Chapter Two: Walking Thoughts
Disclaimer: Same thing from Chapter One, excepting the concept of a ghoul. Ghouls belong to White Wolf (tm). I just stole the concept and twisted it slightly to fit the Buffyverse and my plotline.
Riley, how could you do this to me? I told you everything! Everything I went through with Angel... with Parker... You knew all my weaknesses; you loved me!
Why would you do that? What kind of pervert are you? Is that why you were with me? My powers originated with a demon.... is that what turned you on? It was never me, was it. You only wanted to fuck something super-natural. I guess I just wasn't doing it anymore. I guess I was all too human. I have a
little sister. I have a mother in the hospital. I have a pulse! What kind of sicko are you?!
What's wrong with me? Why don't guys ever like me for who I am? Is there no one who can see that I'm not just the fucking 'Chosen One'?? Being the Slayer is a job description, it's not who I am. What I am...what I am...what I am is a slut. Angelus was right. I'll fuck anything that makes puppy-dog eyes at me. I'll fuck anything that mentions the word "love". Slayers aren't supposed to have friends for a reason. We all want love and settle for the closest fucking substitute. Nobody can love me like this. I'm not built for human companionship. I'm going to be alone for my entire short fucking existence.
I hate you, Riley....
*****
I can't believe I did this. Sure, I always wanted her to break up with Captain Cardboard...but not like this. This is damn close to what Angelus did to her. I can tell she's hurting something awful. Why couldn't he just break up with her? Even better, why couldn't hehave just died? But no, he had to be a bloody perverted ghoul.
I know that people still fall for the Anne Rice bit. Hell, feeding is a damn turn on for humans. I remember when Dru first bit me...I nearly came in my pants right there. But fuck, no one in their right mind goes courting death like that! Riley is completely fucked up, that's for sure. If he wanted to get turned, this sure as hell isn't the way to go about it!
Oh, fuck. Did I just think that? Bloody hell! Can't tell the Slayer. She looks hurt, yeah, but not like she knows the truth. It's bad enough she thinks he has a thing for being someone else's after dinner snack. It'll kill her if she knows what he really wants...He wants to be with her completely. He wants to be Angel for her. True love made him a ghoul. She'll die if she knows that. She'll blame herself.
Then again, she isn't really made for a human lover. She'd snap the poor boy like a twig if she really let go on him. The grand irony of it all. Slayers always crave life, it's something they can't really have. It's a drug to them. They want friends and family and lovers, but they can never let go. They always have to keep themselves in check. And it makes them hurt so deep inside. It makes them crave the death they deliver to others nightly. I'm just gonna have to keep a close eye on her for the next while.
Can't have her leaving me.
She's crying again! Bloody hell. I really should not have shown her this. She's gonna be a bloody wreck for weeks. Something good better come out of this. Maybe I should just kill the pillock and have done with it...
*****
Spike.
Spike.
Why is he being so nice to me? He hasn't said a cruel word to me since he showed me Riley's little idea of fun. Hell, why did he show me that? Shouldn't he be rubbing it in my face right now? But no... he's been so nice about it...he even tried to just tell me beforehand. I guess this is kinda like when he found Dru with the Chaos Demon. He must really understand what I'm feeling right now. But, he got over it. I mean, if Spike can get over the love of his afterlife and shack up with Harmony then I can get past this. I can get past this. I can.... fuck. I'm not gonna convince myself of anything. I need to talk to someone. I really need to slap Riley into next week.
Willow? No, too happy with Tara. I couldn't make her relive the whole Oz thing again just to help relieve my pain.
Giles? No way!
Xander? No. I'm sure he would want to protect me. But he wouldn't understand what I'm feeling.
Anya? Gods, no. She's too fresh off the vengeance demon track to help. I'm sure she'd have my best interests at heart...but I can think of multiple ways to kill Riley on my own.
Mom? Dawn? No and no. Mom needs to rest, to heal. Mom needs to think that everything is perfect in her daughter's lives. Dawn won't understand. Dawn is too innocent...too...too not my sister. I can remember telling her things, crying on her shoulder. But it never really happened. It would be too awkward.
