TITLE: Promises, Promises
AUTHOR: Fyre
RATING: Let's just make it NC-17...it probably isn't but it makes me feel so naughty ;)
SUMMARY: A Sequel to 'The Coming Dawn' - one of several requested...
SPOILERS: All eppys so far.
DISCLAIMER: T'ain't mine *pout* None of the characters, the lyrics, the other stuff...nothing...
NOTES: We have here challenge 224 from YGTS? - it was hard work...a happy ending...but I'll let you decide what it is.
DEDICATION: To Jewel! Heyhey! Its a combo birthday-and-challenge fic : ) Happy birthday (albeit a smidge tad late!)
The grass was still damp beneath her feet. Hardly surprising, considering she had been standing there since morning, watching them as they laid the box - not a coffin - into the cold, clinging, wet ground.
'Niblet?' He stood in the shadows of a mausoleum, just out of reach. She didn't look up. Didn't have to. He had probably been there as long as she had, just watching them too. Watching as they had on that night.
She had never seen someone die before.
She had seen someone dead.
Mom.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she ignored them, staring at the stone that was the only sign to the world that she had ever had a big sister.
'I knew it would happen.' He said nothing, but she knew he was listening. The shadows around her stretched as the sun crawled over the horizon. She heard his feet shifting impatiently. As always, he was going against his species, wanting to be there for her. 'The stone...'
'Was a load of bullshit.' The light was waning and abruptly, he was by her side and held out his arms. Unable to refuse, she let him embrace her. 'Luv, we all knew the Slayer would die...she lasted longer than most, but it was a prerequisite. She's the oldest one, y'know.'
Her eyes found the gravestone again. 'Was.'
'Was. Is. It wasn't the stone. Niblet. Nothing that stone said has come true apart from this.' He exhaled and she could smell the very faint scent of cigarette smoke. It combined with the smell of his duster. A very Spike-y smell. 'And even if it looks like it will, I won't let it, a'right? I promise.'
Somehow comforted, she nodded, barely aware of the moment her lifted her up in his arms and carried her to his waiting De Soto.
'Spike?' As he carefully fastened her into the passenger seat, he looked to her. 'Why are you staying? She's dead. She can't love you now.'
The vampire half-smiled down at her and brushed her hair back from her face. 'She's not the only Summers girl I had to look out for, Niblet.' He moved around to his side of the car and slid into the driver's seat. 'Let's get you home, eh?'
'You're really staying?'
Reaching to the stereo and turning up the volume, he flashed a cocky grin at her. 'Looks like it, doesn't it? After all...' Strains of a very, very wrong My Way screamed through the speakers. 'I always wanted to be different and what's more different for a vampire than living with the Slayer's baby sister?' He grinned widely and she couldn't help smiling faintly in response. As a loud exclamation, he wailed. 'I did it my waaaaaaaaay!'
Dawn wrinkled her nose. 'Can we listen to something else?'
'Not listen to Sid Vicious or the Sex Pistols?' He clutched a hand to his unbeating heart. 'B...but that's just wrong...'
She gave him a sweet smile. 'But you're looking after me now, Spike. You have to listen to music that isn't English and bad...' He gaped at her for a long moment, as if in shock. 'Like S-Club Seven...'
'You've just brought up the Anti-Christ of both English and bad music, luv. They're from my homeland, the whole merry band of plastic- faced bimbos.' He gave a visible shudder. 'Reach for the stars...climb every mountain high...what kind of bloody awful lyrics are those?'
Dawn double-blinked. 'You know S-Club song words?'
'They're called lyrics, pet.' He replied, backtracking on his words and mentally groaning. 'And I only know them cos you kept blasting the sodding music through the windows when I was standing around outside.'
She almost smiled. 'You were lurking.'
'I was not! I was standing around. It's a whole different vibe!' He groped for a cigarette and briefly wondered why any sane man would ever want to be a human.
'But I didn't listen to them before...' She trailed off, looking away. Something in the half-closed glove compartment caught her eye and she moved too quickly for the vampire to stop her. 'Oh my God! Spike!'
'That's not mine!'
'But it's in your car!'
He snatched it from her. 'Doesn't mean it's mine!'
