Kiss me Kate

by Marguerite

Post Crush S/B fic - Someone new has come to town and Buffy doesn't like all the attention that Spike's getting from her.

Title: Kiss me Kate

Genre: B/S

Timing: set immediately after Crush. Spoilers up to and including Crush.

Disclaimer: Buffy and the rest belong to Joss and Mutant Enemy...except for Katerina who I'm afraid is my own Mary Sue.

Feedback: Yes please! This is my first fic so be gentle (but honest). Marguerite_26@hotmail.com

Distribution: I'm thrilled if you like it that much. Just let me know where it's going.

Thanks to BTVSfanaddict without whom this fic would have stopped at a very short bar scene. Thanks to Python Chick and Estepheia for being wonderful beta readers and to Sylvie for the translation.

 

Chapter 1

 "This bloody place sucks," Spike commented to no one in particular. "The beer's American and the birds are not even worth a taste." He took one last sweep around the bar looking for anything or anyone to relieve his boredom.

Hyper by nature, the impotence of the chip was weighing on him. Downing the heal of his now warm beer, he placed it on the nearest table. He fidgeted into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. His hands shook with frustration as he lifted it to his mouth. He smiled as he felt his body begin to relax as he inhaled the first drag. His eyes rested on the entrance, again. * I'm not waiting for her, * he tried to convince himself. * I'm here to forget her, not find her. *

Just as Spike was about to look way, someone walked through the front door of the Bronze. It was a woman in her mid-twenties. She had a sexy and smart look about her. Full breasts, small waist and curved hips. Her light brown hair sat softly on her shoulders and the lights of the Bronze illuminated her natural golden highlights. Her skin was tanned, giving a warm healthy glow to her face. * Good - it's not her * he lied to himself and, sighing, he looked away. He decided to get out before he drove himself crazy and started walking towards the door.

"Can I buy you a drink or something?"

Realizing that the question was directed at him, Spike turned to the left to see a girl staring at him with a mischievous grin on her face. Surprised, he blurted a rather rude "What?"

Smiling even more slyly at his reaction, she repeated the question.

"Can I buy you a drink? I just walked into the bar a minute ago and the first thing I saw was your beautiful eyes. They looked so thrilled that I walked in, then a second later it was obvious that you were totally disappointed. I now feel obligated to make it up to you." Her eyes gleamed confidently as she spoke. Her reason for approaching him like this was ridiculous to say the least, but she was secure enough in herself to not be afraid to look and sound silly on occasion.

Spike just stared at her.

She was certainly beautiful, but not in a sweet, gentle look. She had an air about her that altered her appearance. A certain way of looking at him that made her attractive. * Sometimes it's all about attitude. * he thought to himself. She was taller than Buffy, only maybe 2 inches shorter then him meaning they were looking comfortably eye-to-eye. The eyes that he looked into were a beautiful dark brown, very lively, as if they communicated her passing thoughts through their movements. Suddenly her left eyebrow rose, implying another challenge was pending.

Despite herself, she let out a playful laugh. "Come on - it's not a hard question. You look like you could use another drink and maybe some pleasant conversation to get your mind off whoever was supposed to walk through that door instead of me. It's like my good deed for the day. Besides, you are way too cute to mope."

"I do NOT mope, luv," Spike interrupted, suddenly becoming defensive about her too accurate analysis of him. "I can't believe you accused me of moping! You think I'm a bloody wanker that sits around a bar waiting for a girl to come in? Not me, pet! You can buy me a drink, and then we can go back to your place and shag all bloody night if you want. And I wasn't disappointed about you walking in. You couldn't be more wrong" He lied. * Why do you care want she thinks anyway? * he wondered to himself.

She grinned from ear to ear at her victory, and his overly dramatic denial. * He's got it bad for somebody and hates every minute of it. * It was time to change the subject.

"So? Beer? Bet you hate that horse piss the Americans call beer, right? Well this bar happens to serve my favorite beer. It's a Canadian Ale and it's got balls. I think you'll like it. Interested in something new in your life?"

"Very." Spike replied with a smirk, not necessarily referring to the beer. He was starting to like this girl. He thought to himself as he watched her hips sway as she walked to the bar. She was full of attitude and playfulness. It was like every question was a dare and every comment was a smart-ass remark but hidden behind a pair of smiling eyes. * I'll have a beer, maybe even a fuck. Sure beats the hell out of sitting here waiting for Buffy. *

He felt someone standing behind him and his spine tingled with the familiar sent of vanilla.

"What the hell are you doing here again? Sitting around waiting for me to show up? Thinking I've gone crazy and suddenly forgotten that I totally hate you? No…one…wants…you…here."

With a deep sigh, Spike turned to face his attacker. He slowly made eye contact, preparing himself to respond again to her hurtful words, but was stopped with a well-timed interruption.

" Hey, handsome, here's your Ex. Your gonna just love it, the great Canadian Export Ale…Oh…am I interrupting something?" The mysterious stranger glanced from Spike to Buffy and back again. " I must have missed some history here 'cause the sexual tension between the two of you is enough to electrocute somebody." Spike looked at her in shock. Talk about making an entrance!

The brunette grinned back at him with that same devilish half smile that quickly changed to an innocent wide-eyed expression, looked at Buffy and shrugged as if to say "What? Did I say something wrong?" After a quick look at Buffy, she quickly analyzed her reaction and was well satisfied with what she saw. Buffy was not impressed. After spending the last few weeks pounding it into Spike's head that there was nothing between them she didn't need some bimbo coming in and starting to put thoughts in his head about sexual tension!

Buffy shook her head violently at the accusation. "WRONG. No Sexual Tension here. None. Totally nothing going on but disgust."

Seeing this as a challenge, the beautiful brunette got ready for battle. A partially hidden smile spread across her face, that Spike was beginning to recognize as trouble. With a spark in her eye she moved in closer to the blond vampire, slipped her arm around his waist and leaned into his ear. Just loud enough for both Buffy and Spike to hear, she whispered, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks". She then stole a quick kiss on the cheek and turned to face Buffy, still holding Spike close.

Spike was beginning to warm to all this attention. It had been a long time since anybody had made him feel this way.

"Let's dance!" she whispered seductively into his ear and quickly grabbed his hand, leading him to the dance floor. Buffy was left still standing at their table. She gave her head a violent shake in a futile attempt to understand what just happened.

There had been no further encounters with Buffy since the two had abruptly left her to go dance. She had however glared at them with disgust while they put on a rather racy show on the dance floor. Finally the sexy brunette had decided that she had had enough of the Bronze and it was time to leave. It didn't take much convincing for Spike to agree to go for a walk; her house was not far apparently.

"It's been a couple hours and a few interesting dances, do you think I can find out your name, luv?" Spike asked as they strolled through the empty streets of Sunnydale.

"Katerina. My father told me I was named for my mother's favorite Shakespearean character."

"Katerina?" Spike rolled it over in his head remembering which character Katerina was. "Taming of the Shrew? Hmmm…suits you well." He smirked at the spitfire that was walking beside him. She new she was risking being teased by revealing the origins of her name, but it was worth it to find out how well read this sexy blond was. Katerina stopped and gave him a playful backhand as his reward.

Spike quickly caught her hand before it made contact and pulled her into him quoting the play. "Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate." Their eyes met and Spike bent slightly to catch her lips with his. Their lips had lightly brushed in a chaste kiss when Katerina pulled away.

"Yes…well, I guess you know the play. Book-smart punk boy? Interesting." She looked at Spike for a reaction and got a look of embarrassment rather than the expected snide remark. "And I prefer Katerina to Kate. Get it right next time." She laughed, trying to lighten the situation that had gotten rather intense. Starting to walk ahead, she commented that it was just another block until her apartment.

When they arrived at her apartment, she unlocked her front door and walked in before turning around and sitting on a step just inside the door. Spike stood at the threshold looking at her, assuming that she would naturally invite him in, but he heard nothing. She just stared at him with a big smirk on her face, almost challenging him to figure out a slick way out of this one. After a moment, he started to fidget at the threshold and as casually as he could, blurted, "So…what now, pet?" Still refusing to give into him, Katerina held her hand out and curled her index finger at him motioning him to enter.

Unfortunately, this was not good enough to allow Spike admittance. Losing patience with the situation, he let out a loud sigh, rolled his eyes and turned to leave. Katerina, realizing she'd pushed him to his limit, opted to give in. "Hey," she called out to him "You are real big on formality, aren't you…pet? " slowly emphasizing the use of his favorite lingo. Spike turned to look at her, exasperated. * If she wasn't so hot…*

"Please come in." Katerina held her hand out to him to emphasize the sincerity of her offer. Spike walked slowly to her, unsure if he really still wanted to come in. The bantering was exhilarating, but she was getting to be a bit unpredictable and with his chip, he could get himself into a lot of trouble. "You know I don't invite just anybody into my house. A girl can't be too careful, especially around Sunnydale."

Spike followed her up a couple stairs to the main room. Her apartment was a one-bedroom loft. The main floor consisted of an open-concept kitchen and living room with hardwood floors and a fireplace. The second was only bed and bath. Spike flopped on the sofa and looked around in surprise to realize she didn't have a TV. Katerina lit the gas fireplace and went to the kitchen to get a bottle of wine. She poured two glasses of an excellent French Chateau-neuf-de-Pape and walked back to the living room.

Leaning over Spike from behind the couch, she handed him the glass and whispered in his ear "Sorry, it's just wine…I don't generally stock blood." Spike stopped cold. He glanced up at her trying to read if she was making a joke.

Katerina proudly smiled, kissed his cheek and moved to sit next to him on the couch. It was getting easier and easier to push his buttons. She looked over at him to find him still speechless. Breaking the tension, she let out a laugh a lightly kicked his leg. "What? You expected me not to notice? Even if I hadn't studied vampire mythology for years, I'd have to be dead, pardon the pun, not to notice. We were glued to each other on that dance floor there was definitely only one heart beating. And that bulge in your pants was refreshingly cool against me…I've been around long enough to know that we were hot out there…yet you stayed 72 degrees…all over. That's just not natural." Katerina let her mind drift remembering their dance. Feeling the heat return to her cheeks she took a sip of wine and smiled at the man that made her feel that way.

Spike let all that she had said absorb. After a moment he blurted, "You stupid bint! You knew I was a vampire and you invited me into your house? Do you have a death wish, love?"

"No death wish, I just trust my instincts that's all. You had plenty of opportunity to kill me in the last few hours and you haven't. Most vampires are not patient enough to wait through pleasant conversation in a dark alley, just at the chance that they will be invited into a victim's home. I think there must be more to you than the average vamp. Is there?" Katerina took another sip of wine and smile a cocky I-know-you-better-then-you-think smile.

Spike smirked to himself. Was he ever just an average vampire? Never! And he certainly was not patient, but he wasn't about to get into why he didn't bother the bite her. Discussing the chip with Katerina was not going to happen. He picked up his glass of wine, and took a long sip. "Well, Kate, I think you must've guessed wrong. I'm the Big Bad around Sunnydale…and you just put out a welcome mat for me to visit anytime." Spike smirked at her, hoping for a reaction but got none. "Why do you know so much about vampires? Got some vamp obsession? Any fantasy you want help with?"

Spike raised his eyebrow to her, requesting an answer to his offer. The brunette burst out laughing at his mixture of death-threat/flirtation. "Thanks for the offer, I'll have to keep that in mind." Getting up to get the rest of the bottle of wine from the kitchen, she returned and re-filled both their glasses. "My research into vampires is just a hobby, let's just say a family pastime. Some kids were read Dr. Seuss, I was read the Watchers diaries."

"The Watchers diaries?" Spike tried to suppress his shock. * Who is this chick? * "Gotta be pretty boring stuff. Those Watchers have got a lot of sodden' info, but they ain't great storytellers."

"Hmmm, interesting point of view. But I disagree." She closed her eyes and focused, as if to ensure nothing would interrupt the memories she was conjuring. "My father was a Watcher and he made the history in those books come alive to me. I would be frightened, but he would tell me about how a powerful Slayer would always be in the world to protect us all." She opened her eyes to find Spike staring at her in disbelief.

Spike shook his head and smirked, "Let me get this straight…a Slayer is like your 'hero'. As all the kiddies in your class were thinking how cool Wonder Woman and Superman were…you were thinking about the 'powerful Slayer'?"

"Well…yes, I guess. That's how I was raised. As a child I heard stories every night of how she was every victim's protectress. It gave me a lot of comfort to know she was around…somewhere. Much more than believing in some idealistic superhero that will never save any living human being. I know as a vampire you could never understand. A Slayer is someone for you to fear." Spike smirked at that idea of him fearing a Slayer, but let Katerina continue without interruption.

"When my father died last year, it became even more important to me to understand Slayers and the role of a Watcher. It was then that I discovered part of the Slayer history that my father had kept from me. Reading through his own diaries I found that in 1969 he had been assigned as a Watcher to an Italian slayer named Bianca. My father trained Bianca for years and over time the two became very close. Eventually, they became lovers. The Watchers Council discovered the scandal. Before they could have him sent away, he and his Slayer fled to the south of France. Bianca continued slaying, only taking a sabbatical during the late months of her pregnancy. She was killed one night by a random vampire July 7th, 1974…a few months after I was born. My father continued to raise me in France, and had given me the excuse that he would rather be a 'research only' Watcher rather than work directly with a Slayer. My entire life, I believed that he was part of the Watcher's Council but I don't believe he was ever in contact with the council from the time he left Italy. To this day I have no idea how he supported us."

"My reason for coming to Sunnydale is to find the current Slayer's Watcher. My goal is to learn as much about every Slayer as I can, to help me understand my mother and what she might have been like. For years I never considered who she might be. Now that I know the story of Bianca, I just need to know more." Katerina shifted in her seat after her long speech.

She had never told anyone anything about her past, she never thought anyone might understand. But this blond vampire might just be different.

Spike looked at her in astonishment, trying to absorb all the information that was just laid out for him. Before he spoke, he gulped the rest of his wine glass and refilled it. "Let me get this straight, You are the love child of a Watcher and a Slayer and you've come here to find the current Slayer/Watcher combo and you'd like me to tell you what I know about them. Is that right?"

Katerina smiled at Spike's ability to condense her life's story into 20 words or less. "Yes, essentially you've written the Cole's notes version. So all I need is a name, and I don't even need to tell her where it came from. I just want to talk to her Watcher. I don't need to be her best friend or anything."

"Oh Katie…there's not much chance of that now, luv…" Spike flashed a mischievous smile, remembering the confrontation between her and Buffy earlier that evening.

