A/N – Thanks to Marsters’ Girl for beta’ing
this fiction!
The two vampires didn't bother to knock as they entered Giles' home. There, they were greeted with the sight of Giles, Wesley, Willow, Cordelia, and Xander, all sitting in Giles' living room. When Buffy noticed Angel lurking in the corner, she slipped into her demonic visage threateningly.
She 'felt' rather than saw Spike's
face change, and heard him begin growling at his sire.
"Buffy.." Giles began,
but she cut him off. "No Giles, what is he doing here?" Buffy
practically growled at her watcher.
It was Cordelia who spoke, cautious
of the vampire, but still retaining her Cordy-esque behavior, "Buffy, I
had a vision, a child with a symbol on its head was being chased..." She
began, but Buffy cut her off as well.
Buffy kept her vampiric
countenance, though her slayer persona kicked in.
"Don't tell me," she
began, "The symbol looked like this?" she finished, taking the golden
pentagrams from Spike's hand and put them on the table.
"Good Lord!" Giles and
Wesley breathed at the same time, both moving to the desk to view the objects
closer, the younger watcher giving the angry vampires an obviously large amount
of space.
Xander rolled his eyes and quietly
said, "British!" Willow giggled quietly next to him.
"So watchers...put down your
tea, use your training and give us a hand for once!" Spike said snidely.
"Shut up, Spike." Angel said,
quietly. The room fell silent at the fear-striking growl erupting from the
blond slayer, Angel looked terrified, as he knew the intent behind the sound,
whereas Spike grinned evilly at his sire over Buffy's head.
"Get...out…" She spoke
quietly, in a barely controlled voice, her anger at the vampire remembered. No
one dared contradict her, and Angel slipped out the back; a single tear rolling
down his face.
"Giles, I don't want him here,
but if he has to help then keep him away from me and Spike - if you want him to
retain limbs." she continued, in her tightly controlled monotone,
"Now, Spike and I were in the cemetery near the Bronze. The ground shook
then three robed guys came out with that symbol on their foreheads." she
explained, pointing to the objects on the desk, "They spoke quickly in
unison then disappeared, then these metal things dropped from the mausoleum
behind us."
Giles nodded, taking in the
information presented by his slayer, and attempted to form a plan of action
that would keep Angel away from the furious vampiress. He truly believed she
would make good on her threat.
Spike wrapped his arms around
Buffy's waist and leaned back against the kitchen wall, pulling her with him.
He gently kissed her neck in an
attempt to calm her, though he was thrilled by her response to Angel, and he
felt her relax against him.
"I suggest that if they don't
mind Xander, Willow, and Cordelia search through various books on the symbol we
found previous to your arrival, whilst Wesley and I research these robed
figures. Is there anything else either of you can remember about them? Their
features, were there any designs on the robes?" Giles asked, while the
other four sat about doing the tasks he'd suggested.
Buffy thought for a moment, while Spike
responded, his features melting back to his human visage, "The robes were
black, no pretty patterns. They looked human...smelled human." He
clarified.
Buffy spoke up in her normal voice,
her demon back in, "Their eyes were kinda black - the pupils were bigger
than normal, kinda like Wills when she used all that witchy power. They
defiantly had some strong mojo brewing in them." She finished, flashing
the hacker a small smile, when she looked up at the mention of her name.
"Well, I'll see what I can
come up with. I suggest you two pass through the cemetery before you go home,
see if there is anything out of the ordinary. Come by tomorrow night, we’ll
call you if we find anything." The watcher finished.
"Right," Spike drawled
sarcastically, "You're asking us, William the Bloody and his turned
slayer, for something out of the ordinary, in a graveyard, at night, full moon,
on a Hellmouth - sure why not?!" His scarred eyebrow rose.
Buffy giggled then lead her mate by
the hand to the front door, throwing her good-byes over her shoulder and closed
the door behind her.
*** *** ***
"Wow." Cordelia began, in
awe of what had just passed.
"Quite." Wesley quietly
interjected.
"I mean, wow....did you see
Buffy all major protective - what was up her butt?" Cordelia asked
bluntly.
"She
was pissed that Deadboy dared show his face here after he beat up Junior."
