In Giles' living room, the gang sat around, sharing stories from the previous evening. They were all proud of how it had gone, and they joked and laughed, relieved that it had been so easy.
Xander didn't attempt to be humble. "We kicked so much vampire booty…"
Buffy smiled, listening to their stories, but deep down she knew it wasn't over. Giles had told her about the person he had seen that night in the cemetery. She hadn't told him yet, but she had seen it too, hiding behind the stage curtain, watching her during the vampire massacre at the Bronze. It made her uneasy to think about what it might have in common with the abnormal number of vampires they had seen on patrol in just the last few days.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a hot summer evening. Loud guitar music blared over loudspeakers, and people in bright-colored clothing sat in groups or alone. A few tents lined the ground here and there. Outside one of the tents, a girl danced alone, humming along with the song. She wore a bright green dress. Her straight, blonde hair reached almost down to her waist, with flowers woven in it. Tabitha. She danced in a small, lazy circle, turning slowly. Someone stepped in front of her and she blinked her eyes, trying to focus on who it was. Before she could open her mouth to speak, she was pushed to the ground. She was not angry, instead she giggled and looked up at her assailant. The person kneeled in front of her and touched their strong hand to her face. She closed her eyes and rested her palms flat on the grass. He leaned close, then bit hard on her neck. Her eyes grew wide at first, but then she looked simply confused. She gasped for air; finally she drops backwards on the grass. She lifted a weak hand up, asking for help. A woman's distant voice whispered: "Oh, can I keep her? Please?" The only response was the man's bloody wrist being brought to Tabitha's mouth. She clamped her hand around his as she drank, and struggled to keep her eyes open. The arm pulled away, and she stared up, close to unconsciousness. Kneeled above her was a longer-haired Spike, starting to look a little woozy. Drusilla stood behind him with her hand on his shoulder; smiling excitedly at Tabitha.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabitha's eyes flew open. She sat up and lifted her hand to her throbbing head. Spike was gone, and the clock on the table showed 9 p.m. She pondered how many days she had been out of it, and looked slowly around the dark, empty room.
Her suitcase had been moved, and was open on the floor beside the bed. She untangled herself from the pile of blankets and leaned over to fish through her suitcase for something to wear, but then she stopped. For the first time, she realized that she was now wearing her dark blue nightgown. She tried to recall if she had put it on herself or if maybe Spike had done it for her. She couldn't remember.
The door suddenly swung wide open, startling her. Spike stepped in, carrying something over his shoulder. He was pleased to see that Tabitha was finally awake. "How are you feeling, kitten?" He set down his bundle. "Hungry?" It was a young woman with bleached-looking hair. She wore a sparkly, bright red party dress. Spike walked to Tabitha and gently helped her out of bed, then led her to where the woman lay unconscious. "Do you like it?"
Tabitha watched as the woman began to stir. "Where'd you find her?" She kneeled down on the floor as the woman groaned and rolled her head to the side.
"She had a nasty spill down some stairs. So sad, isn't it?" Spike was disappointed that he still couldn't make Tabitha smile. "Go ahead. I already ate." Tabitha didn't answer.
The woman opened her eyes and focused on Tabitha's face, which now had yellow eyes and sharp teeth. She gasped and backed against the wall. "Don't be afraid, honey," Tabitha told her sweetly, and reached out. The woman squealed and slapped Tabitha's hand away, bringing laughter from the two vampires. Tabitha swung her hand at the woman without warning, leaving four bloody scratch marks across her cheek. She proceeded in quickly drinking the woman dry, then dropping her on the hard floor.
After delicately wiping her mouth, Tabitha stood up and faced Spike. Her serious expression caused him to frown. She opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it and lowered her gaze. He slowly tipped his face down to hers, their lips almost touching.
Suddenly she turned her head to the side and laid her head on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, frustrated, and tangled his hands in her hair, pulling her close.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy was patrolling alone tonight. The number of vampires she had seen on her rounds tonight had dropped significantly in comparison to the last few nights, but she had no idea why. According to the gang's research, the figure Giles had seen watching them was just an average demon, capable of some common spells, but with no apparent motive to cause any of the strange occurrences that had gone on in the past week.
As she rounded a corner in the path, three vampires came at her. One kicked her in the chest, and she fell backwards.
She somersaulted to her feet and staked the vampire that had knocked her over before he could react, then lowered her stake and looked around. She smoothed her hair back with her hands. "This is just…" she was interrupted by the other two vampires jumping off a small building and landing on either side of her. She punched one in the stomach and kicked the other in the face, knocking both to the ground.
During all this, the cloaked demon watched her from the darkness. It glided along, following her, watching her fight.
She threw one vamp on it's stomach and drove her stake into its back. The other grabbed her and flipped her over, but she jumped up immediately and landed a good kick that sent it reeling.