Kate looked at Spike, concerned about his meaning. "You aren't going to tell me who she is?"

For the first time in the evening, the control had shifted, now it was Spike's turn to give a coy smile. "Her name is Buffy Summers and you've already made quite an impression on her."

Katerina became concerned; first at Spike's willingness to help and second at the inexplicable joy he was getting out of telling her the news. Trying to keep her confidant air, she matched his smile with her own and said, "I make that much of an impact do I? Moved into this apartment a week ago, kept a low profile except one trip to a local bar and already the Slayer has an opinion of me?"

Realizing both glasses and the bottle were empty, and wanting to play this mystery up a bit, Spike walked into the kitchen. "Got any more wine?" he called back after opening a few empty cupboards.

"It's in the wine rack beside the fridge."

"Thanks. And I just don't think she likes you much."

Katerina responded back with a sarcastic "And why exactly would she not like me? I'm a very likable person."

"Found it." Spike returned to the sofa with what would be the second of many bottles to be emptied that evening. After filling both glasses, he handed Katerina hers and remarked, "You'll need this."

"Need it for what?" She was beginning to get nervous at how much Spike was enjoying this.

"Why the Slayer knows you and likely wishes she didn't."

"Wishes she didn't? Isn't that a little harsh?"

"Come on Katie, with all your Watcher knowledge, you never read that the worse thing to accuse a Slayer of is being is attracted to a vampire?" Spike leaned back into the sofa, placed his feet on the coffee table and waited for the realization to sink in. Katerina's face slowly changed as she thought back through the events of the evening and to whom Spike was referring.

After a moment her eyes went wide at the recollection and she winced with the scene replaying in her head.

"Ding, ding, ding. The lady's finally got it. Not exactly detective material, are you?"

"I was a little distracted at the time, okay? " She shook her head trying to get the memory of a little blond girl looking at her with disgust out of her head then finished her glass of wine…again.

Spike remained quiet, allowing Katerina to gather her thoughts even though he was dying to know more about just how 'distracted' she was. Finally his wait was over with a loud burst from his hostess. "SHIT!!! This is really going to fuck up my plans."

"This Slayer has history of fucking up plans…man could I tell you stories…"

"Bet you could. Hey! Wait a minute. Buffy knows you are a vamp? Since when does a Slayer let a vampire walk out of a bar with an innocent girl? She didn't even try to go after us!"

"Innocent, luv?"

"Just answer a question for once."

"Bloody Hell. I'm going to have to start from the beginning if you are going to understand this. Get comfortable, little girl, this is a classic tragedy: where I'm the hero - only instead of me getting killed in the last scene, I get killed in the first - and once I meet the heroine, Buffy, more and more bad shit keeps happening to me for eternity."

"Sounds like comedy – I'll get more wine."

******

Spike woke up the next morning wondering if he had a soul. It felt like every human he'd ever killed was getting revenge by driving a railroad spike into his head. Is this what Angel felt like everyday? This was torture. As he opened his eyes, he began to recognize the apartment and remember the night before. He glanced over at the coffee table and counted 5 empty bottles of wine and realized a soul had nothing to do with his current torture. The blame belonged to him, no…the wine, no…the girl.

He carefully lifted his hand above the couch not sure of what direct sunlight was lurking around the room. Since there was no hand burning, he gingerly lifted his head and looked around. All the windows had white cotton sheets thumb tacked over them. Obviously, Katerina had been sober enough to get that accomplished after he had passed out. He decided to get off the couch to look for her.

******

Chapter 2

Magic Box -

Xander was distracting Anya from putting away a new delivery of ancient paraphernalia when they were interrupted by the door bell. "Customer!" Anya smiled as she pushed Xander away.

The two turned to look towards the door to find a sleek brunette with her hair tied loosely in a bun walking in. She looked only a few years older than Xander, but very mature in her sunglasses and navy blue pinstriped tank top dress. The dress fell mid-thigh and was just tight enough that it rose high as she walked and showed off her curvaceous body.

She walked immediately towards Anya with a confident air of someone who knew what she was looking for. Ignoring Xander's open mouth, she spoke to only Anya in a clear business voice "I understand that Mr. Rupert Giles runs this store. I would like to speak with him if he is available."

Anya was surprised by the women's formal tone. *This must be important, and maybe involve money. * In an attempt to sound professional, Anya responded, "Huh? Oh…Giles? I mean, yes Mr. Giles…um…is here, he is in the training…um…office. I'll, go see if he is available. He is a very busy man." Anya ran off to find Giles, dragging Xander behind her. She was not interested in seeing if he found his voice with this woman.

 

After a few minutes, Anya returned with Xander in tow. She found the brunette standing in the exact same spot, lightly tapping a finger on the counter. "Mr. Giles is, um, available. You can follow me." She walked the woman to the door of the training room and left.

Katerina opened the door before her; cursing the wine she had had the night before. * Wine has got to give the worse hangovers. * Taking a deep breath she walked in. She needed all her wits about her for this conversation. She looked around the room, which was clearly a training room more often than it was an office. "Mr. Rupert Giles?" she questioned to the older man sitting at a desk. He was not what she had expected.

"Yes, please sit down," Giles said, motioning to a chair opposite him. "Miss…?"

"My name is Katerina St. Just." she noted, making the proper Italian and French inflections on her first and last names respectively. Then walked across the room and sat in the offered chair.

Giles let the name sink into his memory, it seemed very relevant somehow. "St. Just?" he muttered to himself as if needing to hear it a second time. Katerina had hoped that her name would have an effect. Realizing that the Watcher was still struggling to remember, she did not want to go on until his memory was jarred. "St. Just." she repeated clearly without breaking eye contact and nodded, willing him to remember.

The two sat in silence, both reflective, until Giles interrupted with "Dear Lord! Jean St. Just…but you are not…you couldn't be…" but as he said it, he was already recognizing the features in the beautiful women beside him, with the pictures that he had seen long ago of a young Italian Slayer and her Watcher.

"I am. You know that I am. I'm here because I would like your help…if you are willing to go against the Council, again."

"How long have they been in there?" Anya asked Xander who was still distracting her from pricing the new merchandise.

"6 hours and thirty seven minutes…approximately…"

"What do you think they are doing?"

"I've been thinking about that for the last 6 hours and thirty seven minutes…"

Anya rewarded Xander's honesty with a glare, then announced, "I'm not jealous! She didn't even look at you before." and gave an over-exaggerated Anya smile to him.

The two turned a second time that day to the front door bell as Buffy walked in. "So, what's up? Anything new and exciting going on in the Magic Box?"

"Giles has been in the back room with a woman for 6 hours. Xander thinks she's hot and that they are doing it, but I'm not jealous 'cause she never even looked at Xander. But if Giles is having sex then I am happy for him because I think he needs it even though he's old."

"Anya!" Xander exclaimed. "Enough with the details already!"

"How about more details? Like who is Giles with, and why aren't you worried if you haven't heard from them for six hours?" Buffy looked at them both her wide eyes demanding more information fast.

"Well they kinda looked like they had stuff to talk about…and well she didn't look dangerous…not like she could hide a weapon in that dress…although she was mysterious in a sexy kind of way…" Xander stopped as he trailed off in his own thoughts.

"I've heard enough." Buffy rolled her eyes as she stormed towards the door to the training room.

From behind her Xander called out, "You might want to knock first"

Buffy found the door of the training room locked and quickly took a step back and kicked it open. Prepared for anything, she walked in. The first thing that she saw was Giles sitting comfortably on a sofa laughing. There was a woman beside him and both were hunched over what appeared to be an old book.

Startled by her entrance, both shot up off the sofa and separated. Two sets of eyes stared at her as a child would, being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Giles tried to compose himself, "Buffy! Ah, yes, well, ah, yes…" He ran his fingers through his hair as if to find the words he was looking for hidden there. "Buffy, this is, ah, Katerina St. Just, um, an old friend…well new friend, I guess is more appropriate." Giles turned to the French woman and smiled.

Buffy looked at the two with confusion *what did I just walk in on? * After giving Giles an 'are you crazy?' look, she turned for the first time to his companion. She quickly scanned her outfit and presumed her to be a businesswoman of some type by her clothes and confident air in her stance. Then her eyes fell on the woman's face. Even though the hair and makeup were different, she recognized her immediately. "You!" Buffy walked towards her, not realizing that her finger was awkwardly pointing directly at the brunette as she walked. "I remember you from last night…with Spike."

"Spike?" Giles interrupted. He turned to look at Katerina with concern "He didn't try to harm you in anyway, did he? Because if he did…" Giles' eyes flashed with anger.

"Spike! Oh my god! What time is it? He's going to kill me!" Katerina looked at her watch then noticed the concerned faces and realized that she was being misunderstood. "Not literally…it's just that he's probably starving and likely hungover. I didn't plan to stay this long, but Rupert, I just lost track of time." She moved over to him, deciding not to explain about Spike. Leaning up into him, she gently kissed his right cheek, then his left. In a soft tone she whispered into his ear, "Mon ami, je vous remercie de tout ce que vous avez fait pour moi aujourd'hui. Je comprend entierement la responsabilité qui vous incombe et la raison de votre refus." {My dear, thank you for everything that you have done for me today. I understand completely your current responsibilities.} Then she turned, nodded to a dumfounded Buffy, and walked out.

******

Euan Rice was sitting at his desk, staring at a collection of photos. They appeared to be a mixture of photos taken from afar and at odd angles as if done by a hidden camera or a private investigator. The older man picked up one in particular and glared at it. The picture appeared to be of a young woman in her early twenties, sitting in a cafe but her face was turned away from the camera. He picked up a second photo that is taken from another angle, in the same cafe. The woman in the photo was Katerina. She appeared a few years younger, and her eyes appeared innocent and carefree.

"St. Just, I will have my revenge." the man mumbled to himself in a thick British accent. He set the picture on fire and watched it burn. The flames engulfed his hands but he paid no attention.

******

Katerina walked into her apartment, hoping that her peroxide companion of last night was still around, not that there was anywhere to go since the sun was still shining brightly outside. As she had driven home, memories of last night flooded back to her. The stories he had told her in a drunken stupor of his failures, his disappointments, even when he tried to stake himself and now living for Buffy who would never return his love. It was heartbreaking, but this wasn't the end of the story. To her it was the beginning of a new chapter that might change everything for both of them if he would agree. She hadn't come to Sunnydale for this, but it was now intertwined with her plans.

After Spike had awoken earlier, he could not find Katerina or a TV. He had tried to read some of the books that she had laying around, but his head hurt too bad to concentrate and soon fell asleep again. This was how she currently found him, fast asleep on her couch clutching a paperback copy of Pride and Prejudice. She smiled to herself at how much he would hate to see her smiling at him right now. She placed two pints of pig's blood and a bottle of aspirin on the coffee table then went up to take a shower.

When she returned downstairs, wearing black jeans and T-shirt, she found the vampire awake and the book he had been reading back in the middle of a pile of books where he must have found it. "Thanks for the blood, luv." Spike mumbled under his breath obviously still suffering from his hangover.

"Daddy always taught me that a hungry vampire is no friend to anyone." She walked over to him and sat down on the couch. "Listen, I know that you probably just want to get the hell out of here, but I would like to talk to you again…later. Is there someplace that we can meet? Say around midnight?"

Spike looked over at her as many thoughts ran through his head. She was interesting, but she was trouble. Did he really want to get involved in what ever she was up to? He'd gotten pretty used to his unlife being stable. The whole 'paralyzed by not caring' comment he made to Xander weeks ago, had really defined his last two years.

With a smirk, he remembered why he came to this apartment in the first place; the woman could make him feel alive. He hadn't been passionate about anything, except loving Buffy, for so long that he forgot how it made him feel. Maybe this chick could help him find that again. "Whatever you want, pet. Let's say the Bronze again. I think you know the place." Spike lifted his left brow just to make her smile.

Not long after, the sun went down and Spike left without a word. Katerina was alone with her thoughts. She had until midnight to figure out how to convince this sexy vampire to help her now that Rupert had said no.

 

 

Katerina sat in a booth in a far corner of the Bronze. The bar was particularly quiet, even for a mid-summer Wednesday night. She stared down at her bottle of beer and slowly tried to remove the label without ripping it. *What am I doing here? * she thought to herself with a sigh. * Is this was I came to Sunnydale for? I've got to keep my focus, my life may depend on it. *

Spike had returned to his crypt after leaving her apartment and found himself completely recovered from his hangover and quite restless. After a few sweeps of the cemetery, an encounter with two fledglings and a rather ugly Garack demon, he decided to find Katerina and stalk her for a bit. He needed to know what she was really about. He waited outside her apartment until 11:45 when she left to go to the Bronze. He followed her in, taking an ideal stool a few meters behind her and well beyond her view that was directed at the door.

She had been waiting for 45 minutes now for him. He had watched her peel the label off three beers and methodically rip them into tiny shreds. Two guys had already asked her to dance and she responded "no thanks" with uncharacteristic shyness. Spike told himself that he was testing her, seeing how long she would wait for him, giving him the upper hand. As he watched her, thoughts of the night before came back to him; her cocky smile and witty comebacks, the dances that they shared and how their bodies fit so perfectly together.

As if reading his thoughts, she began to stir. With a sigh she got out of the booth and began to put her coat on. As she turned to leave, something behind her caught her eye. She looked back, but the blond hair she thought she recognized was gone. She turned again to leave.

"Going somewhere, luv?" Spike was immediately in front of her.

She let out a loud yelp and Spike quickly covered her mouth with his. Shocked by the unexpected intimacy she began to pull back, but Spike held her into him in a tight hold. Slowly, she began to relax and enjoy the kiss. Spike felt her muscles release and let his grip loosen. The kiss began to soften and Katerina allowed her hands to travel around to tickle the nape of his neck. Spike began to feel a familiar burning sensation in the pit of his stomach as the passionate kiss increased far longer then he had intended. He slowly pulled away and was rewarded with a small whimper from Katerina at the loss of contact.

The vampire leaned into Katerina's ear and with a passion filled voice whispered. "Let's get some fresh air, eh pet?" Katerina did not respond, but allowed Spike to take her hand and lead her out of the bar.

Neither spoke as they walked, both appreciating the effects of the cool air. Katerina was the first to interrupt the silence "Next time I won't wait so long."

"What ever you say, pet." Spike smirked, enjoying the current control he had.

