Chapter 7 – Let's Go Shopping
(Spike POV)
Someone's knocking on the door… well… more like pounding on the door. I open my eyes and blearily look around the room. Oh yeah, LA. Angel's hotel. Warm sleeping Slayer in my arms. Heaven. Right.
I crawl off the bed and stumble to the door. This hotel is too old to have peep holes so I stand behind the door and open it a crack so I can peek around it. "Buggerin' fuck, Harris. What time is it?"
"Just after two in the afternoon. You missed breakfast and lunch. Dawn sent me up to make sure you two didn't starve to death. Giles and Wes have made some headway researching your necklace and Angel knows who the voice is. Lots happening today so get off your can and get downstairs, Fang Boy."
I close the door with a smirk and turn back to the bed. God, she's so beautiful. And she loves me. I'm such a lucky sod. "Buffy, luv? Time to get up. We have to get downstairs 'fore your sis sends up a rescue party."
"Mmpmh." She burrows further into the blankets and pulls a pillow over her head.
"Yes, now. Let's go, Slayer. Things to do and places to go, yeah?"
She rolls over and sits up with her eyes still closed. "Ok, I'm up." She opens her eyes, looks me up and down and grins, "Hmm, so are you." then reaches for me and pulls me down on top of her. Her lips meet mine in a hungry kiss as she wraps her legs around my waist and grinds into me.
I moan into her mouth as her hand slips down between us and guides me into her warm channel. "Buffy! Fuck!" She clenches her legs encouraging me to move. I start thrusting slowly at first until her breathing picks up then I move faster, bringing my mouth down to bite and suckle her nipples, making her arch her back and moan. I rise up a bit and angle my thrusts so my pelvis hits her clit on the downstroke then moisten a finger and reach around to massage her hole. She bucks and bites her bottom lip as I slowly insert the finger and thrust it in time with my hips. She comes wildly, scratching her nails down my back. The combination of clenching Slayer muscles and sudden pain makes me come with a roar.
I collapse, completely spent, and lay on her trying to catch the breath I don't need. She reaches around and hugs me, then takes my head in her hands and softly kisses me. I raise up on my elbows, taking some of my weight off her and we continue the soft kisses. It's amazing. Her mouth is so soft and warm and she tastes like honey. I could snog her all day.
More pounding on the door. "If I have to come back up here again, Evil Dead, I'm kicking the door in! Now get a move on!"
I raise my head and glare at the door. "Guess that's our wake up call, pet. We better get going."
She pulls me down into another kiss then sighs, "Yeah, I guess. Let's go."
XXXXX
XXXXX
We stroll into the lobby holding hands ten minutes later to a bevy of amused faces and one not so amused. Kennedy smiles at me as we stop near the middle of the room, "Did you guys hear? Apparently there's some kind of animal loose in the hotel. The girls kept telling me they heard roaring."
I send up a hearty thanks to the bleedin' Powers that vampires can't blush. Buffy, however, isn't a vampire and her cheeks are a rosy red as she squeezes my hand. I step in front of her to give her a chance to compose herself. "Interestin', Kennedy. Thanks for the info. Uh… I'll have a look 'round later, shall I?" I clap my hands and glance around the lobby. "So, anythin' to eat 'round here? I'm feelin' a mite peckish."
Willow pipes up, "There's bags of blood in the kitchen behind the reception desk and I think there might be some pizza left over from last night."
Buffy nods, "Thanks, Wil. I'll get us something. Be right back." She pulls my head down for a quick kiss.
Willow follows Buffy into the small kitchen and I walk over to a table piled high with books and clap Giles on the shoulder. "So, how goes it, mate? Find anythin' interestin'?"
He turns and looks up at me as he takes off his glasses. "Yes, quite a few things, actually. It appears that your necklace was forged at the same time as Buffy's Slayer weapon, by the same people as a matter of fact. They seem to be complimentary pieces, made to be used together."
"Well, that would follow, seein' as how they were both used in the fight against the First."
"Yes, quite. Wesley has found an ancient prophecy that seems to mention the two items. We haven't translated it completely yet, but what we have so far is quite compelling."
