New Horizons: Chapter Twenty-Four
By Annie
05-12-2002
Buffy, dressing for the second nights supper, still hadn't gotten over the fact that not only had she and Spike been unable to even slightly shake whatever the lord had planned to do with those urns, but they hadn't even gotten to grasp the opportunity to listen in on whatever conversation he was about to have with whoever had been with him.
The day had been a horrible trip to absolute boredom since Sarah insisted that Buffy needed to show herself social and do some needle point with the ladies after the afternoon tea.
Now, Buffy was as good with sowing as she was with cooking, that is, not at all. She spent most of the time clenching her teeth together every time the needle stung her finger and not only was she more than half as fast as the other ladies, her pattern came out looking as though a child had scribbled on her piece of cloth with a crayon.
"This can't be right," she had mumbled to Sarah and Sarah had had to look away not to laugh.
"I'm sorry," Sarah had said, turning back to her. "No, I would say that is quite wrong, my dear," she had added and Buffy had sighed.
"I give up," she had murmured, getting up from her chair, smiling and excusing herself to the other ladies before exiting the room just to run as fast as she could as far away from it as she could get.
Then things hadn't really picked up any speed as she had taken a walk on the grounds, by herself. The only thing for her to do out there was to think.
And think and think and think about the strange situation she suddenly found herself in.
"Spike loves me, Spike LOVES me, Spike.loves.me," she had mumbled to herself, trying to make it sound normal, trying for it not to evoke the feeling of warmth rising through her entire body at the thought of every time he had touched her, kissed her, every time he had murmured words in her ear and entangled his fingers in her hair he had.loved her.
When she finally headed back to the "house" dusk was settling amongst the trees and twilight was spreading its shadows across the lawn. And she had looked up and seen him, standing on the terrace waiting for her, and she had felt her heart race in her chest at the sight of him, and she head stopped and closed her eyes for a moment just to make it calm down, and it hadn't, and then.
Now she sighed as Sarah came up to help her button up her dress.
"Sarah," she said.
"Yes?" Sarah answered her as she let her fingers work.
"Have you noticed something.different with Spike?" she asked and Sarah seemed to hesitate a moment before asking:
"What do you mean by different?"
"Well," Buffy said thoughtfully, "he's just. avoiding me. Like, before when I was coming back up here to change I saw him on the terrace. I'm sure he saw me, but he didn't wait for me. He walked back inside. It's just, I don't know, different," she mumbled and Sarah, just finishing the last button, took a step around her to come stand in front of her.
"Buffy, aren't YOU different?" she asked and Buffy raised her eyebrows a little. "What I mean is simply this, everything between you has changed now. EVERYTHING is different and you can't tell me that you didn't expect it to be after what you told me happened last night."
Buffy whined, walking up to the bed and sitting down, a sea of crimson silk spreading at her feet as the skirt of her dress fell around her legs.
"No, I suppose I can't say that, but WHY does it have to be THIS different? I mean, shouldn't he be happy? Relieved?" she asked, turning to Sarah who smiled a little.
"Buffy, that's not up to me to answer, now is it?" she asked and Buffy sighed again.
"No," she agreed. "But HE doesn't seem to wanna talk with me," she added frustrated and Sarah came to sit beside her.
"Then give him some time, and when HE is ready he will come to you," she said. "You both have a lot to work through, I believe, and I think you BOTH need some time. Don't you?"
Buffy looked up at her, then nodded.
"Did you talk with lord Hart?" Sarah now asked, changing the subject as she got off the bed and walked up to the tall mirror, looking herself over.
"Yes, this afternoon. I said that I simply had had the most AWFUL headache and that I had been unable to find him before I felt I HAD to withdraw last night, and that I had thought about sending him a note but that it would probably not have been a very good idea to 'give away' his location, and that a lady was sending him a note while he was waiting there, to the servants," Buffy said, now smiling widely. "He was very graceful about it and said that he hoped we could make arrangements for TONIGHT instead."
"What did you say then?" Sarah asked, smiling as well.
"Splendid," Buffy said, her own smile now fading as she thought about the true reason for her standing the lord up the night before. "I said 'splendid'," she mumbled.