'But...' She started to laugh, not even stopping when he vamped and growled at her. 'But...it's the Backstreet Boys...wait til I tell Xander and Anya!'
His angry face melted away to reveal a panic-stricken look. 'You wouldn't...' He glared down at the CD for betraying him. She gave him an almost-innocent look. 'All right, all right, I'll bite... what do you want?'
'I won't tell them...' She replied slowly. 'If...'
'If...?'
'If you let me listen to my music, when and where I like and as loud as I like.' Spike's head smacked loudly off the steering wheel and he mumbled a curse or two under his breath. 'Do we have a deal? Or do I tell Xander that you scream for Nick?'
'I prefer AJ...' His hand slapped to his mouth the second the words escaped. Dawn laughed. He glared, which only made her laugh the more. 'Okay, we have a deal, luv. I let you listen to your music when and where you like...'
'Without even complaining.' She added smugly.
'Without even complaining.' He agreed, his nostrils flaring in annoyance. His foot slammed down on the accelerator and threw him back in his seat. 'I'm really going to have to eat you when I get rid of this chip.'
Dawn glanced at him. 'But until then, I get to listen to my music, when I like.'
'Yeah.' He glared at her again. Only succeeding in drawing another burst of laughter from her. 'I hate my unlife.' He groaned.
***
'Shut that bloody racket off!'
'My music, as loud as I like.'
'I don't give a fuck if it's your music as loud as you like, Nibbles, just bloody well shut it off.'
'Nuh-uh!'
'You want me to come up there, young lady?'
'Promises, promises!'
'Look, Dawnie...' His voice took on a pleading note. 'I'm on the phone. I just want to be able to hear myself speak.' Her door opened, the volume increasing and she leaned over the banister to see the vampire at the bottom of the stairs, phone to his ear. He didn't notice her, continuing to yell into the phone.
Returning to her room, she turned the volume down, then ran to the stairs and leapt down in four easy strides. 'Happy?'
'Ecstatic.' His face didn't mirror his enthusiasm. Waving her away, he drifted through to the kitchen, one hand rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. Dawn shrugged to herself, retrieving one of her books and moving to the couch.
His voice was hushed, muttering into the phone. Any other time she had seen him on the phone, a lot of cursing and violent gesturing usually occurred, but this time, none.
She would wait and see what the problem was.
After all, he told her everything.
Even that rather...weird thing he had for the lead singer from one of the newest pop groups. He had mentioned something about nylon, rings, honey, a bowl of melted chocolate and a portrait of the Pope in the nude.
And he had insisted he wasn't joking.
Thumbing through the hefty book, she pulled the pencil from the margin and continued to work on her notes, reminding herself to never again take a course that suggested reading ten novels by one author might be useful.
She heard the click of the phone being put down and raised her eyes as the no-longer blond vampire reentered the room, still uneasily rubbing the back of his neck. His fingers twisted into the over-long brown curl at the base of his neck and he glanced at her.
Her book was laid down in an instant. 'What is it?'
'Just got a call from L.A.' She frowned slightly. Yeah, Willow lived there now, no longer with Tara and she called regularly, but nothing ever seemed to make the vampire physically pale like this call had. 'I didn't want to believe it, but it's been spreading...'
He sank down onto the couch next to her, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers knotted together. 'What is it?' She repeated, touching his arm.
'It's the poof...' He inhaled a slow, shaky breath. 'He's gone and turned human...apparently it happened three and a half years ago and he went into hiding...they just found him...that dark Slayer did, when she got out of jail...knew where he was...'
'B-because I wasn't there, on the streets, the night he ran...' Dawn's face paled. 'That fucking stone...it was right, wasn't it?' The vampire spread his hands in a shrug. 'Spike, don't lie to me. It was right...it was all true and you didn't tell me...'
He turned his gaze to her. 'Well, it was true, luv.' He replied quietly, 'But not anymore.' He gestured to the house around them. 'You never ran away. You never got hooked up with the poof when he was Mister Mortality. You aren't being hunted by the watcher's Council.'
'I-it was ten years down the line, Spike.' She sank back, hands over her face. 'I was twenty five when I was being hunted...it could still happen...I could still end up finding you and Faith dead and being on my own again.'
He squeezed her knee. 'That's why we're going to L.A., ducks.'