A slender arm snakes around my waist and a warm cup of blood appears in front of me. I take the cup and place a gentle kiss to the top of her head as my arm settles over her shoulders. "Ta, pet." She gives me a squeeze. I drink down the blood in a few gulps then look at Giles. "Where is my necklace, by the way? Fancy a bit of a stroll."
Giles doesn't look up from the large, dusty book open in front of him as he waves back over his shoulder. "Willow and Kennedy have it. Willow was trying some sort of reveal spell on it to try to find out its purpose."
Just then, Willow and Kennedy appear in front of me. Willow takes my cup, sets it on the table and starts pushing me backwards. I grasp her hand and lift it off my chest. "Red, what're you doing?"
She points to a chair directly behind me. "Spike, please sit for a minute, I want to try something. Buffy, can you hold this and put it on him when I ask?" She hands Buffy the talisman as I drop into the chair and look up at her warily.
Kennedy takes my hand and Willow pours a clear liquid onto my palm. The skin starts to sizzle and burn. I yelp and try to pull my hand back, but she holds fast. Willow waves her hand as she stares at mine. "Buffy, the necklace." Buffy slides the chain over my head and immediately the burning stops. I look at my hand and it's completely normal. Willow pours more holy water on my hand. Nothing. No burning. No sizzle. "Buffy, please remove the necklace." Buffy takes it off me, and my hand starts to sizzle again.
I shake the water off and look up at Willow. "What just happened?"
"Hold on." She takes my hand and drops a small cross into the palm. More sizzling and smoking. Buffy puts the necklace on me and the smoking stops. Kennedy presses a larger cross against my forearm. Nothing. Buffy removes the necklace and I yelp and jerk my arm away from the cross.
"Ok, why did the cross burn me yesterday when Andrew chucked it at me, but not today? I was wearin' the necklace when I caught it."
"One more test, Spike, then I'll explain it." Kennedy takes my hand and slices the palm open with a sharp knife. Blood wells up along the cut. Willow nods at Buffy and she drops the necklace over my head. The wound closes and Willow wipes the blood away to show my unmarked palm. Kennedy slices the knife across my palm again and the wound closes almost as fast as she opens it. She makes a shallow cut to my forearm and the same thing happens.
I cross my arms over my chest and look up at Willow. "Ok, Red. Spill"
She pulls up another chair and drops into it as Buffy steps behind me and puts her hands on my shoulders. "Um, well, the necklace is kind of like an immunization. If you're hurt when you put it on, it heals you then prevents those same kinds of injuries as long as you're wearing it. It doesn't prevent new injuries, like if I were to shoot you. You have to have the wound already so it can heal you first. You must have been a little sunburned when you put the necklace on one time which is why it protects you from sunlight now. And it only works on vampires." Willow holds up her hand and shows us a large bandage covering her palm.
I nod. "Well, come to think of it, I did get a little singed walkin' into the school and I didn't have the necklace on then. I put it on as I was walkin' down to the Hellmouth. How did you find this out?"
"I did a reveal spell and it showed me what looked like a hospital room filled with syringes. I was completely confused until Dawnie came up with immunization. Apparently the room from the spell reminded her of the nurse's office at her school. She just got an immunization last month. So we tried it on Angel. It immunized him against sunlight, crosses, holy water and knives. If we could get the necklace on you fast enough after you were staked, we could probably immunize you against that too."
My hand flies up to cover my unbeating heart. "Umm… thanks… but no. I think I'll be fine as is. Unless you want to try the stakin' thing with Angel first, you know sort of a dry run?" I smile at her to let her know I'm joking. Well, sort of. Bloody poofter couldn't just let me have anything, could he? Always horning in on what's mine. Well, from here on in this necklace is not leaving my sight. Be just like Captain Forehead to take it for more testing then vanish with it.
I stand up, grab my empty cup and head to the kitchen for a refill. Buffy follows me in and waits quietly until I have the cup in the microwave then comes up behind me, turns me around and pushes me back into the counter with her kisses. I tangle my hands in her hair and pull her closer. The microwave beeps but we ignore it and carry on snogging.
I hear footsteps enter the kitchen and can almost hear Dawn rolling her eyes. "Jeez you two, do you ever come up for air?"