***
She and Sarah glided in through the doors to the grand hall after supper, guests were already dancing lively on the huge space of the dance floor and Buffy watched the swirl of color as she couldn't help but look for Spike.
They had been seated too far away from each other at dinner for her to even see him and now she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.
"He's probably charming his way through the whole lot," she mumbled to herself and Sarah turned to her.
"What was that?" she asked and Buffy shook her head.
"Nothing," she answered.
"You're not worried about William, are you?" Sarah asked and Buffy raised her eyebrows a little.
"No, not WORRIED. Why?" she asked and Sarah smiled.
"Well, because of the chip, of course," she pointed out and Buffy felt her eyes widen a little.
HAD she completely not thought about that fact?
Okay, something is seriously wrong with me, she thought as she started to look for the vamp with more focus than before.
"I have to find him," she said.
Sarah nodded and they went separate ways, Sarah to the right and Buffy starting to make her way towards the glass doors leading out to the terrace to the left. When she was about to take a step outside a cool hand slid into hers and stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned to him and as he looked at her the stupid heart started its frantic racing again.
His face looked as it had all day whenever around her, completely drained of expression. What had caused her to recoil more than once was the same lack of expression resting in his eyes. As he met her eyes now, however, the gaze in them was warmer and she started to relax a little.
"Let's dance," he said and before she could protest he had pulled her with him out onto the dance floor.
The music had just died away and it took a moment for the small orchestra assembled to prepare for the next song. As they did he placed one hand on the small of her back, pulling her to him, his left hand grabbing her right and then raising it with hers in it.
His eyes, so calm and strong and beautiful, held hers and she could feel that she was breathing rather hard because her heart didn't want to function the proper way.
Then the music started and he easily brought her into a waltz, they were sweeping around, a part of the silky mixture Buffy had been observing just a few moments earlier.
There's nothing more sensual than being in his arms like this, she thought, swallowing hard and finally looking away from his eyes. Dear Lord, now I'M losing it, she added, disbelieving.
"Did you find out anything more?" his voice asked, low and sounding dangerously intimate.
"What?" she asked, looking up at him almost timidly and suddenly scared that he had read her mind.
"About lord Hart, Slayer," he said. "Did you find out anything more?"
Her eyes grew a little and she smiled, relieved, shaking her head.
"Personally I've spent the whole bloody day without coming up with anything, only heard something about this Sunday," Spike said and she looked at him, questioningly. "I don't know what it means," he said. "But it sounded important and so we'd better look into it once we're back in Town."
She nodded.
"What?" he asked, spinning her around and around, the only thing making her dizzy was her own thoughts. "Slayer, it's impolite to stare," he mumbled and she blinked, surprised, as she looked away.
"I-I'm sorry," she said. "William."
"Yes?" he pushed her on impatiently as she trailed off.
"Why are you avoiding me?" she asked and he tilted his head a little to one side, a small smile curling his lips.
"No reason, really," he answered her and she looked disbelieving. "I'm just.thinking. About a lot of things. I just have to.I'm trying to figure out if."
Now HE trailed off, his eyes reflecting the battle going on inside of him and she nodded, even though she had a hard time understanding what he meant. She wanted him to TELL her what he was trying to figure out. But Sarah was right, and he WOULD come to her when he was ready, she just needed to be a little patient.
'Patience, look into it, Slayer.'
She smiled a little at that. Those little inputs wouldn't go away, would they?
Then the music stopped and everybody applauded the orchestra as they got ready to perform another piece.
"May I cut in?" a deep voice asked behind Spike and Spike turned to the lord who was smiling sleekly.
Buffy felt her heart stop and an unpleasant shiver travel up her spine. Everything in her told her that this man was something really, really bad and oh, she didn't want his arms around her again. She wished she could have insisted on Spike having his two dances, but she couldn't, and so she could only watch as Spike returned the smile and bowed slightly before giving the lord her hand.
Dammit, she thought as she looked up at the lord and brought forth the fake smile she had reserved just for him.
"Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Summers?" he asked as he pulled her to him.