I'm truly alone in this. There's no one I can talk to. No one who....
Spike.
Spike understands. He was there for me when I found out about Mom. He's been here for me all tonight. I just haven't seen it. When I first saw Riley with that bitch, I really thought that Spike was just trying to be cruel. I thought that he found out Riley's dirty little secret and came to rub my nose in it. But that's not what he's been doing at all. He cares. He's being...He's being...a friend.
*****
They had reached Buffy's house. She noticed Riley's car in the driveway. Spike brought her to the front porch.
"Well, here you are...." Spike was at a loss for words, he turned as if to go.
Buffy grabbed his arm.
"Um...Spike?"
"Yes, pet?"
"He's...He's in there. I don't really want to talk to him right now...Do you think...." Buffy swallowed painfully. She fought back tears as she spoke. "Do you think you could come in with me? I need him out of the house and gone... and I could really use some support."
"Sure thing, luv." Spike gave her his trademark cocky grin. "How's about I run in there, rough 'im up a little and throw 'im out?"
A hysterical giggle escaped Buffy's mouth as she pictured Spike attempting to rough up her boyfriend, to his regret and pain. "Sure, you do that. Sounds like a good plan."
"'Course it's a good plan!" Spike said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. Realizing it wasn't working well, he became serious. "Luv, how's about you go in, say what you want and know that I'm right behind you?"
"Thanks, Spike." Buffy said softly, opening the door. "I owe you."
Spike shrugged, knowing that if he voiced his preferred method of repayment, he would be clogging a vacuum a split second later. Buffy entered her house and glanced around. Spike was still outside, as Buffy was blocking the entryway.
"Buffy!" Dawn exclaimed, popping up from the couch in the Family Room. "Riley's here. He got here a little while ago. Who was at the door before? Where did you go?"
"Dawn," Buffy forced a tired smile. "Don't you have something to do upstairs?"
"No, why would I...?" Dawn immediately spoke her mind. When realization dawned upon her, it was evident upon her face. "Oh, right. Upstairs. I do have something..." She rushed up the stairs and into her bedroom, leaving the door open so that she could hear everything.
"Um...Buffy...." Riley said as he stood from a chair in the Family Room.
The world stopped when Buffy saw Riley standing so casually in her house, not an ounce of discomfort or guilt upon his face. She drank in all his details. Buffy remembered everything that she had loved about him. She just stood and stared as he took a few tentative steps towards her. She noticed so many things about him that she had taken for granted before. How his hair was a little messy, how well his dark green turtleneck shirt fit him. How there was a slightly darker patch on the neck of his turtleneck. Right around the area where a Vampire would bite.
Everything she had seen earlier came back to her in a rush. She stepped back from the door as Riley took another step towards her. Spike entered on her heels.
"What...?" Riley exclaimed when he saw Spike. "What is he doing here?"
"He's being a friend." Buffy answered, her voice and expression suddenly cold as ice.
"A...friend?" Riley said, confused. He took another step towards her. "Buffy, you can't mean that. He's a demon!"
Spike took a step back, expecting Buffy to do so as well. She didn't disappoint him. They were now all standing in front of the open door. Spike noticed that Buffy was shaking slightly. He reached out a hand and squeezed her shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring way. She glanced back at Spike, and the ice of her expression melted briefly to show a smile just for him.
"Buffy, what is going on?" Riley's voice was thick with confusion.
"You know," Buffy replied turning back to face Riley, her voice and face emotionless again. "I really should be asking you the same thing."
Riley blinked a few times, now knowing how to reply.
"But instead I think I'll...." Buffy stepped towards Riley, embracing him tightly. He hugged her back, glaring at Spike over her shoulder.
Spike leaned against the wall and grinned, knowing what Buffy would do next.
Buffy snuggled into Riley's arms, her head resting on his shoulder, her face a few millimeters away from the wounds on his neck. She sighed deeply when she realized that all she felt was disgust. She had hoped that there was some feeling left for him. Something that hadn't died the moment she saw him playing his perverted games. Riley had effectively killed all feelings she ever had for him. Buffy lifted her head off his shoulder, smiling up at him. She brought her hand up to caress his neck; Riley smiled and closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. Her caress wandered over the twin puncture wounds in his neck. Riley hissed in pain as Buffy's caress grew hard. His eyes flew open and looked deep into the cold hazel orbs of the Slayer. He couldn't read the emotions that lay there. Out of the corner of his eye, Riley saw Buffy's hands shift, falling down to her side. He opened his mouth to question, to explain, to lie but was frozen by the emotionless void he saw in her expression.