We break apart and I retrieve my cup from the microwave and lean against the counter sipping my blood. Buffy leans back against me and smiles at her sister. "Ok, I'm breathing air. Now what?"
Dawn grins, "Well, Spike told me earlier that we could take a walk around the neighborhood and do some sussing. Can we do that now?"
Buffy turns and smirks at me. "Sussing, Spike?"
I shrug, "Well, yeah. Just walk a bit and find out what's around us. Maybe do a spot of shopping." I finish off my cup of blood and lean over to drop it in the sink then take Buffy's hand and lead her and Dawn out of the kitchen towards the front door.
"We're going to take a turn 'round the neighborhood. Maybe pick up a few things. Anyone want to come along?"
A chorus of teenage girls shout their assent and start towards the door as Angel takes Xander aside and talks to him quietly, nodding at the lot of us. The girls walk out in a giggling clump followed by Xander and Andrew then Buffy and me. As I step through the doors into the sunlight, I have to consciously restrain myself from bolting back inside. Buffy tightens her grip on my hand and pulls me further into the light. "Gah, it's bright. Can't see a bloody thing." I squint and raise a hand to shade my eyes until they adjust.
Xander turns back and chuckles, "Wow, Fang Boy, never realized just how pale you are. You seriously need to work on your tan."
"Bite me, whelp." I laugh and we set off down the sidewalk.
A few blocks down, the girls veer into a clothing store and start sifting through the racks talking and laughing. I wander off towards the men's department and select a few pairs of jeans and half a dozen shirts. Xander and Andrew pick up a few things and we all wander over to where the girls have stacked a large pile of clothes next to the register. I lean over to Xander and whisper, "I have a bit of dosh but not nearly enough to cover all that."
Xander steps forward and speaks quietly with the clerk. She nods and continues ringing up the merchandise. Xander takes my items and adds them to the slowly shrinking pile. Buffy comes up with another armload, drops it on the counter and steps back to give me a hug. "Don't you just love shopping?"
"Uh… yeah… I guess." I just stand and stare as the pile on the counter gets smaller while the numbers on the register get bigger. The final total looks like enough to fund a small country. The clerk hits a few buttons on the register and it spits out a receipt as long as my arm then she folds it and hands it to Xander. The girls pick up the numerous bags and we make our way out of the store.
Back out on the sidewalk I reach out and snag Xander's arm, "Care to explain, mate?"
"Oh, Angel told me to get whatever we needed and just have the store bill him at Wolfram and Hart."
"Whatever we needed, eh?" I smile with an evil glint in my eye then tug Buffy's hand and head in the opposite direction, tossing back over my shoulder, "Catch you up at the hotel later then, yeah? Gonna go get some things I need."
XXXXX
XXXXX
Thank the Powers for vampire strength. Don't think I would've made it back to the hotel without it. We breeze through the door laden with our purchases. Well, I'm laden, Buffy just breezes. Wouldn't do for my lady to have to tote and carry. That's what I'm here for, right?
I stagger to the first available couch, drop the bags and fall onto it, exhausted. "Bloody hell."
Buffy sinks down beside me and laughs, "You were the one who wanted to go shopping."
Everyone gathers in front of the couch as she starts sorting items out of the bags into separate piles. I've got more jeans and shirts and a brand new pair of Docs. Buffy picked out a few button down shirts and even bought me some underwear. Can't imagine why. Never wear 'em. Might for her, if she likes that. There are magic supplies for Willow, jewelry for Dawn, Trek and Star Wars videos for Xander and Andrew and a leather-bound, hard cover book for Giles. She spills out a bag full of DVDs and video games on the floor and the girls start grabbing them up squealing with excitement.
Dawn holds up a handful of movies, "Um, we have nothing to play these on, so why'd you get them?"
Catching Angel's eye over the heads of the others, I smile evilly and say, "Don't worry, Bit. The shop said the big screen telly and all the fixings should be delivered here inside the hour."
Angel glares daggers at me. Git. Should bloody know me by now. I see an opportunity, I'm gonna take it. Especially an opportunity to annoy my brooding ponce of a Grandsire. I stand, gathering up my clothes and the bags of Buffy's things and head for the stairs. I've just deposited everything on the bed when Angel grabs my arm, swings me around violently and plows his fist into my face.
