Waiting
It was late at night and only the up-lighting of the church and the blinking streetlight illuminated the puff of blue cigarette smoke that came from the pale lips of William the Bloody. He stood, surrounded by shadow, silently watching the heavy door of the church.
He had stood there for the past four nights, feeling the prickling of pain from the hallowed ground reach out to him. He ran his tongue over the small points of his lower teeth, which gleamed in the darkness, and stared at the wall of the church where a large cross had, until recently, been nailed. It was about that time that he had been able to stand watching, the beacon of pain and religion had meant that this small church in a sleepy town in Surrey was not accessible.
It was about that time that he also noticed her. William was besotted with her. The way she held a folder of Bible work to her chest, as if she always wanted to feel God's power within her heart, and the way that she pulled the thick black collar of her coat around her ears filled him with a strange feeling, which he had only experienced when watching Buffy Summers back in America. He had tried to escape her and had found solstice in watching this new, simple girl. She seemed less violent than Buffy, but also much stronger than Harmony.
He ran his hand through his bleached blond hair and ground the cigarette out with his boot. The last of the blue smoke swirled about his head,
"Bloody Hell, how long is she going to take in there?" he muttered under his breath, which came out as a white mist that intermingled with the smoke. He looked at his watch, 10.15, she should be out soon, especially as the rest of the congregation had left 45 minutes before.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out another cigarette and his lighter. As he snapped back the silver lid the orange flame leapt to life and another cloud of blue smoke wafted up from the end. He stood in silence for a few more moments, smoking his cigarette and peeling the flaking black nail polish from his left-hand thumbnail, when a car pulled into the other end of the street. He moved backward into the shadows and watched as the bright lights of the car pulled up outside the church.
Out of the car stepped a man of about 25 with longish brown hair and a bright red T-shirt. His blue jeans were baggy, and had many holes in them, and he coughed a chesty smoker's cough as he flicked the dog end into the gutter. Spike snarled and bared his long teeth, the points shining in the darkness. He didn't like this guy. The man stood on the pavement and leant on the bonnet of his car. He looked at his watch twice in a few minutes and yelled, "Chrissy, are you coming out yet!"
William at least now knew her name, but he really hated this guy. There seemed to be no movement or lighting change within the church, so the guy went round to get into the driver's seat again. Spike moved quickly and quietly from the shadows to stop in front of the car. Stubbing out his cigarette and reaching into his pocket he said,
"'Scuse me mate, do you have a lighter? My one's busted." The man looked at him for a moment, "Yeah, hang on." The man reached inside the glove compartment for his lighter and sat back up, "You have to shake it a little before…" he screamed. It was a girly scream of terror, which Spike enjoyed immensely.
"What?" Spike said, his forehead crinkled and his teeth exposed. The man screamed again as Spike dove forward and sank his teeth into his neck.
* * *
Dragging the man into the bushes was difficult, but Spike managed it with little effort, especially as he had been refreshed. He was about to drive the car off somewhere, but was distracted by the light that flicked on by the heavy door to the church. The little pool of light illuminated both his face and the car, so he jumped out, locked the door and ran back towards the shadows.
As the oak door creaked open at the front of the church William looked round to see Chrissy exit. She looked tired, but she still looked magnificent. She pulled the door closed with a clunk and moved towards the car, "John?" she called, "Sorry to have kept you waiting, but I…" she stopped speaking as she realised that no one was in the car. William watched as a slither of blond hair fell from her shoulder and as she craned her neck to see inside the car. She stood, looking down the road both ways, shrugged and leant on the side of the car.
William moved his face slowly out of the shadows and stared at her. Her skin was so pure, her hair such a bright blond, her body so smooth… He smiled. However, as he watched, Chrissy's brow furrowed and she looked at her watch angrily. She looked down the road again, into the darkness and emptiness of the street. She sighed and her breath snaked up from her lips into the night air and vanished.
William took another step out of the shadow and watched that small breath float upwards. She was perfect. William closed his eyes and imagined stroking her soft hair and holding her small hands. He was in love with a mortal again. He would have to alter the whole Christian thing though; he didn't want her to stay like that.
Chrissy sighed again and pushed herself off of the bonnet of the car. She wandered down the street, swinging her church sermons and reading a piece of paper entitled, "Virginity at Any Price". William laughed to himself at her naivety and watched her walk a little further down the road. He then slipped from the shadows and watched her back as she continued on her way. Chrissy began to hum a quiet hymn, which echoed loudly in the quiet street, and Spike smiled. He'd have to wait until tomorrow. He bared his long teeth again in anticipation,
"Virginal blood is always more refreshing than blood from stoners like him." Spike said quietly as he looked at the still body of John. He chuckled and lit another cigarette, the orange end burning brightly in the darkness.
