"So let me get this straight," said Kindra with only the slightest of slurs in her speech, "you are in love with a slayer..."
"Thee Slayer." replied Spike.
"And her job is to kill you. Except that now she doesn't have to because someone put a chip in your head?"
Spike nodded solemnly to the two women sitting across the table from him. The table was littered with cans of beer and the bottle of brandy sitting in the center was nearly empty.
"And she doesn't love you back?" supplied the other woman.
"God, that's, that's..." Kindra looked to her partner , "Magda, what's the word I'm looking for?"
"Sad? Tragic?"
"No," said Kindra waving her hands about, "pitiful, that's it pitiful. Really pathetic." She reached across and patted Spike's hand. "Don't get me wrong. I mean you're a good looking guy, you know, if you're into guys and all. So why don't you find someone else? You know a nice little, cute, little vampire girl and you could, do you guys settle down?" Kindra regarded Spike with a frown on her face.
"And on that note," said Magda, "we are going to get you to bed." Madga hooked her hand under Kindra's arm, hauled upward and managed to get her standing."Wil is in the kitchen doing her chores if you want to go talk to her" said Madga. The two then began to weave their way back to the storefront that was the street entrance of their apartments. "You are invited in."
Spike sat a few minutes looking at the scene around him. There had been a retailer sidewalk sale earlier in the day, and as evening had fallen the street had been blocked off for the annual spring moon madness party. All the stores had been closed and a small stage was set up at one end of the street and a beer tent at the other end. Tables had been put out for the revelers and the rented bar-b-que barrels were still smoking. It was late in the night and though the large crush of people who had been here earlier was thinning there was still no sign of the party stopping.
Spike rose to his feet. He was much steadier than his erstwhile drinking companions had been as he had more practice. Since the evening had started he had only had a few minutes time to talk to Willamina as she had been signed up to run one of the food booths. He still wasn't sure what he wanted to talk to her about but he thought that she might want to know about her great, great aunt. That I killed, his mind added automatically. Well, she didn't need to know that.
He followed the path through the tables that the two women had taken earlier and paused at the door to the shop. Yesterday he had been unable to enter. After talking to Kindra and Madga tonight he had guessed that a second spell specific to the shop had been placed to keep out vampires. Nothing had been said directly to him but he caught the undercurrent of fear. It was strange because it didn't seem to be directed toward him.
When he walked through the door his guess of a spell was confirmed. He felt a tension in the air, a pulling sensation across his skin, then a snap as he stepped across the threshold. Even as he stood still he felt a tingle as if electricity was filling the room.
He could hear the murmur of voices from the upstairs, the quiet talking of people before they bedded down for the night, and two voice much closer. He could tell one of them was Willamina so he moved in the direction of the sound.
He pressed through the racks of t shirts to the back of the store and stood listening in the doorway to the conversation.
"Come on Wil. Kindra doesn't have to go with us. It's just going to be a picnic. It'll be fun. We can do some rock climbing..."
"I don't know Jeff. Kindra is going to feel like shit tomorrow and she doesn't want me climbing by myself yet."
"You'll be alright. I'll look out for you."
"Jeff, I told you, not tomorrow. Jeff, what are you doing? Jeff..."
Spike had heard enough. He walked into the kitchen and put a smile on his face. "So, pet, are you coming over tomorrow so we can talk and get to know each other better?"
Both occupants of the room spun around at the sound of Spikes' voice. Wil had a grateful smile on her face. "Jeff, this is my Uncle Spike. He just got here yesterday and we really haven't had a chance to talk. He's from England originally."
Jeff looked annoyed for a moment than put a smile on his face and walked over toward Spike with his hand out. Spike ignored the hand and moved further into the kitchen to stand next to Willamina. He draped his arm around his 'niece' and smiled back at Jeff. "Me mum said she would be upset if I didn't get to talk to m'niece, so we're going to make a day of it."
Jeff realized he had been outmaneuvered. He picked up his gloves that were lying on the counter and headed for the back door. "Ok, Wil. I guess we'll wait for another day. Maybe next weekend when your uncle isn't here?" He didn't wait for an answer but went out the door.
Wil looked up at Spike. "Thanks. That was getting awkward. He's never been like that..." She trailed off looking at Spike in alarm.
Spike was having trouble keeping his vamp face from surfacing. He could smell it, human blood.
Fresh human blood and it was close. He glanced down at Willamina's hands but there were no cuts or abrasions although for the scent to have this much effect on him it would take more than a small wound.
Spike looked around the kitchen for another source. On the long butcher block table in the center of the room there were a few packages of ground meat sitting open. "What are these?" he asked walking over to the largest of them. He knew he had to taste the blood lying on the paper to be sure but didn't want to gross out Willamina.