I stumble back clutching my bleeding nose. "Oi! What're you playin' at?"
He snarls, "Have fun today spending my money?"
I stalk toward him, a sneer on my lips. "Yeah, I did. Thanks for asking."
A low growl rumbles through the room as he clenches his hands into fists. "Boy, you're just begging for it, aren't you?"
I growl back. "I'm not your boy, Angelus. Haven't been for a long time."
"You're still my Grandchilde, William."
"So? Doesn't mean you get to pound on me whenever the mood strikes. Not anymore. I'm not a fledge, 'Gelus. Just 'cause we're the only ones of our little dysfunctional family left doesn't mean I'm gonna play punchin' bag for the rest of my unlife. I appreciate what you've done for all of us, but if it's too much trouble, we'll just go."
Angel stands glaring at me for a few more minutes then shakes his head and looks at the floor. "No, I don't want you to go; all of you can stay here as long as you want to. It's just…" He swallows and looks like he's fighting back tears. "It's hard seeing Buffy. Seeing how happy she is. Knowing that it's because of you and not me." He turns abruptly and stalks out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "And stop calling me Angelus, boy."
XXXXX
XXXXX
As I step into the lobby, four blokes are wrestling a huge box through the front doors. They stop for a rest and one asks, "Where do you want it?" The girls have cleared a large space along the back wall of the lobby so I point in that direction. I catch Buffy's eye, wink and nod towards the box and the four struggling men. She nods and we make our way over.
I tap the two blokes on one end of the box and say, "I'll get this end."
Buffy says from the other end, "Ready?"
"Yeah." We lift and easily carry the box across the lobby and deposit it on the floor.
The four blokes are standing by the front doors gaping at us with wide eyes. Dawn pokes me in the ribs and whispers, "Showoff!"
I chuckle and nod and make my way through the throng of girls tearing at the cardboard. "So that's all then? Anythin' I need to sign?"
The one holding a clipboard starts and blinks at me. "Um, no, someone already did that. Um, thanks. You folks have a nice day." They scurry out the doors and leave us to the sounds of squealing girls and tearing cardboard.
XXXXX
XXXXX
The telly is working but I doubt I'll ever get to watch anything on it. The girls have pulled all the couches into a rough semi-circle and are sprawled over them and the floor watching some girly movie. Wait, is that Andrew and Harris? Ponces. Giles, Wes, Willow and Kennedy are sitting in the comfy chairs discussing the prophecy. I don't see Buffy anywhere so I lift my head just a bit and sniff. There. She's in the kitchen. I walk in just in time to see her putting something in the microwave. I sidle up behind her and wrap my arms around her squeezing tightly. She starts a bit and tenses then turns in my arms, wraps her arms around my middle and squeezes me back. "Where've you been?" she murmurs into my chest.
"Oh, just upstairs. Put all the stuff away and cleaned up the room a mite."
She leans back and smirks up at me. "I could've done that later. You didn't need to."
"Not a problem, pet. What I'm here for, innit? To take care of my lady?"
The microwave beeps and she turns to it and removes a mug of blood. Handing it to me she smiles, "And I'm here to take care of my man." She reaches up and lightly brushes her fingers over my still slightly swollen nose. "What happened?"
"Peaches."
She frowns, "He hit you? Why? I am so gonna kick his ass."
I lean down and lightly brush my lips across hers, "Just leave it, pet. Nothin' to concern yourself about, family business is all."
Her fingers slip into my hair as she pulls me closer and deepens the kiss. She breaks away when air becomes an issue and smiles up at me. "If you're sure." I nod and she lifts the hand still holding the cup of blood. "Drink up before it gets cold."
After I've finished my blood, we wander back out to the lobby and I take a seat in the last comfy chair and pull Buffy down onto my lap. She snuggles in, wraps her arms around me and lays her head on my shoulder.
"Ok, I get that the talisman and the weapon are linked, but what does the rest of it mean?" Willow asks.
Wes looks up at her then back down at the book in his lap, "Well, this part mentions an Immortal Slayer and a Night Child who walks in the Day. They're supposed to protect the child sired of the demon from the Great Evil."