She nodded, trying to fight the urge to hit him between the eyes and wipe the smug smile off his face.
"Of course you are," he said, the music starting up again and he began leading her into the rhythm of the assembled people on the dance floor. "And tonight I trust you will be careful and not obtain any small 'cramps' that might intrude on our scheduled meeting?"
The NEED to hit him almost took over for a moment and then she smiled even staler as she nodded again, afraid that if she spoke all that would come out was going to be unflattering words on exactly WHAT she wanted to do with that meeting.
"You are beautiful, my dear," he whispered, pulling her closer. "I believe our meeting will be quite. interesting."
She actually felt the slime from those words travel down her back and she couldn't help but shiver again.
"Are you cold, Miss Summers?" he then asked, rather concerned and she shook her head.
"No, mylord, not at all. Please, let's let the music just.take us away," she said. "Let's not talk," she added to be sure she made her point and he looked at her for a moment before smiling.
"Yes, of course," he said and she drew a breath of relief.
At least not hearing him talk would prevent the so fancy supper she had just enjoyed from coming right up again.
***
At twelve o'clock the lord stepped up on the small platform in front of the orchestra and begged for silence.
Buffy had regrouped with Sarah after her two awfully long dances with the lord and they had silently been discussing the facts they so far had obtained, both agreeing that they really needed to do some major digging once they got back to Jacob and Sarah's home.
Now both of them turned their eyes on the lord as he smiling raised his hands and said:
"Dear friends! I am so happy that you gave me the honor of acting as your host!"
Cheering was heard as a response to that and he smiled wider, lowering his hands.
"Unfortunately I have had a pressing matter come upon me at this time of our festivities and I am regretful to inform you all that I must cut the celebrations short."
Surprised gasps and questions of why was the response this time and the lord nodded, looking very sad indeed.
"Yes, it is a great loss for me as well, but I am afraid the matter to which I have to attend is personal and I pray you, do understand my situation. Tomorrow we shall have a grand breakfast to say good-bye to one another and then, I am afraid, I must be left to my own dreary company."
Kind protests was heard and Buffy huffed to herself, she sure wasn't about to make one.
"This is perfect," Sarah whispered in her ear. "If William is right and there is something happening this Sunday, this will give us more time to investigate it."
Buffy nodded, suddenly thoughtful.
"Yes." she said. "I wonder WHY the lord is cutting the ball short, though. It seems a little.unplanned."
"Do you think something fishy is going on?"
Buffy smiled a little, and then frowned.
"I don't know, but I'll do my best to find out," she said. "I'm sure the lord still want us to have our meeting 'on schedule'," she added and Sarah nodded.
"Do be careful," she said and Buffy smiled again.
"I always am," she said reassuringly.
At twelve forty-five Buffy wandered into the orchard, the flowers' scents gently stroking her nostrils as she walked up to a low stone bench underneath the stretching branches of a big tree to sit down.
Her head was a mess of thoughts jumping from this whole Birth of Fire thing to Spike and the way he was with her, why was he like that? What did he mean with "one last time" and WHAT was he trying to figure out?! Not knowing was driving her crazy and she leaned forward, resting her forehead against the palms of her hands and taking a deep breath.
She was seriously beginning to think that something really was wrong with her Slayer side as well, she had almost FORGOTTEN that Spike was a fanged vampire again, and she was scared of what that might mean. was she losing her intuition as a Slayer? And if so, was that happening because she wasn't in her own time anymore?
"So, so, SO screwed up," she mumbled to herself.
"You look terrible, Slayer," his voice suddenly said and her head shot up, she stared around her but he was nowhere to be seen.
She sighed as she got to her feet, unconsciously straightening out her skirt.
"Thanks a lot," she said, looking around once more. "Are you gonna show your face or do you want me to talk to the tree? Maybe the flowers?"
He swung down form a branch right above her head and landed on both feet in front of her.
"So, you're actually doing this?" he asked and she noticed he had his duster on again.
"And what about you," she retorted with a meaningful look on the piece of clothing.
His face was a mask of indifference again and she tried hard not to let it affect her.
"Wanna have another fight, Slayer?" he asked.
