that the limo was the possession of Wolfram & Hart; hence it wasn’t safe for them to talk. Which left them, three near strangers with nothing but a shared past in common, and nothing to have small talk about.
“So, you like your hotel?” Spike asked.
His eyes almost glowed in the near darkness of the limo as he stared at her. She sighed, but then nearly laughed. It was a bit ridiculous for Spike to be attempting to engage her in a conversation about her hotel.
“Gee, Spike,” Buffy retorted, before she could stop herself. “It’s got a bed, working air conditioning and after the last few months in Sunnydale, I consider that a luxury.”
“Bitch much?” Spike asked, with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, I guess,” she replied, resisting the urge to squirm from guilt. Leaning her head back against the seat, she added, “I’m just feeling awkward. After everything we’ve been through, discussing the accommodations at the Hilton is a bit lame.”
“What would you rather discuss?” Angel interrupted. His gaze
slowly swept from the tips of her toes until they locked eyes with hers. She
didn’t need to see them to know that she was now found unworthy. “Perhaps something
along the lines of betrayal or…”
It was impossible to miss Spike’s hand covering Angel’s and squeezing it in warning. Angel was storming in when he shouldn’t have, and that wasn’t exactly the Angel Buffy once knew. Especially not when it dealt with Spike. She could feel the emotions vibrating between them and it made her smile despite animosity directed her way. She was glad that they both had found some happiness. In the life they led, it was a rare commodity, and her own loneliness made her appreciate it even more.
“The hotel is fine,” Buffy said, with a small smile that she knew probably looked fake. It was all she could come up with though. “Are you still living at the Hyperion?”
”We have a penthouse apartment at the Wolfram & Hart building,” Angel replied,
staring through her. “But we also maintain a place at the Hyperion. For those times we desire to be more alone…and
uninterrupted.”
Point taken, so she decided to wave the white flag. “That’s good,” Buffy said, with a sigh. “Look, guys…”
“We’re here,” Angel interrupted, causing Buffy to jump. She
looked out the window at the small Chinese restaurant the limo was stopping in
front of. The sign said it was the Red Dragon, a place that Buffy had never
heard of before. But the food didn’t really matter; the important thing was
being in
She needed to remember that, especially when she accepted Spike’s hand to help her out of the limo. A jolt of remembered electricity darted through her that was accompanied by the warmth of Angel’s hand on her hip as he helped balance her as she climbed out. Separately, each in their own way, made her feel loved and safe, together it was a powerful force of protectiveness. It made her feel like more of a woman than she ever had before.
Too bad it wasn’t real. They were being polite. She’d blown all her chances long ago with them. Her relationship with the Immortal had sealed the deal, even if she was never as close to him as they thought she was. Nope, no sleeping with any more remotely evil males, not Buffy. She slept alone, and she hated it.
She waited for Angel to finish giving the driver instructions, while Spike looked somewhere over her head. She wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to keep the chilly night air away. Another sign of the foolishness of the dress she wore. Dressing for comfort was the way she should have gone. Too late now, she realized with a sigh.
“It’s warmer inside,” Angel assured, slipping an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s get in there. You’ll like this place. Great Chinese food.”
“Good, I’m starving,” Buffy lied, letting them lead her into the restaurant. It struck her then that Angel never ate food, so why were they taking her out to dinner. He would have to be bored watching her and Spike eat if he was in the mood. “What are we doing?” She asked, nibbling on her lower lip as she allowed herself to be led into the waiting area.
“Getting dinner, Luv,” Spike said, with a smile. “I’m feeling a bit peckish myself.”
“Oh,” Buffy mumbled, feeling foolish. Could she act anymore like a little girl out on her first date? Everything was confusing her, and she wondered if she would be able to pull off the necessary charade she needed to accomplish her tasks. Before arrived in LA, she’d really thought she was over her exes, but now she realized she wasn’t. The love for both of them was just as strong as ever. And with that came an overpowering need to make sure they came out of this situation unscathed.
So, she shut her mouth, and followed them to a small side room with a table that overlooked the ocean. Angel pulled a chair out for her so that she could see out the window, then he and Spike sat on either side of her. The server bustled around getting a pot of tea for them. Tiny white teacups were placed in front of them, before they were handed the menus. But Angel waved them away before they could be set down and ordered for all of them. Impressed and humbled by his knowledge of the Chinese language, she didn’t utter a word.
Instead she maintained a steady gaze out to the beach until Spike nudged her foot with his. She blinked and realized the waitress was gone. Not sure what to do, and wanting to keep busy she reached for the teapot since neither of them were.