Xander informed her, angered himself - he could see Buffy's point, he wasn't keen
on Spike, but he'd take him any day over Angel - souled or not.
Cordelia looked shocked, as did
Wesley who said, "Are you saying Angel attacked Spike?" he asked,
finally understanding the vampiress' actions.
At Giles' nod, Cordelia continued,
"Okay, that’s why she went ggrrr?" She asked, punctuating the sound
with the bearing of her teeth and clawing of her hands.
"I mean...she sounded
scary." The see-er stated.
"Yeah, Giles.." Willow
said, slightly worried "Do you think Buffy will go after Angel? I mean I
know what he did was wrong, but we may need him."
The older watcher removed his
glasses, absently rubbing the lenses, more out of habit than need, and spoke
quietly, though with authority. "I believe she will if Angel attempts to
harm Spike again, Buffy is a very powerful slayer. Her vampire tie, coupled
with her love for Spike makes her very protective of him.
I suggest Angel give them both a
wide berth." he turned to face the other watcher, "Buffy and Spike
are staying at the Mansion. I trust you are all lodging elsewhere?"
"Yes, we have motel rooms near
the outer limits - I shall relay your message to Angel. I believe he will
understand and accept your terms, though he will not like them."
Wesley's over-important words
angered Giles, and he replied heatedly, "I'm afraid his attacking Spike
took the matter out of my hands, he knew what Buffy's reaction would have been,
I can not and will not safeguard him if he does not abide by her rules.
Sunnydale has changed, Buffy has changed, and not just in the obvious way - he
must accept that." Giles spoke sternly, and with a conviction that left no
room for arguments.
The other watcher merely nodded,
and they all sat down to what would be another long night of research.
*** *** ***
Buffy and Spike were currently
cuddled up to one another, in bed. They had stopped off at the graveyard, as
per Giles' instructions, but found nothing out of place. They then returned
home, and had been engaged in a more viscous round of love making for the past
two hours. Sated for the time being, they were content to just hold the other.
After minutes of blissful silence
Buffy quietly spoke, "Spike?"
"Yeah, love?" he
responded, sleepily.
"Are you okay?" she
asked, worry creeping into her voice. They hadn't talked about Angel, and she
wasn't sure what he was feeling inside about the whole situation.
"Definitely," he said,
his hands roaming about her body- one pausing on her breast massaging it
gently, the other cupping her womanhood, his thumb rubbing her clit while he
pushed a long, cold finger inside her. Buffy moaned and arched into his
ministrations but clarified her question, desperate to ensure her lover was
truly fine.
"I mean about tonight,
earlier." she breathed.
Spike lowered his mouth to her ear,
gently tugging at the earlobe; continuing his assault on her body he spoke
quietly, "Love, your reaction to him more than made up for the wanker's
presence." he told her truthfully.
"Well, you're mine - no one hurts
what’s mine. I'd rip out his intestines and beat him with them- if I didn't
know he'd probably prove to be useful later." she responded, moaning as
another finger entered with the last.
She felt Spike's chuckle through
her body. Both moaned loudly as he entered her slowly from behind. Spike willed
himself not to come as her walls squeezed him.
"Nice graphics, pet." he
replied. Moving slowly, his thumb continuously rubbing and flicking over her
swollen nubbin, Spike brought her to the edge. Knowing she was so close and
that all it would take was a fraction of an inch of movement, he kissed her
neck and whispered seductively, "You're mine." before sinking his
fangs into her neck.
Buffy's orgasm ripped through her
as she screamed her lover's name, tightening like a vice around him, forcing
him over the edge with a hoarse shout. As Buffy calmed down she could hear both
her and Spike purring contentedly, and whispering words of love they fell into
a dreamless sleep, Spike's fangs residing in her neck, his cock still buried
deep inside her.
*** *** ***
Angel looked up as he heard Wesley
and Cordelia enter the twin roomed motel suite. There was a double bed behind a
collapsible panel and two singles on the other side. All the windows had been
covered, and a dim light was shining from the small table next to Angel's
chair.
A tattered copy of a French love
story lay in his lap, as he waited for them to enter. He hadn't told them about
his run in with Spike, and he knew they would be mad at him.
Wesley opened the door for
Cordelia, who stepped inside and switched on the main light. Both their eyes
focused on the dead form in the chair, apparently not reading the book in his
lap. They sat on the sofa opposite the chair Angel was seated in and waited for
him to begin.
