Corruptible Innocence
Author: Electric Jester
Distribution: Just Ask
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Joss Whedon's. Really. Any cute British guys in my closet want to be there.
A/N: This is my first story in a long time and for that I apologize. And if you came looking for a noble Spike who goes all "white-hatty" though, go look elsewhere. Here there be evil afoot.
True Innocence:
In pools of blood the bodies lain
The final resting place of the weary slain
But when the departed gone and without knowledge of their pain
Children trod through puddles of innocent crimson rain
Chapter I : Without Sunshine
Los Angeles
The rain poured incessantly in downtown L.A., the city unaware of the evil that roamed its mud splattered streets.
Spike was fuming.
Stupid Dru and her stupid new toy.
What did she want from a human anyway? What hadn't he given her?
"Dru? Why do you do this to me?
He kicked a crumpled beer can down the alleyway.
Screw her..
Next time Dru wanted a whipping boy, she could look elsewhere. He was done with her pixie rantings and insane visions. He was done with all of it. And he was done with Los Angeles. He hated this stupid city. He was so caught up in his inner ranting he didn't see the little girl until he had almost ran her over.
"Oi! Watch it kid!" he growled.
If the girl was warned off by his tone, she didn't show it. In fact, she was trying to hide behind him.
"Please help me! The scary men are chasing me!" she cried, tears of distress rolling down her cheeks.
She couldn't be more than six years old. She was wearing a pair of footy pajamas and was absolutely drenched by the L.A rain. Her blonde locks clung to her teary face and her bottom lip protruded despairingly.
The sound of trampling feet reverberated around the dank alley. Three Vampires rounded the corner and made for the sobbing girl. Spike felt himself slip into gameface and suppressed the initial confusion at his protective feeling toward the fearful child. He turned to face the Vampires and growled. Fledglings, all of them. They slid to an unsteady halt and stared openly at the Master Vampire. One of the Vampires stepped back cautiously.
"Marty….." A different one whined, "He took our dinner!"
"Yeah, we could take him!" The last one snarled taking a step toward Spike.
The obviously elder vampire cuffed him upside the head and chastised him,
"He's a Master. Besides, not like there was enough to go around."
Spike growled again, and the Vampires grabbed the back of his friends' coats and pulled them back towards the alley entrance. They fled off into the night in search of easier prey.
Spike waited to make sure they wouldn't return and then rounded on the girl. She grinned unabashedly up at him.
"My Mommy says bad men come out at night." She told him matter-of-factly.
"Great to know. Now why don't you toddle off back to her?"
He snarled and snapped his fangs at her. The girl was unfazed by his violent display.
"I'm Buffy. Who are you?"
Spike sighed and started walking out of the alley and into the L.A nightlife. Maybe he would get lucky and the kid would get hit by a drunk driver. Unfortunately, she just moved into a faster little trot to catch him, her soaked footies slapping repeatedly into the dirty sidewalk.
"Bugger off." Spike warned the girl without stopping his march down the empty street. Rock music and wild party sounds echoed around the empty area.
"What's your name?"
Spike groaned and stopped.
"You're not going to leave me alone are you?"
"Nope."
"Oh bloody hell." Spike pulled the girl into another alley. "Go. Home."
The girl eyed him strangely.
"What's wrong with your voice?"
He sighed.
"I'm British kid. And who are you to judge the bloke who just saved your tiny ass?"
"That's a bad word and I like your voice. Do I have to go home? I like you. You make me feel all….." She scrunched up her nose while trying to find the right word.
"Squiggly. And warm. Like soda." She added for emphasis. Spike stared at her.
He should eat her. Drain her and leave her mangled body somewhere interesting. So why wasn't he? And speaking of squiggly…..
He crouched down and looked into her bright hazel eyes. His demon should be pissed off enough to want to tear the defenseless girl to pieces. What was with this kid? She had seen him in gameface and should have gone screaming into the night. She had been scared enough of the other Vampires.
"What's your name?"
"Spike."
"That's a funny name for a person."
"So is Buffy for a little kid."
"I'm not going to be little forever."
Silence reigned again as the two stared at each other. Buffy reached out and poked the bridge of his nose.
"You have blue eyes." She informed him.
Warmth bloomed from his chest. What the hell was wrong with him?
He sighed. "In ten seconds I'm going to get up and leave and you are going to toddle off home."
All traces of the carefree attitude drained from the little girl's face and she clung to him fearfully.
"Please don't go!" She whimpered into his shoulder. "I'll be good and I'll stop talking and please, please, please don't go!" His t-shirt was quickly becoming more soaked as she tearfully hung onto him.
Spike wrapped his arm around the shaking girl and rubbed her back gently.
"Shh, got it, no leaving. I'm not leaving. It's O.K, I've got you"
She pulled away and sniffled, rubbing her eyes.
"Promise?"
He rested his forehead against hers.
"Promise. Are you going to stop crying?"
She nodded and wiped her nose with her pajama sleeve.
"I don't want the men to come back."
He chose his next words carefully.
"You know I'm like those other blokes right? I'm a Vampire."
He expected confusion or terror to spring into her eyes. She merely nodded.
"But you're not going to hurt me."
Spike nodded.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
Her eyes suddenly glowed bright silver and he froze.
Not a chance, no bloody way
"You're eyes were sparkly. They're blue again though". She added quickly.
Bloody Hell.
He'd just found his mate.
And she was freaking six years old.
Oh Bloody Hell.