“It’s safe to talk here,” Angel said, as Buffy poured the tea for them. “We helped the owners a few years ago and we have their loyalty. The place is cloaked with magic that allows the souls of those inside to be seen for what they truly are.”
“That’s good,” Buffy said, leaning back in her chair. She picked up her cup to take a sip of the strong, sweet beverage. “I was beginning to think I was really paranoid or something. The way you two have been acting, so not normal.”
“Know the feeling, pet,” Spike responded with a chuckle. “So, who’s going to start with the confessions?”
“I think Buffy should,” Angel demanded, playing with his chopsticks in a very precise twirling rhythm. “Since she’s the one who barged in on us yesterday.”
“So, sorry,” Buffy snapped. “Just thought you might be interested in specific plans to destroy you, but apparently you’re not.”
“Over reacting much?” Angel asked with an amused look. “We are interested, so why don’t you just tell us?”
He was right. She was too sensitive. It was their fault. No, it was her fault. She played with her cup then set it down.
“There are certain things you don’t know,” Buffy began, staring anywhere but at them. “Or rather you think you know, but you don’t.” She paused, and smiled at her own confused speech. She took a deep breath. “I’m not really dating the Immortal. At first, when I didn’t exactly know who he was, yeah, I went out with him. Then when I did know, I kept seeing him, hoping I’d learn something.”
“And did you?” Spike asked, his skepticism of her speech evident in his tone and the tilt of his head.
“Yeah, I did, and so I’m here.”
“You seemed to be having a wonderful time with him when we saw you,” Angel commented. His stare made her uneasy. It was almost Angelus-like in its intensity. “Like you were the happiest girl that ever lived.”
Buffy wanted to ask if he was jealous, but she refrained. It was a useless road that didn’t seem to matter. Instead she returned his stare, and said, “Then you don’t know me very well. Maybe you were seeing what you wanted so you could be free to pursue other things or should I say someone else?”
Angel looked away and she knew she was right. Shaking her head, she asked about something that had been on her mind since the day before. “Why did you call me, Buf? Only…he did.”
“Because,” Angel started to say then hesitated as he looked at Spike for some kind of confirmation which he seemed to receive because he looked back at her and continued. “We want the Senior Partners to think that we’re ready to be loyal to them.”
“That you’ve both gone evil again?”
“Yeah, luv, that would fit the bill,” Spike said. “Only told you what the plan is, everybody else is suspicious of us. Kind of works to our advantage that way. Hell on the friendships, but what can you do?” He shrugged.
“It all fits then,” Buffy concluded, sitting back. “The
Immortal doesn’t want the competition and wants you two out of the way so that
he can become a part of the Black Thorn. He received a phone call about a week
ago. Made him leave
“Does he know you’re in LA?” Angel asked.
“Yeah, I told him it was about Council business and a little R&R,” Buffy explained. “It’s one of the reasons I brought along Dawn and Andrew.”
“It’s a little suspicious on the timing,” Angel regarded. “It has got to make him wonder if you’re here to help us out.”
Now, that was something she knew. Every time she talked to him, it was another round of twenty questions that left her exhausted trying to deflect them all. Reginald knew she didn’t love him, or was not really into him, but the relationship continued because they both needed each other. The old concept of keeping your enemy closer than your friends. Except it was quickly boxing her in, and the Immortal wasn’t one to play fair.
“Or to see where my heart lies,” Buffy said, almost under her breath. “He keeps asking me if I’m still in love with you two.” She looked up; trying to look detached, but knew it wasn’t working. “I tell him no, but he doesn’t believe me.”
“He wants to know where your loyalty lies,” Angel remarked. He drew one finger along the edge of the table. “It could get extremely dangerous for not only you, but for those that you love. He doesn’t play fair.”
“I’ve got some ideas on what he is planning to do,” Buffy said. “I’d rather be on your side than his.”
“Let’s get out of here,” Angel commanded, after studying her for a few moments. “Spike, tell them we want it to go.”
“Where are we going?” Buffy asked in confusion as she stared at Spike leaving the room.
“To the Hyperion,” Angel said. “Where we can make some decisions, because I think the stakes just got really high, and we’re all in danger. It’s safer there and will make people question your motives a little more.”
A chill ran down Buffy’s back. She couldn’t argue with Angel on that one. Not only were they being listened to, but she had a feeling that Reginald had a tail on them since they landed in LA. It was creepy, but she knew that if the Immortal started playing for the Senior Partners, then the world was in a little more trouble. Because the only way he’d get there was if the two vampires were no longer in existence.
And that would be over her dead body.
to be continued…