When he did not Wesley spoke up,
"Angel, let me say though I understand your reasons for
your...meeting...with Spike, I have been asked to set up some ground rules for
the time that we reside in Sunnydale."
Angel simply nodded and waited for
the watcher to finish. He had known that it would come to this, though it
killed him inside he knew that they might need his help and that he'd need to
play by their rules if he was to help.
"Buffy is very angry, as you
know." the watcher began, but Cordelia interrupted,
"She's really pissed and way
protective - I gotta say I don't get it." Before Angel could respond,
Wesley spoke, "If I may say what I
have been asked to say before explanations of behavior begin?" he looked
pointedly at both vampire and sort-of-actress.
Following Angel's nod and
Cordelia's gesture of continuation, he tried again, "As I said, Buffy is
angry, but she knows that our help may be needed- so she is willing to accept
it on the condition that you give both her and Spike a wide berth." Wesley
took a deep breath; "Now to explain behavior...." he trailed off,
looking at the vampire for help.
Angel sighed, but began to explain
anyway, "Buffy reacted the way she did because...because.." he closed
his eyes, the words painful to say, "because she and Spike have mated,
meaning that they have claimed one another. In the vampire world this is very
important - kind of like a marriage, but with more commitment." he took
another unneeded breath, "She growled at me as a warning not to come near
Spike again." he opened his eyes and looked at his companions.
Both bit back a gasp at the raw
pain they saw in the normally tortured orbs. "She was protecting him, from
me. Earlier I came down to Sunnydale to get some.... closure.... but I lost my
temper and attacked Spike."
"That’s why you were all
bruised yesterday?" Cordelia asked, though she knew the answer. Angel
nodded.
Wesley, deciding the rule time was
over, moved the conversation on to less depressing ground - the impending
apocalypse!
"Angel, have you ever seen
these symbols before?"
The vampire gave a look of
gratitude to the watcher before answering, "Only in the Wiccan sense,
though never in gold."
Wesley nodded then said, "I suggest
we all get some rest, the sun is almost up, and we have a long few days ahead
of us."
The other two grateful for the
distraction, agreed. Cordelia took her overnight bag to her room, saying her
goodnights before closing the separator and heading to the shower.
Wesley and Angel silently got into
their respective beds, both falling asleep as soon as their heads hit the
pillow.
A/N – Thanks to Marsters’ Girl for beta’ing
this fiction!
Chapter Thirteen
The Sunnydale and LA gangs met up
at the watcher’s house, with the exception of Angel, and were currently
discussing their findings.
As expected, Buffy and Spike sat
wrapped about each other, with the others sitting at various positions about
the living room. Aged texts and
manuscripts littered the area, amongst which sat cups of varied beverages and
plates of snack foods.
"If I may continue,” Giles
said, interrupting Willow's and Xander's interruption and Buffy and Spike's
kissing spree, "I believe these creatures are those pre-told of in the
Watcher's diaries. They herald the
bringing of a powerful evil to this plain of existence. We must prevent the arrival of this being at
all costs, because this evil is said to retain the ability to kill with a mere
thought. No one would
survive." He finished ominously,
looking around the room.
"Okay Watcher-Man, how do we
prevent the bigger, badder evil?"
Xander asked, his face slightly paler than normal.
"There is a sacred place where
the ritual will take place, the ‘Powers that Be’ have sent the pentagrams as a
guide to this place. We have precisely
two weeks to calculate the exact positioning of the gate by which the evil will
enter our world." Wesley answered
for Giles. "The countdown has
already begun."
Buffy's brows closed in on each
other in a frown, and she asked, "Okay, so you guys have to find the place
then I destroy it. What do I do until
then, 'coz I don't see how I can help on the positioning thingy."
"Well, there are
three other objects we must acquire; once we have all six, there is a ritual
which I will need Willow and Cordelia's assistance for, that will direct us to
the gateway." Giles answered his
slayer.
"Hey, wait a minute. Why do you need me? I'm not a witch." Cordelia asked, slightly worried.
"Matter of opinion." Xander said, under his breath, though Buffy
and Spike's supernatural hearing caught his words and both stifled a giggle.