'Are you out of your fucking mind? I just said it could still happen...'
'You said Angel didn't know you were Fluffy's sister. Well, we just go and tell him.' He gave her a tight smile. 'I have some business to take care of anyway, y'know.'
'But what if...'
'Dawn, luv, I promised I wouldn't let it happen to you.' He pushed himself to his feet. 'I won't break that promise.'
She shot a glare at him. He grinned and offered her a hand, hauling her to her feet. 'You're a weird vampire.'
'Would you have me any other way?' Looping his arm through hers, he patted her hand a gave her a devilish grin. 'Minus Backstreet Boys, that naked Pope thing and the tendency to leave blood in the bath...'
She smiled faintly. 'Keep reminding me of them and I'll stake you.'
'Promises, promises...'
***
'Y'know, I always wondered if his hair was a poofy when he was alive...' Spike circled the seated man three times.
'Leave him alone, Spike.' Dawn chastised, warily eyeing the former vampire. 'Hi Angel. Do you remember who I am?' She offered a hand, which he shook, his brow wrinkling in thought. He shook his head once. 'I'm Buffy's sister, Dawn.'
Angel's eyes widened slightly. 'Buffy didn't have a sister.'
'Bzzt! Wrong, but you do get this delightful watch as a compensation prize!'
'Spike, I told you to shut up already.'
The brunette behind the desk took a step forward. 'He's right though, Junior.' She murmured, her eyes dark and cool. 'B never had a sister. She was an only child.'
'That's what we all thought too. Couldn't be two as bad as that, could there? Look how wrong we were.' Spike received a sharp slap across the head and gave Dawn a wounded look. 'What?'
She crossed her arms and frowned at him reprovingly. 'You said you had business to do.' She gestured to the door with one hand. 'Go do it already.' He would have pouted, but she rolled her eyes. 'Just go. Meet me back at the car in a couple of hours.'
'As you wish.'
She repeated the wave of her hand. 'Get out of here, farm boy.' He flashed a mischievous grin at her and sauntered out the door, leaving Dawn to face of the former love and the sister-Slayer of her sister. 'Faith, Angel, I think you should make yourselves comfortable...this is a long story.'
***
The Mistress sighed. 'What is it now, Frederick?'
'A Centennial, Lady.' Bowing the trainee winced as the cock-ring and chain pulled tight. 'He asked specifically to see you and the Lady Drusilla.' He bowed a little lower as she petted his head. Such an interestingly positioned secretary.
'How does he look?' After finally reinstating herself in vampire society, she wasn't about to let anyone walk all over her.
'Like he had a high tower for use to ride on to.' Drusilla's eyes were wide with glee. She started rocking, as if riding some...thing. 'Giddyup horsey, to the fair...' She slid one slim hand between her thighs. 'What will we see when he comes there?' A low moan of pleasure escaped her. 'One... two...three...' With each number, she thrust her fingers deeper into her body. 'He will gives us cakes...cakes with cream...'
'And what do you say?' Ignoring her horny Sire, Darla eyed the secretary.
He swallowed hard. 'He looks thoroughly fuckable, Lady.'
Darla's eyes glittered greedily. 'Show him in.'
'I'm already here, ol' mum.' The vampiress' claws sank into the arm of the throne, splinters of wood pinging in all direction, a hiss escaping her. 'Nice little set up you have here.' He found his Sire's eyes. 'Ello, kitten. Missing your...little spike?'
Drusilla nodded, lips parted, her pelvis bucking forward. 'I'll be coming round my Spikey when he comes...' She hummed the familiar tune.
'Singing ai-ai-yippee-yippee-ai, no doubt...' The former-blonde nodded, his hands folded behind his back. 'Just thought I'd drop by and visit the old crew, before they all go and catch a nasty dose of humanitis like old poofwad.'
Darla narrowed blue eyes. 'What?'
'Angelus...daddykins...he's gone and turned human again.' Spike's smile was calm, cool. 'Which leaves us with quite a predicament...I hear you still work for a certain bunch of crooked lawyers, mum.' Darla stiffened, both at the news of Angelus' condition and that her least favourite grandchilde knew of her connection with Wolfram and Hart. 'It's left my little chum upset and I really don't want that.'
