***
Buffy woke with a body feeling like it had been used for a punching bag. Not an unfamiliar feeling - sometimes her Slayer healing truly was put to the test - but this time it was very different. This time every small movement sending a wave of ache through her limbs made her think of why that was, made her think of who had put the feeling there. Or WHAT. What had put it there. After all, there was no 'whom' in any context even remotely related to the vampire.
He was evil. He was soulless. He was...
And I let him...touch me, she thought to herself - baffled and self- conscious as she crawled out of bed. I let him...
At the memory of the ecstacy he had planted within her, however, the Slayer shut every last thought of him off. The heat billowing through her like smoke from a fire and she had to sit back down on the bed as her legs went weak with the suddeness of it.
Oh, God, she now groaned in her head. What's wrong with me? Why do I want... No. Won't even think it. Good. Clothes good. Get dressed and ready for class. Good, good.
She got herself prepared quickly and was about to open the door of hers and Willow's shared dorm room when someone beat her to it and the latter stepped through it with a smile.
"Hey," she said.
"Hi," Buffy replied, smiling back.
"Did you talk to Giles?" Willow wondered and Buffy's eyes grew slightly before she stuttered:
"G-Giles? No. No, hasn't been to his apartment in...oh, I dunno. A long time now, I think. I mean, I talked to Giles last night, but that's a whole eternity ago. Completely different...time-zone even. Or time-frame? Well, something. What time is it now, by the way?"
Willow gave her an odd look and then she nodded toward the clock on the bed- side table.
"Almost three," she answered and at that Buffy stared at her.
"Three o'clock?" she then asked and Willow nodded. "In the morning?"
Willow frowned slightly.
"No," she then answered slowly. "In the afternoon. You don't look sick at all, that's a plus," she then added and Buffy looked uncomprehending. "Well, I tried to wake you earlier, but you didn't even respond to my cackling like a chicken and jumping on the bed," Willow explained, Buffy smiling slightly. "So I just figured you weren't feeling well and thought I'd check in on you at lunch break. Only I got a bit... preoccupied and I remembered how the Slayer thingy helps you heal so I thought it probably wasn't anything serious and that you'd be fine without my eagle eye watching you...And you are! Phew. Thank God."
Buffy smiled wider, then she grew serious.
She really hadn't heard a peep. She had slept the day away. This was no good in a whole variety of different shades and angles.
"I guess I was just..." she mumbled, trailing off and Willow raised her eyebrows.
"Exhausted?" she tried and Buffy nodded a little. "Yeah, Giles told me about the rough and rumble you had going last night," she then added and Buffy looked up at her, eyes growing wide.
"What?" she asked and Willow nodded.
"Yeah, he told me all about it. Good thing that guy or whatever he was didn't do anything else than drain your energy supply," she stated and Buffy swallowed before she laughed nervously.
"Yeah, good, good thing," she then agreed. "And...why did you ask if I had spoken to Giles when you walked through the door?"
"Oh, he wanted us to come over later. Just to do a thourough check of the facts so that guy didn't actually WANT something from the apartment. He could be coming back, and if that's so we need to prevent it," Willow answered matter-of-factly.
"But he won't!" Buffy declared, toning it down as she quickly added: "I mean, he'd already looked through stuff and it seemed that whatever it was he wanted he couldn't find it. He was really agressive about it too," the Slayer finished and Willow smiled.
"Well, Giles wants to talk to us in any case. It won't take long," she promised. "Got any plans?" she then added and Buffy raised her eyebrows wondering. "Since you don't seem too eager at spending time away from campus, I mean," the redhead elaborated, Buffy neglecting to notice the touch of hope in her friends voice.
The former simply shook her head.
"No, no plans... just..." she looked around the room for an excuse, noticing the book for poetry class she hurriedly finsihed: "poetry homework."
Willow smiled widely.
"Since when do you care more about homework than..."
There was a knock on the door and Anya poked her head inside.
"Hi, ladies," she said. "I wanted to come by and take in some of the charms of living together in twosomes in cluttered little rooms such as this," she added, stepping in through the door and looking around. "It is lovely, in a bohemic, can't-move-or-breathe sorta way," she finished. "Oh, I come from Giles, he needs help."
Buffy narrowed her eyes.
"With what?"
"Buffy!" Willow said, grabbing her jacket and putting it on she added: "What's with you. Let's go."