Crack!
Riley look up from his new position on the floor, stunned. He blinked in confusion, as he saw Spike step up behind Buffy, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder again. Riley raised a hand to his cheek, feeling it begin to burn in delayed reaction to Buffy's full-armed slap.
"Buffy, what are you...?" Riley spat out, tasting blood in his mouth.
"Get out." Buffy spat down at him, hatred burning inside of her.
"But, Buffy...."
"No, Riley. Leave. Don't come back. Don't call me. Don't try to see me. If I see you when I patrol, I will treat you as just another Vampire." Riley saw tears form in Buffy's eyes for a brief second before she turned her back to Riley and ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. The sound of a door shutting could be heard from the direction of Dawn's bedroom, followed closely by the hard slamming of Buffy's door.
"Spike..." Riley growled at the Vampire in front of him as he stood. "What have you done to her?"
"Me?" Spike exclaimed in mock surprise. "I've done bugger all. You're the ghoul, mate."
"Ghoul?" Riley asked in confusion. "What are you talking about??"
A sick grin stole over Spike's face. He had hoped that Buffy had left him alone with Riley for a reason. Her last words to Riley echoed in his mind.
"I will treat you as another Vampire."
She had given Spike permission to do what he could to Riley. And Spike could do so much, now that Riley had perverted himself beyond humanity.
Spike punched Riley in the face and watched with satisfaction as the ex-military man stumbled out of Buffy's house.
"You're a ghoul." Spike said again, picking Riley up off the front porch and throwing him out onto the lawn. "You've allowed a Vamp to feed from you..." He grabbed Riley by the arm, hauling him to his feet. Riley winced as Spike's hand landed upon another bite wound.
Spike continued his tirade. "...repeatedly. You've also tasted Vampiric blood. You stupid wanker, don't you know what that does?" Spike accented his question with another punch. He smiled as he felt Riley's nose shatter with the blow. "You're no longer human. You loose a piece of your soul every time you taste our blood. And you've been doing this for weeks."
Riley's eyes began to glow a faint yellow, not the pure golden-yellow of a Vampire's eyes, but a color that was more reminiscent of puss. Spike smiled to himself and kicked Riley in the ribs, watching him fall to the ground.
"You now have slight allergies to sunlight, holy water and garlic. It won't kill you, just make you uncomfortable. But that's not the worst of it, mate." Spike stood back, watching Riley attempt to stand and fail. A few of his ribs had been broken. "The Slayer and I can kill you now. You've lost enough of yourself that you're no longer human. But still, there's worse to come." Spike reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette. He kicked Riley again so that he would stay down. Lighting the cig, he continued to talk.
"You don't have any advanced healing abilities, so this is gonna stay with you for weeks. And to top it all off, mate..." Spike smiled, reveling in the torture he was about to inflict upon Riley. "You're addicted. You need our blood more than you would need Heroin. You need food to sustain yourself, but you have no appetite. You just want to find a willing Vamp and suck alittle of the red outta them. You want to be turned so that you can hunt for yourself, so you can feel the demon running through your veins for an
Eternity instead of for a moment, so you can rid yourself of the regret, which has taken to plaguing your bloodless days, but you're so pathetic no Vampire would ever do it. Like a leper; you disgust us. And so, you'll move from city to city, performing the grossest and most menial of tasks for the local Bloodsuckers,
so that they might give you a little taste of heaven. You can't fool anyone, we all know. We can feel the ghoul inside of you. A demented little demon, pathetic and week. There's no 12 step program for this, either....You're royally fucked, mate!" Spike finished his cig and dropped the smoking butt on Riley's face, grinding it out with his heal. He laughed as Riley coughed and squirmed, but couldn't otherwise move. Spike dropped into a crouch and whispered his final words in Riley's ear.