She raised a brow. 'So you want to let me know where I can find Angelus to kill him again?' She rose with a broad smile. 'I think I underestimated you, my boy.' Drusilla rose, but her eyes were wide with something other than pleasure.
'Little baby...' She managed to whisper fearfully, before to balls of flame were sharply tossed from behind the sandy-haired vampire's back, engulfing both vampiresses. The petrol in the two bottles exploded over them, their elaborate clothing catching alight swiftly.
A fire extinguisher was on hand for such occasions and both staggered towards it, ignoring the secretary's screams of pain. Hosing themselves swiftly, the burning skin hissed and crackled, thick black smoke billowing from them.
'You really did underestimate me, old mum.' Spike materialised out of the smoke, stake in one hand, blade in the other. Drusilla's head tumbled into dust and Darla's eyes widened as the stake plunged home. 'This time, stay dead.'
Sliding his blade into his belt, he dusted his burnt hands together. His duster billowed around him as he turned and stalked out of the lair.
***
'Did you get your business done?'
He shrugged. 'It was a flaming nuisance.' A threat of a smile edged onto his lips. 'What about you?' He unlocked the car and hopped into the passenger seat. Dawn slid into the driver's seat and laid her hands on the wheel. 'Tell them everything?'
'Right down to what that stone showed me.' She reached for the hot wire and flashed a tight grin at him. 'You sure it won't come true?'
Spike settled back in the seat. 'Positive, luv.' He glanced at her through half-closed eyes. 'Unless you and soulman had a quick shag on the desk.'
Dawn pulled a face. 'I don't know what I saw in him. He's so lurky and broody and...' For want of a better word, she shrugged. 'Boring.' Spike chuckled. 'That's not what I like in a man.'
The vampire kept his eyes on her. It was hard to believe he had been her guardian for nearly five years and his little Nibblet was almost a full adult. She was like her sister, he decided, tough and - though not necessarily beautiful - damn pretty when she was fighting.
'And what do you like in a man?'
She shrugged, turning to look at him. 'I dunno.' She thought for a moment. 'I like them to have a sense of humour.' He nodded. 'They have to be able to make me laugh.' Another half.nod. 'I wanna be able to tell him everything.'
'Never did that with poofy.'
'Look, Mister-I-Love-Backstreet-Boys...'
He swung to face her. 'Now that was below the belt, luv...' 'I'm just getting started, 'pet'...' She glared at him, moving a little closer.
Eye-to-eye, he half-growled. 'Why do I put up with you?'
'Put up with me? Oh that's fucking rich...I should...'
He cocked a brow. 'Should what? You're not going to do anything? You haven't got the stones.'
'I...aaaaaagh!' Swinging away from him, she glared out of the window, but he knew she was trying to hide a grin. He edged a little closer, soundlessly.
'Nibbles...' She jerked round and both yelped in surprise when their lips met. 'Bloody hell...' He jerked back.
'What the hell did you do that for?'
'Me? I didn't do anything!'
'Well, I didn't kiss you...'
'You call that a bloody kiss?'
'Well, I haven't seen anything to prove othe...' His mouth closed over hers and she gasped at the gentle chill. One of his arms supported him against the seat, the other sliding to her waist, pulling her closer to him.
Teasing her lips apart with his tongue, he teasingly brushed his way along her neat, white teeth, felt her warm mouth come to life against his. Her arms wrapped around him, fingers carding through his hair.
His hand slid under her shirt, fingers tracing circles on the bare flesh of her back, a tingle of pleasure passing through him as she groaned, her breasts pressing against his chest through the thin material of her shirt.
Breaking away from one another, they stared at each other for a long moment, then Dawn cleared her throat. Smoothing her shirt down, she turned back to the wheel. 'That was...' She cast a tiny smile his way. 'Nice.'
'Needs some practise though.' He nodded.
She smiled, starting the old car up. 'Plenty of time for that.' She replied naughtily. 'And I still have my music when I want it.'
'Whatever, ducks.' He was mentally dancing. Spicy little Dawnie all grown up and his!
'Admit it, though...' Pulling out of the parking space, she didn't even look at him, but her eyes were dancing. 'You were thinking of AJ...'
'Don't make me have to keep you quiet.'