"Hmm, and ruin ANOTHER dress? No, I don't think so," she answered him, wanting to sound as cold and controlled as he did, not sure if she actually managed it.
He was making her nervous, the expression in his eyes not even hinting at what was going on in the head behind them and she didn't know what he was there for.
He let hear a low laugh.
"Always that little part of you that can't deny it craving a normal, happy life," he said, taking a step forward and towering over her, then he added: "Watch your back," as he looked over her shoulder.
She frowned, seeing where he was looking and then turning around, her gaze landing on the approaching lord. Her eyes widened a little as she turned back to Spike, but he was already gone.
She drew a steadying breath as she put on the smile for the lord again, then turned to meet him.
***
God, that sniffling old geezer was so incredibly unrefined it was almost laughable. Spike stared down through the branches, listening intently on the conversation below.
"Mylord," Buffy's voice carried up to him. "Why did you cut the ball short? It came as quite a shock, I must say."
"Darling girl, let's not talk about such boring details as THAT," the lord said and Spike let hear a huff.
The lord suddenly grabbed Buffy's arm, pulling her closer. Spike could smell the resentment she held for the man all the way from where he was and he moved silently down to get a better view.
She was smiling, without emotion, at the lord as he looked her deep in the eyes and said:
"Let me take you."
Spike's eyebrows rose at that. The old geezer was ACTUALLY doing this?
Buffy swallowed, still smiling she said:
"M-mylord, seriously now, you must understand that."
"Let's just let the music of the night.take us away," the lord said, a sudden glint in his eyes which she didn't like at all. "Let's not talk."
Then he leaned down and planted a hard kiss on her mouth.
His tongue slid out and deep down into her throat and it muffled her protest. She pushed him away from her with a disgusted cry and he stared at her, his eyes suddenly burning with anger.
"What the hell are you doing, my dear?" he asked in such a silent voice that Buffy felt the blood in her veins freeze, now more than ever she felt the true danger in this man.
As he approached her she took a few steps back.
I can't fight him, she thought. I can't beat him down or he'll know that something's not all as it seems and then.
The lord's hands grabbed her again, pulling her to him and she looked up at him.
"Please, sir, I ask of you to let me go."
He pushed her to take a few steps backwards and when she felt a rough exterior scrape the skin on her back she realized that she was pinned between him and the trunk of the tree. Then his lips were on her neck as his hands started pulling up her skirt and she felt rage and disgust start to build in her chest, she was about to act on it when.
"Get off her," Spike's voice suddenly said and she felt her eyes enlarge.
The lord stopped what he was doing, turning around and then smiling a little.
"Nothing for you to bother with, young William," he said, still holding a firm grip on Buffy who was looking at Spike.
Spike met her eyes and then turned to the lord again, his voice nearly a growl.
"Let-her-go," he said, wanting to add "or I'll rip your bloody throat out", but in the last minute deciding against it.
The lord raised his eyebrows slightly, looking rather amused, and then he took a step back and held out his hands.
"I've let her go," he said, the small smile still on his lips.
"Then I suggest you go back into your home and get some sleep," Spike said, the look in his eyes so dangerous that Buffy almost feared that he was going to switch into game face.
The lord seemed to think this over for a moment, and then nodded.
"That might be pleasant enough, join me, my dear?" he then asked, turning to Buffy.
Spike took a step forward and the lord turned to him, once more holding out his hands.
"Fine," he said. "As a gentleman to a gentleman I bid you good night."
With a small bow he turned and walked self-assured out of the orchard.
Buffy stared after him and then turned to Spike.
"Yeah, 'a gentleman to a gentleman'," he grumbled. "As a lunatic to a bloody lunatic I hope you die in your God damn sleep," he then cursed, turning to Buffy.
"I-I was just about to. when you." she began, trailing off. "You didn't have to do that.stop him, I mean," she then mumbled, clearly shaken up by the experience.
He shrugged.
"Do I ever?" he asked and she smiled a little, shaking her head. He hesitated before asking: "You all right?"
She nodded.
He looked at her for a moment, then turned and walked away from her, her eyes on his back as he disappeared into the shadows.