Katerina smiled knowingly back at him. It meant something to her that he felt she was worth conquering or at least battling. With a deep sigh she made her decision to put the first step of her plan in place. Without breaking her stride, she began "Spike, I have a proposition for you." She waited a moment. At heart, she loved the dramatic. "I have a plan that I believe will help us both get what we want most in this world." Spike's raised eyebrow was missed because again she continued walking with her eyes still directed straight ahead.

" You know what I want do you, love? If you got a way to get this chip out then I'm all for it."

"You know it's not the chip that is the issue here, Blondie. It's Buffy. I get you Buffy, you help me get what I want." At this Katerina stopped and finally made eye contact; she needed to know if she had struck a cord. The vampire rewarded her with a rather insincere "pfiffe" and a telling half smile that all but admitted what he could not deny.

Deciding that this was an invitation to continue, Katerina began to walk again into the nowhere land that this type of conversation always leads.

" First I need to tell you what I need from you, you can opt to help me or not. If so, I will get you your chance with your Slayer." Katerina stopped her speech, needing agreement before continuing.

Spike lit a cigarette and nodded for her to continue.

"I believe I may have inherited Slayer attributes from my mother. I need your help to determine what skills that I do have and to train me to use them. I need to know what my body is capable of and to be able to use it to it's full potential."

It took some time for the extent of the request to register with Spike. He took another drag from his cigarette and turned to her. "Kat, did you just ask me to…? That a Watcher's job, mate! I kill little girls like you, not train them to kill big bads like me. Bloody hell, that's ridiculous." He shook his head at her and again took a drag of his cigarette.

She stood in silence and stared. She had expected this reaction, and would be patient for the vampire to get past his initial prejudice.

"There are plenty of Watchers around, I'm sure. I can hook you up with one right here in town."

Katerina sighed. "I have already spoken with Rupert Giles. He was the main reason I came to Sunnydale. He was able to provide me with significant information, but declined my request to mentor me. He is too devoted to Buffy; I hadn't expected that. I will also not go to the Watchers Council; it would be…um…hypocritical. Spike you can do this. You know that it is in you. You understand Slayers better then any Watcher. And in the end you will get your precious Buffy.

Katerina watched as Spike considered that offer. He didn't quite understand why Katerina was so sure that he'd get Buffy in the end, but it a was an interesting offer.

"Tell me more about Buffy. You gonna do a love spell or something? I've been down that road before – not interested."

Katerina smiled at him and let out a laugh. "Buffy does not need a love spell * pet *." She stopped and turned towards him. She stepped closer so that only and few inches stood between them. "I'm not going to do anything to Buffy except open her eyes." She then reached out and grabbed the vampire by the belt buckle and pulled him into her. Face to face the two stared, challenging each other to break the eye contact. Spike could feel Kate's breath getting heavier and her beating heart pounding against his chest.

Seductively, Katerina slowly leaned into him and kissed each of Spike's sculpted cheeks then returned to face him again. Katerina let go of his belt buckle and took a step backwards. "You think about it, but I need to know soon." She explained coolly, but as she turned away from him, Spike grabbed her and threw her on the hood of a nearby parked car. Before she could react, he was on top of her with his game face on and her hands were pinned above her head. She looked at him with a mixture of fear and passion, her chest heaving rapidly under the weight of the vampire.

Spike shook off his game face and laughed at her panicked look. He bent his head and gently kissed the nap of her neck, whispering in her ear "Tag – you're dead." With her still pinned to the hood, he proceeded to kiss her forehead, cheek and the lips. "Lesson number one, love – don't ever underestimate a vampire or you are dead."

******

 

Chapter 3

Spike and Katerina had agreed to meet the next evening about an hour past sundown. This was to be their regular time for training. During the day, Katerina had visited Giles to update him on her newfound mentor. Giles had frowned in concern, but said nothing. He offered her a key to the Magic Box to use training room and the equipment there. Buffy mostly trained during the day and the Magic Box closed at sundown to avoid the wrong kind of customer. The arrangement was intended to be as inconvenient as possible for all parties and leave Katerina independent of the Scoobies.

Katerina followed Spike's directions though the cemetery that intended to lead to his crypt. She feared that her first right turn at the large marble gravestone was perhaps not the correct large marble gravestone and she may be quite lost.

Why he had insisted on first meeting at his crypt was beyond her comprehension and his directions were far more vague.

Spike quickly moved behind a large maple tree as Katerina turned around in confusion. He had risen and fed early to once again follow her as she left her apartment. This time he had a specific purpose. He had given her the correct, though vague instructions to arrive at his crypt only he changed the cemetery name. He wanted to observe her reaction to the situation and to see how she handled herself in the dark. This would give him a base understanding of her current knowledge and what skills to work on first.

It had taken him a while to understand why he was doing this. He had decided it was a lot of reasons combined. He was bored and this would occupy his mind, he did have a lot of knowledge and it was an ego boost to show it off, and partially it was also Buffy. He was curious to see if Katerina would succeed at delivering her end of the bargain. Deep down he didn't believe it was possible and he wasn't interested in getting his hopes up.

Mostly though, he had decided that it was Katerina herself that made him agree to this. He enjoyed being with her, how alive she made him feel.

Spike slowly closed the distance between them. He had seen enough and it was getting to be the time that his fellow undead would start to wander. Letting her get killed was not part of his first lesson plan. As he got closer, he realized that something was wrong.

Katerina stopped and looked behind her, she thought she heard something. Seeing nothing, she continued her walk but slower now. She had been too busy complaining to herself about the directions that she hadn't realized how far into the cemetery that she had walked or just how dark it had gotten.

Hearing something a second time, she turned to find herself facing two vampires. A quick glance behind her confirmed that two more appeared to surround her. She quickly let a stake drop down her shirtsleeve and into her hand. She had never used one before, but understood the general concept of stake-heart-dust. All she needed was a plan of attack.

As if on cue, a form jumped out of the shadows and tackled two of the vamps. Katerina took advantage of the distraction and, holding her stake tight, plunged it into one of the two remaining vampires' chest. She stared into its eyes and waited for what seemed to like an eternity until finally it burst into a cloud of dust. The remaining vamp reacted quickly with an uppercut, tossing Katerina a few feet in the air and onto the ground. The vamp dove onto her, pinning both her arms to the grass. She closed her eyes for the inevitable, but after nothing happened she opened them to see a few remaining particles of dust and Spike standing over her vamped out, stake in hand.

Katerina accepted the outstretched hand and allowed Spike to pull her off the grass. She was more frightened then she thought she would be from her first encounter with a vampire attack. She wrapped her arms around Spike and hugged him close.

Spike smirked to himself at this suddenly very vulnerable woman in his arms, such a change from their first encounter only two days earlier. He gave her a small kiss on the nap of her neck and whispered gently, "Tag – your're dead". His comment achieved its desired effect when a small laugh escaped her.

"Lesson number two – no more walking in cemeteries alone until we've had a few more lessons." He received a nod in agreement and held her tight, returning to his favorite spot on her neck for more reassuring kisses. Before his lips were able to make contact again he felt himself tackled to the ground, ripped from Katerina's arms.

"Spike!" was the shocked sound that came from the attacker.

"Slayer!" was the annoyed response from the vampire.

"Buffy!" was the exclaimed shout from Katerina in the background.

Buffy was straddling Spike with a stake raised, ready to release.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?" questioned the vampire, even though he was finding the position very comfortable.

"Um…I…I thought you were one of the vamps that was attacking that girl. I dusted two and then came back and saw you at her neck…"

"And you didn't recognize the hair? How could you not see the hair?"

"Hello? Split second decision making required? It's not like bleaching hair is that original these days…" Buffy looked down and realized that she was still on top of Spike in a rather provocative position. A blush rose to her cheeks and she jumped off him. "Oh…um…sorry" she commented, now more embarrassed than defensive.

Spike also rose with a smirk and responded, "Anytime, Slayer." with a wink, only to receive a sneer in return.

The two then turned to their audience who had stood in silence, allowing the scene to play out without interruption. Katerina walked over towards her two rescuers. "Thank you for your help back there, Buffy. If you hadn't come along when you did…well you know the drill – one dead Kat." Katerina gave the petite blonde a shy smile to emphasize her sincerity. It took a moment for Buffy to recognize the stranger in the darkness, but the memory of their last two meetings flooded back to her. * Am I destined to see this girl everyday for the rest of my life? * and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well maybe next time you won't go wandering in a cemetery alone after hours" Buffy suggested. She still found this girl annoying no matter how sincere her thanks was.

"I was just trying to find Spike's crypt. I didn't think it would take this long.…maybe if the instructions were a little clearer…" Katerina noted sarcastically, raising an eyebrow for Spike to explain.

Buffy interrupted with a confused look "Spike's crypt? But Spike's crypt isn't even in this…"

"Well…this has been fun, but don't you think it's time to get going, pet? We have STUFF to do, remember?" Spike quickly grabbed Katerina's arm and practically dragged her out of the cemetery before Buffy could finish her sentence.

"Stuff to do, eh?" Buffy mumbled to no one in particular.

"I can't believe you almost got me killed because you wanted to get an idea of what I already know…how's nothing for you! No self-defense, no special listening techniques…I'm just lucky I knew that a vampire's heart is in the same spot as a human's…" Katerina hadn't taken the news of Spike's experiment very well.

"Well of course a vampire's heart is in the same place as a human's. We used to be bloody human! The heart's not going to stop beating and sudden move to the right side of the chest…"

Katerina pointed her finger at him threatening "You are not going to make fun of me right now…you almost got me killed! That means I get to be right for the entire evening…and you get to apologize for the rest of the century…"

"Century! Slayers never live longer than…"

"I thought I mentioned the part about…"

"You being right? Yes, I must have missed that the first TWENTY times you said it. Yes love, what ever you say love…" Spike answered sarcastically and rolled his eyes.

Katerina couldn't help laughing at the peroxide blonde's imitation of the obedient husband. The two had teased each other the entire way from the cemetery to the Magic Box. Neither was interested in admitting just how frightened they had both been by the attack.

Once they walked into the training room everything changed to strictly business. Spike outlined his plan for each night's four-hour session. The first portion of the evening would be spent on the mental aspect of being a Slayer. This included skills like focus, attitude, decision-making and, most importantly, the ability to sense danger. The second portion would be the physical. Spike would help her develop natural strength and teach her to fight especially to compensate for any weakness for not truly being a full Slayer.

Spike did his best at stressing the importance of the mental aspect, but Katerina could tell he was uncomfortable teaching it. She made a silent note to see if Giles could provide her with some books on meditation that would help her to teach herself things, rather then force Spike into a topic he was obviously not comfortable with. Their first self-defense activity came as a relief to both teacher and student.

The next day, the gang was gathered in the Magic Box at Buffy's request. "I had a few strange encounters last night that I think we need to start researching. I've noticed over the past month that the vamps around Sunnydale have been acting wacky."

Giles removed his glasses and looked at her in confusion "Can you be more specific than 'wacky'?"

"Well…slightly stronger than usual…more cunning but most of all, they seem to be hunting in packs. Almost like wolves, they surround someone then all join in the kill. Luckily I haven't been able to figure out if they feed as a pack, but I bet it's really pretty gross to see."

"Could you just be coming up on a gang? We've seen that before" Willow offered with a helpful smile.

"No, I don't think it's gangs…they don't seem to have a leader…or at least not one that hunts with them. And, like, I'll see four together and I'll stake them all, then I'll come upon six more…it's like I can't remember the last time I ran into just one vampire trying to kill someone."

"Ah…the good ol' days, eh Buff?" Xander smiled at her and playfully punched her in the shoulder.

Giles began to rub his glasses. "Well I definitely think it is worth investigating. I've seen gangs of vampires, but I agree with Buffy that it is odd to see vampires always hunting together and particularly feeding together is unusual. We may be able to trace this pattern back to…"

Xander interrupted with "What's the other strange thing…you said a few strange encounters. Anything else we need to get all Sherlock Holmesy about?"

Buffy glanced at Giles with an awkward look " Um…the other thing involved Spike…it was a little weird…I thought he was killing someone…well he wasn't…so, um, anyways…no biggie, just a little embarrassing for old Buffy. But no book-reading necessary…"

"So what was Spike doing? Why did you think he was killing someone?" Anya asked with her classic over-pronunciation.

"He was…kissing someone…and I thought…well anyway, I managed to not stake him. Although, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing…"

"I'm sure the girl would not be too happy about having a kiss interrupted and her guy staked, even if that guy was Spike." Willow commented.

"So does Spike have a girlfriend now? I thought he was in love with Buffy." Anya added.

"Let's just get on with the real issue at hand shall we?" Giles concluded and started gathering books for the research party. "I think it would be best to conduct any after hours research at Buffy's house. Since Joyce is away on business, it would be best for Dawn to be able to do her homework and get to bed without us disturbing her schedule." The gang agreed to Giles relief. He had been putting off telling them about his arrangement with Katerina, until he could come up with a reasonable story about why he was helping her.

One week later, Katerina's training was progressing nicely. She was studying mediation during the days to allow Spike to focus on the physical side of being a Slayer. The sexy brunette was surprisingly strong for her looks. Spike hadn't really believed that many, if any, of her mother's Slayer abilities would be inherited. Everything that he knew about Slayers told him that the 'call' makes the Slayer, not the blood. Apparently he was wrong.

Katerina was currently working at perfecting her back kick, while Spike watched from the other side of the training room, appreciating her form. "I think you can try a bit higher now. You've got the form spot-on." Spike smirked at Katerina's groan in reply. Spike watched as Katerina continued to kick with the same preciseness and few inches higher. Her hair was tied into a long ponytail that swung with each kick. Sweat trickled down her neck, making her top cling to her large breasts. Her typical workout gear consisted of a black sports bra crop top and tight fitting black shorts. When they had first began to work out, Spike had found her voluptuous shape distracting. Hips, butt and breasts always seemed to get in the way of their exercises. * At least Buffy's a little more petite so Giles doesn't have to worry about being distracted by all this bouncing. * Still, when he was not actually teaching, he found himself mesmerized by her movements. She would hold her stance, then suddenly kick, return to the stance and kick, stance, kick over and over until she had perfected the movement and imbedded it into her brain. The vampire found the entire scene intoxicating as he shifted uncomfortably in suddenly restrictive jeans.

"You falling asleep over there?" Katerina questioned as she placed a towel around her neck and walked over to her teacher.

Spike smirked at her and lit cigarette. "Just admiring your form, ya' might say."