Kennedy points at me. "Spike could be the Night Child, couldn't he? He can walk in the day."
Giles frowns, "So could Angel. They are both immune to sunlight if they have the talisman. Probably just about any vampire could be if we immunize them with the talisman."
Wes holds up his hand and says, "Hold on, here's something else. The Night Child will be known by his spark."
I snort. "Spark. What?"
"Could mean a soul." Buffy says quietly.
Giles nods. "Which still leaves us with two possible contenders. How do we know which of our souled vampires is the right one?"
Buffy sits up and looks over at Giles. "What about the Immortal Slayer part? I'm not immortal; at least, I don't think I am. How would I know? Is there a way to find out?"
Wes nods, "We have seers at Wolfram and Hart that can read your aura and tell you how long you'll live. I mean, if that's something you would want to know."
Buffy shivers, "Well, I don't want to know when I'm gonna die again. I would like to find out if I'm prophecy girl though."
Willow picks up a book off the pile on the table. "So, we've got a possibly immortal Slayer and two souled vampires. Now what about this child of the demon. What's that about?"
Wes looks down at the book in his lap. "The text is very vague on that point. All it says is the child sired of the demon must be protected from the Great Evil. It doesn't say what the Great Evil is or when this child is supposed to appear. It does say that if the child dies at the hands of the Great Evil then the world is thrown into 1000 years of darkness."
Buffy laughs, "Great, another apocalypse. Gee, what are the odds?"
I pull her tight against me, "When can Buffy go to the seers?"
"Well… now, I guess. We are a 24/7 operation like Gunn said." Wes stands up and holds his hand out to Buffy.
She stands and pulls me out of the chair behind her. "He goes too."
XXXXX
XXXXX
The sun is just setting as we walk in the front doors of Wolfram and Hart. Even this late, the lobby is bustling. Lawyers and demons and what all everywhere you look. Wesley leads us to the elevator bank and pushes the down arrow.
I snort, "Your seers are in the parkin' garage?"
"Well, no." Wes chuckles. "They're down a little further than that. They need to be deep underground to cut the interference from so many souls walking around."
We step into the elevator and begin the descent. It seems to go on forever. Finally the elevator slides to a stop and the doors open onto a small room with a door set into the center of each wall. Wes walks to the door directly across from the elevator and motions for us to follow. Inside the room is a couch on one wall and a small table and chairs against the other wall. A small hooded figure sits at the table playing solitaire.
Wes motions for us to sit and leaves the room, closing the door softly behind him. We sit and I wrap my arm securely around Buffy's shoulders and pull her to me. She's trembling slightly and I can smell her fear as I look over at the seer who seems to be completely oblivious to our presence, sitting silently as he flips over another card.
Buffy and I both jump when he suddenly speaks. "Do not worry, William. I am not going to harm your Slayer. I can see her love for you. It burns brightly as does yours for her. Spike. William the Bloody. William Jonathan Pratt. You have the blood of innocent souls flecked all through your aura. They are black spots floating in the mist. Many, many thousands."
I start and tense up at the mention of my human name and my jaw starts to clench as he talks about how many people I've killed. I chance a sideways glance at Buffy. She smiles faintly, grabs my hand and twines her fingers with mine.
"I also see flickers of light sparkling in the darkness. The souls you have saved. Not as many yet as the black spots but there will be more. Many more. You will live a good long while, William."
I relax just a bit and plant a gentle kiss to the top of Buffy's head as the seer flips over another card.
"Slayer, your aura is strange. You have died before and been brought back, yes?" Buffy nods silently. "I can see the powerful magicks that brought your soul back from the ether. They are with you still. They swirl and churn in your aura. They protect your soul. Keep it to this plane. As long as you have the magicks, you will not die."
I feel Buffy tense and hear her throat clench. "What can take the magicks away?" Her voice is barely above a whisper.
The small figure turns then and stares straight at us. Bright, glowing eyes focus on me then the Slayer. "Only your will. You must want it with everything that you are. Only then will you die."
The seer turns back to his table and flips another card. Figuring that our audience is over, we get up from the couch and open the door. Buffy steps through and I'm just about to close it behind me when the seer says so quietly that I barely hear him. "A child is coming, vampire. Be ready."