He was almost certain that Buffy had been watching from an open window upstairs; he didn't want her to hear this last part.
"I'm gonna go inside now, and comfort Buffy. You really hurt her, you know. She thought she loved you." Spike grinned as Riley coughed up blood. "Yeah, I know. You loved her too. True and deep. You did this for her, to be a part of her world more than you could ever be by playing at Captain America. But you fucked up big time, mate. She's mine now, and you will never have her."
"No...." Riley gasped out. "Mine...Buffy...love..."
Spike shrugged and relaxed his control, allowing his demon to surface. "Is she now?" He bit into his wrist, knowing that Buffy could not see him, and held the dripping wound close to Riley's face. "Is
she really yours?" Spike made as if to offer his blood to Riley, but drew back as Riley stretched out to receive the offered drink. "Is she?"
"No...." Riley gasped, wanting the healing that Spike's blood would give him. Wanting to feel the demon running through his veins. Wanting the power, the rush, the feelings of enhancement. Wanting to taste the blood more than anything he had ever wanted before. He began to shake. "Please...no...She's yours...I loved her once...not anymore!....Please....She's yours...."
"Bloody right, mate. Mine." Spike muttered, allowing a few drops of his blood to fall into Riley's mouth. "Feeling better?" He shuddered in disgust at the look of pure ecstasy that crossed Riley's face. "Good. Now, I'm gonna be in there," He gestured behind him to Buffy's house "until just before sun up. When I get out, you won't be here. I don't care where you go. Crawl into the sewer. I don't give a damn. The point is that you will be gone." The wound on his wrist was closing fast, but Spike squeezed out a few more drops into Riley's mouth at the last moment.
"Gone...I'll go..." Riley panted, reaching out for the reward of more blood. He hissed in pain when he realized there was no more coming.
"Good lad." Spike stood, his wrist fully healed and demon within freshly reigned in. Turning heal, he strode back into the Summer's home, locking the door behind him. He immediately went upstairs, heading towards Buffy's room, knowing she would want to be somewhere she felt safe. Somewhere she could cry.
Disclaimer: Same thing from Chapter One, excepting the concept of a ghoul. Ghouls belong to White Wolf (tm). I just stole the concept and twisted it slightly to fit the Buffyverse and my plotline.
Riley, how could you do this to me? I told you everything! Everything I went through with Angel... with Parker... You knew all my weaknesses; you loved me!
Why would you do that? What kind of pervert are you? Is that why you were with me? My powers originated with a demon.... is that what turned you on? It was never me, was it. You only wanted to fuck something super-natural. I guess I just wasn't doing it anymore. I guess I was all too human. I have a
little sister. I have a mother in the hospital. I have a pulse! What kind of sicko are you?!
What's wrong with me? Why don't guys ever like me for who I am? Is there no one who can see that I'm not just the fucking 'Chosen One'?? Being the Slayer is a job description, it's not who I am. What I am...what I am...what I am is a slut. Angelus was right. I'll fuck anything that makes puppy-dog eyes at me. I'll fuck anything that mentions the word "love". Slayers aren't supposed to have friends for a reason. We all want love and settle for the closest fucking substitute. Nobody can love me like this. I'm not built for human companionship. I'm going to be alone for my entire short fucking existence.
I hate you, Riley....
*****
I can't believe I did this. Sure, I always wanted her to break up with Captain Cardboard...but not like this. This is damn close to what Angelus did to her. I can tell she's hurting something awful. Why couldn't he just break up with her? Even better, why couldn't hehave just died? But no, he had to be a bloody perverted ghoul.
I know that people still fall for the Anne Rice bit. Hell, feeding is a damn turn on for humans. I remember when Dru first bit me...I nearly came in my pants right there. But fuck, no one in their right mind goes courting death like that! Riley is completely fucked up, that's for sure. If he wanted to get turned, this sure as hell isn't the way to go about it!
Oh, fuck. Did I just think that? Bloody hell! Can't tell the Slayer. She looks hurt, yeah, but not like she knows the truth. It's bad enough she thinks he has a thing for being someone else's after dinner snack. It'll kill her if she knows what he really wants...He wants to be with her completely. He wants to be Angel for her. True love made him a ghoul. She'll die if she knows that. She'll blame herself.
