Chapter 6
A myriad of expressions darted across Buffy’s face. And Spike could read them all so easily. No matter how hard she tried to mask what she was feeling, he knew. He always could. Sometimes even more than he knew his own. Green eyes caught somewhere between fear and desire met his with the classic deer caught in the headlights look.
She was in the beginning stages of arousal. Had been since they’d picked her up hours ago. Like a ripe succulent peach ready to be picked or a hot melt-y chocolate chip cookie straight from the oven. He chuckled at his musings, and then stopped at the indignant looks from his companions. He shrugged. They wouldn’t understand.
“Uh,” Buffy stammered, looking around the kitchen. “In the guest room, right? You do have a guest room?”
“When you leave us tomorrow,” Angel said, leaning back on the table. “You need to do so wearing our scent and our marks to show everyone and the Immortal in particular that you belong to us.”
Buffy visibly gulped. Her fingertips brushing across Angel’s mark still visible on her skin. Her involuntary reaction only made Spike jealous. It was the one thing they’d never shared in all those long nights of debauchery. She was Spike’s girl, but then he belonged to Angel. The situation was too confusing to even try to figure out. All he knew for sure was that his jealousy ran both ways. They both belonged to Spike in his heart, but his mind refused to let go of the thought that they belonged to each other also.
“You want me to sleep with the two of you?” Buffy asked as her eyes darted between them. She shook her head. “No.”
“Just sleep,” Angel replied.
However, Spike knew he was lying, because Angel’s arousal was also growing heavy in the air. The mere thought of them shagging each other was turning them on. The picture of Buffy naked and writhing under Angel flashed through Spike’s mind. Once again, the anger was present, but this time it brought his arousal to the forefront. He wanted to watch Angel take Buffy in the most fundamental way possible, but he wanted to be included.
“Why?” Buffy insisted. She was leaning back in the chair with her arms crossed in front of her. “And what was this about the marks?”
Angel leaned closer. “Because Buffy,” he said slowly as if speaking to a small child. “It has to be this way. They have to know where you’re loyalties lie…with us, and in order for that to happen then you have to…”
“Yeah, yeah, I get the whole huge picture,” Buffy interrupted, putting one hand up. “We all sleep in the same bed, making us all share our smells, which is really icky by the way, and then at some point the two of you bite me. Tomorrow I walk out of here and everyone will know that the three of us are a couple, or trio,” she shrugged, “whatever we’ll be.”
“We’ll be a ménage a trois,” Spike said. He watched the rise and fall of her breasts as her breathe quickened. Her pupils dilated at his words and another rush of her sweet fragrance reached him. Her panties had to be soaking wet by now. His tongue slowly traced his lips at the memory of how good she tasted, making his cock stir in need for this woman. “Doesn’t that sound like fun?” He purred watching the flush in her cheeks, letting him know how much she did.
“You still in?” Angel asked.
From his arrogant laden question, Angel obviously thought Buffy was going to turn tail and run. Spike snorted, because it was apparent that Angel didn’t know Buffy as well as he thought he did. The girl wasn’t going anywhere. She was practically panting at the thought of sharing their bed. Even Buffy chuckled at Angel’s question. This might be fun after all, Spike decided, as he shared a knowing glance with her.
“Yeah, haven’t left yet, so I guess I am,” Buffy retorted. “This all works for tonight, but what’s the big plan for bringing down the Immortal?”
Not skipping a beat, Angel traced a useless pattern on the tabletop. He wasn’t even going to let on that Buffy’s decision surprised him. He simply maneauvered the conversation back to the discussion of their plans for the Black Thorn.
“I’m jockeying for a position with the Black Thorn,” Angel explained. “They are liaisons for the Senior Partners in this dimension. I get in with them, find out who they are then we kill them. Now, the Immortal will be included in that plan.”
“Are they human…these Black Thorn people?” Buffy asked.
“Yes, some are human, or at least they once were,” Angel said, meeting Buffy’s gaze. “They’ve sold their souls in order to gain positions of power or wealth, but in fact only live to further the Senior Partner’s plans of evil. I will feel no remorse at taking their lives.”
“If they were…no, are human, isn’t there a chance they can be redeemed?” Buffy asked, subtly refusing to back down from Angel or his stare. “Shouldn’t we…?”
“No, we shouldn’t,” Angel declared. “Aren’t demons also redeemable, but you destroy them without remorse? Do you ever take the time to find out if they’re good or evil before you kill them?”
“Yes,” Buffy retorted. “I do. I’m not some heartless robot who only sees evil monsters when she looks at demons. I’m still in touch with Clem, and there are several demons working with the Council now. So, don’t pull that shit with me, Angel.”
It was entertaining to watch them go at it, especially when it involved the semantics of who deserved to die or not. Being around them was going to be fun, Spike decided. Buffy wasn’t the little girl that Angel remembered, and he had to rediscover the woman she’d become. But so would Spike. It had been a long time since they’d been together. Spike tilted his head as he watched Buffy’s chin turn up in that little determined way she had and it made him smile. She wasn’t a child at all anymore. He liked it.
“All right,” Angel said, carefully with a nod. “Point taken. Then you’ll also have to agree that some humans don’t deserve to live. You humans have always used capital punishment as a way to deal with those who don’t follow your laws.”
“It’s not my place to judge humans,” Buffy said. She turned beseeching eyes toward Spike for his help. “I can’t take part in just killing them.”