Buffy grumbled something incoherent as she pulled her own jacket on and followed the other two out through the door.
If Spike is stirring up trouble he is SO already a pile of dust that he's been swept up and tossed out with the other trash, she muttered to herself in her head as the three headed toward the Watcher's apartment.
***
"Oh, you're here!" Giles said, relieved, as they trotted through the front door.
"Imagine that," Buffy replied and he smiled. "What's the biggie? If you need me to take care of Spike - make him go away - I'm more than eager," she then added, bringing out a stake and heading for the bathroom.
"No need for that," Giles stopped her. "Although I do need you to talk to him. He won't give me any information about what happened last night and says that he'll only speak with you about the ordeal."
"'Ordeal'?" Buffy asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"That was one of the many words he used, yes," the Watcher confirmed and the Slayer rolled her eyes.
"Drama king," she grumbled.
"What was that?" Willow asked and Buffy smiled dismissively.
"Oh, nothing," she answered. "Just... muttering over the stupid vampire. A Big Bad that's complaining over someone who hardly even touched him," she then added, the last sentence a bit louder - though she knew perfectly well he could hear her if she so whispered. "Pathetic."
"You come in 'ere, Summers, and de-bloody-chain me and we'll see who's screaming pathetic!" he growled and she huffed, shaking her head.
"Wonderful. It's awake," she sighed and Willow couldn't hold back an empathic smile. "I'll go grumble along with him for a few minutes - it's hard speaking cave-man, but under the circumstances..." she added, still holding the stake in her right hand as she walked up to the bathroom door.
None of the others could see her moment of hesitation - nor did they detect the growing tension on her as she put her hand on the knob. Pushing the door open she arranged her features as coolly as she possibly could get them and then stepped through it.
His blue eyes met her green ones and she closed the door behind her back, fighting to keep her heart-rate from increasing. She was nervous. She was NEVER nervous around this creature. But she had a very sneaking suspicion that if anything, he surely would use her show of utter weakness last night in some way to his advantage. She didn't have to wait long as a smirk grew onto his lips, the cockiness in his posture making her almost want to wince.
She was a fool! How the hell could things have gotten so out of hand?! Looking at him now she saw... nothing that she... No, nothing that she could possibly want ever again. No. Never, ever, ever.
"I don't wanna compliment you in any way," he now declared, a trace of mock in his voice that made her feel anger slowly start to fill her chest, as well as the growing disgust which had been lingering ever since she left the apartment the night prior. "But," he now continued, "I'd have to say you did a lot of the touching last night."
She cocked an eyebrow impatiently.
"Well, just that out there you said 'complaining over someone who hardly even touched him', or ME, that is... Just thought that was a funny way of putting it," he elaborated and she glared at him.
"If I could make ANY one thing undone..." she murmured and he smirked.
"Really? You'd make what we shared last night just disappear?" he asked and she bit her jaws together.
"First of all: there is and there never WILL be a 'we'," she stated, tone of voice icy. "Secondly: you and I didn't 'share' anything last night. The only thing you and I will ever share is seething hatred."
"You willing to bet on that, love?" he shot and she narrowed her eyes threateningly.
"Don't ever call me that again," she warned and he cocked an eyebrow.
"I'm just saying - you seem a bit too sodding eager to forget about what happened between u-... I mean, 'you and I'," he now said and she looked away from him, the aggravation growing. "I think it means you want more... And it's true: I bloody hate you as much as you hate me, but it seems like it's kindled a fire, Slayer. Why not stay warm by it as long as we can?"
"Shut up," she grumbled.
"I'm right, then?" he wondered and she turned her head to look back at him, then she shook her head. "So," he now added, tilting his head slightly to one side and eyeing her in a way that made her stomach suddenly twirl with anticipation and she swallowed hard at the feeling as she was unable to look away from his eyes. Then he finished: "You don't want me?"
She took a step back, her face growing into a mask of stone as he could see the self-control pour into her.
"No," she answered and now he smiled.
"Wanna come over here and tell it to my face?" he asked and she blinked, her way wavering for a moment before she switched topics as she asked back:
"What the hell is this about you talking to Giles about... the guy that 'was in here' last night?"
"Well, I thought it was a buggering brilliant cover-up, couldn't keep my greedy little paws off sharing a peice of the glory," he answered and she rolled her eyes at him.