Katerina glanced down at him to appreciate his full meaning and laughed seductively. "None of that now, cutie. We've got work to do." She grabbed his hand and led him to the exercise mat.

"Ok. What's next?"

"Well, you take off your clothes and I…"

"Not that…I mean the next lesson…besides I'm really icky sweaty."

"Actually the smell of sweat can be a big turn on if…"

"Okaaayyyy…focus…I can't imagine Buffy had this problem with Rupert. Oh God! Look at what you made me think of…"

"Me! It was you that brought it up…well actually now it's down," Spike looked down at himself "Yup…look what you've done…he's not coming back out for a week!"

Katerina issued a big sigh and hit her forehead with her hand. "Are you done with the sex talk? Can we move on to the next lesson? I swear, every night you spend more and more time looking at my breasts and less and less time teaching me."

"Well hide them or something... don't you own any big ugly T-shirts?" Katerina looked at him like she was going to practice her staking ability soon so he opted to get serious. "Ok. We need a blind fold."

Spike caught her fist mid-swing and continued. "It's for the next lesson. You have to learn not to always rely on what you see. You may someday need use your other senses to compensate."

Buffy had finished her patrol and was walking home when a light on in the Magic Box caught her eye as she passed. Giles was looking after Dawn, and Anya, Xander, Tara, and Willow had gone to her house as well to continue the pack-vamp research. It made no sense for anyone to be in the Magic Box.

She slowly crept in through the front door that was strangely undamaged and locked. As she walked through the shop, she noted nothing was touched or missing. She silently stepped towards the training room and the light that had been on clicked off. She stopped. Perhaps they had heard her. She heard some whispering, then silence. She crept onward. She arrived at the door and noticed it was not locked. Perfect. It would allow her to enter without notice. She walked into the pitch-black room, crawling along the floor. Her plan was to reach the back door and block it before turning on the light. She felt some movement around the room. She could tell there was someone standing still in the middle of the room while a second person was maneuvering around the perimeter of the room on the far side from her. Only a few more steps and she would be at the door. Suddenly a rush of wind came from the other side of the room and she heard what sounded like a struggle. Quickly she dove for the light and got into fighting stance blocking the only way out.

As three sets of eyes adjusted to the light the stage was set as follows: Buffy at the door ready to fight anyone who dared escape; Spike pinned to the floor on his stomach and one hand twisted around his back; Katerina on top of Spike asserting her control of him still blind folded.

Katerina, still unaware that the light was now on, proceeded to laugh. "Come on, Spike, say it," She tightened her grip until he squealed. "Say it!" She tightened her grip further.

"Ok…ok…Mr Darcy is cooler than Scarlet Pimpernel…just let me go, you bint. You're breaking my bloody arm." Katerina laughed hysterically at his admission and the fact that she'd been able to best him at his version of Marco Polo. She had at least been able to convince him to turn the lights off. Even with his improved night vision it to put them on more even ground.

As Spike helped her remove her blind fold, she looked around in confusion "When did you turn the lights on?" Spike glanced around the room noticing the light for the first time "I didn't. I'm not sure how…"

Buffy shook her head in confusion as she practically ran down the street. The scene she had just witness played over in her head. * What the hell did I just walk in on? I need to have a long talk with Giles because none of this makes sense to me. At least I got out of there before they saw me. *

Buffy walked into her house to find the entire gang gathered around her kitchen table. Giles got up and began to walk towards her "Oh good Buffy, your home early. We've been going over your comments about pack hunting and, alas, we've found nothing. We've discussed it and w-w-we only have one other place to t-t-turn." Buffy looked from Giles to the rest of the gang who began to find the wood grain in the table extremely interesting.

Buffy turned back to Giles with a confused look. "Huh?"

Giles glanced nervously at the floor and muttered, "We believe we need an insider; someone who can fish for information without arousing suspicion. And since even the demon populous knows that you haven't exactly been on speaking terms with…"

Buffy began to back away as if escape the Watcher's words. "No…oh…no," she muttered, shaking her head violently. "No absolutely not. He can't be trusted."

"Maybe he can." Giles stated. Buffy stared at him is disbelief. Anya, Xander, Willow and Tara all joined Buffy in silent awe. Their eyes began to move from one to the other as if to say, 'did you just hear what I just heard?'

Finally, the silence was broken by Xander, who lifted his hand nervously and commented, "I believe I speak for the group when I say 'Huh?'"

"I can't explain why right now, but I think there is more to this problem than just vampires learning they hunt better in packs. We need someone to get inside and find out more…Buffy, think about it. Spike's really our only link to the vampire community." Giles spoke as gently as he could, realizing the sensitivity of the issue.

Silence fell on the room. The only movement was Buffy rubbing her head in confusion. "Giles, I think we should…"

Giles cut her off "Buffy, I think you might be too emotionally involved to be making decisions concerning Spike."

Buffy was furious, barely able to contain the violent action she was contemplating that involved her watcher and her fist. She replied as calmly as she could, "Am I the only one here that remembers that not so long ago, Spike chained me to a wall to force me to tell him I felt something for him? And I am getting blamed for being emotionally involved."

Giles sighed and quieted his voice to a whisper "Buffy, this is exactly what I am referring to. I know you have not forgiven him yet, nor do I expect you to ever forgive him for his ridiculous actions, but you can't let your hatred for him interfere with your position. Even if it is only a means to an end, Spike is our best chance here and I feel he can be trusted."

Buffy let out a sigh of defeat.

A group of vampires strode through the cemetery, looking around anxiously. They spotted a couple walking nervously through the grass, obviously taking a shortcut on their way somewhere. The vampires looked at each other and nodded. A vampire with a diagonal scar across his face that extended from the left side of his forehead to his right ear stepped ahead of the group, looking at the couple a few meters away. He turned and whispered, "D- formation, remember make sure it's not * her * before the kill." Quietly and they disperse into different directions. Minutes later a short scream was heard, then silence.

Later that evening, a man was sitting in an old-style leather chair, smoking a pipe with a large book on his lap. The man appeared to be in his mid-fifties, but stress had made him appear older. He was reading intently when he heard a knock at the door to his room. "Come in." he mumbled in an educated English accent, without looking up from his book. The scared vampire opened the door to the makeshift study and bowed.

"Master Euan, I have come to report." the vampire pronounced confidently, but without insolence. Only once had a vampire commented that Master Euan sounded funny. After witnessing the result of the insult, no other had dared imply the name did not suit.

"And?" The brit looked up, making eye contact for the first time.

"We have made 3 kills tonight, but no sign of the girl."

"And the Slayer?"

The vampire shifted uncomfortably. "We lost unit 7 and we believe it was the Slayer."

The older man seethed in anger. "We have to find her now! My patience is wearing thin." He stood silent for a moment, letting his frustration subside. "Perhaps we are going about this the wrong way? This may call for another change in plan. Leave me…I must think."

The scared vampire bowed again and walked out without a word.

******

 

Chapter 4

The next night Katerina and Spike were again at the magic shop training but Spike could quickly tell Katerina's concentration was off. After the third time, he had seen her fail at an attempted jump kick he decided to comment. "Alright, Katie. What's going on in that head of yours?"

Katerina growled in frustration at her own failure. "I don't know Spike…I guess I'm just tired."

Spike moved over to sit beside her. "We've been doin' this for days…you study all day…you practice all night. Maybe we should just take a break, pet. You keep goin' tonight and you'll end up hurting yourself."

Katerina sighed, she didn't want to admit it…but it was true. She was not going to get anything done tonight.

"Why don't we go out or something? Anything that doesn't have to do with being a Slayer. Buffy goes out all the time. You gotta give yourself…and me…a break."

"Give me a half-hour break, then we will try again. If I'm still a klutz, then we'll take off…alright?"

Spike smiled at her determination. Katerina hated to quit.

Katerina took her break, wandering around the magic shop. Glancing through the books, she found one that caught her eye. Walking proudly back into the training room, she presented it to Spike with smirk. "I think I found a distraction."

Spike stared at her in confusion. Her eyes smiled back at him, her eyebrow raised in a challenge. Spike recognized the look that had enticed him in what seemed like so long ago. He glanced down at the book and immediately understood the challenge.

It was a volume of Riverside Shakespeare – the complete works. Spike sighed and nodded his agreement. * Why do I feel like I am going to regret this * he thought to himself. Katerina had found her energy again and was sitting on the floor searching for the page. Spike joined her and tried to remember the last time he had done this. Maybe sixty years ago? Maybe a hundred? Dru had loved for him to read to her and Shakespeare spoke to Dru for some reason. Angelus would try to read to her, but she would not have him. Only her Spike could make the words come alive, she would say. Spike smiled to himself at the talent that he used to possess. Maybe still possessed…he would soon find out.

Act IV scene v Taming of the Shrew

Pertuchio (Spike): Come on a' God's name, once more toward our father's.

Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon!

Kate (Katerina): The moon! The sun – it is not moonlight now.

Pet.: I say it is the moon that shines so bright.

Kate: I know it is the sun that shines so bright.

Pet.: Now by my mother's son, and that's myself

It shall be moon, or star, or what I shall list,

Or ere I journey to your father's house –

Go on, and fetch our horses back again. –

Evermore cross'd and cross'd, nothing but cross'd!

Kate: Forward pray, since we have come so far,

And be it the moon, or sun, or what you please;

And if you please to call it a rush-candle,

Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.

Pet: I say it is the moon

Kate: I know it is the moon

Pet: Nay then you lie; it is the blessed sun

Kate: Then God be blest, it is the blessed sun,

But sun it is not, when you say it is not;

And the moon changes even as your mind.

What you will have it nam'd, even that it is,

And so it shall be so for Katherine.

 

Once their scene was done, Katerina looked up at Spike in amazement. It was not a difficult passage, but he delivered his lines with a style and grace that she had no idea he possessed. His voice was clear and strong, adding the proper inflection of sarcasm for the silly lines. She was speechless.

Spike looked at the sexy brunette whose jaw had just dropped. He rewarded her with a cocky smile and placed a kiss on her forehead. "So, pet, we gonna continue with the shrew or do you want to move onto something with violence and angst?"

After hours and many scenes shared together, Katerina let Spike take over. He read her soliloquies of his favorite plays until she finally fell asleep in his arms.

Spike watched her sleep and allowed a smile to cross his face. He remembered the way she looked at him when he first began to read. He knew she was well educated and loved the arts. She must have seen dozens of presentations and adaptations of these plays, but when she looked at him, it was like she was hearing the words for the first time. It was intoxicating. Spike adored the power he held over his small audience. She was definitely not Buffy. She was something else entirely. Nothing he had ever experienced before. Buffy was very much like him: wild and impatient, violent and dominating, insecure and cocky. Katerina was all of those things, but at the same time, none of them. She was just different. Completely opposite from him in so many ways. She had class, confidence, patience…a style all her own that changed with each situation. She didn't make him crazy…only happy. Yes, definitely happy. He smiled to himself and hugged the brunette into his body as he drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

Giles had decided to ask for Spike's help that night at the magic shop. Katerina had been visiting him daily to update him on her progress. To avoid questions, they would meet for an early afternoon tea at his house. His afternoon absences were never noticed since he had always left at the same time, as he always had to do any business. Katerina would go into detail about Spike's attempts at lesson plans and organization. She had been making great progress. Preparing herself both physically and mentally for what was to come. Giles still had not been able to figure out what her plan was…and she hadn't volunteered even a hint. He figured it would come out eventually.

Her description of Spike's help and attitude had proven quite surprising. His devotion to training her and the patience and gentleness that he showed were a credit to him. Giles knew that Spike had nothing to gain from the French girl, except companionship. His motives had to be considered selfless. How a soulless vampire had managed to have so much character was still a mystery to Giles but he had finally accepted it.

He quietly walked into the shop, not wanting to disturb their training. He made his way to the back room and opened the training room door. He found Spike sitting on the couch and Katerina with her head curled onto his lap half-asleep. Neither the vampire nor his trainee had noticed him enter. Spike was concentrating on the text he was reading and Katerina smiled intently as she listened with her eyes closed.

Act I, Scene I, The Tragedy of Richard the Third

Gloucester [Spike]: Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this son York;

And all the clouds that low'r'd upon our house

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

Giles could not believe the scene before him. Spike, the master vampire, had mesmerized him with the poetry of his voice. His choice of Richard the third was particularly ironic. Richard complaining of everyone referring to him as a monster struck a cord with Giles. How deeply Spike was misunderstood, and yet Richard was a monster in the end…* but only time can complete the irony of this. * he thought to himself.

He watched Spike staring at Katerina who had fallen asleep during the soliloquy and understood the appreciation in his eyes. He too found Katerina an impressive, complex woman. She reminded him constantly of the wonderful man that her father had been.

Giles hated to disturb the blond from whatever peaceful thoughts he might be having, but it was important that they talked and better if Katerina was not part of it.

He silently walked over to the couple and crouched down beside Spike. "Spike…" he whispered.

Spike was jolted from his thoughts and panicked "What's wrong? Is it Buffy?"

Giles was taken aback by the fear and love in Spike's eyes as he asked about the well being of the younger Slayer. Giles had assumed that Spike's infatuation with Buffy had dissipated once his relationship with Katerina had begun. It was obvious from one look that that was not the case.

"What? Oh…um…no…nothing is wrong with Buffy. I just need to speak with you. Alone."

Spike nodded and carefully got off the couch without disturbing Katerina.

"She was so tired." Spike commented as he joined Giles in the main part of the Magic Box. "She just keeps training and training like her life depends on it."

"Some day it might." Giles reflected on Katerina being ready to start moving into the real battlefield.

Reading his mind, Spike shook his head. "She's not ready yet. There is only so much I can teach her, especially with the chip. She is not nearly as strong as Buffy yet."

"You will have to let her go some time." Giles said quietly, finding it ironic that he sympathized with the vampire.

"Which?" Spike questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Which what?"

"Which were you referring to, Watcher? Who do I have to let go of?"

"Oh…well both I assume…" He commented almost under his breath. Spike frowned and opted not to respond.

"So what do you want, Rupert? Needed someone to share a cup of tea with at one in the morning" Spike pulled out a cigarette and lit it, waiting for the Watcher to get to the point.

"Spike, I…we need your help."

******

There was a knock at the door, Euan Rice looked up and sighed. "Come in" he said in a frustrated tone.

"Master Euan," a vampire said respectfully as he walked into the office. "We are ready to leave for the hunt. Are there special instructions?"

Euan thought for a moment and nodded. "I believe it is time for us to smoke out the rabbit."

The vampire looked at him confused, hoping he would explain his instructions more simply.