"That's the meat for the chili. Camilla will be down when I'm done the dishes to make chili for the rock climbing expedition. You know, that's what Kindra does. She is going to take some novices out in a couple days and have them climb the rocks in Red Rock Canyon. Then, at the top, they'll stop for lunch before they head down."
Willamina had turned back to finish the dishes as she talked. Spike took the opportunity to taste the blood on the package of meat. The large package held regular cows blood. The second smaller package held what looked like ground pork and with a quick dab of his fingers Spike knew that was what it was.
The smell of blood was still hanging in the air. Spike started walking around the room, poking into cupboards. "It's got to be here."
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" asked Willamina turning around.
"Oh, sorry, ducks." said Spike spinning around. " I was just looking for a...glass, yeah, for some water."
Willamina turned back to the sink. "Next cupboard. Anyway..."
From this angle Spike saw that he had missed seeing a smaller package of meat. He quickly grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and walked back around the table. The package was hidden under the spread of paper from the large glob of ground beef. He carefully moved the paper out of the way and dipped his finger in the blood pooling around the meat and touched it to his tongue.
The familiar taste of human blood brought his demon to the front. Human blood. The urge to pick up the package and glut himself was momentarily overwhelming. He brought himself under control quickly, he didn't want to wear out his welcome this early. But this was a bad situation.
Spike realized that this meat had to be gotten rid of before it was cooked for the chili. Although the demon in him urged him to either forget telling anyone or to just take it himself, he realized both options were not the normal thing a human person would do.
With a sweep of his arm, and a deft flip of the wrist the package of meat was on the floor, he clumsily took a step and was up to his heels in ground meat.
"So sorry. How clumsy of me." He said to Willamina as he accidently ground his foot into the offending meat.
Willamina was staring at him opened mouth.
"I'm afraid that I accidently caught the paper with my hand as I walked by." Spike supplied by way of explanation as he bent down to gather up the mess.
Willamina bent down and started to help him clean up.
"No." said Spike emphatically. Then noticing her startled look he continued more casually, "Your hands are all clean from the dishwater. I can get this. You finish up. So, where do you get your meat from? I can go out and replace what I've ruined."
Willamina looked at the small amount of meat that was on the floor, it couldn't have been over a pound. "We get our meat from just around the corner. A butcher shop. That's what Jeff does, he delivers for them. But I don't think you ruined very much so I don't think you need to replace any. I'll let Camilla know, if she even asks."
Spike stood, dumped the meat in the trash and went to the sink to rinse his hands. "Did Jeff deliver this meat tonight?"he asked as casually as he could. If she says yes, he thought, I will find a way to hurt him.
"No, we have a freezer where we keep meat. We usually order in bulk and get a delivery about once a month. Jeff just stopped in from the party." Willamina colored slightly, "He wants to take me on a date but Kindra won't let me go out yet."
"Damn straight." said a voice from the doorway. Kindra leaned against the door frame and peered blearily into the bright light of the kitchen. "Just came to get a glass of water. And as long as I'm here, I guess I need to tell you it's way past your bedtime young lady." She pushed herself away from the doorway and began to maneuver to the sink.
Spike saw the look of rebellion that flashed across Willamina's face. "Don't worry, luv. I'll be here a few more days before I have to leave. We'll have a chance to talk."
Willamina turned to leave the room, turned back, and going over to Spike gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for listening, Uncle Spike." And turning around once more raced out of the room and up the stairs.
"Ugh." said Kindra, hanging onto the sink for support. "That child is going to be the death of me. I don't have to tell you to leave, do I?" she said, eyeing Spike.
"No. I'll leave. But I want some answers. Why do you have this place spelled against vampires? What is going on here? I keep catching the scent of fear but I don't think it's because of me." He stood with his arms crossed waiting for an answer.
Kindra took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. It wasn't in her nature to complain or ask for help. But if anyone could shed light on the strange happenings the man, no, vampire, she corrected herself, in front of her was probably the person who could help.
"Look, I'm beat. I need about 40 hours of sleep. Could I come over to your hotel, you do stay in a hotel?" she inquired. At the affirmative nod, she continued "I can come over tomorrow and let you know what's going on." She drew a hand across her forehead. "I am so worried about Wil, but I don't even know what I should be worried about. Maybe you'll be able to tell me. Where are you staying?"
"I'm staying at Caesars Palace under the name William Wordsworth."
"Fine. I'll be over about noon. So, don't let the door hit you in the ass." said Kindra to the retreating back. Kindra waited for the jingle of the bell on the front door before moving to lock up. "Nice ass, if you're into guys..."
*****
TBC