"You must be the most annoying..." she trailed off, too irritated to look at him anymore she turned and walked up to the sink to study herself in the mirror. "Just stop acting like you have something to tell, otherwise... God, I hate lying to the people who trust me the most," she murmured, then spun around as she added: "And it's all YOUR fault."
"MY fault?!" he asked, offended. "That's bloody rich! What'd I do? YOU made the lie, I just spun further on it..."
"Well, last night shouldn't 've happened in the first place," she said and he nodded.
"You're right," he agreed. "It shouldn't 've. But if you're trying to pin it to me I have a bloody air-tight defense - YOU decided to kiss ME, Slayer. Not the other way around."
Her posture grew rigid, and then she said:
"I only came in here to tell you that I meant what I said - you tell, you die."
He observed her for a moment before he nodded again.
"I know you meant it," he replied. "It's not like I can sodding run around shouting it from the rooftops anyways," he added and she sighed.
"Lucky me," she muttered.
"Tell Giles I want my lunch. It's an hour late," he now said with a nod to the door and she gave him a look before she walked up to it and stuck her head outside.
"Giles, Spike would appreciate it if he could get some of that appalling stuff he likes to referr to as 'food'," she called and Giles got up from the couch.
"Did he actually phrase it in that manner?" he asked as he walked past Buffy into the kitchen.
"No," she answered dryly and he nodded.
"Of course," he said and she smiled a little, pulling back into the bathroom to face the vampire.
They eyed each other in silence for two long minutes and then Giles came with the mug filled with heated blood.
"Here," he said, handing it to Buffy who took it and then tried to hand it back to him as she asked:
"Why do I always have to do this?"
"Because I have him living here, perhaps?" Giles retorted, turning and walking back into the living room.
"You know," she said, walking up to the edge of the bathtub and sitting down, "this is one of the ickiest things I've ever had to do - for anyone or anything. Just so you're aware," she finished and he looked up at her as he bent forward to take the straw between his lips.
"Wanna bend down and offer a bloke a real drink? Might be less icky, though a bit more painful," he replied and she gave him a look; he smirked, drawing some of the blood into his mouth before he added meaningfully: "Painful, but in a good way."
"Don't talk while you eat. PLEASE," she shot and then turned her head away, shuddering.
He finished his "lunch" quickly and she rose to her feet, walking over to the sink to put the mug down.
"Are we done here?" she asked, glancing back at him and he raised his eyebrows, quizzically. "With the discussion," she elaborated meaningfully and he shrugged.
"Was it EVER a discussion, pet? You coming in here telling me that if I breathe a word I won't be doing the hoochy-coochy in a long, long time?" he shot and to her detriment she felt the need to grin widely at his choice of words.
Swallowing and keeping a straight face she merely gave him a look and walked up to the door.
"Glad we're on the same page," she merely replied and he smirked.
"Give me an hour and I'll prove to you exactly how sodding 'on the same page' we are," he called after her as she stepped outside and closed the door behind her.
"Any luck?" Giles asked, looking up from the book he was reading and Willow turned around where she was sitting on the couch with a hopeful and positive expression.
"Couldn't call it that, no," Buffy sighed and Willow's face grew disappointed. "Where's Anya?" she added, walking into the room to sit beside Willow on the couch.
"She went to watch Xander round up his shift," the latter answered with a shrug.
Buffy smiled slightly.
"He wouldn't tell you anything at all?" Giles asked, sounding rather surprised. "He specifically told me that he would," he added and Buffy smiled again, this time it was stale.
"He just wanted to torment me with his... evilness. He didn't really see anything. I mean, the burglar-person kinda mostly just ran past the bathroom anyways... So," she then said and now Giles raised his eyebrows.
"And you knew this?" he wondered.
"Well...yeah..." she answered hesitantly, not really liking where this seemed to be going - having a feeling she just had a serious slip-up.
"So, why did you go in there to interrogate him?" the Watcher inquired and Buffy beat back the small wave of panic before she shrugged.
"'Cause you never really KNOW when it comes to Spike, you know?" she replied and Giles shook his head. "You don't? Well... I guess I should go back in there for just a second and see if I might be able to squeeze something out of him after all. I mean, I walked in on the burglar-guy so perhaps he did something to Spike BEFORE I got here," she added as she stood and headed to the bathroom door once more. "Be JUST a sec," she finished, opening the door and stepping through it.