"It is time to get our prize out of hiding." he explained as he shook his head at the vampire's stupidity. "We are going to leave a trail for Hanzel and Gretel because they are having a hard time finding the house."

"Who?"

Euan practically growled at the fledgling. "Look you stupid, undead dimwit. You don't need to understand why. All you need to do is drop this by one of our victims tonight. When she comes looking for me…I'll be waiting for her."

The vampire still looked confused but took the item held out to him. He glanced at the photo and mumbled, "Nice tits." as he walked out the door.

******

Spike felt bad about making up an excuse to get out of the training session planned for this evening. He really hated to lie to Katerina, especially when he knew she saw right through him. He couldn't risk telling her the truth. She would want to join him on this little reconnaissance mission for Giles. She just wasn't ready yet, he kept telling himself, but it didn't make him feel any better for lying. He lit another cigarette and noted he was almost done with his new pack.

He had completed two sweeps of every cemetery and still had not come across a single demon. Not only was he bored, but also he was starting to get the creeps. Sunnydale was never this quiet unless there was something major about to happen, or something terrorizing the demons. Either way, it gave him the creeps.

About two hours before dawn, he had just about given up hope of meeting something evil, when he tripped over something. His fall was broken by something soft and warm…and wet. He crawled off of it and immediately smelt the blood that covered him. It was the body of a young girl, with he head completely ripped off. Spike was surprised when he began to gag. He had seen and done worse murder scenes but none of them had ever made such an impact. He sat on the grass beside the body and stared at it. After a moment he noticed that there was something in the girl's hand that appeared to be placed there after her death.

Spike reached out and removed the folder paper and discovered it was a photo. The familiar eyes that smiled back at him made him gag for the second time that evening. She was definitely younger in the photo, but it was clearly her…his Kate. Without looking back, he walked out of the cemetery and straight towards the one person he felt might have some answers.

Spike stood nervously at the front door to Giles's house as he ran the doorbell for the third time. It was still more then an hour until daybreak, but he didn't want to take any chances. Finally, Spike heard movement inside the house and the latch to the door being removed. Giles cautiously opened the door and gasped at the vampire that stood before him covered in blood. The blonde's face was paler then usual.

"Dear Lord! What happened?" Giles choked as he motioned for the vampire to enter. "Were you attacked?"

Spike looked down at himself and realized just how bad he must have appeared. "The blood's not mine. I didn't find any packs but they left a present for me." Spike began to remove the blood stained T-shirt that was completely disgusting him. As he stripped he explained how he had found a mutilated body, clutching a photo.

He handed the photo to Giles and waited for the reaction. Giles said nothing as he walked over to the couch and sat down. He removed his glasses and began rubbing his eyes. With a sigh he mumbled, "This is all about her, isn't it?" And he dropped the blood stained picture on the carpet as if it hurt him to continue holding it.

"'Fraid so, mate," Spike shook his head in disbelief. "They wanted me to find it. Ain't no way that this isn't a setup."

A change went across the Watcher's face. He suddenly appeared determined. He spoke harshly. "We need her to get here. Do you have enough time to fetch her before dawn?" Spike looked outside and nodded.

"Good. Call her so she's ready. Tell her to pack for a few days. She's moving in here. This is not up for discussion. I will make some calls. Prepare the gang and we'll meet back here. Tell her we need to know everything." Spike nodded and picked up the phone; this was going to be a bad day.

Giles had left within minutes of Spike confirming Katerina's agreement. When Spike arrived at Katerina's apartment she was packed and ready to go. She had obviously taken a quick shower since her hair was still damp. Spike noted that her wet hair smelled lightly of a strawberry shampoo. Spike had regrettably returned to his bloody shirt. If Katerina had noticed the dried blood, she had not commented.

They greeted each other with a simple nod and walked quickly to Giles' without a word. The sun rose not five minutes after they arrived at the house. Katerina quickly covered all windows that might allow sunlight to spill in, while Spike went upstairs to shower.

******

"Well?" Euan asked as the scared vampire entered his office.

"Master Euan, the photo is in the hands of the vampire Spike. He was seen leaving the cemetery with it in hand." The scared vampire pronounced timidly. He knew that the photo was intended for the Slayer or the girl.

"Spike? Hmmm…William the Bloody…" The old man ran his fingers over his gray mustache pensively. "Well, it is as good as in the hands of the Slayer. My sources tell me that they have been working together for quite some time."

The vampire relaxed a moment, realizing that his trip had been a success.

"And our headquarters? Is it prepared for the trap?"

The vampire nodded. "Yes, master. As per your instructions"

"They will come tonight…after sun down. This group is far too predictable." Euan smiled. "You may go…but check with me every hour. There will be need for a ceremony in a few hours."

******

Chapter 5

Giles had gone to the Magic Box to make a number of phone calls. He had woken Buffy and asked her to gather the gang at her place and that, yes; he knew it was five thirty in the morning.

When Giles arrived at Buffy's, Anya, Xander, Willow, and Tara were already there, gathered in the living room. Everyone turned to him expectantly.

Giles let out a sigh and shook his head. "There is something…something that I need to tell you about before we go any further."

"Are you gay?" Anya offered up.

"What? Oh…no…I'm not gay, Anya." Giles let out another sigh and sat on the couch "It has to do with a visitor that came by a few weeks ago."

The Scoobies looked amongst themselves and, with a shrug, gathered around Giles. If it was not for the grim look on the Watcher's face, it would have mirrored a scene of children gathering around for him to read a bedtime story.

"When I was in my late teens, approximately 19, I met a young man not much older than I, named St. Just, Jean St. Just. He had just come over from France to pursue the study of magic. St. Just and I had a number of common friends and began to practice magic together. I found him to be a fine man with strong moral discernment and an understanding of the supernatural. Over time we discussed my involvement with the Watcher's Council and it's purpose. His interest was piqued and he took the necessary steps to become involved. The foundation immediately recognized his potential. He was asked to study the role of a watcher. St. Just was a quick study and extremely well trusted and liked. He was given the honour of being the youngest Watcher ever to be asked to teach a Slayer. The Council will never repeat that mistake."

Giles removed his glasses and began to clean them. He sighed and looked around the group before he continued. They were all looking at him with interest, except for Buffy who appeared to be very impatient for the watcher to get to the point.

"St. Just was appointed an Italian Slayer named Bianca. The tales of Bianca's wit and beauty are likely still whispered in the halls of the Council building today. The story of Bianca and St. Just was entirely removed from the Council archives and their names were never to be spoken. The Council feared the impact of just this one incident on the entire Watcher process."

"So what happened?" Willow asked anxiously.

"St. Just and Bianca fell in love."

"That's it? They fell in love?" Xander questioned. "Is there laws against that?"

"Well…yes…there are Council laws. As a Watcher you take a pledge. If you are a Watcher and you fall in love with your Slayer, it totally compromises our role…and…"

"Ok…so against the rules, fine…but doesn't it sound like to Council went overboard. Removing it from the archives, yikes!" Willow gasped.

"You have to understand, the romantic story of the beautiful Bianca and her handsome young watcher working side by side for years and then falling in love... well let's just say the myth could easily be as seductive to a Watcher as some say Bianca was. The Council feared that just the tale itself was worse then the action. If this was part of their history, who knows how many Watchers would be tainted by the romance of a Watcher/Slayer relationship."

Giles looked at Buffy giving her a nervous look. Buffy looked at nothing but the carpet, suddenly she felt really weird hearing this story.

"So what happened? Did the council kill them?" Anya exclaimed, overly excited at the thought.

Giles made a small smile at what should have been a ridiculous statement. "Fortunately, we will never know what the council would have done. They ordered St. Just to return from Italy, but he refused and both Slayer and Watcher fled and were never heard of since…"

"How did the council find out about them? I'm sure they didn't volunteer the information." Tara asked shyly.

"St. Just had made the mistake of trusting his secret to a friend in a letter. There is no such thing as a personal letter to the Council and his was intercepted and read." Giles waited, but knew he did not need to name the friend that had involuntarily betrayed him. "As much as I defended him, I could not restore his place in the Council. I had communicated with him once or twice after he fled. I wanted to get a message to him that the Council was still not ready to accept him back, although I'm sure he did not want or need their forgiveness. The last message I received from him was that a short note, simply one line that Bianca had died in a fight with a vampire. That was only three years after they had fled."

"Oh…that is such a sad story." Willow sighed and hugged Tara close.

Xander pulled Anya into a hug when he noticed her eyes were threatening to spill over.

Buffy had been trying to fight off the emotions the story had being surfacing. The injustice of the Council. The injustice of the life of the Slayer. Love found and lost too quickly. These were the stories of her life and she did not want to relive them. Coolly, she put on a stone face and turned to her watcher. "Giles, what does this have to do us? And at 6 o'clock in the morning? The sappy story is over and I don't seem to be any farther ahead in the knowledge department."

The gang looked at her in shock. They were still emotional from the story and Buffy's words sounded much harsher than she had intended.

Giles just sighed at Buffy. He knew she was in Slayer mode for some reason, so down to business. "Ah, yes…the point. Some of you may remember Katerina who came to see me at the Magic Box?"

"Totally hot chick with the curves in all the right places?" Xander suggested.

Giles sighed again "Yes, Katerina is very, um, provocative…" The group exchanged looks and Giles sighed again. "Back to the point…Katerina is the daughter of Jean St. Just and Bianca Puzzo."

Buffy's eyes widened. "What?"

"Katerina came to me looking for help. She had only found out about her mother since her father died not two years ago. She wanted help developing her skills as a Slayer…if she has any. There are no records of Slayers bearing children so we do not know if it is hereditary."

"Well she has some…" Buffy mumbled under her breath.

Again, the group looked at Buffy in confusion. Buffy sighed and reluctantly explained what she had witnessed at the magic shop.

"So, why Spike? If she's looking for a Watcher…"

"I told her I could not." Giles glanced up at Buffy and gave a half smile.

Buffy smiled back at him and got up to give him a hug.

The Scoobies all went "aww" and broke the moment.

Giles cleared his throat and re-focused. "We need to get to my house. Spike and Katerina are waiting there. There is more to this story than what I know."

Spike had showered and Kate threw his disgusting clothes into the washer. Since they were still in the dryer, Spike had opted for a robe that he found in Giles's closet. Despite Katerina's assurances that he should just stay in a towel, Spike had decided to look like "punk kid in his dad's robe" as Katerina put in.

She was still teasing him mercilessly when the gang arrived. He had decided to retaliate and had her pinned on the floor with her arm twisted around back, and was screaming, "Stop laughing. Stop your bloody laughing or I'll break it." Regardless of the slight pain he was inflicting, Katerina continued to giggle. Spike's chip began a warning tingle.

"Spike! What the hell are you doing?" Giles hollered.

The two looked up to find an audience to their little display of silliness. Spike released Katerina and straightened his robe and sat on the couch behind him in a pout.

"Ha, Ha…you got caught…" She turned to laugh at him, rubbing her arm. She sat beside him and gently punched him in the side. "Stop your pouting…you look like more of a poofter in the robe when you let your lower lip stick out like that."

Spike growled at her. He looked up at the gang that had walked in. They were trying their best to hide their chuckles. Spike looked back at Katerina, who gave him an innocent smile. Spike rolled his eye and left the room, mumbling something about checking on his clothes.

"Is that my robe?" Giles questioned as Spike walked into the laundry room.

"Yes! He looks pathetic in it, doesn't he…well in a cute way. I told him to stay in a towel, but he didn't think that Buffy could handle seeing his sexy abs."

"WHAT?"

Katerina smiled. "Oh relax, hon, I'm just trying to get your attention." Katerina looked around the room and then back at Giles. "Rupert…I don't think I've been properly introduced to everyone."

"Ah yes…I suppose you haven't. This is Willow and Tara."

"Willow, Tara? Nice to meet you." Katerina smiled sincerely at the couple.

Willow and Tara gave her a sad smile that she didn't understand.

"And you've met Anya and Xander." Giles motioned to the ex-demon and her boyfriend.

"Yes. At the Magic shop, right?" Katerina nodded to the two.

"I'm sorry about your parents." Anya blurted out. The gang stared at her.

"I'm sorry…what? About my parents? I don't understand." Katerina looked at Anya in confusion.

"You'll have to excuse Anya. She hasn't figured out some of the finer points of introductions." Xander offered up.

Katerina frowned and looked at Giles. Giles let out a sigh "Katerina, I had to explain to them who your parents were. After what Spike found this morning I think we need everything out in the open."

"What Spike found this morning? What did Spike find this morning?" Katerina allowed panic to creep through her voice and her last words caught in her throat.

As she was speaking, Spike returned to the room dressed in his typical tight black t-shirt and black jeans. "What I found this morning, pet, is a picture of you clutched in the hand of a headless body." Spike moved over to Giles's desk and pulled out the photo and handed it to Katerina.

The room was silent as the blood-covered picture was passed from person to person. Katerina felt nauseous. Spike recognized her sign of panic and moved toward her. Standing behind her, he placed one hand on her hip and intertwined the other with her hand. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "How you dealing there, Kat?" and gently squeezed her hand.

Kate smiled at his sentiment and shifted her weight slightly to lean against his strong chest. She whispered back "I'll be alright…but Spike, don't go too far."

Buffy was the only one close enough to the couple to hear the exchange. She looked at Katerina and Spike and saw the trust that they shared. She felt a pang of loneliness come across her. The scenes that she had observed between the two demonstrated such a wide range of levels to their relationship. They were clearly passionate toward each other, they had fun together, they worked together and they obviously comforted each other. Buffy was surprised at the ache she had in her heart as she watched them. She couldn't be jealous. Spike had nothing to offer her in terms of a relationship, she was sure of it. * So why did he have something to offer another human, another Slayer? * Buffy thought. With a sigh she pushed the regret that she was feeling away. * There will be time to worry about this later. *

The gang gathered into the living room and got comfortable. They all knew that there was more to the story that needed to be told. Spike sat on a comfortable chair, with Katerina sitting on the floor at his feet. Buffy, Xander and Anya shared the couch. Tara and Willow sat on the small step, leading to the front door and Giles sat in his chair beside his desk. The Scoobies chatted about the weather and the Bronze until Giles finally interrupted.

"Perhaps," Giles cleared his throat to get the room's attention. "Perhaps we should begin with Katerina sharing what she knows about why someone might be after her."

Katerina sighed and Spike instinctively tightened his grip around her shoulders. Buffy unexpected winced seeing the intimate sign of support.