In the darkness, the creature still stood, watching.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabitha sat half-propped up against a pile of pillows, her bare shoulder sticking out from underneath the blankets. She reached her hand up to rub her eyes, then stared to get out of the bed. Spike wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her back down, where she landed on top of him.
"What are you doing?" she asked him gently. He moved his mouth down her cheek, and she closed her eyes for a moment. "I have to go, Spike!"
"No, you don't," he told her, his voice muffled against her face.
She smiled and let him pull her back to lean against his chest. He brushed her hair behind her shoulder, revealing a nasty-looking bite at the top of her shoulder. Her face tightened for a moment when he his fingers bumped against it slightly.
"Does that hurt, love?" he smiled a little and ran his fingers over her shoulder near the wound.
"It's alright," she leaned her head so her hair fell forward, but he pushed it back to look at her shoulder. He leaned close to her neck and shut his eyes for a moment. Then he pulled her back and put his mouth over the wound. Tabitha tilted her head to the side, her fingers flattened out against the sheets.
Spike moved out from behind her. Tabitha leaned back, a small smile on her face as Spike held himself above her. "You can stay here just a bit longer, can't you?"
She ran her hand over the back of his head and down his neck. "Like I have a choice!" She moved her fingers over his upper back, then ran her fingernails though the four deep scratches on his shoulder, causing him to wince slightly. She looked surprised. "Did I hurt you?"
He chuckled. "Oh, could you again?" he whispered as he leaned down to lick the wound on her neck, which was now bleeding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in the cemetery, the cloaked demon was satisfied with Buffy's progress. It turned away from her fight and walked through the darkness, back to it's lair, grinning in anticipation of reward for the job well done. It was surprised to suddenly find Buffy herself directly blocking it's path, and stopped short.
"What do you want?" it rasped.
"A vacation!" Buffy smarted. "Tell me what you're doing here."
"What reason do I have to tell you by business?"
She grabbed it hard by the throat. "You have no idea the week I've had. I have no problem with killing you." It gulped, but she didn't loosen her grip. "Who sent you?" she demanded coldly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabitha lay asleep with the covers pulled up around her tightly. Spike ran his fingers along her cheekbone, then sat up and looked around carefully. His eyes went to the door, and he found his clothes dressed quickly. He walked to the door and stared at it for a moment, confusion on his face. He put his ear against the door and listened for a moment, puzzled, before pulling open the heavy door. His eyes grew wide when he saw who was standing there.
"Spike," Drusilla cooed, "Spike, my sweet!"
Xander didn't attempt to be humble. "We kicked so much vampire booty…"
Buffy smiled, listening to their stories, but deep down she knew it wasn't over. Giles had told her about the person he had seen that night in the cemetery. She hadn't told him yet, but she had seen it too, hiding behind the stage curtain, watching her during the vampire massacre at the Bronze. It made her uneasy to think about what it might have in common with the abnormal number of vampires they had seen on patrol in just the last few days.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a hot summer evening. Loud guitar music blared over loudspeakers, and people in bright-colored clothing sat in groups or alone. A few tents lined the ground here and there. Outside one of the tents, a girl danced alone, humming along with the song. She wore a bright green dress. Her straight, blonde hair reached almost down to her waist, with flowers woven in it. Tabitha. She danced in a small, lazy circle, turning slowly. Someone stepped in front of her and she blinked her eyes, trying to focus on who it was. Before she could open her mouth to speak, she was pushed to the ground. She was not angry, instead she giggled and looked up at her assailant. The person kneeled in front of her and touched their strong hand to her face. She closed her eyes and rested her palms flat on the grass. He leaned close, then bit hard on her neck. Her eyes grew wide at first, but then she looked simply confused. She gasped for air; finally she drops backwards on the grass. She lifted a weak hand up, asking for help. A woman's distant voice whispered: "Oh, can I keep her? Please?" The only response was the man's bloody wrist being brought to Tabitha's mouth. She clamped her hand around his as she drank, and struggled to keep her eyes open. The arm pulled away, and she stared up, close to unconsciousness. Kneeled above her was a longer-haired Spike, starting to look a little woozy. Drusilla stood behind him with her hand on his shoulder; smiling excitedly at Tabitha.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabitha's eyes flew open. She sat up and lifted her hand to her throbbing head. Spike was gone, and the clock on the table showed 9 p.m. She pondered how many days she had been out of it, and looked slowly around the dark, empty room.
Her suitcase had been moved, and was open on the floor beside the bed. She untangled herself from the pile of blankets and leaned over to fish through her suitcase for something to wear, but then she stopped. For the first time, she realized that she was now wearing her dark blue nightgown. She tried to recall if she had put it on herself or if maybe Spike had done it for her. She couldn't remember.