“But you can judge demons, luv,” Spike answered. “You said you were the law when it came to them, remember? Shouldn’t we all share the same rules?”
“Maybe one day,” Buffy said, with a shake of her head. She pushed her plate away from her, and then rested her elbow on the table. Sighing, she leaned her chin on her hand. “Okay, I’m in. I don’t like it, but if I get any squicky feelings, I’m going to argue with you.”
“Deal,” Angel said, with a broad grin.
Apparently, he thought he’d won the argument, when Buffy had only put it off for another day. She needed to regroup, rethink her arguments, and she just bought herself the time to do it. Spike joined Angel with the grin. Things were just getting interesting. He leaned back in his chair, and decided to shake things up a bit.
“So, how about we show Buffy around the place?” Spike said, covering Angel’s hand with his own. “I mean she needs to see where she’ll be living.”
“Living, huh?” Buffy asked, wrinkling up her nose. “I thought I was just spending the night.”
“If you belong to us,” Angel said. “Then wouldn’t you be living with us?”
She rolled her eyes in typical Buffy fashion, but then she waved her hand in the air. “Wait a minute, Mr. Hurry Pants, what about Reginald? Isn’t he unkillable since he is the Immortal?”
“Hurry Pants?” Angel asked, glancing from blonde to blonde in confusion.
“Something Buffy teased me with once,” Spike supplied, refusing to look at Buffy. Hoping the memory of when she called him that before would go away. It was only supposed to be a quickie on their way through a cemetery, but she wanted much more than just a rough and tumble. Poor Mrs. Smith, they’d spent hours on her grave, fucking, making love, and laughing. “Everyone has a weak spot even a ponce like the Immortal,” he added. He hoped his diversion would make them drop the subject of his nickname.
It was, except the hurt look that Angel flashed his
way. His Sire knew that he was on the
outside of their past relationship. It
wasn’t something he and Angel had ever really discussed. Once they returned from
“Okay, okay,” Buffy said, with a sigh. She rubbed her forehead. “I’m too tired to try and figure all this out tonight. I’m going to trust you on Reginald. You’ve known him a lot longer than I have. But I’ll have Giles research him some more.”
“No,” Angel demanded. “No one, and I mean no one, can know what you’re up to. The fewer who know the better. For now, it’s just the three of us, and that’s it. It’s safer for them, Buffy,” he added, softening his tone a bit. “The Senior Partners are beyond anything we’ve ever fought before, and they will have no second thoughts of destroying anyone that gets in their way.” He engulfed Buffy’s hand with his free one. “It’s another reason I want you out of here.”
“I’m more important than Spike?” Buffy asked, startling them both with her question. “We’ve both already died for this world. Neither one of us should have to prove our loyalty again. So if we’re both willing to, then you should accept our help.”
This time Angel conceded. “Okay, fine, you’re in. We’re all in.”
Spike noticed though that he didn’t answer Buffy’s question. It bothered him, but he couldn’t let it. He had no doubts Angel loved him, and if he was willing to admit it, Angel loved Buffy, too. Just as he loved them both in return. The road ahead of them was going to be a hard one, but Spike had faith they would find a way to make this all work out. They had to, not only for themselves, but for the world as well.
Buffy smiled. “It won’t be so bad. You’ll see Angel.”
“Glad you’ve got faith,” Spike muttered, letting his emotions lead the way after all his careful deliberations. He stood up, gathering the dirty dishes, while ignoring the looks from the other two. He needed a moment to get himself back together. They decided to let him have that, either that or they didn’t know what to do with him. Therefore, they let him be. He cleaned up the mostly uneaten dinner, putting the cartons into the refrigerator, and putting the dishes into sink. A hand settled on his shoulder when he was finally done. It was Buffy.
“Come show me around,” she asked. “And a bathroom would be great way to begin.”
He laughed. Like she wanted him to.
“Yeah, Luv, I’ll show you,” Spike said, taking her hand. He led her to the half bath off the living area in the front of their suite. “When you come out we’ll give you the full tour.”
“Thanks,” Buffy said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.
“Do you think she can do it?” Angel asked, placing a hand on Spike’s waist.
“Buffy can bloody well do just about anything,” Spike reassured his mate, leaning back against Angel’s hard body. He almost purred when Angel’s arms encircled him, and held him close letting him feel just how much his lover needed him. “Have faith, Ang, she’ll be just fine.”
“And us?”
It was one question he hadn’t anticipated for Angel to ask him. It made Spike smile though. He wasn’t the only one unsure of the changes about to happen in their lives. “We’ll be fine, too. Just remember the vows we’ve made to one another. Our relationship comes first before anything.”
“Good,” Angel whispered, turning Spike around.
“So, are you going to kiss me before she gets out of the loo?” Spike asked, with his usual smirk in place. It felt good to tease, and to have someone tease him back. Angel’s lips brushed softly across his, and then his lover kissed the hollow beneath his cheekbone. It made Spike sigh. This whole night had been like foreplay. He wished they could all just get into bed and fuck. It would get all their frustrations out of their system, but he didn’t think Buffy would go for that. It was a shame really.
“She’ll give in,” Angel whispered, before stepping back.
It confounded Spike, but he didn’t have a chance to ask for an explanation because Buffy was coming out of the bathroom. She looked a little more together than when she’d gone in. She’d needed space, too.
“So, you boys ready to show me around,” Buffy said. She winked at them. “And save the bedroom for last.”
to be continued…