"I really don't want you to be dragged into this," She glanced around the room and received some supportive smiles. She stopped at Giles, "Rupert, this threat…this fight…it's between me and him. I don't think we should drag anyone else into this…it's not fair."

Buffy responded. "If this Big Bad is killing people in my town to get to you, then he just picked a fight with me."

"With all of us." Willow piped in.

Buffy nodded and added, "Tell us the story and we will decide how much we should be involved."

Katerina was not convinced and turned to give Spike a frown, wanting support for her argument.

Spike shook his head "Don't look at me, luv. That's what these people do. It's what they've always done…don't ask me why they give a shit. I never understood it."

Katerina shrugged her shoulders and decided to start from the beginning. "Three years ago, my father died. I was left alone for the first time in my life. I had no idea about my mother, until I found my father's notes from when he was her Watcher. Foolishly, I tried to contact the Council. I had no idea that he had been in hiding. My father would have told me eventually to prepare me…but he had died suddenly. I received nothing back from the Council, no acknowledgment of my letter to them at all. I proceeded with my life…working, living…as normal as I could be."

The Scoobies all tried to avoid looking at Buffy. They new Katerina had no idea the irony of a Slayer trying to live a normal life.

"All that changed one day, about five months ago. I received an anonymous note. All it said was: 'You are being watched. Prepare yourself.' I was concerned but didn't change my pattern of life. I had things to do. I had to support myself and couldn't worry about a note that could easily be an empty threat. Then they got sloppy. I started noticing the same people in the different restaurants I would eat at. Those same people in my office building. Once I spotted them, it became obvious. That picture…I remember when that was taken…I was being taken out for lunch after completing a project. I can't believe how much of my life was on display…it was disgusting."

Spike felt a pang of guilt for the times he had followed her and watched her every move, first at the Bronze then in the cemetery. It must have brought back nasty memories.

"One day I lost my temper…half French, half Italian…let's just say patience isn't my strong suit. So I fought back. I followed the guy who I knew was following me. I found him and I confronted him. All cool and full of myself, I walked up to him and started demanding answers." Katerina shook her head at her own stupidity and rubbed her hands over her face.

"What happened?" Tara asked softly.

Katerina let out a sarcastic laugh. "I surprised him, said my piece and waited for him to respond. At first he was taken aback, but once he realized that I had no plan other than yelling at him, he jumped me. Beat the crap out of me and walked away. He was obviously instructed not to kill me or he would have. Great plan eh? Ever done anything that stupid?"

Katerina was shocked at the amount of nods she got from everyone around the living room. Either they were humoring her or this group was a bunch of suicidal evil fighters.

Deciding not to ask, she opted to continue. "So, when I got myself out of the hospital, I decided to have a plan next time. I reread my father's notes and everything I could find about my parents and the Watcher's Council. I found nothing that could help explain why anyone would be following me. The only thing that I did find out was that my father really only had one person he trusted in the council and that was Rupert Giles. I tracked him down and found out that he was still helping the current Slayer, even though he had been removed from the Council. I set off to Sunnydale to find some answers."

"When I found Rupert and we talked, it became clear that there was much more to my family's story then what my father had told me. Suddenly it made sense that I had unknown enemies. Rupert provided my with books to research who it might be."

"So you didn't come here to see if you had Slayer powers?" Spike asked surprised and a little hurt that this was the first he had heard all of this.

Katerina gave him a shy, guilty smile. "No, I didn't…but Rupert mentioned to me about testing my Slayer ability…and I began to realize that I may need to defend myself someday. So I asked him to help me and he declined…that's when I asked you."

Buffy gave Giles a smile of thanks for giving her priority.

"You should have told me the whole story. We could have helped," Giles said. "Well, I guess that leads us to today and the item the Spike found. You are clearly the target of someone who is manipulating vampires. I don't believe that a Master vampire would be after you…it doesn't make sense. But it is vampires who have been causing the attacks around here…"

"What attacks?" Katerina asked, concerned that her presence was jeopardizing people's safety. Buffy jumped in and explained about the weird vampire attacks that were happening.

"We believe they are being manipulated by magic." Willow commented once Buffy had finished. The group turned towards Willow as she held up the photo of Katerina. The picture now had a golden dusty glow sprinkled over the surface.

"Will and I have been thinking that maybe the master was human…and maybe he was controlling them by magic." Tara added nervously.

Willow smiled at her lover and added, "Well it was Tara really that thought of the idea…so just now we did a enchanted trace spell. It would make anything that had been effected by magic appear to glow."

"Excellent thinking ladies! Yes, the influence of magic would seem to make sense…particularly if this is being orchestrated by a human."

Everyone was intently staring at the photo, when the phone rang.

******

Euan Rice stood in the center of the room, eyes closed and arms clasped in front of his chest. He was dressed in a long purple cape, with a simple black shirt and slacks underneath. He slowly opened his eyes and began to gaze at the vampires that were currently encircling him. He turned gracefully around to room looking each vampire in the eye as he turned. Some winced at his stare that seemed to burn through them. His penetrating look made them feel naked and weak.

The room began to fill with a scent and light smoke of incense burning. Euan opened his mouth and began to chant in Latin. The scarred vampire took a step forward and began translating for the group. "Powerful Eaden, son of Hades, keeper of the darkness. We beseech you to enter our minds. Let us act as one to defeat our enemy. Lead us to our victory tonight. Serve us our vengeance."

Wind whipped through the room, dowsing the light from the candle-lit room.

Their Master let out a loud cry, throwing his arms in the air. "We will be victorious!" He screamed to the bloodthirsty audience.

******

"Yes? Yes, I see. Yes…I understand…not a word…completely understood…Well, yes…thank you for getting back to me so quickly. Good night." Giles set the phone back on the receiver.

All eyes turned to him expectantly. "That was Quentin Travers. I phoned him this morning for some more information about who might be looking for Katerina." Katerina's eyes went wide. "Oh…no…don't worry. I didn't come out and ask him for what I was looking for. I would trust him as far as I could throw him. You see, there is a very short list of key Council members that are still alive that would have been angered by your father's betra…um…departure from the Council. I simply made up a story about why I needed to contact them…they are specialists in their fields. Back to the point…there were three men that controlled the Council at the time. They were referred to as the Triumvirate. The three were all rather upset about the disruption of the Council. They each blamed each other for what had occurred. Their bickering and accusations wore away at the Council's power and threatened its very existence. Eventually the rest of the Council placed a vote of no confidence in the three. They stayed on as advisors to the Council, but from then on only one Watcher was ever placed in control, to avoid a repeat of the Triumvirate."

"All because a Slayer and a Watcher fell in love?" Xander questioned.

"Heavens, no! They had plenty of other things to argue about, but the St. Just story was always their "ace in the pocket", so to speak, to bring out as a sore spot to any of them. They would use it to manipulate each other."

Katerina cringed at how her history was a strange twist of fate that had affected so many lives. "So what did Travers tell you?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"It appears that a certain Euan Rice, a member of the Triumvirate, has not been an active member of the Council for some time. Travers is not entirely sure of his whereabouts. The other two are dead."

"Well I guess that narrows it down. Where do we find this Rice guy?" Spike asked. He continued the pacing that he had started when he lost patience with this drawn out story.

"I don't believe finding him will be an issue. He wants Katerina to find him. He left the picture to get her attention, he must want her to walk into a trap." Giles removed his glasses and began to clean them.

"Fine. I'm in. He doesn't know that I have any Slayer strength…I can take him by surprise." Katerina jumped out of her chair and began to walk towards the door.

"Kate! You get your ass back over here! You are not ready for this." Spike demanded as he jumped across the room and grabbed for her arm. Katerina swung her arm out of reach and glared at him. "We need a plan, luv. Or your just gonna get yourself killed."

Katerina stopped and looked around the room. * This is so frustrating * "Fine! A plan…any ideas?" She commented sarcastically.

There was a significant pause, before Willow finally spoke up. "Tara and I could use this picture to do a locator spell. If this guy is close enough we should be about to find out where he is."

"Anya and I can do some background work on this guy…we might be able to find out something about how dangerous he is." Xander offered with a smile.

"That's a good idea Xander," Giles nodded "I can help you with the research. I believe I have copies of some of the Council's archives that might show us personality, tendencies…we might be able to find his Achilles Heel."

Spike looked around the room and nodded "Good. Buffy and I will start to plan our attack. If we are ready, we will go tonight."

Katerina looked at Spike in confusion. "What? You're not including me in your plan?" She turned to him so that they were nose to nose and only a few inches apart.

Spike saw her temper flaring and decided to speak slowly and softly, "Kat…you're not ready…Buffy and me can handle this."

"You and Buffy?" Katerina choked. She realized too late the venomous jealousy that dripped from her tone. Spike caught it first and if his face could flush it would have, he looked to the floor to avoid eye contact. * When had this situation gotten so confusing? * he thought to himself.

From across the room there was a very different sentiment. Buffy tried desperately to hide the smile that had spread across her face and the blush that had instantly risen to her cheeks. Her reaction was instant and sincere. She was honoured, but couldn't explain why.

Giles desperately observed the entire interaction and the reaction of the three. * When had this situation gotten so complicated? * he thought to himself. Trying to rescue all three, he interjected. "Katerina, the only experience you've had was with Spike during training. Spike can't even fight you properly with the chip. It really would be too dangerous to give you your first test with Euan Rice."

" Then test me now." Katerina shrugged her shoulders and handed out her palms offering to cooperate.

Spike and Giles exchanged looks, and as if reading each other's minds they nodded. Giles stood and walked over to Buffy. "Buffy, I think we will need your help for this…"

Minutes later the gang had dispersed. Tara and Willow were off to gather ingredients from the Magic Box. Anya and Xander joined them to retrieve the books that Giles had listed. Spike was standing inside the house pacing, even though he was supposed to be getting some rest. Buffy, Katerina and Giles were in his backyard preparing to "test".

I can't believe they decided to do this outside…in the bleeding sunlight. * Spike growled in frustration at not being able to see Buffy battle his student. Spike began to search for a sheer drape that he could look through without committing suicide.

Katerina and Buffy circled each other. Buffy had been reluctant to agree, but in the end it seemed the only way to convince Katerina that she should not participate on the raid. Katerina was anxious, edgy to prove herself. She knew she was ready, she just needed to prove it.

Katerina lunged first, showing her impatience. Buffy dodged Katerina, but caught her arm on the way past. Holding her arm tight, she used the brunette's own momentum to flip her over flat on her back.

"Patience! For god sake wait for your moment!" The girls heard a shout from inside the house. They turned to see Spike standing at a bay window behind a white see-through curtain, obviously just thick enough to make the sunlight indirect.

"Look who's talking!" Both Slayers sarcastically snapped back at him in unison. They turned to each other and laughed at their joint insult. For the first time they connected. Looking at each other they realized that they were not enemies, but kindred spirits.

"Let's go again." Katerina smiled.

This time she was patient. Let Buffy circle her and form a plan. She allowed herself to appear too casual, misleading the blonde into overconfidence. Buffy saw the slip and attacked with a quick round house. Katerina was waiting for it and grabbed her leg mid-kick. Buffy looked at her in surprise and Katerina smiled back at her and raised one eyebrow. Katerina used Buffy's leg for balance and gave the younger Slayer and powerful snap-kick to the face. Buffy's head flew backwards, making a snapping noise. Katerina released her leg allowing Buffy to fall to the ground. The petite blonde rose from the grass, holding her bleeding nose. "Um…ouch…" Buffy looked wide-eyed at Giles. "Perhaps we should use some protection if we want to be able to fight tonight?"

Giles looked at the circles forming under Buffy's eyes and nodded in agreement. "Yes, I believe that would be wise."

Buffy and Katerina sat on the grass talking, while Giles searched for facemasks and body padding.

Spike stood in the window watching his Slayers talk like friends. It felt weird to see them together, but good at the same time. He was ready to burst with pride when he saw Buffy's head snap backwards and within seconds he was pained from the blood he saw pouring from her face. All the emotions he was experiencing conflicted each other.

After a few more rounds of fighting, the two girls were lying on the grass in Giles' backyard, bruised, exhausted and sweaty. They were also laughing hysterically. Buffy truly enjoyed fighting someone full strength and testing her abilities. It was also nice to know that this fight would not end in one of their deaths. "I think you are ready." Buffy stated with finality as she removed her facemask. Katerina smiled with satisfaction as she removed her own.

Chapter 6

When Willow and Tara returned from the Magic Box, it was clear that a decision had been made. Buffy and Katerina were standing in Giles' living room both dressed for battle. Buffy wore her typical black leather pants and tight white tank top. Katerina had completely changed her appearance. The brunette now had her hair tied back in a loose braid. She wore a tight black T-shirt and black combat shorts that were cut off perhaps a little too short. Her black chunky combat boots rose almost to the knee. Buffy was kneeling at her side helping to tie a stake/knife holster to her bare thigh.

Willow cringed inwardly at the confident stature of Katerina that radiated sexy and dangerous. She understood why Xander found the French woman attractive, but she did not share his opinion. She found Katerina's confidence too intimidating. The redhead looked nervously at her lover and noticed Tara sinking behind Willow out of Katerina's line of vision. Willow reached back to grab Tara's hand to give it a squeeze.

"Oh good, you're back." Buffy commented as she looked up to notice the audience.

Willow's eyes widened at the sight of her best friend. "Buffy! What happened to you?"

Tara took at step closer to examine the black and blue strip running across Buffy's nose and under each eye.

Buffy scrunched her nose in confusion and felt a sharp pain from the damaged cartilage. "Oh my nose…it'll heal by tonight." she commented and reached up to rub the sensitive area.

"So soon?" Katerina interrupted, trying to sound disappointed. She gave a laugh at Buffy's scowl and a soft punch to Buffy's shoulder. "Jeepers! I was just kidding…not like you didn't leave me with a going away present either!" And she turned her face to show off a nasty bruise on the left side of her jaw.

The witches exchanged wide-eyed glances and decided not to ask for details.

"Xander, Anya, and Rupert are in the kitchen comparing notes from their research. Spike is upstairs sleeping, I was just about to wake him," Katerina looked at her watch impatiently. " We only have two hours until sundown to make a plan."

Katerina stood outside Giles bedroom door and knocked softly. "It's open." she heard in a gruff and sleepy British accent from behind the door. She slowly opened it to find the room in complete darkness. She sighed at her lack of night vision and fumbled her hand along the wall searching for a switch. Hearing her frustration, Spike commanded in a soft voice of someone half asleep, "Two small steps straight ahead and turn to your left and you will be facing the bed".