Then again, she isn't really made for a human lover. She'd snap the poor boy like a twig if she really let go on him. The grand irony of it all. Slayers always crave life, it's something they can't really have. It's a drug to them. They want friends and family and lovers, but they can never let go. They always have to keep themselves in check. And it makes them hurt so deep inside. It makes them crave the death they deliver to others nightly. I'm just gonna have to keep a close eye on her for the next while.
Can't have her leaving me.
She's crying again! Bloody hell. I really should not have shown her this. She's gonna be a bloody wreck for weeks. Something good better come out of this. Maybe I should just kill the pillock and have done with it...
*****
Spike.
Spike.
Why is he being so nice to me? He hasn't said a cruel word to me since he showed me Riley's little idea of fun. Hell, why did he show me that? Shouldn't he be rubbing it in my face right now? But no... he's been so nice about it...he even tried to just tell me beforehand. I guess this is kinda like when he found Dru with the Chaos Demon. He must really understand what I'm feeling right now. But, he got over it. I mean, if Spike can get over the love of his afterlife and shack up with Harmony then I can get past this. I can get past this. I can.... fuck. I'm not gonna convince myself of anything. I need to talk to someone. I really need to slap Riley into next week.
Willow? No, too happy with Tara. I couldn't make her relive the whole Oz thing again just to help relieve my pain.
Giles? No way!
Xander? No. I'm sure he would want to protect me. But he wouldn't understand what I'm feeling.
Anya? Gods, no. She's too fresh off the vengeance demon track to help. I'm sure she'd have my best interests at heart...but I can think of multiple ways to kill Riley on my own.
Mom? Dawn? No and no. Mom needs to rest, to heal. Mom needs to think that everything is perfect in her daughter's lives. Dawn won't understand. Dawn is too innocent...too...too not my sister. I can remember telling her things, crying on her shoulder. But it never really happened. It would be too awkward.
I'm truly alone in this. There's no one I can talk to. No one who....
Spike.
Spike understands. He was there for me when I found out about Mom. He's been here for me all tonight. I just haven't seen it. When I first saw Riley with that bitch, I really thought that Spike was just trying to be cruel. I thought that he found out Riley's dirty little secret and came to rub my nose in it. But that's not what he's been doing at all. He cares. He's being...He's being...a friend.
*****
They had reached Buffy's house. She noticed Riley's car in the driveway. Spike brought her to the front porch.
"Well, here you are...." Spike was at a loss for words, he turned as if to go.
Buffy grabbed his arm.
"Um...Spike?"
"Yes, pet?"
"He's...He's in there. I don't really want to talk to him right now...Do you think...." Buffy swallowed painfully. She fought back tears as she spoke. "Do you think you could come in with me? I need him out of the house and gone... and I could really use some support."
"Sure thing, luv." Spike gave her his trademark cocky grin. "How's about I run in there, rough 'im up a little and throw 'im out?"
A hysterical giggle escaped Buffy's mouth as she pictured Spike attempting to rough up her boyfriend, to his regret and pain. "Sure, you do that. Sounds like a good plan."
"'Course it's a good plan!" Spike said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. Realizing it wasn't working well, he became serious. "Luv, how's about you go in, say what you want and know that I'm right behind you?"
"Thanks, Spike." Buffy said softly, opening the door. "I owe you."
Spike shrugged, knowing that if he voiced his preferred method of repayment, he would be clogging a vacuum a split second later. Buffy entered her house and glanced around. Spike was still outside, as Buffy was blocking the entryway.
"Buffy!" Dawn exclaimed, popping up from the couch in the Family Room. "Riley's here. He got here a little while ago. Who was at the door before? Where did you go?"
"Dawn," Buffy forced a tired smile. "Don't you have something to do upstairs?"
"No, why would I...?" Dawn immediately spoke her mind. When realization dawned upon her, it was evident upon her face. "Oh, right. Upstairs. I do have something..." She rushed up the stairs and into her bedroom, leaving the door open so that she could hear everything.