The door suddenly swung wide open, startling her. Spike stepped in, carrying something over his shoulder. He was pleased to see that Tabitha was finally awake. "How are you feeling, kitten?" He set down his bundle. "Hungry?" It was a young woman with bleached-looking hair. She wore a sparkly, bright red party dress. Spike walked to Tabitha and gently helped her out of bed, then led her to where the woman lay unconscious. "Do you like it?"
Tabitha watched as the woman began to stir. "Where'd you find her?" She kneeled down on the floor as the woman groaned and rolled her head to the side.
"She had a nasty spill down some stairs. So sad, isn't it?" Spike was disappointed that he still couldn't make Tabitha smile. "Go ahead. I already ate." Tabitha didn't answer.
The woman opened her eyes and focused on Tabitha's face, which now had yellow eyes and sharp teeth. She gasped and backed against the wall. "Don't be afraid, honey," Tabitha told her sweetly, and reached out. The woman squealed and slapped Tabitha's hand away, bringing laughter from the two vampires. Tabitha swung her hand at the woman without warning, leaving four bloody scratch marks across her cheek. She proceeded in quickly drinking the woman dry, then dropping her on the hard floor.
After delicately wiping her mouth, Tabitha stood up and faced Spike. Her serious expression caused him to frown. She opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it and lowered her gaze. He slowly tipped his face down to hers, their lips almost touching.
Suddenly she turned her head to the side and laid her head on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, frustrated, and tangled his hands in her hair, pulling her close.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy was patrolling alone tonight. The number of vampires she had seen on her rounds tonight had dropped significantly in comparison to the last few nights, but she had no idea why. According to the gang's research, the figure Giles had seen watching them was just an average demon, capable of some common spells, but with no apparent motive to cause any of the strange occurrences that had gone on in the past week.
As she rounded a corner in the path, three vampires came at her. One kicked her in the chest, and she fell backwards.
She somersaulted to her feet and staked the vampire that had knocked her over before he could react, then lowered her stake and looked around. She smoothed her hair back with her hands. "This is just…" she was interrupted by the other two vampires jumping off a small building and landing on either side of her. She punched one in the stomach and kicked the other in the face, knocking both to the ground.
During all this, the cloaked demon watched her from the darkness. It glided along, following her, watching her fight.
She threw one vamp on it's stomach and drove her stake into its back. The other grabbed her and flipped her over, but she jumped up immediately and landed a good kick that sent it reeling.
In the darkness, the creature still stood, watching.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabitha sat half-propped up against a pile of pillows, her bare shoulder sticking out from underneath the blankets. She reached her hand up to rub her eyes, then stared to get out of the bed. Spike wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her back down, where she landed on top of him.
"What are you doing?" she asked him gently. He moved his mouth down her cheek, and she closed her eyes for a moment. "I have to go, Spike!"
"No, you don't," he told her, his voice muffled against her face.
She smiled and let him pull her back to lean against his chest. He brushed her hair behind her shoulder, revealing a nasty-looking bite at the top of her shoulder. Her face tightened for a moment when he his fingers bumped against it slightly.
"Does that hurt, love?" he smiled a little and ran his fingers over her shoulder near the wound.
"It's alright," she leaned her head so her hair fell forward, but he pushed it back to look at her shoulder. He leaned close to her neck and shut his eyes for a moment. Then he pulled her back and put his mouth over the wound. Tabitha tilted her head to the side, her fingers flattened out against the sheets.
Spike moved out from behind her. Tabitha leaned back, a small smile on her face as Spike held himself above her. "You can stay here just a bit longer, can't you?"
She ran her hand over the back of his head and down his neck. "Like I have a choice!" She moved her fingers over his upper back, then ran her fingernails though the four deep scratches on his shoulder, causing him to wince slightly. She looked surprised. "Did I hurt you?"
He chuckled. "Oh, could you again?" he whispered as he leaned down to lick the wound on her neck, which was now bleeding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in the cemetery, the cloaked demon was satisfied with Buffy's progress. It turned away from her fight and walked through the darkness, back to it's lair, grinning in anticipation of reward for the job well done. It was surprised to suddenly find Buffy herself directly blocking it's path, and stopped short.
"What do you want?" it rasped.
"A vacation!" Buffy smarted. "Tell me what you're doing here."
"What reason do I have to tell you by business?"
She grabbed it hard by the throat. "You have no idea the week I've had. I have no problem with killing you." It gulped, but she didn't loosen her grip. "Who sent you?" she demanded coldly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabitha lay asleep with the covers pulled up around her tightly. Spike ran his fingers along her cheekbone, then sat up and looked around carefully. His eyes went to the door, and he found his clothes dressed quickly. He walked to the door and stared at it for a moment, confusion on his face. He put his ear against the door and listened for a moment, puzzled, before pulling open the heavy door. His eyes grew wide when he saw who was standing there.
"Spike," Drusilla cooed, "Spike, my sweet!"