Closing it she drew a breath and then shook her head at herself.
This whole situation was derailing dangerously. She disliked every single aspect of...
Turning around she rested her eyes in his and she felt the sudden jolt of craving shoot through her as he silently observed her.
"I'm curious," he said - voice low, smoothe, and a shiver travelled up her spine at the sound of it - then he added: "What part, exactly, were you going to squeeze first?"
"Behave," she warned, voice close to cracking and her knees were slowly growing weaker as her body reminisced what his body had done to her the night before.
"Can't stay away though, can you?" he asked, expression so self-assured it made a wave of something close to fury travel through her as his eyes slid over her figure.
"Shut the hell up," she grumbled.
"Make me," he challenged and her breathing was becoming unsteady as the need began to take control over her.
"Something's wrong," she now said slowly. "This... This isn't us."
"You must mean 'you and I'," he quipped and she gave him a dark look before she took a step forward, stopping herself and shaking her head a little.
"You know what I mean," she replied. "What's happening between me and you is crazy."
"It's bloody sick, is what it is," he agreed and she moved forward one step at a time without thinking as she met his gaze and held it, saying:
"So why can't I stop myself?"
"Why can't I push you away?" he asked back, looking up at her as she stopped by the edge of the bathtub.
"Why do I want you so bad I can taste it?" she mumbled, sinking to her knees.
"'Taste'...it?" he wondered, licking his lips suggestively and she frowned slightly before reaching out her hands and grabbing the back of his head, pulling him forward as she moved her head to meet his mouth with her own.
His tongue proded it hungrily and she met his with hers eagerly, suppressing a moan as she put her arms around him to pull herself closer. Getting to her feet she moved her left leg over the edge and then sunk down on its knee before getting her right leg over the edge as well, straddling him. Their kissing grew even more passionate and her hands travelled down over his chest, pulling at his T-shirt to get to the skin beneath the fabric.
Spike didn't understand why he had missed the feel of her so much it had almost physically hurt him during the hours she had been away from him. All he knew was that now he felt... complete? What the bloody...?!
"Slayer!" he gasped, pulling his mouth from hers and shaking his head.
She opened her eyes to rest them in his, the look in them crumbling any attempt he had had at putting up some sort of defense.
"Sod it," he murmured, moving his head forward again to kiss her deeply once more.
Her hands had found their way underneath the T and were gliding over his chest, making him breathe hard tough he didn't need to; making him throb with pleasure.
Buffy heard the knob of the door turn the second before the door was pushed open and she pulled her head a way, taring her hands out from under the T and making her right hand into a fist before hitting the vampire hard over the chin. His head bopped to the side and he exclaimed a surprised:
"Ao! Bloody hell!"
Giles stopped in the doorway, staring at the two.
Buffy didn't turn her head to him as she grabbed Spike by the T and pulled him up slightly, looking him dead in the eye as she demanded:
"You gonna tell, or do I have to REALLY hurt you?"
She could sense the small smirk on his lips more than she could see it as he met her gaze and then he replied:
"You think you can break me...Slayer?"
She bit her lower lip, swallowing and he could feel her blood pumping through her veins. He suddenly pulled his arms, chained together at the wrists, to him and made her sit directly on his hands. Moving his thumbs slightly he saw her eyes grow as she drew a small breath.
"Giles," she said, still keeping eyecontact with the vamp.
"Yes?" Giles answered.
"You really should leave," she added. "I don't think you wanna see this."
Giles nodded.
"Of course... Just don't...kill him," he added before grabbing the door and pulling it closed as he stepped outside again.
"Oh, I'll try not to," she murmured, moving her hips slightly and once more drawing a small breath as he responded by pressing his hands upward.
She closed her eyes, leaning forward and sliding her lips against his before letting her tongue trace the upper one. He let out a low groan, closing his eyes as well and then moving his head forward to kiss her hard. She placed her hands on either side of his face, clinging to him as his fingers kept teasing her with just enough preassure that she had to help by moving her hips as well, the rythm growing faster and she tried to keep down her moans as she was growing closer with every motion.
When she reached climax she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself to him and kissing him even deeper as she didn't want to give voice to the heat wave coursing through her.