Katerina did as instructed and reached her hand out to feel the bed. She smiled as her hand hit a cold bare foot instead. She ran her fingers across the length of the foot and up the ankle to the cuff of a pair of jeans and stopped. "You are not going to stop there are you?" Spike whispered in a now husky voice. Katerina began again, running her index finger along the outer seam of Spike's jeans. Just above the waistband her finger made contact with skin.

Katerina smiled to herself at the image of a shirtless Spike lying on the bed in this dark room. If Spike could have seen the gleam in her eye, he would have recognized that she was going to do something mischievous. Katerina let the nail on her index finger make contact with Spike's cold pale abdomen, just above the hipbone, then dragged her nail slowly across his tight stomach, tracing the top of his jeans. Spike took an unneeded deep breath in. He felt himself quickly harden by the seductive pain of the slow scratch. Katerina felt his ab muscles twitch and knew she was achieving the desired effect. Increasing the pressure slightly, she placed all four fingernails on his abs and started a ridiculously slow path up his chest.

As she reached nearly to his collarbone, she bent down and took his earlobe into her mouth and gave it a small nip. "I need you downstairs in five minutes." she whispered haughtily.

Spike felt her breath in his ear and her teeth take a soft bite of his earlobe and lost control. For weeks they had worked side-by-side, talking and laughing and teasing. He could see the desire in her eyes and smell her arousal each time they fought. Yet they had only shared one kiss. The passion-filled kiss at the Bronze had left him wanting…needing more. Spike growled loudly.

Before she could stop him, Katerina was pinned to Giles' bed with Spike's erection pressing into her groin through their clothes. All she heard from the vampire through his growls was "You are not walking away this time…"

Spike bent his head, crushing her mouth on his. Their tongues battled relentlessly for control until Katerina broke it off, gasping for breath. They stared at each other in the dark room, faces inches apart. "Spike…" she whimpered. " We…we…can't. Everybody is downstairs waiting for us." Spike groaned at her rejection, and began a torturous combination of kissing, licking and nipping at her neck.

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you started this little game."

Katerina took a deep breath and close her eyes. Timing had never been her best attribute. "Spiiiike." she pleaded in frustration.

"Slayer." he whispered breathlessly back at her.

Katerina's eyes opened wide. "Slayer! Slayer? You are thinking of fuckin' Buffy right now? I can't believe you." She shoved him off her with as much force as she could manage to gather. Spike hit the wall across the room with a thud. Katerina jumped off the bed to stand nose to nose with the rather shocked peroxide blond.

She waited a minute to gather her thoughts and control her temper. When she began she spoke in a soft and slightly hurt voice. "It is always about her isn't it. It will always be about her…" She didn't know whether she was speaking to herself or to him. He seemed only to be able to stare at her…no attempt at excuses. She sighed a moment and Spike thought he heard her swallow hard as if accepting the inevitable. She turned to leave, but paused at the door. She spoke in an emotionless matter of fact tone. "I need you downstairs in two minutes. We will talk later…but we've got more important things to do right now." She made a movement to walk out but stopped again to turn and face where Spike stood in the darkness. She gently whispered, "I will never be anyone's second choice."

Spike winced at the sound of the door shutting behind her. He could not believe what had happened. He hadn't even been thinking of Buffy, at least not consciously. He had never called Katerina 'Slayer' before, so it made sense that she assumed he had meant Buffy, but somehow he hadn't…or maybe he had? Then again, did it matter? If he did eventually want Buffy to return his love, then it was better that nothing came of this evening's romp. Right now he didn't have time to sort this out. For now they had one more battle to win before they could carry on with their lives, for a little while at least.

Katerina stopped to look in the mirror to ensure she did not look too flustered, frustrated or rumpled. Her lips were still swollen from Spike's demanding kisses but her lips were naturally full…she doubted anyone would notice the difference. The disappointment in her eyes was much more telling, but only Spike would ever notice that anyway.

Everyone was currently gathered in the living room when she made her appearance. "Spike will be here in a minute." she announced as if daring anyone to challenge the fact.

Xander's mouth dropped as she walked past him to stand beside Buffy. * Who incarnated Lara Croft and put her in Giles' living room? * Xander smiled to himself at the similarities between the battle-ready Katerina and the heroine of his favorite video game.

As Spike walked into the room the first thing he noticed was Katerina standing beside Buffy. In the boots she was wearing, * Very nice boots. * She clearly towered over the petite blond. Buffy appeared almost childlike next to the tall twenty-six year-old's curvaceous body. The second thing he noticed was geek-boy clearly drooling over her 'even-if-I'm-all-business- doesn't-mean-I-can't-be-sexy' outfit. Spike instinctively walked past the whelp and growled possessively before standing next to his trainee.

"What are you planning on doing? Getting all the vamps to trip over their own hard-ons in that getup?" Spike whispered to her sarcastically.

"Actually I think that I would need Buffy's help to be successful at that…some gentlemen do prefer blonds." She spoke vindictively under her breath.

"Careful Kat. Your claws are showing…" Spike retorted to her stinging comment.

"Au contraire…I am simply stating a fact of some people's preferences. If someone appreciates attributes that I do not possess, then so be it. I would not regret something about myself for the sake of a man's good opinion." Katerina stared at Spike entirely void of emotion.

Although most of the room could hear some of the conversation, the meaning was lost on them…well on most of them any way.

"Let's get started, shall we?" Giles began…

******

Buffy and Katerina crouched behind a large rock in the woods. They silently watched Spike creep deeper into the woods. The witches had been able to locate the warehouse that Euan occupied through a type of locator spell that they explained in detail, but no one really understood. The plan was fairly sound given the limited time that they had to come up with it. They had decided that a two front attack would be best. Spike and the two Slayers would try to gain access to the warehouse by simply fighting with brute force to get there. Clearly the most obvious plan, which is what they were counting on.

Their secret weapon would be the Slayerettes. Giles, Anya, Xander and Tara were currently setting up. They were forming the "disenchanting square" that spanned for a hundred square yards, with the warehouse as its centre. The concept was to have Willow back at the Magic Box controlling the spell and empower the team. The other four would line the perimeter of the square with Athlem dust and each stand at a corner. At the appointed time, ten o'clock, they would begin to chant in unison. The result would be that the entire area encased in the barrier would be a magic-less space and hence the advantage taken away from the Watcher turned Warlock.

"Going in to start attracting some attention. You try size up how many vamps are in these woods. I have a feeling that even with the witch's mojo this place will be a bloody minefield." Both women opened their mouths to object, since Willow would not have started her spell yet. Spike knew better than to wait for an argument and was already ten paces away. Buffy and Katerina sighed to each other, knowing that it would attract too much attention to themselves if they chased after him.

"He's going to get himself killed for you one day." Katerina whispered, breaking the silence. Her eyes were still staring off into the spot Spike had vanished into the woods. Buffy tried to read the older woman's words. * Were they a warning? A threat? Or maybe just jealousy. *

"He's not here for me…he's not doing this for me " Buffy whispered back.

Katerina turned to look at the petite blond and let out a sarcastic 'humph'. And smiled a sad twisted smile. "You can think whatever makes you feel better, Buffy. You can think he's evil. You can think he's not worthy of you… but you can't ever fool yourself that thoughts of you don't control his every action."

The intensity in the brown eyes burrowed deep into Buffy's. She was left breathless.

The woman beside her continued, knowing she had undivided attention. "I've seen you together enough to know that you are not as innocent as you try to be. You've put a nice little 'Bitchy-Buffy' barrier around yourself to try to hide it, but he gets to you…I know he does." Katerina sighed in frustration and gathered control of thoughts. There was something she wanted to say and she didn't need to get the girl's back up before she got it out.

Calmly, softly she continued "Buffy, that feeling you get when he's around? When he stands too close…or knows you too well? You know I'm right…but you are afraid. He can give you what you need. Fill that emptiness that you try so hard to hide. You don't have to be a martyr, Buffy. You make your own rules. You shouldn't let anything you've been taught stand in your way or play on your guilt and fear. Don't let your fear control you. I know that he's worth it…worth the risk of putting down your guard.."

******

Tara was grateful that the night was well lit with a nearly full moon and a clear sky. She had found her first appointed spot easily, but was still nervous that Willow was not around. She had rarely been sent into battle without her lover. She had enough magic tricks up her sleeve to protect herself in vampire-infested woods, but that fact did not help calm the pounding in her heart .

Xander and Anya also separated and found each their initial spots without much difficulty. The plan involved finding the landmarks that were to act as the corners of the square, and then each Scooby was to walk clockwise towards the next landmark, spreading the Athlem dust on their walk. Once they reached their second landmark, they were to wait until ten o'clock to begin chanting.

Giles had opted for the farthest landmark, which meant a significant walk and passing through the deepest part of the woods to get from the first landmark to his second. He sighed in relief when had found the pond that indicated his starting spot. Knowing the others had likely already begun spreading their Athlem dust, he quickly got to work at tracing his portion of the squares perimeter. After only about 20 yards he knew he was being hunted…the question was only by how many.

******

Buffy sat in silence as the minutes ticked by. She knew Katerina did not expect a response and was glad for it. She knew that she had been given 'something to think about' and was also thankful that she did not have time to think about it now.

The stillness of the night was broken by the sounds of a struggle. Sounds of grunts, fists hitting skin, thud of grass being crushed by the weight of a body, rustle of trees and the panting of someone running.

Katerina and Buffy jumped from behind the rock in unison. Without a word, they took off together into the woods.

******

Euan smiled at the news. "So William the Bloody has decided to join our party? I'm honoured," He commented in a deadpan humour that was lost on the vampire messenger. "No matter. He will die among the rest."

"It is time to give the night power." Euan smiled. He walked over to a clay pot on a table in the middle of the room. He lifted a leather sachet and sprinkled a dark powder from it into the bowl. He took a vial and emptied its thick liquid contents on top of the powder.

The mixture began to sizzle and smoke as the ingredients reacted to each other. As the room filled with a dark haze, Euan clapped loudly and shouted, "Cease the reflection of day and let the darkness dominate all things."

As the cloud dissipated the vampire looked fearfully at Euan. His Master smiled back. "I do not care what happens to the other she is with, but Katerina St. Just is to be brought directly to me – ALIVE."

The vampire's eyes went wide with the unspoken threat in the man's voice. "Yes Master Euan, I will see to it myself." And he dashed out of the room.

******

Buffy darted through the woods towards the sound of the struggle. She knew Katerina would not be able to keep up with her speed but she couldn't risk going slower. She froze as she came into a bit of a clearing. Giles was pinned to the ground by a vampire. He was currently using a crossbow to shield his throat against the vampire's jaws.

Buffy pounced on the attacker, ripping him off the Watcher. Using her momentum, she rolled with the vampire until she ended up on top of the creature and quickly staked it. She dusted herself off and offered Giles a hand up. She sighed at the thankful look he gave her; she was trying not to think that she almost lost him again.

"I'd better get on with the spell," he stuttered. "It's almost time." Giles gave her a weak smile and began again with his task of distributing the sacred dust.

Buffy carefully tried to retrace he steps back the way she had come. She was beginning to get concerned that she had yet to reunite with Katerina. Suddenly she felt a cold chill run through her. The wind picked up and her hair began to dance around her face. Instinctively she looked at the sky in time to see a once bright and friendly moon seem to disappear from the sky. It was black…very black.

******

Katerina had lost track of Buffy at some point during the stronger Slayer's sprint. She searched the woods uselessly. Things were not working according to plan. They should not be this deep into the woods without Willow's spell being done. She suddenly felt very alone, but not alone enough. She looked around her frantically as she felt them coming upon her in the distance. They arrived quickly, seven of them, three moving in closer and four forming in a circle on the outskirts – watching and waiting.

Katerina tried to focus and crouched into a fighting stance. She managed to dust the first two that foolishly attacked without thinking. The third learned the lesson and began to circle her, taking his time before making his first move.

The inexperienced Slayer struggled to focus on the vampire circling her without losing sight of the four others only feet away. She inhaled deeply in a gasp as she noticed the air surrounding her become icy cool. Katerina was frozen where she stood as everything around her went completely black. The only thing visible through the night's curtain was a pair of golden eyes as their owner pounced on her. The last thing she heard was the sound of her own scream.

******

Spike heard a scream and looked around in panic. The sudden darkness had surprised him, but his enhanced night vision enabled him to adjust quickly. Starting to run in the direction of the scream, he heard a rustling in the undergrowth a few meters away and dove for it, tackling the creature.

******

Buffy found herself thrown to the ground and struggled to free her hand enough to position the stake. Before she could, she heard a surprised "Buffy!" muttered from her attacker and she found herself released.

"Spike?" she questioned as a strong arm lifted her off the grass and back to her feet.

"Yeah, it's me pet. Heard a scream and got a little jumpy is all."

"I heard it too." Buffy commented and she felt Spike tense beside her.

"Kate?"

"We got separated." Buffy responded with a twinge of guilt.

Spike let out a sigh. "The scream came from this way..." As he started off quickly, he stopped once as he realized that Buffy was not following. He grabbed her hand and explained, "Better stick close, luv. I'm guessin' you can't see much."

Buffy was surprised to find Spike's hand strong and gentle. It was strangely comforting…but this was not the time to think about it, she reminded herself.

Spike stopped and let go of her hand. Suddenly, he was on all fours, running his fingers through the grass. With a sigh he stood again and announced, "They got her."

"What? How do you know that? Is the grass talking to you?" Buffy blurted out sounding more defensive then she intended.

"I'm not Dru, I can SMELL her. She was here a few minutes ago," he paused and added in a pained voice, "and the grass is covered in her blood"

Buffy managed an intelligent "oh" and fell silent.

The uncomfortable moment was interrupted in true Sunnydale style - with a vampire attack.

******

Giles, Anya, Xander, Tara and Willow each looked at their respective watches, took a deep breath and began to chant. "Senza Magika Campla" over and over.

******

Buffy and Spike fought furiously at the waves of vampires that attacked. Buffy stayed close to Spike since it was still entirely black. She fought only on instinct. Anything that wasn't Spike was dust.

As the time wore on the two began to tire. The vamps were not attacking one at a time but were timing perfectly one immediately after the other in waves, giving the two no time to prepare between attacks.

******

Katerina woke to the feeling of pain. Every muscle in her body ached, every bone felt broken. As she opened her eyes, the only thing she saw was a white-haired and wrinkled man. It seemed funny to her how he appeared so harmless except for his eyes. His eyes were entirely black, giving the appearance of empty holes into his skull. She knew immediately that this man was Euan Rice.