By Annie
05-12-2002
Buffy, dressing for the second nights supper, still hadn't gotten over the fact that not only had she and Spike been unable to even slightly shake whatever the lord had planned to do with those urns, but they hadn't even gotten to grasp the opportunity to listen in on whatever conversation he was about to have with whoever had been with him.
The day had been a horrible trip to absolute boredom since Sarah insisted that Buffy needed to show herself social and do some needle point with the ladies after the afternoon tea.
Now, Buffy was as good with sowing as she was with cooking, that is, not at all. She spent most of the time clenching her teeth together every time the needle stung her finger and not only was she more than half as fast as the other ladies, her pattern came out looking as though a child had scribbled on her piece of cloth with a crayon.
"This can't be right," she had mumbled to Sarah and Sarah had had to look away not to laugh.
"I'm sorry," Sarah had said, turning back to her. "No, I would say that is quite wrong, my dear," she had added and Buffy had sighed.
"I give up," she had murmured, getting up from her chair, smiling and excusing herself to the other ladies before exiting the room just to run as fast as she could as far away from it as she could get.
Then things hadn't really picked up any speed as she had taken a walk on the grounds, by herself. The only thing for her to do out there was to think.
And think and think and think about the strange situation she suddenly found herself in.
"Spike loves me, Spike LOVES me, Spike.loves.me," she had mumbled to herself, trying to make it sound normal, trying for it not to evoke the feeling of warmth rising through her entire body at the thought of every time he had touched her, kissed her, every time he had murmured words in her ear and entangled his fingers in her hair he had.loved her.
When she finally headed back to the "house" dusk was settling amongst the trees and twilight was spreading its shadows across the lawn. And she had looked up and seen him, standing on the terrace waiting for her, and she had felt her heart race in her chest at the sight of him, and she head stopped and closed her eyes for a moment just to make it calm down, and it hadn't, and then.
Now she sighed as Sarah came up to help her button up her dress.
"Sarah," she said.
"Yes?" Sarah answered her as she let her fingers work.
"Have you noticed something.different with Spike?" she asked and Sarah seemed to hesitate a moment before asking:
"What do you mean by different?"
"Well," Buffy said thoughtfully, "he's just. avoiding me. Like, before when I was coming back up here to change I saw him on the terrace. I'm sure he saw me, but he didn't wait for me. He walked back inside. It's just, I don't know, different," she mumbled and Sarah, just finishing the last button, took a step around her to come stand in front of her.
"Buffy, aren't YOU different?" she asked and Buffy raised her eyebrows a little. "What I mean is simply this, everything between you has changed now. EVERYTHING is different and you can't tell me that you didn't expect it to be after what you told me happened last night."
Buffy whined, walking up to the bed and sitting down, a sea of crimson silk spreading at her feet as the skirt of her dress fell around her legs.
"No, I suppose I can't say that, but WHY does it have to be THIS different? I mean, shouldn't he be happy? Relieved?" she asked, turning to Sarah who smiled a little.
"Buffy, that's not up to me to answer, now is it?" she asked and Buffy sighed again.
"No," she agreed. "But HE doesn't seem to wanna talk with me," she added frustrated and Sarah came to sit beside her.
"Then give him some time, and when HE is ready he will come to you," she said. "You both have a lot to work through, I believe, and I think you BOTH need some time. Don't you?"
Buffy looked up at her, then nodded.
"Did you talk with lord Hart?" Sarah now asked, changing the subject as she got off the bed and walked up to the tall mirror, looking herself over.
"Yes, this afternoon. I said that I simply had had the most AWFUL headache and that I had been unable to find him before I felt I HAD to withdraw last night, and that I had thought about sending him a note but that it would probably not have been a very good idea to 'give away' his location, and that a lady was sending him a note while he was waiting there, to the servants," Buffy said, now smiling widely. "He was very graceful about it and said that he hoped we could make arrangements for TONIGHT instead."
"What did you say then?" Sarah asked, smiling as well.
"Splendid," Buffy said, her own smile now fading as she thought about the true reason for her standing the lord up the night before. "I said 'splendid'," she mumbled.
