AN: These two are victims of insomnia at 4 am. Let me know what you think.
-Identity – Season 5ish? Willow does a spell to restore Spike's soul and accidentally brings William back from the past.
-Juliet – Pre-Crush. Spike's telling Dawn demon versions of fairytales. This one's Romeo & Juliet.
Rated M – Those of you who know my work know everything has coarse language. In short, if it requires a rating, it could be here.
Disclaimer: Disownership rights are mine. You want to use a stub – you can, just let me know.
ΞIdentityΞ
"There! That should do it." Willow dusted her palms with a big goofy grin.
"So he's all soulful now?" Buffy jumped down from the magic shop counter.
"He should be"
"He should be?"
"Well it's not like it's the same curse as Angel's. I had to, you know, stabilize it a bit. Otherwise Spike would have lost it pretty quick."
"But you did just give him a soul"
Willow bit her lip. "I think so."
"Willow!"
"There's no way to know for sure. Except, if you see him and he's got a soul he should be all boring and brooding. Like Angel."
Buffy glared.
"N-not that Angel is boring! He's totally not boring!"
"Yeah." Buffy pouted. "And, the brooding is part of his charm. And he doesn't brood that often."
Suure. Willow resisted the urge to roll her eyes or give a very Spikey smirk. "I wonder how he's gonna take it."
Buffy's mouth twisted in an only semi-evil grin. "I think I'll go find out" she said and walked out the door.
William puttered around the streets with a look of absolute horror. It was hardly the time for an evening stroll, and lord knew mother was waiting for him. But where was he? He took in the lit houses and tailored gardens. The very air seemed alive with energy. He paused and watched a couple pass him dressed in a very strange manner and snickering when they caught sight of his. He sighed. Wherever he was, it hadn't benefited his social appeal.
A shrill, piercing scream echoed into the night and he ran towards it without a thought. He tripped and stumbled across the street and through the bushes, stopping at a cemetery. Wildly his eyes swept the shadows for the source of the noise, and he found it. A woman was sobbing and pleading while someone much larger held her still. It didn't take a genius to work out his attention was unwelcome. William moved closer only to jump back with a gasp. The man's face was deformed and his eyes glowed yellow. "A demon" he whispered.
The woman screamed again and her hand flew out, managing to land a weak blow across the creatures face. "You bitch!" it growled and drew its hand back. The sound of the crack when it hit her snapped something inside the poet. Something he never knew was there. His body stiffened and with carefully controlled steps he moved towards it. The creature barely registered his approach, only bothering with a "leave mister, nothin' to see." But William wasn't listening. He gripped the beast by the shoulders and threw him back into a tombstone.
"Run" he said softly to the girl and she bolted away.
The beast growled again and now that his rage had been alleviated, William felt the full weight of terror. "You shouldn't have done that. Now I'll have to drain you instead." It grinned. "Only since you sent away my other little snack, I won't feel the need to go gentle-like."
"N-no, p-please" William whimpered, inching back.
The creature dragged him up by the tie and brought his fangs around his neck. "Been a while since I've had one dressed as pretty as you" he mocked and the fangs pressed against William's skin. "Bet you taste sweet."
He waited. Waited for that moment of pain, his body shaking in anticipation. Then he fell to the ground and his eyes snapped open to a fine mist of dust. Beyond that dust, was a dark figure. It stepped forward and William traced its shape from the clunky black boots, black jeans, belt and top, beneath a long black duster – a bolt of awareness shot through him. He looked higher. Familiar blue eyes stared back at him with a mixture of shock, curiosity, suspicion, and final acceptance. The figure so different from his own yet so unmistakably him. William's jaw dropped as the other opened his mouth and spoke.
"Hello William"
ΞJulietΞ
So what if he was a good vampire? Didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun. And what was more fun than corrupting the minds of children? His demon suggested consuming the minds of children and even he had to concede the truth. Not that he would, if he could. Really.
"Oh come on! There's no way the little mermaid is real."
"Was real bit, dead now. Or didn't you finish the end of that story?"
Dawn froze. "She dies? But what about the prince?"
"Runs off with that other bint"
"You mean he marries the witch!"
"No, no, no" he threw down the cigarette and shook his head. Bloody Disney. "She's not the witch in the story. She's just a normal girl."
Dawn sulked.
"Well you can't blame a bloke can you? Have a nice normal girl or a demon from another dimension who grows scales nine months of the year."
"I still think it's wrong." She sat down on the sarcophagus and leaned on his shoulder. "I mean, demons are people too right?"
