(Part 3)

            Danika sat perched on a headstone with her legs crossed. Ironically the inscription was for someone of the last name Looney. She smirked admiring her freshly painted long fingernails. She watched Spike pace yards away ruffling his hair with his fingers staring expectantly at the road that curved around the edge of the cemetery.

            "Maybe the bitch won't show," Danika muttered causing Spike to turn and glare at her.

            "I'm not begging her to. I'm hoping she doesn't show. I want a quiet night for the two of us,"

            "Uh huh," Danika nodded, "Which is why you're in such a panic over your appearance.

            Spike stopped in his pacing, "Not another word,"

            "Well if you're so fucking calm and disaffected then what are we even doing out here 'hunting' in her patrol grounds,"

            "Look," Spike started fumbling for the words, "I'm out to get us a bite to eat and to show you a few things. I know what I'm doing. Have you become some sort of expert on being undead in the – how many days has it been?"

            "Just a total amature; my mistake," Danika muttered annoyed by Spike's method of lying and getting accusatory with her.

            "Now keep all your comments to yourself. I hear someone," Spike hissed sending Danika off the gravestone and onto her feet.

            "And what if it isn't a snack,"

            "Then we're in a bit of a tight spot aren't we,"

            Danika walked softly and carefully through the cemetery grass coming right behind Spike. She folded her hands on his shoulder gently and leaned close to him, her lips inches from his ear.

            "I say we go back to the crypt and have a little fun,"

            A wry smile played on Spike's lips even through his distraction and previous annoyed attitude.

            "Playful as a kitten and as hyper as a pup. Were you always like this or did I just bring out the animal in you,"

            "It's all that calling me 'pet' I think. Makes me want to bark, bite and purr,"

            "Bark eh?" Spike snickered, "Now that's a picture in of itself,"

            A form appeared stalking from several yards ahead, the presence visible only as the tree covering dwindled and more moonlight divulged the identity. Spike grimaced and Danika cocked an eyebrow skeptically. He had a sixth sense about things sometimes or maybe perhaps a keener nose than most.

            "You just had to will it to be didn't you," Danika swore releasing her folded hands from Spike's shoulder unhappily.

            "I didn't want it," Spike growled his head swiveling to the side catching Danika backing away a hurt expression on her face. He insisted realizing her jealousy, "Really,"

            A blonde wearing a black spaghetti strap top and tight fitting red leather pants approached eyeing the pair of vampires. Her hair slightly wavy and fashionably messy was pulled into a tucked ponytail. Her features were all business, set in stone and stoic if anything. IN her hand a precisely carved sharpened stick of wood, perfectly fitting in her strong hand. She was fit, but not excessively ripped and for that she was attractive aside from her appealing face.

            "SO," she called on her approach, "Spike, who's the Dru look a like? Anyone I should know or just the new 'pet'?" She flashed the quotation symbols with her fingers irking Spike in the process.

            Spike's eyes rolled and before speaking he raised his arms trying to look the part of the peaceful passer though. Danika stopped in her backward trek listening to the words aimed at Spike.

            "Buffy," Spike acknowledged, "She's none of your concern and not a Dru look a like. Not that I even need to bring up your penchant for trying to replace loved ones with stunt doubles,"

            Buffy's eyes narrowed, but she continued her path to him her feet hitting the ground a tad harder than before as she stepped.

            "If you don't mind, I know how you love reunions and all, but I was just leaving and would like to be off and on my way,"

            "Not so fast," she halted him closing the space between them, "I thought you left Sunnydale,"

            "Funny thing," Spike smirked scratching the nape of his neck, "I try to leave, but the bloody place just calls to me you know. I got a nice crypt, good cable, what else could a creature want,"

            "Obviously a new pet," the sarcastic answer snared him.

            "Jealous?"

            "Right,"

            Buffy abruptly ended the conversation driving her knee forward into Spike's gut throwing her arm forward cold cocking him. He tumbled swayed backward darting a hand forward swiping for her leg. Succeeding he jerked it out from under her, letting go to block her other arm swinging the wooden stake for his chest. His face had changed into the frightening demon figure without any conjuring. She gasped flat on her back, rolling to the side to avoid him.

Getting to her knees, she eyed him briefly sizing him. Springing forth she dove at him. Spike was ready, twisting to the side his leg jolting out giving her a powerful kick sending her backward a few steps stunned. The move gave him enough time to grab for her. She lashed out again and he caught her wrist whipping her around so her back faced him. He reeled her in wrapping his arms around her, holding her still.

            Without any final words he growled in her ear making his intentions known. She was barely panting from their encounter. His lips neared her flesh, but predictably one of her elbows found enough leeway in his embrace to jam back and knock the air from him and send his arms open freeing her. She turned quickly and raised her arm brandishing the stake. In one fluid motion she brought it forward her aim no longer to scare or fool him.

The stake stuck mid air, not nearly close enough to his chest. Buffy's head whipped disbelieving of her peripheral vision. Her wrist was held tight by a slender elegant hand, the fingers white as the strained knuckled and the long nails freshly painted a deep red. A changed demonic face smiled back at her with a fanged toothy grin.

"Forgetting about the dimwitted pet?" Danika hissed tightening her fist jerking Buffy's body toward her.

Face to face Buffy stared at the female vampire annoyed. Danika brazenly lurched forward to strike the slayer like a snake. Buffy met her head cracking a blow to it with her own. Danika tumbled backward and Buffy again raised the stake but not before Spike caught her from behind his arms going around the slayer's waist. He lifted her up, and she kicked the air going off the ground. She writhed and twisted in his hold trying to swipe backward with the stake in any attempt to impale him.

He gave her no more than a few seconds to try all her stunts in vein. Spike's teeth sunk into her neck seizing this opportunity. Buffy yelped and shrieked with what little stamina and air she had left after the initial sting. Spike growled digging in harder and tearing at her fragile flesh. The wood clattered to the ground and Buffy flailed in his grasp. Rearing his head back suddenly Spike retracted a chunk of flesh and snarled digging his blood soaked teeth and lips back into the wound he'd created feasting on her.

Limp her arms dropped to her sides. Buffy's eyes drooped shut. She had no more clever one-liners left to snap at Spike. Danika reclined on her elbows watching Spike, before pushing up off the ground.

"Spike," She hissed timidly watching him devour the blood from the slayer.

A roar bellowed at her as he shrank back, lowering himself to his knees drinking more of his supper and bounty. Danika watched unsettled at his gluttonous dining. He looked positively evil and little by little as time went on lost what little of the sexy feral hunter quality he possessed. His hands her gripping Buffy's body tight, his nails digging into her skin bruising it and drawing blood as they groped at the clothed flesh. His entire face was bathed in her blood, splatters coating his clothes and hair.

Between roars and growls came moans and whimpers. He refused to share enjoying too much the taste of the blood and feeling of accomplishment. It didn't take long to drain her, but Spike made the time last.

"So it's over, just like that," Danika whispered to herself taking another step back from the scene of the feeding, "His temper and I know she could have fought harder. Did he just let her win before, did she get worse,"

She caught the glance of his eyes and heard the thud of him releasing his meal to the bloodied earth. He was on his knees hovering over the slayer's body. Danika realized she'd stumbled and tip toed five feet from him in an attempt to be a safe distance. He let out a deep withheld breath.

"Is this what you wanted to see? Now that the competitions gone do you feel safer love or even more afraid?"

Danika screamed as Spike lunged for her.