'Promises, promises...'
AUTHOR: Fyre
RATING: Let's just make it NC-17...it probably isn't but it makes me feel so naughty ;)
SUMMARY: A Sequel to 'The Coming Dawn' - one of several requested...
SPOILERS: All eppys so far.
DISCLAIMER: T'ain't mine *pout* None of the characters, the lyrics, the other stuff...nothing...
NOTES: We have here challenge 224 from YGTS? - it was hard work...a happy ending...but I'll let you decide what it is.
DEDICATION: To Jewel! Heyhey! Its a combo birthday-and-challenge fic : ) Happy birthday (albeit a smidge tad late!)
The grass was still damp beneath her feet. Hardly surprising, considering she had been standing there since morning, watching them as they laid the box - not a coffin - into the cold, clinging, wet ground.
'Niblet?' He stood in the shadows of a mausoleum, just out of reach. She didn't look up. Didn't have to. He had probably been there as long as she had, just watching them too. Watching as they had on that night.
She had never seen someone die before.
She had seen someone dead.
Mom.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she ignored them, staring at the stone that was the only sign to the world that she had ever had a big sister.
'I knew it would happen.' He said nothing, but she knew he was listening. The shadows around her stretched as the sun crawled over the horizon. She heard his feet shifting impatiently. As always, he was going against his species, wanting to be there for her. 'The stone...'
'Was a load of bullshit.' The light was waning and abruptly, he was by her side and held out his arms. Unable to refuse, she let him embrace her. 'Luv, we all knew the Slayer would die...she lasted longer than most, but it was a prerequisite. She's the oldest one, y'know.'
Her eyes found the gravestone again. 'Was.'
'Was. Is. It wasn't the stone. Niblet. Nothing that stone said has come true apart from this.' He exhaled and she could smell the very faint scent of cigarette smoke. It combined with the smell of his duster. A very Spike-y smell. 'And even if it looks like it will, I won't let it, a'right? I promise.'
Somehow comforted, she nodded, barely aware of the moment her lifted her up in his arms and carried her to his waiting De Soto.
'Spike?' As he carefully fastened her into the passenger seat, he looked to her. 'Why are you staying? She's dead. She can't love you now.'
The vampire half-smiled down at her and brushed her hair back from her face. 'She's not the only Summers girl I had to look out for, Niblet.' He moved around to his side of the car and slid into the driver's seat. 'Let's get you home, eh?'
'You're really staying?'
Reaching to the stereo and turning up the volume, he flashed a cocky grin at her. 'Looks like it, doesn't it? After all...' Strains of a very, very wrong My Way screamed through the speakers. 'I always wanted to be different and what's more different for a vampire than living with the Slayer's baby sister?' He grinned widely and she couldn't help smiling faintly in response. As a loud exclamation, he wailed. 'I did it my waaaaaaaaay!'
Dawn wrinkled her nose. 'Can we listen to something else?'
'Not listen to Sid Vicious or the Sex Pistols?' He clutched a hand to his unbeating heart. 'B...but that's just wrong...'
She gave him a sweet smile. 'But you're looking after me now, Spike. You have to listen to music that isn't English and bad...' He gaped at her for a long moment, as if in shock. 'Like S-Club Seven...'
'You've just brought up the Anti-Christ of both English and bad music, luv. They're from my homeland, the whole merry band of plastic- faced bimbos.' He gave a visible shudder. 'Reach for the stars...climb every mountain high...what kind of bloody awful lyrics are those?'
Dawn double-blinked. 'You know S-Club song words?'
'They're called lyrics, pet.' He replied, backtracking on his words and mentally groaning. 'And I only know them cos you kept blasting the sodding music through the windows when I was standing around outside.'
She almost smiled. 'You were lurking.'
'I was not! I was standing around. It's a whole different vibe!' He groped for a cigarette and briefly wondered why any sane man would ever want to be a human.
'But I didn't listen to them before...' She trailed off, looking away. Something in the half-closed glove compartment caught her eye and she moved too quickly for the vampire to stop her. 'Oh my God! Spike!'
'That's not mine!'
'But it's in your car!'
He snatched it from her. 'Doesn't mean it's mine!'