She struggled to move away from those eyes, but found her back was against a wall, her arms chained above her head, and her feet chained together below. For the second time in her life she felt entirely helpless. She scanned the room, trying to assess the situation. It appeared there were three vampires, herself, and Euan in the room.

"Are you trying to think of a plan of escape?" Euan laughed. "Little girl, you are only still alive because I will for it to be so. Your friends outside have fallen into my trap and will soon join you in death."

Katerina remained silent and squeezed her eyes shut, She was unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Euan stepped forward and grabbed her chin harshly. "You will look at me when I speak to you." Katerina forced her eyes to meet his dark glare. "For years I have planned for this day and I will savour it. You will pay for your parents' indiscretion with each scream. I imagine they died never even knowing what their lust cost me. I had one dream in life: the power of controlling the Council of Watchers. It was denied to me forever because of them. Do you have any idea how powerful the Council is? The impact it has on the world? On life as you know it?"

Euan smiled to himself in a way that made Katerina try to bury herself deep into the cold wall behind her.

"To you and that brainless Slayer helping you, the Watcher's Council is just a bunch of stuffy old men that do research when you need help. As if we were the tools for your use and not the other way around. The Council is so much more than you imagine. It is truly the government of the supernatural world. The power of that government far surpasses any head of state known today. I could have ruled that and my power would have been boundless. But my reputation became tainted and my devoted followers began to place their trust elsewhere."

Euan stared at Katerina and tightened his grip on her chin until he felt the crack of her jawbone between his fingers. "And you, my pretty thing, are the only thing left to make be feel better." He released his hold and took a step back. Smiling cruelly, he removed a small knife from his belt and began the first stages of torture.

******

Buffy hit the grass hard, falling on her back. She struggled to get to her feet while she blindly searched the space around her for her next attacker. Before she was able to get her balance, she was knocked down again. Pain shot through her arm and shoulder as a vampire's hands pinned her to the grass. She could hear Spike still battling a few feet away, but from the sounds of his panting, the fight would not last much longer.

As she struggled to release herself from the grip of the demon, she felt a strong cool breeze run through her. The darkness around her began to dissipate. The yellow eyes and fangs about two feet from her face came into view. The vampire suddenly looked confused and disoriented. Taking advantage of the moment, Buffy threw him off of her and rose to her feet, stake in hand. The clouded sky continued to clear and Buffy noted three vamps surrounding her and four more near Spike. All the vampires were slowly backing away as they felt their advantage slipping.

"The spell is working! They are not being commanded by magic anymore." Buffy shouted to Spike.

"'Bout damn time too…they look pretty confused, don't they? Best take advantage of it, luv."

In unison, Spike and Buffy quickly dusted the remaining vamps while the residual effects of the spell were still disorienting them. Once the last fell, the two wordlessly ran towards the warehouse.

******

Euan grabbed a cloth off the table and wiped the blood from his forehead. "Torture can be such a messy business," he commented to the vampire beside him. He had really only begun; only a fraction of what he had in store. A few minor, but painful, gashes on various parts of Katerina's body were dripping blood onto the floor. Enough to place her in constant pain, but not enough to kill her quickly or have her pass out from the intense pain. * There will be plenty of time for that later, * he thought to himself.

Euan was about to check on the branding iron he had been heating when he felt a change in the air pressure of the room. Soon a cool breeze passed through the windowless room. In surprise, he looked at Katerina. It was too bad her head was down, trying to gather strength for the next round of pain, or she would have caught the panic in his eyes. Around the room, the few vampires lost their appearance of focus and began to look at each other in confusion. The sorcerer looked down at his hands as he felt the mystical energy drain from his body. He collapsed to his knees and began chanting in a futile attempt to regain control of the demons around him. He felt the connection with the vampires being lost and turned to his former servants in the room.

As he felt the jaws of one of the vampires clasp around his neck, the weak old man released a final cry of anguish and defeat.

******

The Slayer and vampire flew through the warehouse searching for any sign of Katerina. Following the direction the vampires were mostly fleeing from, they found a door to a back room. Spike quickly broke through the door and burst into the room with Buffy following right behind. Both rescuers stopped suddenly as they took in the site before them.

An older man lay thrown on the floor awkwardly. His eyes wide open and blank, staring into nothing. His throat appeared thoroughly devoured. The pale wrinkled faced old man looked more like your next door neighbour's grandfather then a merciless killer.

"Euan Rice? Do you think?" Buffy muttered at the disgusting sight.

"Suppose so… guess them vampires weren't so well trained without the magic. Like releasing an animal that had been tied up too long…" Spike commented with a snort.

"Oh god…" Spike gasped in horror.

Buffy followed his eyes to a lifeless body chained to the wall at the back of the room. They tentatively stepped forward afraid to confirm the certainty of her condition.

Her body was partly mutilated, obviously from enduring various stages of torture. Pieces of her flesh were displayed where a patch of her leg had been skinned. She was covered in blood from several knife wounds.

"Kate?" Spike whispered as he stepped closer. With a shaking hand, he lifted her head slightly to make eye contact. Her eyes were closed and her body had begun to cool. For the first time, Spike realized that the only heartbeat in the room was Buffy's. As he tilted her head, he noticed twin puncture wounds on her neck. He winced in pain at what he had lost at the hands of his own kind.

Buffy remained silent behind Spike, until she was overcome by the sight and stench of death. She turned away, bent forward, and vomited. Spike slowly released Katerina's head and moved over to Buffy.

After she had calmed down, Spike pulled her into his chest and they comforted each other, both lost in their own thoughts of failure.

Chapter 7

Once Giles had updated the Council with the events leading up to Katerina's death, they were immediately taken aback. To know that the Watcher and the Slayer had had a child and the lengths that Euan Rice had gone to seek revenge had made them turn introspective. After a quick meeting of the Council's key members, they placed a call back to Giles. The Council explained that they intended to do whatever was necessary to redeem themselves. Surprisingly, they admitted their guilt in the misguided actions they took towards St. Just.

To ease their collective conscience, the Council requested permission to have the body of Katerina sent to England. Their intention was to have an honourable ceremony and burial of Katerina that her father was deprived of. The Scoobies agreed and even Spike saw justice in the offer. It seemed an appropriate way to pay their respects.

While the burial took place in England, the gang gathered at Giles' apartment. Giles decorated his living room with candles and flowers. Soft music murmured their loss in the background. In the early hours of the morning, the gang gathered to honour a women they barely knew. Spike made a short appearance, said nothing, and left early.

Weeks passed and their lives moved on. Buffy would often stop by the crypt to see if Spike would patrol with her. Their time together after Katerina's death was never awkward, just different. Spike took about a week to be comfortable again, making nasty remarks about Buffy's fighting style or fashion sense. Buffy would deny to anyone how grateful she was that the jibes had started up again.

The Slayer and vampire walked through one of the familiar cemeteries in a comfortable silence. This night was a particularly slow one on the darkness brewing scale. Either of them could easily have called the patrol off an hour before, but neither said a word.

"Spike," Buffy said, disturbing the silence "Can I ask you something?"

Spike cocked his eyebrow in response.

"Um, okay…it's just that…well, Kate…Katerina said some stuff to me…that night." Buffy stumbled over her words. She hadn't really figured out what she was going to say, and the words were not flowing easily.

Spike continued to stare at her in silence, terrified of what might be coming next. Things were going well between them and he wasn't ready to mess that up. A friendship with Buffy was more than he had ever thought possible.

Buffy realized she was not going to get any help from the bleached blonde on this uncomfortable conversation. He was obviously leaving her to pry the words out of her own mouth. With a sigh, she straightened her back and gathered her confidence. "Katerina told me that I was too afraid to see the real you. That I like to lock people into categories of good and evil. That it's too hard for me to accept that you are not evil so I try to be mean to you to protect myself." Buffy stopped and made eye contact with Spike. His blue eyes burned through her like fire, as if he could see her soul or as if he was trying to.

"You got a question in there somewhere, Slayer?" Spike asked in what he hoped was a calm voice.

"Question?" Buffy asked in a confused voice. * This is not going well at all *

"Question. As in 'Spike, can I ask you something?'"

"Oh…um, I guess my question is: do you think she's right? Do you think I live in a world of black and white to protect myself?" Buffy rubbed her head as she spoke. Her thoughts were getting muddled because she couldn't figure out what she was trying to say. * Why did I bring this up in the first place? *

Spike sighed. "Buffy," he began quietly. "The way I see it slayer, you have a soul. And you go out every night and kill things. Kill'n nasties every night... well you gotta be pretty tough. You need to see everything in easy terms like 'needs saving', 'needs killing' and 'can be ignored'. You don't have time to think if a demon deserves for you to kill it, or why he is attacking someone. One second of hesitation could kill you."

"But what about when I am not slaying? What about when I'm just being Buffy? Shouldn't I be able to see gray?"

Spike tilted his head slightly and gave her a small smile. "Look pet, I don't want you to get all 'I don't understand my purpose in life anymore'. I think you will naturally start seeing the gray when you really think that you are safe enough to. Then you'll see people you can't place just say are 'good' or 'evil'. I hope that you'll see me in there somewhere…not quite a man but not exactly a monster either." Ice blue eyes never broke the hold they had on the hazel ones as he spoke.

Buffy met his powerful stare and gave a sad smile. "Katerina also said that I need to open my eyes to see you. To see that you are worth letting in."

Spike smiled as he thought of Katerina telling Buffy everything that she would not have wanted to hear. "That's my Kate…" Spike chuckled and then fell silent as the gruesome image of her death flew back to him.

Buffy let the silence continue while they continued their 'patrol'. "You really liked her didn't you?"

Spike contemplated the question. His relationship with Katerina had been multifaceted. She had dangled the carrot before his eyes by suggesting she could get Buffy to see him for what he really was. After Buffy had revoked the invitation to her house, he had lost all hope in her returning his feelings. Kate did much more then return that hope. She gave him something he had been struggling with since he had arrived in Sunnydale so many years ago. His self-confidence. There had been so many failed attempts to kill Buffy, then being in a wheelchair, watching Angelus seduce Drusilla, Dru dumping him, and worse of all, the chip. Time after time, Spike found himself the butt of the joke, but with Katerina it was different.

She treated him with respect. She enjoyed his company and saw his potential. She reminded him of the simple pleasures of life that he had long given up on like sparring, flirting and laughing. She made him passionate about life again, with or without Buffy's love - he was back.

Spike looked over at Buffy and smiled. "Yes. I liked her a lot, pet." Spike answered in a tone that made Buffy's heart sink in her chest. She shifted uncomfortably under the vampire's penetrating glance and broke eye contact.

"Oh." Buffy commented sounding more jealous then she intended.

Spike raised an eyebrow as he sensed Buffy's pulse increase and a blush spread across her cheeks. Touching her gently under her chin, he raised her head to look at him. He saw in her eyes something he'd never seen before, at least not directed at him. He saw desire, want, need. Encouraged by her stare, he moved closer until he could feel her warm breath on his face.

"Buffy, I want you to know…I need you to know that in here," he pointed to him heart. "There is only room for you. It will always be you. Kate knew that. I never hid it from her."

Buffy felt like her heart would pound straight through her chest if Spike got any closer. His words impacted her so much. It was more then she had hoped she would hear from him. After Katerina died, she knew things might never be the same. She felt the guilt and knew that he did as well. She also wondered if he had partly blamed her. Thinking that he had loved Kate and wanted to be with her had made everything worse. It made his loss all the greater. As she felt more and more attracted to him, her guilt got worse. Like she was taking advantage of the death. But to hear that Kate always knew that she could never have Spike somehow made her feel free…free to feel everything that she was currently feeling.

Spike's cool hands began to trace her jaw line. His eyes roamed her face, memorizing every gentle curve and shadow.

Buffy's bottom lip began to quiver and her eyes closed in anticipation. She heard Spike take in a quick breath, gathering his courage to do what she was silently praying for.

His hand made it's way to the back of her neck. She felt herself gingerly pulled closer to him until she felt his cool lips barely touching hers. She leaned forward, needing more contact but the kiss remained chaste and feather light.

Buffy darted her tongue out slightly, tasting his soft bottom lip. She tenderly sucked and nibbled on it, winning a quiet moan from her undead partner.

Spike broke contact first and moved back just enough to look at her face. His eyes went wide in panic as the thought crossed his mind that he may wake up any minute to find himself in bed alone. What he saw in front of him was no dream. It was truly the Slayer with a look of passion on her face that matched his own.

"Oh, God, Buffy," Spike sighed. "I've wanted this for so long." He gently bent his head and placed his forehead on hers. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to assure himself that this was real.

Buffy licked her still tingling lips and let a smile creep across her face. "I love when you do that," She whispered to him. " I love when you are so intense you make me melt inside."

Suddenly it clicked for Spike. Buffy was really there, kissing him, enjoying his company. This was real. Desire overtook him. He squeezed her shoulders, lifting her into the air, and kissed her passionately. Buffy tried to squeal when she felt herself lifted, but was silenced by a pair of cool, needy lips claiming her smile.

The fierce battle of their tongues continued until Buffy pulled away, needing oxygen. "Maybe," Pant. "We should," Pant. "Go someplace," Pant, "Less like a cemetery."

Spike's response was to pick her up, her legs wrapping around his waist. Carrying Buffy, he headed to his crypt, stopping only to lean against the occasional head stone to give a ravaging kiss.

The next evening, Quentin Travers walked through the empty parking lot of the Council building in London. It had been a long week. Three of his colleagues had not shown up for work and were currently listed as missing persons. Travers and the rest of the Council had closed operations today until their co-workers could be found, standard procedure when the Council might be under attack.

He placed the key in the lock of his Austin Martin but before he could turn it, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Travers shuttered with fear as he turned, the keys falling from his hand jingling and hitting the cement.

A woman stood before him. She had long brown hair and sharp brown eyes. She had a look of confidence that frightened him. She had beautiful features despite the various scars on her face and neck.

"Quentin Travers?" she smiled and raised an eyebrow to him.

"I am." Travers stuttered back.

Katerina gave him a wicked smile and revealed her new fangs. "I have a message from my parents…" She growled as she grabbed him tight, bent her head, and fiercely ripped out his throat. She let his bloodless body drop to the pavement. "Go to hell."

Bending down, she picked up the keys to her new car and smiled as she thought to herself, * Next stop…Sunnydale. *

THE END (probably)