Wesley responded, "The ritual needs
the blood of a see-er and a witch."
At the paling of Cordelia and Willow's face he clarified quickly,
"Not a lot - just a few drops, also an incantation must be read by a
practicing witch."
Willow nodded in understanding, and
the color returned to both her and Cordelia's face.
"What are the other
items?" Buffy asked a bit too
breathy, as Spike kissed her neck, bringing them back on topic.
"Well, since we have the blood
of both a see-er and a witch, there is only one more. However, it won't be as easy to come by. In the Mexican Plains there lives an ancient
Sioux Indian, it is said that he has been there for 800 years, guarding the
incantation with his life. He has been
its protector since the last time this evil attempted to enter our world. The Powers That Be have endowed him with
great strength, so you must not attempt to take the incantation from him by
force. He will assess you to determine
whether or not you are worthy of the scrolls - whether or not your quest is
honorable and true to humanity."
Giles explained.
"So when do I leave and who
can I take with me?" The slayer
asked, stopping Spikes hands before they could cup her breasts.
"You must leave tomorrow
night, it may take a few nights to reach your destination as his cave is deep
within the Mountains. Many demons and
curses defend it. Anyone may go with
you, however I must ask that you take Angel with you. I am in complete agreement with your reasons for not wanting him
to go, but he may be useful. I
understand that you would want him to travel separately from you and Spike, and
that will be arranged." Giles
said, carefully and quickly.
The slayer's face was pinched with
anger, but she knew her watcher was right.
"Okay Giles." The
watcher nodded and turned to leave the room in order to make the necessary
arrangements, via telephone.
Buffy looked toward the rest of the
room, "So guys, wanna help save the world?" she asked with a smile.
"Sure Buffy, got nothing
better to do this week anyway." Xander
replied
"You never have anything
better to do." Cordelia said
before replying, "I'll be a good link to the PTB's - you know if the worst
comes to the worst, which it will."
The slayer nodded in agreement before looking at Willow.
"You're coming
right?" she asked the hacker.
Willow smiled, "You know I
am."
"Thanks, guys. It means alot." Buffy said truthfully.
No one questioned whether or not
Spike would be coming, each knowing enough about his and the slayer’s
relationship to know that he wouldn't let her leave him for a day, never mind
two weeks. Especially with Angel being
there.
They all knew it was going to be a
trying couple a weeks, made more so by this problem with Angel, but eh - what’s
new on the Hellmouth?!
30 minutes later Giles returned and
began explaining the travel plans.
"The council has arranged to have a blacked out mini plane to pick
you all up, Angel will find his own way to the mountains. Once there you will have two jeeps and a
map, which will guide you to the cave.
From there on the information is limited, however, you will all take
cell phones to ensure your contact with the outside world."
"Okay, so I guess we all go
home and rest up until tomorrow?"
Buffy asked Giles, who responded, "Yes, the plane will be here, or
rather at Sunnydale Airport, tomorrow night at 8pm. Please all come on time, and pack light, bare necessities
only." He directed his last
comment to the girls who just glared at him in response.
"This is so cool,” Xander put
in, "I mean, our own plane!"
he whistled in punctuation.
"Well, you know we are saving
the world, you'd expect them to at least put us in first class." Willow said.
"Okay, I'm tired and
bored. I'm going back to the motel -
I'll see you all tomorrow."
Cordelia said, then looking at Wesley added, "Wes? You coming?"
"Uh, yes I believe I also
require rest. Good night
all." And with that they left,
leaving the Scooby Gang alone.
After a minutes silence, Buffy
spoke, "So Giles, what will you and Wesley be doing?"
"We shall attempt to gather
together all that you will need for the destruction of the gate, once you find
it." he put simply, the last words
coming out in a yawn.
Buffy smiled at her watcher and
said, "How about we all go home, you look tired, and I think we all need
to get some rest."
They all said their good-byes and
exited Giles' home, leaving the watcher to ponder possible methods of mass
destruction all by himself.
*** *** ***
Willow and Xander had split off
from Buffy and Spike, and were on their way home.
"I'm kinda worried." Willow said suddenly.
"Why? What about?" Xander questioned, immediately concerned for his friend.