He chuckled and nudged her shoulder. "Never met one with as much heart as you nibblet. Too much if you ask me."
"For once we agree." Buffy stomped into his crypt and settled her eyes on Dawn. "Time to go home, you have homework to do."
"But Spike was going to tell me another story!"
He gave her a look and she glared back. "Right, story."
"Oh?" Buffy folded her arms, obviously amused that her teenage sister could have him so whipped. He nodded and she went to sit on the couch. "By all means, don't let me stop you" she drawled.
He shrunk back. "Nothin' you wanna hear pet, just some old demon tales."
"Well apparently you've been telling my sister 'old demon tales' all evening. I think it's safe to say there's no way she'll be traumatized further."
He scratched the back of his neck. "Right then" he said throwing Dawn a wary glance. "There's only the one." She got the message and smiled to let him off the hook. After all, he was her friend and she would never abandon a friend to Buffy's wrath for longer than necessary. "Romeo and Juliet."
Dawn's eyes widened. "But that already has a horrible ending."
Spike grinned and his teeth elongated menacingly. "This one has more bite."
"Oh, vampires. Okay then." Dawn said happily.
Buffy coughed and fingered a stake. Spike's demon receded to a sheepish look. "Yeah, well. We'll get on with it then shall we?"
Dawn nodded.
"Well the war between the Montague's and Capulet's wasn't as petty as it seemed. The problem was of course, vampires. Well no, that's not quite right. Vampires and demons. Not that anybody saw a difference in those days. Still don't, but then humans are slow to change."
"There was once a vampire, Aham-Nirsi who was part of an ancient line of warriors, all by the same name. He himself was several hundred years old when the whole bloody thing started." He paused. "The original Aham-Nirsi was spawn of the very first vampire, and unlike others sired he had managed to hold the essence of the demon and pass it along his bloodline."
"Anyway, Aham-Nirsi took to the vampire bloodshed and mayhem with a vigor his predecessors lacked. Even his sire, who was said to be the bloodiest of them all, had to step down from the unveiled evil his childe unleashed on every continent." He coughed and swung his legs up, sitting across from Dawn. "But for this story, we'll stick with Italy."
"Ol' Aham met up with Lord Galfridus Montague in Italy. He was a pompous git and a little heavy on the sauce. When Aham-Nirsi found him drunk as anything in the local pub he felt something reminiscent of his human self. Something that said 'family.' Surprised by this he held off the kill, determined to work out why this talking blood bag of all people had caught his eye."
"He found out soon enough. Galf wasn't the kind of guy to keep his sheets clean. He had whores and booze and violent outbursts. Sometimes all at once. But when he got home, that was where the real fun started. He'd beat his wife and his daughter, calling them all names under the sun until the blood seeped out the front door and it was all Aham could do not to tear the house apart. But that gentle signal of kinship grew stronger."
"When the second month was approaching its end, he followed Galfridus home, same as he did every other night. Galfridus was angry because some poor sod had run away with his daughter and he'd hit the bottle harder than usual. When he got home that night, all that was left was rage. His seven year old daughter, Hannah and the Capulet's daughter Christiana were asleep when he came into their room. He dragged his daughter up by her neck and slurred curses about women and all their crimes. Hannah's mother came in when she heard the screaming, and tried to protect the girls. But rage made Galf stronger and he thrust a fire stoker through her chest. Aham was said to know then that Galf was the next to take the name."
"Did he kill the girls?" Dawn asked.
He gave her a look that said 'duh' and went on with the story. "When the Capulet's came in the morning they found the bodies of the two girls crumpled, drained and naked on the floor of the house. They found the mother lain gently on the bed, almost mocking in her casual state. The bastard even patched the wound and changed her clothes after she died. Angelus would have loved him."
A candle flew past his head and Spike bristled. "What the bleedin' hell was that for?"
"You know what" Buffy growled.
Spike smirked. "I said Angelus, not Angel luv. I take it you've come to your senses and worked out they're the same person."
This time the candle hit its mark.
He rubbed his head and threw Buffy a glare. "So that's how it started. With Galf in the ranks of the undead, the Capulet's believed he was the killer. Which he was. The Montague's didn't believe it and over honor a war was started."
"Nobody spoke of the details because of the pain it caused the families, and as the years went past people forgot. Right up until dear, sweet little Juliet who had the misfortune of meeting Romeo at the ball. Fell in love, and Romeo being the prat he was fell head of heels as well. But Count Paris had already picked her and after finding out about their little trysts, he got angry."