'But...' She started to laugh, not even stopping when he vamped and growled at her. 'But...it's the Backstreet Boys...wait til I tell Xander and Anya!'
His angry face melted away to reveal a panic-stricken look. 'You wouldn't...' He glared down at the CD for betraying him. She gave him an almost-innocent look. 'All right, all right, I'll bite... what do you want?'
'I won't tell them...' She replied slowly. 'If...'
'If...?'
'If you let me listen to my music, when and where I like and as loud as I like.' Spike's head smacked loudly off the steering wheel and he mumbled a curse or two under his breath. 'Do we have a deal? Or do I tell Xander that you scream for Nick?'
'I prefer AJ...' His hand slapped to his mouth the second the words escaped. Dawn laughed. He glared, which only made her laugh the more. 'Okay, we have a deal, luv. I let you listen to your music when and where you like...'
'Without even complaining.' She added smugly.
'Without even complaining.' He agreed, his nostrils flaring in annoyance. His foot slammed down on the accelerator and threw him back in his seat. 'I'm really going to have to eat you when I get rid of this chip.'
Dawn glanced at him. 'But until then, I get to listen to my music, when I like.'
'Yeah.' He glared at her again. Only succeeding in drawing another burst of laughter from her. 'I hate my unlife.' He groaned.
***
'Shut that bloody racket off!'
'My music, as loud as I like.'
'I don't give a fuck if it's your music as loud as you like, Nibbles, just bloody well shut it off.'
'Nuh-uh!'
'You want me to come up there, young lady?'
'Promises, promises!'
'Look, Dawnie...' His voice took on a pleading note. 'I'm on the phone. I just want to be able to hear myself speak.' Her door opened, the volume increasing and she leaned over the banister to see the vampire at the bottom of the stairs, phone to his ear. He didn't notice her, continuing to yell into the phone.
Returning to her room, she turned the volume down, then ran to the stairs and leapt down in four easy strides. 'Happy?'
'Ecstatic.' His face didn't mirror his enthusiasm. Waving her away, he drifted through to the kitchen, one hand rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. Dawn shrugged to herself, retrieving one of her books and moving to the couch.
His voice was hushed, muttering into the phone. Any other time she had seen him on the phone, a lot of cursing and violent gesturing usually occurred, but this time, none.
She would wait and see what the problem was.
After all, he told her everything.
Even that rather...weird thing he had for the lead singer from one of the newest pop groups. He had mentioned something about nylon, rings, honey, a bowl of melted chocolate and a portrait of the Pope in the nude.
And he had insisted he wasn't joking.
Thumbing through the hefty book, she pulled the pencil from the margin and continued to work on her notes, reminding herself to never again take a course that suggested reading ten novels by one author might be useful.
She heard the click of the phone being put down and raised her eyes as the no-longer blond vampire reentered the room, still uneasily rubbing the back of his neck. His fingers twisted into the over-long brown curl at the base of his neck and he glanced at her.
Her book was laid down in an instant. 'What is it?'
'Just got a call from L.A.' She frowned slightly. Yeah, Willow lived there now, no longer with Tara and she called regularly, but nothing ever seemed to make the vampire physically pale like this call had. 'I didn't want to believe it, but it's been spreading...'
He sank down onto the couch next to her, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers knotted together. 'What is it?' She repeated, touching his arm.
'It's the poof...' He inhaled a slow, shaky breath. 'He's gone and turned human...apparently it happened three and a half years ago and he went into hiding...they just found him...that dark Slayer did, when she got out of jail...knew where he was...'
'B-because I wasn't there, on the streets, the night he ran...' Dawn's face paled. 'That fucking stone...it was right, wasn't it?' The vampire spread his hands in a shrug. 'Spike, don't lie to me. It was right...it was all true and you didn't tell me...'
He turned his gaze to her. 'Well, it was true, luv.' He replied quietly, 'But not anymore.' He gestured to the house around them. 'You never ran away. You never got hooked up with the poof when he was Mister Mortality. You aren't being hunted by the watcher's Council.'
'I-it was ten years down the line, Spike.' She sank back, hands over her face. 'I was twenty five when I was being hunted...it could still happen...I could still end up finding you and Faith dead and being on my own again.'
He squeezed her knee. 'That's why we're going to L.A., ducks.'