Willow looked up at Xander as she
spoke. "Its just, what with this
trip and Buffy and Spike's relationship…
I mean don't get me wrong I actually think they're good for each other,
its just...." she left the sentence
dangling.
"Angel." Xander completed. Willow sighed before replying, "Yeah, I don't want Buffy to
get hurt - I'm scared of what she might do to him."
Xander put a comforting arm around
his best friend, "Look Wills, Buffs' got it under control. You know she was probably just letting off
steam. She really cares for Spike, and
Angel hurt him. I mean, think about it
how would you react if Angel had done that to someone you loved?"
Willow nodded her head, now Xander
put it that way she could see Buffy's point.
"When d'you become all wise
and knowledgy?" she asked with a
smile.
"'Tis just the wisdom of the
open road." Xander replied, and
the hacker giggled, calm once again.
*** *** ***
Buffy, Spike, Dawn, Willow, Xander,
Cordelia, Giles, Wesley, and Joyce all watched the private jet land, along with
their five bags. All the guys were surprised
that the girls had stuck to their one bag quota, until they saw the size of
them. It wasn't that they were huge,
just a little on the big size - thank the gods for the van waiting for them the
other size.
Once all the 'good-byes' and 'keep
safes' and 'be carefulls' and 'good lucks' were said Joyce, Dawn, and the two
watchers watched as the plane took off, all the occupants safely inside. The council had been good enough to provide
the group with food for their trip, including the much-required blood.
Once the plane was safely in the
air, its occupants began exploring the contours of their temporary home, for
the next eight hours, fortunately it would be dark when they arrived at their
location, so Spike was in no immediate danger.
The plane was laid out like an
amusement room. There was a bar at one
end and a wide screen TV at the other.
They had a range of movies to choose from and currently were watching
"Die Hard". There were three
large sofas, nailed to the floor opposite the TV and 5 two-seater chairs behind
them, for the take off and landing.
Cordelia was stretched out on the
sofa to the left, reading a magazine, keeping one eye on the TV and another on
her four companions. Willow and Xander
were sat on the couch to the right.
They weren't sexually close, but Xander was laying down with his legs in
Willows lap.
*I can't believe I still want him,
he's such a dweeb!* Cordelia told
herself, as she moved her gaze to the two vampires.
Spike was laying on his side at the
back of the sofa, facing the screen and Buffy was alternating between spooning
herself into Spike's back where he would nuzzle at her neck, his hand running
under her top, gliding across her flat
stomach. And laying on her back where
they would engage in long kissing sessions, their tongues searching for one
another, entwining erotically, as their hands slipped under clothing caressing
cool skin and their legs wrapped around one another.
Cordelia sighed quietly to
herself. She hadn't had any sort of
relationship for years, her entire life was spent working for the PTB's. *That's why I think I like Xander - he isn't
all that cute, and as well
built as
he appears. I'm just over-worked and
under-fucked.* She lied to herself, but
calmer now, she moved her eyes from her company back to her magazine and
continued reading about this months hair.
---
Buffy moaned gently against Spike's
lips as his thumb brushed over her sensitive nipple, arching herself further
into his hand. Spike knew what she
really wanted to be doing, exactly the same thing as he did. But while he didn't care that they were in a
semi-public place, she did. Then Spike
had a wicked idea, how to pleasure her without ripping her clothes off.
He broke away from her lips and
peppered kisses down her neck, morphing in to his true face as he did so. Buffy felt his ridges on her chin as he
moved closer to her, where her pulse once beat, she knew what he was going to
do, and she moaned softly in anticipation, allowing her face to change so that
she too could bring him pleasure.
They both broke the skin at the
same time, drinking from their lover.
As their climax built, Spike moved over Buffy, pressing his painfully
hard erection in between her legs.
Buffy rubbed her self against him repeatedly in response, in an attempt
to get closer. Their climax hit at the
same time, both growling in lust.
As they calmed, Spike moved himself
and Buffy on to their sides, facing one another, and they broke away from the
others neck to give and receive a fangy kiss.
Both purring in contentment, they
drifted into a post-orgasmic sleep.
---
Xander noticed, out of the corners
of his eye, as Spike moved on top of Buffy.
Knowing what was coming, and that it would probably be one of the more
stupid things of his life to say anything right now, he simply turned up the
volume to drown out the growls of lust coming from the two vampires.
