By Night - Chapter One

by Angel Eternal aka Angeline

email: spikes_angel01@yahoo.com.au

Website: In Dreams and Shadows
http://www.geocities.com/spikes_angel01/index.html

Rating: R

Pairings: Primarily S/B, but also has W/T and X/A

Summary: Secrets revealed have a disastrous aftermath.


Author's Notes: This is set S6, and is loosely based on spoilers concerning the season. I just want to point out
though that I haven't seen S6 and won't for a while, so if things aren't quite right, you'd know why.

Distribution: "In Dreams and Shadows", and at FF.net but it you want to
archive it go ahead, but just let me know first - I kinda like to know where it's going, and plus I find
out about more S/B shipper sites! g


Disclaimers: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is owned by Joss Whedon, several companies and God knows who else.
One thing is certain - I don't own any of it! Nothing - zip - nada!




I have sinned without regret
Rivers of red flow beneath my hand
And I have not cared
Until you

Indulgence in nights of forbidden glory
Nights wrapped in the enveloping embrace
Of sin, revelling in the darkness that was mine
All of it, I have shunned, for you

Lost in memories of a time lost
When I was one of the blessed, a time best
Forgotten, yet relived
For that is the path to you

I long to wipe away tears, I long to be the
One you turn to soothe your fears
Dreams of forever, wrapped not in darkness
But in the light that is you



With a growl frustration, Spike balled up the piece of paper. Rubbish.

Disgusted at himself, he threw away the piece of paper. It tumbled across the floor, finally joining it's
many brethren in the heap in the corner.

Spike buried his head in his hands, frustration getting the better of him. With a sigh, he leaned back in the chair,
staring at the ceiling. He let his mind wander.


* * *

He wanted to spit in disgust. The wanker didn't even have the decency to pretend it was lust! He had put up
with a lot, but this was the absolute last straw!

How much was a bloke supposed to take?

With another snort of disgust and another derisive thought, he pulled away, wondering why he hadn't left sooner.


* * *


They were all out in force tonight, and Buffy didn't even have the opportunity to taunt the vermin.

An iron-like arm clamped itself around her throat; she instinctively grabbed the arm, and violently wrenched it off.
She whirled, and the stake embedded itself in the vampire's chest.

Buffy looked up from the puff of dust, sneezing lightly. Eww - vampire remains up her nose...

She flipped backwards, narrowly missing the impromptu club the next vampire wielded. He swung again, and this
time Buffy grabbed it, using the vampire's own momentum to pull him forward to meet the tip of her stake.

She wondered briefly where the peroxide pest was tonight, it wasn't like him to let her fend for herself. Buffy shook
her head, she refused to acknowledge that she needed him.

Inwardly she moaned, as she spun, staking another in one swift movement.


* * *


He moved stealthily in the shadows, yellow eyes flashing as he watched her.

There was such beauty in the fluidity of her movements, the quicksilver attacks, the easy stealth. He could fall in a
trance just watching her.

He could almost feel the rush of her life throbbing within her veins, it was the rhythm of his long dead heart.

But now was not the time to face her. His strength was nothing.

Other pleasures called out to him, and he answered with his own keening wail, silently becoming one with the shadows.

* * *

Buffy's head snapped up, heart pounding wildly. For one moment, listening.

The vampire took that one moment to knock the Slayer backwards, sending her flying into a tombstone.

Buffy hissed as red-hot slivers of pain raced up her spine. She couldn't afford to take a moment to breathe as the
vampire lunged at her, gleeful at the one good moment.

She flipped over the headstone, narrowly missing the vampire's swiftly descending fist.

She kicked him, and without hesitation plunged the stake into his undead heart.

Buffy ran a hand distractedly through her hair, head cocked attentively to one side, once more listening for that howl
that sent shivers racing down her spine.

* * *

"Something doesn't feel right."

Willow glanced at her friend, "Not right? How not right? Not right as in off day? Or not right as in impending Apocalypse?"

Buffy shook her head slowly, deep in thought, "I'm not...sure."

With a groan she dropped her head on top of the current book that she was reading, and promptly sneezed.
She wrinkled her nose, the action triggering a memory, "Oh eww...potential vampire remains."

Willow wrinkled her nose as Buffy's meaning struck her.

Buffy sighed, and pushed the book away, she had just arrived and already she was feeling drained. She noted that
the Shop was missing some of its permanent occupants. "Where are Xander and Anya?"

Willow shifted uncomfortably, "Well...Xander went out for coffee, and Anya is...umm...sorting."

Buffy's eyebrow arched, apparently she wasn't the only one to be affected by the latest magical fiasco. "The joys
of the inventory." she studied Willow's pale face, "Where's Tara?"

Willow's interest shifted to the table, seemingly engrossed in the wood. "I'm...um...not sure."

Buffy fell silent, she wanted to ask, but knew she shouldn't.

The two friends sat in silence, unsure of what to say or do.