'Are you out of your fucking mind? I just said it could still happen...'
'You said Angel didn't know you were Fluffy's sister. Well, we just go and tell him.' He gave her a tight smile. 'I have some business to take care of anyway, y'know.'
'But what if...'
'Dawn, luv, I promised I wouldn't let it happen to you.' He pushed himself to his feet. 'I won't break that promise.'
She shot a glare at him. He grinned and offered her a hand, hauling her to her feet. 'You're a weird vampire.'
'Would you have me any other way?' Looping his arm through hers, he patted her hand a gave her a devilish grin. 'Minus Backstreet Boys, that naked Pope thing and the tendency to leave blood in the bath...'
She smiled faintly. 'Keep reminding me of them and I'll stake you.'
'Promises, promises...'
***
'Y'know, I always wondered if his hair was a poofy when he was alive...' Spike circled the seated man three times.
'Leave him alone, Spike.' Dawn chastised, warily eyeing the former vampire. 'Hi Angel. Do you remember who I am?' She offered a hand, which he shook, his brow wrinkling in thought. He shook his head once. 'I'm Buffy's sister, Dawn.'
Angel's eyes widened slightly. 'Buffy didn't have a sister.'
'Bzzt! Wrong, but you do get this delightful watch as a compensation prize!'
'Spike, I told you to shut up already.'
The brunette behind the desk took a step forward. 'He's right though, Junior.' She murmured, her eyes dark and cool. 'B never had a sister. She was an only child.'
'That's what we all thought too. Couldn't be two as bad as that, could there? Look how wrong we were.' Spike received a sharp slap across the head and gave Dawn a wounded look. 'What?'
She crossed her arms and frowned at him reprovingly. 'You said you had business to do.' She gestured to the door with one hand. 'Go do it already.' He would have pouted, but she rolled her eyes. 'Just go. Meet me back at the car in a couple of hours.'
'As you wish.'
She repeated the wave of her hand. 'Get out of here, farm boy.' He flashed a mischievous grin at her and sauntered out the door, leaving Dawn to face of the former love and the sister-Slayer of her sister. 'Faith, Angel, I think you should make yourselves comfortable...this is a long story.'
***
The Mistress sighed. 'What is it now, Frederick?'
'A Centennial, Lady.' Bowing the trainee winced as the cock-ring and chain pulled tight. 'He asked specifically to see you and the Lady Drusilla.' He bowed a little lower as she petted his head. Such an interestingly positioned secretary.
'How does he look?' After finally reinstating herself in vampire society, she wasn't about to let anyone walk all over her.
'Like he had a high tower for use to ride on to.' Drusilla's eyes were wide with glee. She started rocking, as if riding some...thing. 'Giddyup horsey, to the fair...' She slid one slim hand between her thighs. 'What will we see when he comes there?' A low moan of pleasure escaped her. 'One... two...three...' With each number, she thrust her fingers deeper into her body. 'He will gives us cakes...cakes with cream...'
'And what do you say?' Ignoring her horny Sire, Darla eyed the secretary.
He swallowed hard. 'He looks thoroughly fuckable, Lady.'
Darla's eyes glittered greedily. 'Show him in.'
'I'm already here, ol' mum.' The vampiress' claws sank into the arm of the throne, splinters of wood pinging in all direction, a hiss escaping her. 'Nice little set up you have here.' He found his Sire's eyes. 'Ello, kitten. Missing your...little spike?'
Drusilla nodded, lips parted, her pelvis bucking forward. 'I'll be coming round my Spikey when he comes...' She hummed the familiar tune.
'Singing ai-ai-yippee-yippee-ai, no doubt...' The former-blonde nodded, his hands folded behind his back. 'Just thought I'd drop by and visit the old crew, before they all go and catch a nasty dose of humanitis like old poofwad.'
Darla narrowed blue eyes. 'What?'
'Angelus...daddykins...he's gone and turned human again.' Spike's smile was calm, cool. 'Which leaves us with quite a predicament...I hear you still work for a certain bunch of crooked lawyers, mum.' Darla stiffened, both at the news of Angelus' condition and that her least favourite grandchilde knew of her connection with Wolfram and Hart. 'It's left my little chum upset and I really don't want that.'