"Um...Buffy...." Riley said as he stood from a chair in the Family Room.
The world stopped when Buffy saw Riley standing so casually in her house, not an ounce of discomfort or guilt upon his face. She drank in all his details. Buffy remembered everything that she had loved about him. She just stood and stared as he took a few tentative steps towards her. She noticed so many things about him that she had taken for granted before. How his hair was a little messy, how well his dark green turtleneck shirt fit him. How there was a slightly darker patch on the neck of his turtleneck. Right around the area where a Vampire would bite.
Everything she had seen earlier came back to her in a rush. She stepped back from the door as Riley took another step towards her. Spike entered on her heels.
"What...?" Riley exclaimed when he saw Spike. "What is he doing here?"
"He's being a friend." Buffy answered, her voice and expression suddenly cold as ice.
"A...friend?" Riley said, confused. He took another step towards her. "Buffy, you can't mean that. He's a demon!"
Spike took a step back, expecting Buffy to do so as well. She didn't disappoint him. They were now all standing in front of the open door. Spike noticed that Buffy was shaking slightly. He reached out a hand and squeezed her shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring way. She glanced back at Spike, and the ice of her expression melted briefly to show a smile just for him.
"Buffy, what is going on?" Riley's voice was thick with confusion.
"You know," Buffy replied turning back to face Riley, her voice and face emotionless again. "I really should be asking you the same thing."
Riley blinked a few times, now knowing how to reply.
"But instead I think I'll...." Buffy stepped towards Riley, embracing him tightly. He hugged her back, glaring at Spike over her shoulder.
Spike leaned against the wall and grinned, knowing what Buffy would do next.
Buffy snuggled into Riley's arms, her head resting on his shoulder, her face a few millimeters away from the wounds on his neck. She sighed deeply when she realized that all she felt was disgust. She had hoped that there was some feeling left for him. Something that hadn't died the moment she saw him playing his perverted games. Riley had effectively killed all feelings she ever had for him. Buffy lifted her head off his shoulder, smiling up at him. She brought her hand up to caress his neck; Riley smiled and closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. Her caress wandered over the twin puncture wounds in his neck. Riley hissed in pain as Buffy's caress grew hard. His eyes flew open and looked deep into the cold hazel orbs of the Slayer. He couldn't read the emotions that lay there. Out of the corner of his eye, Riley saw Buffy's hands shift, falling down to her side. He opened his mouth to question, to explain, to lie but was frozen by the emotionless void he saw in her expression.
Crack!
Riley look up from his new position on the floor, stunned. He blinked in confusion, as he saw Spike step up behind Buffy, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder again. Riley raised a hand to his cheek, feeling it begin to burn in delayed reaction to Buffy's full-armed slap.
"Buffy, what are you...?" Riley spat out, tasting blood in his mouth.
"Get out." Buffy spat down at him, hatred burning inside of her.
"But, Buffy...."
"No, Riley. Leave. Don't come back. Don't call me. Don't try to see me. If I see you when I patrol, I will treat you as just another Vampire." Riley saw tears form in Buffy's eyes for a brief second before she turned her back to Riley and ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. The sound of a door shutting could be heard from the direction of Dawn's bedroom, followed closely by the hard slamming of Buffy's door.
"Spike..." Riley growled at the Vampire in front of him as he stood. "What have you done to her?"
"Me?" Spike exclaimed in mock surprise. "I've done bugger all. You're the ghoul, mate."
"Ghoul?" Riley asked in confusion. "What are you talking about??"
A sick grin stole over Spike's face. He had hoped that Buffy had left him alone with Riley for a reason. Her last words to Riley echoed in his mind.
"I will treat you as another Vampire."
She had given Spike permission to do what he could to Riley. And Spike could do so much, now that Riley had perverted himself beyond humanity.
Spike punched Riley in the face and watched with satisfaction as the ex-military man stumbled out of Buffy's house.
"You're a ghoul." Spike said again, picking Riley up off the front porch and throwing him out onto the lawn. "You've allowed a Vamp to feed from you..." He grabbed Riley by the arm, hauling him to his feet. Riley winced as Spike's hand landed upon another bite wound.