"He stormed through the forest bordering the Capulet grounds and stopped right in front of Galfridus. 'Course after all those generations had died off, Paris didn't even know the name let alone the man. Galf introduced himself as Aham-Nirsi, having taken the name from his sire. Offered him eternal life and a means to gain revenge. Paris being a little screwy, agreed."
"But like I said, Paris was screwy. The new Aham-Nirsi thought he'd go on a rampage and kill off the Montague's and maybe even the Capulet's. Instead he went straight for the girl. When they found Juliet, she was cold and her heart wasn't beating. Only natural they thought she was dead. They put her in the family crypt and at nightfall, after the mourners had left, the Count returned. It was dark in the crypt now that everyone had left, so he called his demon up to help him see. That's how Romeo found him. Crouched over Juliet's body fangs an' all. He took out his sword and cut the demon's head clean off his shoulders. Dust for all the kiddies."
"Not knowing anything about vampires, he still thought Juliet was dead. Which she was I guess, but you know, undead. He lay down beside her body and leaned his head on her shoulder and cried. Juliet's eyes opened and the hunger of a newly made vampire combined with the close proximity of warm blood called the demon to the forefront. She bit into her lover and drained him dry."
"When the demon was sated, Juliet saw what she'd done and that trailing humanity that follows every vampire out of the grave howled with grief. She took his dagger and stabbed herself through the heart, but that didn't work – 'cause hey, vampire. She stepped down from the stone, thinking that the local priest might be able to help. But her foot slipped and she fell back on a basket her nurse had filled with flowers. The handle snapped and the wood went through her heart." Spike dusted off his shirt. "So ends the story."
Dawn gaped. "So they still die? That's so unfair." She got off the back of the sarcophagus.
"It's a story Dawn. Not real, just a part of Spike's very, very twisted mind. Now; home and homework." Buffy stood and shoved her towards the door.
"Yeah, yeah" she muttered and turned back to Spike with a grin. "So that's the last story huh?"
He winked and she hid a smile, walking out the door. Buffy turned back to him with folded arms.
"What?" She continued to stare. He sighed and raised his left hand. "Fine. I William the Bloody solemnly swear never to tell the slayer's kid sister stories of ol'"
She raised an eyebrow. "It's traditionally the right hand."
"Well I don't mean it do I?" he smirked and she rolled her eyes.
"So in this detailed work of fiction do the Capulet's and Montague's reconcile their differences?"
"Why so interested pet?"
"I'm not" she said but didn't move.
He sighed again. "They found the body and dust, went back to the Montague's and partied 'til the break of bloody dawn. Happily ever bloody after." He walked towards his fridge. "At least until Aham-Nirsi and minions drained the whole Montague bloodline" he muttered under his breath.
Buffy flashed him a critical look and turned to the door. She paused with it half open. "It was just fiction wasn't it Spike?"
He laughed and tipped his head to the side. "Was it now?"
"Oh Puh-lease, there's no way Juliet was a vampire. It's un-Shakespearean of you to say she was. And that's…well…just wrong."
He poured the dreaded pig's blood into his mug and sprinkled some spices. "You could say it's just a story. If so it's been around a hell of a lot longer than I have. Or you could say that it's true. In which case you should really be calling me Aham-Nirsi."
"Y-you?"
He took a mouthful of blood before turning to her stunned expression. "How do you think the Master became the Master? Why do you think the story stuck around all these centuries? The legend is, Aham-Nirsi bit Galfridus, Galfridus bit Aurelius, Aurelius became the first official Master and then bit Bertrannus who sired…for lack of a better term…our Master. The cuddly critter that he was. Never got his name. Guess that only happens when they die. Should ask Angel, when Hellmouth freezes over and we're actually on speaking terms that is."
'Our' Master. Buffy ran her fingers over the Master's bite mark, her eyes dimming in the memory. Somehow she'd have no trouble believing he was a descendent from the most evil of vampires, or that Angelus was for that matter. But Spike was different. She raised her eyes to his blue, now so close she could feel the cool breath on her face. "You 'right luv?" he whispered.
The mark the Master had left burned and she had a carnal desire to feel his teeth erase it's origin with his. To feel his caress on her body as he drank her deeper and moaned her name against her throat. She jerked back. Bad. "Sure. It's just a story anyway." She said and rushed out the door.
The scent of her arousal lingered in the air and Spike smiled. He shut the door, picked up his mug and settled on the couch, remote in hand. "Just a story"
Please review, bash or behead. I love to hear it all. Blue button. It makes me happy.
Love to mrslee for her sweet words of motivation.
If I screw up (and very likely I will). Let me know where because the idiot that I am will most likely do it repeatedly.