She raised a brow. 'So you want to let me know where I can find Angelus to kill him again?' She rose with a broad smile. 'I think I underestimated you, my boy.' Drusilla rose, but her eyes were wide with something other than pleasure.
'Little baby...' She managed to whisper fearfully, before to balls of flame were sharply tossed from behind the sandy-haired vampire's back, engulfing both vampiresses. The petrol in the two bottles exploded over them, their elaborate clothing catching alight swiftly.
A fire extinguisher was on hand for such occasions and both staggered towards it, ignoring the secretary's screams of pain. Hosing themselves swiftly, the burning skin hissed and crackled, thick black smoke billowing from them.
'You really did underestimate me, old mum.' Spike materialised out of the smoke, stake in one hand, blade in the other. Drusilla's head tumbled into dust and Darla's eyes widened as the stake plunged home. 'This time, stay dead.'
Sliding his blade into his belt, he dusted his burnt hands together. His duster billowed around him as he turned and stalked out of the lair.
***
'Did you get your business done?'
He shrugged. 'It was a flaming nuisance.' A threat of a smile edged onto his lips. 'What about you?' He unlocked the car and hopped into the passenger seat. Dawn slid into the driver's seat and laid her hands on the wheel. 'Tell them everything?'
'Right down to what that stone showed me.' She reached for the hot wire and flashed a tight grin at him. 'You sure it won't come true?'
Spike settled back in the seat. 'Positive, luv.' He glanced at her through half-closed eyes. 'Unless you and soulman had a quick shag on the desk.'
Dawn pulled a face. 'I don't know what I saw in him. He's so lurky and broody and...' For want of a better word, she shrugged. 'Boring.' Spike chuckled. 'That's not what I like in a man.'
The vampire kept his eyes on her. It was hard to believe he had been her guardian for nearly five years and his little Nibblet was almost a full adult. She was like her sister, he decided, tough and - though not necessarily beautiful - damn pretty when she was fighting.
'And what do you like in a man?'
She shrugged, turning to look at him. 'I dunno.' She thought for a moment. 'I like them to have a sense of humour.' He nodded. 'They have to be able to make me laugh.' Another half.nod. 'I wanna be able to tell him everything.'
'Never did that with poofy.'
'Look, Mister-I-Love-Backstreet-Boys...'
He swung to face her. 'Now that was below the belt, luv...' 'I'm just getting started, 'pet'...' She glared at him, moving a little closer.
Eye-to-eye, he half-growled. 'Why do I put up with you?'
'Put up with me? Oh that's fucking rich...I should...'
He cocked a brow. 'Should what? You're not going to do anything? You haven't got the stones.'
'I...aaaaaagh!' Swinging away from him, she glared out of the window, but he knew she was trying to hide a grin. He edged a little closer, soundlessly.
'Nibbles...' She jerked round and both yelped in surprise when their lips met. 'Bloody hell...' He jerked back.
'What the hell did you do that for?'
'Me? I didn't do anything!'
'Well, I didn't kiss you...'
'You call that a bloody kiss?'
'Well, I haven't seen anything to prove othe...' His mouth closed over hers and she gasped at the gentle chill. One of his arms supported him against the seat, the other sliding to her waist, pulling her closer to him.
Teasing her lips apart with his tongue, he teasingly brushed his way along her neat, white teeth, felt her warm mouth come to life against his. Her arms wrapped around him, fingers carding through his hair.
His hand slid under her shirt, fingers tracing circles on the bare flesh of her back, a tingle of pleasure passing through him as she groaned, her breasts pressing against his chest through the thin material of her shirt.
Breaking away from one another, they stared at each other for a long moment, then Dawn cleared her throat. Smoothing her shirt down, she turned back to the wheel. 'That was...' She cast a tiny smile his way. 'Nice.'
'Needs some practise though.' He nodded.
She smiled, starting the old car up. 'Plenty of time for that.' She replied naughtily. 'And I still have my music when I want it.'
'Whatever, ducks.' He was mentally dancing. Spicy little Dawnie all grown up and his!
'Admit it, though...' Pulling out of the parking space, she didn't even look at him, but her eyes were dancing. 'You were thinking of AJ...'
'Don't make me have to keep you quiet.'
'Promises, promises...'