***
She and Sarah glided in through the doors to the grand hall after supper, guests were already dancing lively on the huge space of the dance floor and Buffy watched the swirl of color as she couldn't help but look for Spike.
They had been seated too far away from each other at dinner for her to even see him and now she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.
"He's probably charming his way through the whole lot," she mumbled to herself and Sarah turned to her.
"What was that?" she asked and Buffy shook her head.
"Nothing," she answered.
"You're not worried about William, are you?" Sarah asked and Buffy raised her eyebrows a little.
"No, not WORRIED. Why?" she asked and Sarah smiled.
"Well, because of the chip, of course," she pointed out and Buffy felt her eyes widen a little.
HAD she completely not thought about that fact?
Okay, something is seriously wrong with me, she thought as she started to look for the vamp with more focus than before.
"I have to find him," she said.
Sarah nodded and they went separate ways, Sarah to the right and Buffy starting to make her way towards the glass doors leading out to the terrace to the left. When she was about to take a step outside a cool hand slid into hers and stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned to him and as he looked at her the stupid heart started its frantic racing again.
His face looked as it had all day whenever around her, completely drained of expression. What had caused her to recoil more than once was the same lack of expression resting in his eyes. As he met her eyes now, however, the gaze in them was warmer and she started to relax a little.
"Let's dance," he said and before she could protest he had pulled her with him out onto the dance floor.
The music had just died away and it took a moment for the small orchestra assembled to prepare for the next song. As they did he placed one hand on the small of her back, pulling her to him, his left hand grabbing her right and then raising it with hers in it.
His eyes, so calm and strong and beautiful, held hers and she could feel that she was breathing rather hard because her heart didn't want to function the proper way.
Then the music started and he easily brought her into a waltz, they were sweeping around, a part of the silky mixture Buffy had been observing just a few moments earlier.
There's nothing more sensual than being in his arms like this, she thought, swallowing hard and finally looking away from his eyes. Dear Lord, now I'M losing it, she added, disbelieving.
"Did you find out anything more?" his voice asked, low and sounding dangerously intimate.
"What?" she asked, looking up at him almost timidly and suddenly scared that he had read her mind.
"About lord Hart, Slayer," he said. "Did you find out anything more?"
Her eyes grew a little and she smiled, relieved, shaking her head.
"Personally I've spent the whole bloody day without coming up with anything, only heard something about this Sunday," Spike said and she looked at him, questioningly. "I don't know what it means," he said. "But it sounded important and so we'd better look into it once we're back in Town."
She nodded.
"What?" he asked, spinning her around and around, the only thing making her dizzy was her own thoughts. "Slayer, it's impolite to stare," he mumbled and she blinked, surprised, as she looked away.
"I-I'm sorry," she said. "William."
"Yes?" he pushed her on impatiently as she trailed off.
"Why are you avoiding me?" she asked and he tilted his head a little to one side, a small smile curling his lips.
"No reason, really," he answered her and she looked disbelieving. "I'm just.thinking. About a lot of things. I just have to.I'm trying to figure out if."
Now HE trailed off, his eyes reflecting the battle going on inside of him and she nodded, even though she had a hard time understanding what he meant. She wanted him to TELL her what he was trying to figure out. But Sarah was right, and he WOULD come to her when he was ready, she just needed to be a little patient.
'Patience, look into it, Slayer.'
She smiled a little at that. Those little inputs wouldn't go away, would they?
Then the music stopped and everybody applauded the orchestra as they got ready to perform another piece.
"May I cut in?" a deep voice asked behind Spike and Spike turned to the lord who was smiling sleekly.
Buffy felt her heart stop and an unpleasant shiver travel up her spine. Everything in her told her that this man was something really, really bad and oh, she didn't want his arms around her again. She wished she could have insisted on Spike having his two dances, but she couldn't, and so she could only watch as Spike returned the smile and bowed slightly before giving the lord her hand.
Dammit, she thought as she looked up at the lord and brought forth the fake smile she had reserved just for him.
"Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Summers?" he asked as he pulled her to him.