Spike continued his tirade. "...repeatedly. You've also tasted Vampiric blood. You stupid wanker, don't you know what that does?" Spike accented his question with another punch. He smiled as he felt Riley's nose shatter with the blow. "You're no longer human. You loose a piece of your soul every time you taste our blood. And you've been doing this for weeks."
Riley's eyes began to glow a faint yellow, not the pure golden-yellow of a Vampire's eyes, but a color that was more reminiscent of puss. Spike smiled to himself and kicked Riley in the ribs, watching him fall to the ground.
"You now have slight allergies to sunlight, holy water and garlic. It won't kill you, just make you uncomfortable. But that's not the worst of it, mate." Spike stood back, watching Riley attempt to stand and fail. A few of his ribs had been broken. "The Slayer and I can kill you now. You've lost enough of yourself that you're no longer human. But still, there's worse to come." Spike reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette. He kicked Riley again so that he would stay down. Lighting the cig, he continued to talk.
"You don't have any advanced healing abilities, so this is gonna stay with you for weeks. And to top it all off, mate..." Spike smiled, reveling in the torture he was about to inflict upon Riley. "You're addicted. You need our blood more than you would need Heroin. You need food to sustain yourself, but you have no appetite. You just want to find a willing Vamp and suck alittle of the red outta them. You want to be turned so that you can hunt for yourself, so you can feel the demon running through your veins for an
Eternity instead of for a moment, so you can rid yourself of the regret, which has taken to plaguing your bloodless days, but you're so pathetic no Vampire would ever do it. Like a leper; you disgust us. And so, you'll move from city to city, performing the grossest and most menial of tasks for the local Bloodsuckers,
so that they might give you a little taste of heaven. You can't fool anyone, we all know. We can feel the ghoul inside of you. A demented little demon, pathetic and week. There's no 12 step program for this, either....You're royally fucked, mate!" Spike finished his cig and dropped the smoking butt on Riley's face, grinding it out with his heal. He laughed as Riley coughed and squirmed, but couldn't otherwise move. Spike dropped into a crouch and whispered his final words in Riley's ear.
He was almost certain that Buffy had been watching from an open window upstairs; he didn't want her to hear this last part.
"I'm gonna go inside now, and comfort Buffy. You really hurt her, you know. She thought she loved you." Spike grinned as Riley coughed up blood. "Yeah, I know. You loved her too. True and deep. You did this for her, to be a part of her world more than you could ever be by playing at Captain America. But you fucked up big time, mate. She's mine now, and you will never have her."
"No...." Riley gasped out. "Mine...Buffy...love..."
Spike shrugged and relaxed his control, allowing his demon to surface. "Is she now?" He bit into his wrist, knowing that Buffy could not see him, and held the dripping wound close to Riley's face. "Is
she really yours?" Spike made as if to offer his blood to Riley, but drew back as Riley stretched out to receive the offered drink. "Is she?"
"No...." Riley gasped, wanting the healing that Spike's blood would give him. Wanting to feel the demon running through his veins. Wanting the power, the rush, the feelings of enhancement. Wanting to taste the blood more than anything he had ever wanted before. He began to shake. "Please...no...She's yours...I loved her once...not anymore!....Please....She's yours...."
"Bloody right, mate. Mine." Spike muttered, allowing a few drops of his blood to fall into Riley's mouth. "Feeling better?" He shuddered in disgust at the look of pure ecstasy that crossed Riley's face. "Good. Now, I'm gonna be in there," He gestured behind him to Buffy's house "until just before sun up. When I get out, you won't be here. I don't care where you go. Crawl into the sewer. I don't give a damn. The point is that you will be gone." The wound on his wrist was closing fast, but Spike squeezed out a few more drops into Riley's mouth at the last moment.
"Gone...I'll go..." Riley panted, reaching out for the reward of more blood. He hissed in pain when he realized there was no more coming.
"Good lad." Spike stood, his wrist fully healed and demon within freshly reigned in. Turning heal, he strode back into the Summer's home, locking the door behind him. He immediately went upstairs, heading towards Buffy's room, knowing she would want to be somewhere she felt safe. Somewhere she could cry.