Ladybard chapter 7, by Slayergirl

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Buffy lounged back against Spike's knees as he massaged her shoulders. The film was fairly awful, but she didn't really mind. It was nice just to be spending time with him. And it was very nice to feel so pampered and loved. He always made her feel like that these days.

"Good?"

"Mm…" she replied dreamily. "So good. Relaxing."

He leant forward to wrap his arms round her shoulders, kissing the side of her face. She reached up to kiss him, warm lips brushing softly against his cool ones. "Good, I can go on ogling the heroine, then," he teased.

She cuffed him playfully. "You'd better not, or I'll…" He morphed into game-face.

"Wanna play, Slayer?" he drawled.

She smiled back, reaching up to caress a shiny fang, knowing he wouldn't bite. "No." She looked up at him, breathlessly, as his eyes shimmered between gold and azure, wondering if she dared ask… "I want you to claim me," she said finally, watching him slip back to his human form.

He took her face in his hands, looking deep into her eyes. She couldn't read his expression. He brushed his thumb over her lips, and she closed her eyes, yearning towards him. "Already claimed you, love. Or at least, bound you to me," he said eventually.

"Wha… how?" she squeaked.

"When you died. Through Dawn. She took some of my blood – kissing the cut on my head – which started off the whole thing. She made me drink from one of her cuts, acting as a proxy for you. She wanted it to be that way – to give me something of you that I could keep forever." He looked down at her. "Don't be angry, love – please!"

"I'm – not angry," she said. "Well, not with you, I can understand why you wanted it. As far as you were concerned I was dead, it wouldn't affect me. But – Dawn shouldn't have done that. It wasn't just her blood that she was playing with."

"She thought you were dead, too," he reminded her.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"You'd probably have staked me for it. And felt violated by it. Now you've asked for it, want it – it's different."

"Well, that explains a lot," she said, frowning. "All the stuff – before you went. Why I could only find peace with you, why I needed you so much. Why being without you…" She bit her lip.

"I'm sorry," he said, stroking her hair.

She crawled up to sit beside him on the sofa. "So make it up to me," she challenged.

"How?"

"Claim me properly. Me, not through Dawn. Claim me."

He wrapped his arms round her. "You sure?"

She looked up at him, trustingly. "Yes."

She watched, fascinated, as he morphed back, unafraid of the demon. Flicking her hair to one side, she bared her neck for him.

She was surprised when he kissed the sensitive skin, gently licking and nibbling and sucking. She wrapped her arms round him, feeling warm and comfortable, closing her eyes and murmuring softly that she loved him.

His fangs were scraping against her neck, but still he didn't bite. She nestled closer to him, love washing around her in waves. His shoulder brushed against her lips and she began kissing it, holding his half-opened shirt out of the way. Then she felt his fangs sinking into her neck and moaned aloud. She'd never felt anything quite so erotic, and stretched her neck to allow him easier access. As he began to suck, she bit down hard on his shoulder in imitation of him, barely realising she was drinking from him. But she couldn't stop.

He sucked once more and felt her shudder with him, letting go of his shoulder to scream. She looked stunned, dazed, and gazed up at him, blinking rapidly. "What – what happened?" she whispered, shocked.

He smiled, stroking her hair. "Seems like you weren't the only one being claimed," he said wryly.

"You mean – I claimed you?" She found it difficult to accept.

He lay back on the sofa, pulling her down against his chest so that her head rested against his unbitten shoulder. "Seems so," he murmured. "You're mine now," he said, gently stroking the mark on her neck. "But I'm yours, too. Always."

"Um, I haven't… you haven't…"

"Turned you?" he raised an eyebrow. "Hardly. I didn't take enough blood to put you in danger. You probably took more of my blood than I took of yours!"

She wrinkled her nose. "Sorry. I don't know what happened. I couldn't stop."

He gave her a lop-sided grin. "Just so long as you never get turned… you could be a severe health risk, Summers!" he chided.

"What did happen?" she asked, snuggling up to him.

"Not sure," he yawned. "If you were a vampire, I'd say it was blood- lust, but you're not, and I don't think humans get it! Ask Giles… Maybe subconsciously you didn't like the thought of being submissive to a claim?"

"So – I'm not?"

"Not what?"

"Submissive? To the claim?"

He yawned again. "Yes and no. Mutual claim. Makes us pretty much equal."

"Oh."

"But still bound together. Almost certainly binds us more closely, actually. Doesn't happen often – most vampires won't allow it - cos it means they can't dominate, I suppose. Never really was that interested in the hierarchy stuff, but… pretty sure that you can only do it if you're of equal status, otherwise the whole hierarchy could be upset… Anyway, it means we're equal and we're bound together."

"Oh!" She was relieved.

"Worried I'll run off with someone else?" he teased.

She blushed. "Uh – well. Always a possibility."

He wound his fingers in her hair, pulling her head back so he could look at her. "No," he said softly. "It's not a possibility."

She bit her lip, knowing that there was no other possibility for her either. "But – what if – you get staked, or something? I don't want to lose you again…"

"Less chance of that than any normal guy being run over by a bus," he said firmly. "Get it into perspective, love! There are always going to be accidents. Your mom dying, Tara dying… see what I'm saying? It happens. And not just to you."

She nodded. "But," she faltered, "One day I'll be old, or ill, or ugly, and you won't want… you'll still be…"

"By your side," he interjected softly. "Yes, I'll always be young. But I'll be with you, right to the end. No matter what."

"Even if I don't know who you are?"

"Always, love, always," he soothed. "Not gonna leave you, love, ever…"

She nestled back down against him, contented. "Good."

He laughed and kissed her. That's my girl!"

She linked her arms round his neck and kissed him back, tasting her blood in his mouth. She looked at him, breathlessly. "I love you, Spike," she whispered. "I feel so lost without you. I was so afraid you'd never come back, I needed you so much…"

"Sh, love, I'm here now," he murmured.

"Help me!" Her eyes were pleading, though she didn't know what she was asking for.

"Always," he said gently, understanding, arms enveloping her as he rolled them over and kissed her. "Better?"

She was completely surrounded, surrounded by love and comfort. His very presence was comforting. All her fears and insecurities seemed to drift away. She looked up at him, smiled, and nodded. "Better," she murmured as he kissed her again.



TBC…