She nodded, trying to fight the urge to hit him between the eyes and wipe the smug smile off his face.
"Of course you are," he said, the music starting up again and he began leading her into the rhythm of the assembled people on the dance floor. "And tonight I trust you will be careful and not obtain any small 'cramps' that might intrude on our scheduled meeting?"
The NEED to hit him almost took over for a moment and then she smiled even staler as she nodded again, afraid that if she spoke all that would come out was going to be unflattering words on exactly WHAT she wanted to do with that meeting.
"You are beautiful, my dear," he whispered, pulling her closer. "I believe our meeting will be quite. interesting."
She actually felt the slime from those words travel down her back and she couldn't help but shiver again.
"Are you cold, Miss Summers?" he then asked, rather concerned and she shook her head.
"No, mylord, not at all. Please, let's let the music just.take us away," she said. "Let's not talk," she added to be sure she made her point and he looked at her for a moment before smiling.
"Yes, of course," he said and she drew a breath of relief.
At least not hearing him talk would prevent the so fancy supper she had just enjoyed from coming right up again.
***
At twelve o'clock the lord stepped up on the small platform in front of the orchestra and begged for silence.
Buffy had regrouped with Sarah after her two awfully long dances with the lord and they had silently been discussing the facts they so far had obtained, both agreeing that they really needed to do some major digging once they got back to Jacob and Sarah's home.
Now both of them turned their eyes on the lord as he smiling raised his hands and said:
"Dear friends! I am so happy that you gave me the honor of acting as your host!"
Cheering was heard as a response to that and he smiled wider, lowering his hands.
"Unfortunately I have had a pressing matter come upon me at this time of our festivities and I am regretful to inform you all that I must cut the celebrations short."
Surprised gasps and questions of why was the response this time and the lord nodded, looking very sad indeed.
"Yes, it is a great loss for me as well, but I am afraid the matter to which I have to attend is personal and I pray you, do understand my situation. Tomorrow we shall have a grand breakfast to say good-bye to one another and then, I am afraid, I must be left to my own dreary company."
Kind protests was heard and Buffy huffed to herself, she sure wasn't about to make one.
"This is perfect," Sarah whispered in her ear. "If William is right and there is something happening this Sunday, this will give us more time to investigate it."
Buffy nodded, suddenly thoughtful.
"Yes." she said. "I wonder WHY the lord is cutting the ball short, though. It seems a little.unplanned."
"Do you think something fishy is going on?"
Buffy smiled a little, and then frowned.
"I don't know, but I'll do my best to find out," she said. "I'm sure the lord still want us to have our meeting 'on schedule'," she added and Sarah nodded.
"Do be careful," she said and Buffy smiled again.
"I always am," she said reassuringly.
At twelve forty-five Buffy wandered into the orchard, the flowers' scents gently stroking her nostrils as she walked up to a low stone bench underneath the stretching branches of a big tree to sit down.
Her head was a mess of thoughts jumping from this whole Birth of Fire thing to Spike and the way he was with her, why was he like that? What did he mean with "one last time" and WHAT was he trying to figure out?! Not knowing was driving her crazy and she leaned forward, resting her forehead against the palms of her hands and taking a deep breath.
She was seriously beginning to think that something really was wrong with her Slayer side as well, she had almost FORGOTTEN that Spike was a fanged vampire again, and she was scared of what that might mean. was she losing her intuition as a Slayer? And if so, was that happening because she wasn't in her own time anymore?
"So, so, SO screwed up," she mumbled to herself.
"You look terrible, Slayer," his voice suddenly said and her head shot up, she stared around her but he was nowhere to be seen.
She sighed as she got to her feet, unconsciously straightening out her skirt.
"Thanks a lot," she said, looking around once more. "Are you gonna show your face or do you want me to talk to the tree? Maybe the flowers?"
He swung down form a branch right above her head and landed on both feet in front of her.
"So, you're actually doing this?" he asked and she noticed he had his duster on again.
"And what about you," she retorted with a meaningful look on the piece of clothing.
His face was a mask of indifference again and she tried hard not to let it affect her.
"Wanna have another fight, Slayer?" he asked.