Engrossed in the film, Willow looked
up to Xander, questioning why he'd done that.
In response he nodded his head to
the side, indicating the two vampires.
Willow looked over then returned the nod, her face the same color of her
hair before attempting to return to the film, suddenly acutely aware of the
couple on the other sofa.
Forty minutes later, Cordelia spoke
up, "They're asleep now so you can put the sound down, its giving me a
headache."
"Are you sure that’s not just
your brain working overtime with that hard piece of literature?" Xander asked snidely, turning down the
volume as Willow changed the film. This
time it was "Blade".
"At least I have a brain, drop
out." She shot back.
"Actress." he retorted, Cordy gasped.
"Guys!" Willow interrupted, "Can we just watch
this movie, I think it’s funny or something, you know lighten the mood."
she said, practically begging them not to continue.
"Sure, Will." Xander said, turning his head to the screen.
"Whatever." Cordy replied, resuming her reading.
---
Spike woke up as the film was
coming to its pivotal scene - all the blood dripping from the pipes. At the sight, even though it was fake blood,
Spike's blood lust raised. Carefully
extracting himself from under Buffy's leg and arm, he walked to the fridge and
pulled out a couple of blood packets.
Slipping from his human mask, he bit into the packets of blood -
cold.
Draining both packets, he grimaced
at the temperature, *At least its human.*
he thought, consoling himself.
Turning his attention to the other
food in the fridge, he didn't notice Buffy sneaking up on him until she wrapped
her arms around his waist. Jumping
slightly, he chuckled at his own actions.
"Hello, love. Sleep
well?"
"Mmmm, I'm hungry." she said sleepily, leaning up as he turned
around and biting into his neck.
Shocked slightly at the sudden bite, Spike smiled and picked her up
setting her down on the bar. He moved
his hands down to her waist, sliding them under her top to caress her sides
before moving up to her breasts as he bit down on the curve of her neck.
As her powerful blood entered his
mouth, he moaned, tweaking her nipples lightly. Buffy squealed quietly, and concentrated on the sounds of their
simultaneous heartbeats.
A timid voice interrupted their
pleasure filled haze, "Umm, miss, sir...the plane will be arriving
shortly, you may want to return to your seats."
Spike broke away from Buffy's neck
in annoyance, and faced the already scared attendant, game faced and
growled. Both vampires could feel the
waves of fear coming from the man. *You
better be scared.* Spike though evilly,
while Buffy put her human mask back in place and tried to smile reassuringly at
the poor man.
"Sorry, we'll go sit
down."
The man took a few steps back,
letting out a muffled squeak, as Spike lurched forward, while he and Buffy
passed the little man.
"Spike." Buffy chided, while her mate grinned, still
in his demonic features. She led him
back to their seat. She sat next to the
blacked out and shut off window, and Spike sat next to her. Pushing up the armrest, he pulled her to
him, wrapping an arm around her. Buffy
snuggled up to him contented, closing her eyes she began softly purring, as he
gently stroked her loose hair, the sound not masked by the whurr of the engines
as they descended.
Spike smiled softly as he heard his
mate purr, he was happy that she was content, that he could make her feel pure
contentment. With that sappy thought he
focused his eyes on nothing and waited for the plane to land.
***
*** ***
Angel sighed and shifted slightly,
in an attempt not to bang out of his temporary confinement. He was in an airtight box, or more
importantly sun tight box, on his way to the desert in the cargo section of a
plane full of tourists.
His vampire hearing picked up their
annoying chatter, and he just wanted to break free and run for about 10
miles.
But he couldn't.
So here he was stuck in a wooden
box, because he couldn't control his jealousy.
Even as Angelus he had retained that emotion - lucky for him it wasn't
seen as a humane emotion or he'd be dust.
However, if he didn't get out of this fucking box sometime soon and kill
something, he may want to change his opinion of that.
He still couldn't believe that
Buffy hated him, and she did. There was
no love left in her eyes when she looked at him- just anger and hatred. He couldn't blame her really, Giles was
right - he should have thought about her reaction to his actions.
But he hadn't.
And now he was stuck in a box.
He really needed to get out of
here.
Angel sighed and shifted slightly.