Dru, who had been pouting all night, squirmed as Spike wrapped her in his arms. "Come on, luv. Tell me what's wrong."
She pulled away and ran into the waves. Her feet were bare and her dress soaked up to the knees. "No," she called back. "You're going to drink hemlock for her. You never drank poison for me."
"Come back in, pet, and we'll find some poison before the sun rises. I'll drink as much as you want."
"The little death was mine, but the pyre, the sacrifice, the burning flame, that's hers."
"Flame? I thought you said I drank … ." Spike rubbed a hand through his hair. "Fire and water, that it? Is this more of that alchemical nonsense?"
"Fire and water. You and me. You shall burn and I? Drown in the sea, where fishies will eat me and guard me from flame." She fell backward into the waves and Spike squatted down to wait, hoping she'd come back out before the sun rose. He didn't fancy having to drag her back to the house.