"Hmm, and ruin ANOTHER dress? No, I don't think so," she answered him, wanting to sound as cold and controlled as he did, not sure if she actually managed it.
He was making her nervous, the expression in his eyes not even hinting at what was going on in the head behind them and she didn't know what he was there for.
He let hear a low laugh.
"Always that little part of you that can't deny it craving a normal, happy life," he said, taking a step forward and towering over her, then he added: "Watch your back," as he looked over her shoulder.
She frowned, seeing where he was looking and then turning around, her gaze landing on the approaching lord. Her eyes widened a little as she turned back to Spike, but he was already gone.
She drew a steadying breath as she put on the smile for the lord again, then turned to meet him.
***
God, that sniffling old geezer was so incredibly unrefined it was almost laughable. Spike stared down through the branches, listening intently on the conversation below.
"Mylord," Buffy's voice carried up to him. "Why did you cut the ball short? It came as quite a shock, I must say."
"Darling girl, let's not talk about such boring details as THAT," the lord said and Spike let hear a huff.
The lord suddenly grabbed Buffy's arm, pulling her closer. Spike could smell the resentment she held for the man all the way from where he was and he moved silently down to get a better view.
She was smiling, without emotion, at the lord as he looked her deep in the eyes and said:
"Let me take you."
Spike's eyebrows rose at that. The old geezer was ACTUALLY doing this?
Buffy swallowed, still smiling she said:
"M-mylord, seriously now, you must understand that."
"Let's just let the music of the night.take us away," the lord said, a sudden glint in his eyes which she didn't like at all. "Let's not talk."
Then he leaned down and planted a hard kiss on her mouth.
His tongue slid out and deep down into her throat and it muffled her protest. She pushed him away from her with a disgusted cry and he stared at her, his eyes suddenly burning with anger.
"What the hell are you doing, my dear?" he asked in such a silent voice that Buffy felt the blood in her veins freeze, now more than ever she felt the true danger in this man.
As he approached her she took a few steps back.
I can't fight him, she thought. I can't beat him down or he'll know that something's not all as it seems and then.
The lord's hands grabbed her again, pulling her to him and she looked up at him.
"Please, sir, I ask of you to let me go."
He pushed her to take a few steps backwards and when she felt a rough exterior scrape the skin on her back she realized that she was pinned between him and the trunk of the tree. Then his lips were on her neck as his hands started pulling up her skirt and she felt rage and disgust start to build in her chest, she was about to act on it when.
"Get off her," Spike's voice suddenly said and she felt her eyes enlarge.
The lord stopped what he was doing, turning around and then smiling a little.
"Nothing for you to bother with, young William," he said, still holding a firm grip on Buffy who was looking at Spike.
Spike met her eyes and then turned to the lord again, his voice nearly a growl.
"Let-her-go," he said, wanting to add "or I'll rip your bloody throat out", but in the last minute deciding against it.
The lord raised his eyebrows slightly, looking rather amused, and then he took a step back and held out his hands.
"I've let her go," he said, the small smile still on his lips.
"Then I suggest you go back into your home and get some sleep," Spike said, the look in his eyes so dangerous that Buffy almost feared that he was going to switch into game face.
The lord seemed to think this over for a moment, and then nodded.
"That might be pleasant enough, join me, my dear?" he then asked, turning to Buffy.
Spike took a step forward and the lord turned to him, once more holding out his hands.
"Fine," he said. "As a gentleman to a gentleman I bid you good night."
With a small bow he turned and walked self-assured out of the orchard.
Buffy stared after him and then turned to Spike.
"Yeah, 'a gentleman to a gentleman'," he grumbled. "As a lunatic to a bloody lunatic I hope you die in your God damn sleep," he then cursed, turning to Buffy.
"I-I was just about to. when you." she began, trailing off. "You didn't have to do that.stop him, I mean," she then mumbled, clearly shaken up by the experience.
He shrugged.
"Do I ever?" he asked and she smiled a little, shaking her head. He hesitated before asking: "You all right?"
She nodded.
He looked at her for a moment, then turned and walked away from her, her eyes on his back as he disappeared into the shadows.