A/N: This is my first BtVS fic. Please review and let me know what you think =)

Crossing A Canyon

Chapter One: For Fun and Prophet

By Saberi



Spike stared glumly at the disgusting pig's blood in his mug, and added the herbs he'd nicked from the Magic Box from his last 'visit' to the slightly lukewarm fluid.

With an unnecessary sigh, he drank. Much to his dismay, he was getting used to the taste of animal blood. Two years ago, he could barely stomach it, and now it was tolerable. Pathetic, really.

His 'meal' finished, the vampire headed down into the underground catacombs, crawled into his bed, and pulling the somewhat unnecessary covers over himself, slept.

* * *

He watched her approach the demon with purpose in her step and determination in her eyes. As she drew nearer to the hulking red figure with the nasty horns and third eye in the middle of its forehead, however, her step faltered and her eyes lost their light.

It seemed to Spike as if she simply gave up. Something about the demon was controlling her will, he guessed. As the Slayer stood stock-still, the demon began to chant. A glowing mist began to seep from Buffy's body and into the demon's own, and when there was none left, she simply... dissolved.

* * *

Spike sat up in bed, his eyes wide with horror. He was no stranger to nightmares- he'd dreamt of Buffy's death ever since they'd stopped Glory's little portal-opening party at the cost of Buffy's life. But those dreams had always been about Buffy's final jump, and how useless and helpless he'd felt as he'd watched her die.

-But she's back now,- the confused vampire thought. -So why am I dreaming about her fighting some kind of demon I've never seen before?-

He wondered if the dream meant anything. It was entirely possible to see the future- he knew *that*, after dealing with Dru's visions for a hundred years, and Buffy sometimes had prophetic dreams. If his dream was an omen, the question was... why was he dreaming it? He was no psychic, that was for sure.



The vampire waited until sunset, and then slipped outside. He made his way to the Magic Box, and after making sure no after-hours Scooby meetings were being held, snuck in through the basement entrance he used when he was stealing stuff. There was no stealing tonight, however. He'd come with a mission- find out if the demon from his dream was a real one, and what to do about it if it was.

Spike headed to the upper floor of the shop, where the books containing the information too dangerous for the average customer's eyes were kept. There, by the dim glow of a flashlight, he pored over several demon anthologies, searching for the creature in his dreams.

-Oh shit. Holy *fucking* shit!- He thought as he read the text underneath the depiction of the demon.



"The main source of sustenance for the Rekkai demon is human souls. They are especially attracted to strong souls- those that belong to wielders of supernatural power. It is exceedingly difficult to kill one, as they will generally begin to drain the soul from any being that attacks it."



Spike slammed the book shut and stalked back to his crypt, trying to think of some way to warn the Slayer without coming across as a complete lunatic.

He could just imagine the conversation...

"Buffy, excuse me, but there's a soul-sucking demon on the loose and its out to get you. How do I know, you ask? Well, I dreamed about it, and then I broke into demon-girl's shop and did my homework. No, I didn't steal anything while I was there, what do you take me for? Well, no, I guess you're right. I do have a tendency to nick stuff, don't I? Yes, I can see how that affects my credibility a little. Never mind, then."

No, it wouldn't work that way. Besides, she probably wouldn't let him get within three feet of her. Nooo, she had to be the one in control of where and when they met up. The best he could do was shadow her when she went on patrols, and make sure that he was there when it attacked her.

-Stupid bloody demon can't very well suck the soul from something without one, can it?- He leered to himself. Maybe if he saved the soul of the woman he loved, she'd stop treating him like a damn fucktoy and realise the depth of his feelings for her. Maybe.

-A bloke's got to have hope, right?-

He knew that the love of his unlife had been rather ambivalent towards life since she'd been brought back, but he could sense a change in her lately. She didn't want to die anymore, and that, as far as he was concerned, was a very good thing.

Despite the possible bad situation, the (formerly) Big Bad Spike found himself almost whistling as he walked back to his crypt. The prospect of saving Buffy and possibly getting her gratitude in return was an uplifting one.