The tinkling of the door broke the silence, both looked up, relieved by Xander's presence.

Xander was eerily silent as he handed Buffy a latte and Willow an espresso. He sat and opened a book, still
unusually silent.

Anya came up from the basement, and upon seeing Xander, promptly went back down.

Buffy sighed. She was dying of curiosity, but she didn't dare ask. She would listen, if they cared to talk.

Buffy shifted in her seat, "Umm Wills, exactly what are we looking for?"

Willow flipped through a book, brow furrowed in thought. "I'm not really sure, there's been an increase in potential
vampiric activity. We need to find out if anything big is coming up."

Xander finally spoke up. "Anyone wants the G-man back, raise their hands."

All three hands shot up into the air.

Buffy sighed, "These research things just don't feel right without Giles...there's no purpose."

"You could always ask Spike." Willow suggested.

Buffy stiffened, "Spike?"

Xander nodded, momentarily forgetting the woe that was his life, as he noted the Slayer's flustered expression.
"Yeah Buff - Spike. I mean if it's vampires, he's our best bet."

Buffy shifted again in her seat, uncomfortable at the thought of seeing the peroxide blonde vampire. It had been
nearly a month since she had returned, and still she couldn't get used to her friends' easy acceptance of the love-sick
vampire that used to be her mortal enemy.

"Yeah...sure, I mean, he would be of the knowing wouldn't he and there's nothing wrong with me asking...because
that's what I do. Slayer of vampires and all."

Buffy hastily got to her feet, mumbling something about Dawn and dinner and vampires before disappearing out of
the door, leaving a confused Xander and a speculative Willow.


* * *


Without Giles, Dawn seemed harder to handle, especially concerning Buffy's patrols.

The two sisters had argued fiercely about that very matter, Buffy adamant that Dawn shouldn't stay at home by
herself, and Dawn frustrated at her sister's over-protectiveness.

Dawn had protested that she was old enough to be left by herself; she wasn't a child.

Buffy had simply stated, that though Dawn was no longer the Key, she was still Buffy's sister, and thus a target.
Nasties weren't always particularly bright, and the most obvious ploy was to kidnap the Slayer's sister to lure
the Slayer into whatever they had planned.

Buffy had held firm against Dawn's large teary eyes, and ultimately she had won.

But tonight posed a problem, normally Dawn would go to either Willow's or Xander's, but both were obviously
having domestic problems concerning their significant others. So where was Dawn to go?

"I could come along with you."

Buffy glared at her, "Uh-huh and have some fledgling vamp grab you, and take a bite out of you, while I'm too
busy fighting some other vamp! Then when I try to save you, have the vamp that I'm supposed to be fighting turn
around and use my own stake against me!"

Dawn flushed, "What else is there?"

Buffy grinned as inspiration hit her, "Why don't you go to your friend's?"

Dawn tilted her head to the side, "Are you going to talk to Spike?"

Buffy sighed, "He'll probably turn up anyway."

"Buffy..."

"Don't say it Dawn." Buffy turned to go, then stopped, "Dawnie, I..."

Dawn pushed past her, "No, Buffy. You can't keep ignoring this."
She walked out of the door.

"Dawnie! Where are you going?"

"To my friend's." she replied without turning.

Buffy sighed, and watched Dawn until she disappeared into a nearby house.


* * *

Buffy walked through the cemetery, contemplating. Her thoughts firmly fixed on the events of two nights past.

Buffy was swiftly reminded why she shouldn't stroll through a cemetery at night, lost in thought, when a vampire
swooped in on her.

The vampire had pinned the Slayer to the ground, smacking his lips in anticipation as the ridges of his demonic
face slipped on.

Buffy struggled, but the vampire had a firm grip on her, and before she could think, the vampire sunk his teeth into
her arched neck.

She froze.

The vampire hadn't even managed to take so much as a gulp of the powerful elixir that was Buffy's blood, before
an animalistic growl of pure fury rent the air.

One moment, Buffy was frozen beneath a vampire's deadly embrace, the next she lay on the ground sans vampire,
staring up at the night sky.

She heard the familiar whoosh of vampire exploding into dust, and yet she lay.

"Buffy..."

She knew that voice, that raspy, accented voice. She let him pull her up to a sitting position.

Spike stared at her, he shook her shoulders lightly, "Buffy."

He watched her face closely, and her eyes flickered before she looked up at him, "Spike...I..."

Without waiting for another word from her, he scooped her up into his arms and bore her home.


* * *

He watched, his disgust growing by leaps and bounds.

The poof didn't once look at her neck, dripping with that sweet, intoxicating drug known as Slayer's Blood. Not once
did he look! No, he cradled her in his arms, as one would an injured child, the expression on his face one of tenderness
and love. Revolting.

He slipped into the darkness, wanting to bury the image of the vampire adoringly holding the Slayer in his arms.




~To be continued~