When she finally ended the kiss, pulling away from him and meeting his gaze he smiled slightly at the flush covering her cheeks and the look of deep satisfaction in her eyes.
"Damn it," she mumbled, and his smile widened. "I have to get outta here," she whined, rising to her feet and stepping out of the tub on shaky legs.
Her heart was still beating hard in her chest and the aftermath of the pleasure was still throbbing in her loins. She looked at herself in the mirror and froze. She actually LOOKED like someone who just had had... a degrating and absolutely horrible experience!
She almost smiled at that, turning back to him.
"You didn't squeeze any part at all," he remarked with a disappointed expression before moving his chin a little, adding: "'Xept in a not so wonderful way."
"Call it my kinda torture," she said, something close to tease in her voice that neither one of them recognized and he raised his eyebrows as she grew self-conscious. "I mean..." she began, trailing off as he suddenly smirked.
"I'd call that MY kinda torture," he replied and she almost smiled back, shaking her head to get rid of it she turned from him. "You'll be back?" he asked and at the sound of something she could have labelled anxious hopefulness she turned back to him. "I mean," he said, "you WILL be back."
She shook her head.
"I can't do this," she stated and he looked up at her with a small smile.
"You already are," he retorted and she rested her eyes in his before turning and walking up to the door, leaving the room without another word.
***
"Well?" Giles asked and Buffy met his gaze as she stopped before him, crossing her arms over her chest and trying to look serious and thoughtful as she answered:
"I think we should get him out of here."
"Oh, praise the Lord," Giles sighed and Buffy smiled a little. "But, why?"
"I think he has something to do with what happened last night. I need to make him understand that I mean business and right now - he ain't understanding... Question is where we should put him..."
Giles seemed to come up with a blank and Buffy said slowly:
"I was thinking we could bring him up to the mansion. I mean, stuff's still there from... when others lived. And he'll feel all home-y, getting back to the setting of the reunite of three members of the Scourge." Giles nodded, looking heistant and so Buffy added: "It's not a place of comfort, I was being sarcastic. Drusilla betrayed him up there, remember? He doesn't exactly love it."
Giles nodded now and Willow sat up from her lying down position on the couch to look up at the still standing Buffy.
"We're just gonna leave him up there? Like - chained to the wall, or something?" she asked and Buffy tilted her head to one side, then she sighed heavily.
"No," she answered.
"But, then what?" Willow inquired, bewildered, and Buffy answered:
"Well, we need to get the information out of him... I think I know a way. I'll have to stay up there with him for a few days, but I'm sure a round- o'clock-friendly-bonding session with someone he can't stand will draw the truth out of him even faster than...anything else."
Willow's eyes grew at that, then she nodded.
"Are you sure about this?" Giles wondered silently. "I can hardly tolerate him, but you two look like you would kill each other at any given moment if the circumstances were right... Are you certain it is a good decision to lock yourself up with him - bind yourself to him - for days at end?"
Buffy smiled.
"Thanks for being all Watcher-y," she replied. "But I think I know what I'm doing."
He was silent for a short while, reflecting, and then he nodded.
"If you're sure," he said.
"I am," she answered.
Though I'm not sure exactly of what I THINK I'm doing, she grumbled in her head.
It was out of her hands now. And a part of her was jubilant over it. Another part was simply terrified.
Buffy woke with a body feeling like it had been used for a punching bag. Not an unfamiliar feeling - sometimes her Slayer healing truly was put to the test - but this time it was very different. This time every small movement sending a wave of ache through her limbs made her think of why that was, made her think of who had put the feeling there. Or WHAT. What had put it there. After all, there was no 'whom' in any context even remotely related to the vampire.
He was evil. He was soulless. He was...
And I let him...touch me, she thought to herself - baffled and self- conscious as she crawled out of bed. I let him...
At the memory of the ecstacy he had planted within her, however, the Slayer shut every last thought of him off. The heat billowing through her like smoke from a fire and she had to sit back down on the bed as her legs went weak with the suddeness of it.
Oh, God, she now groaned in her head. What's wrong with me? Why do I want... No. Won't even think it. Good. Clothes good. Get dressed and ready for class. Good, good.
She got herself prepared quickly and was about to open the door of hers and Willow's shared dorm room when someone beat her to it and the latter stepped through it with a smile.
"Hey," she said.
"Hi," Buffy replied, smiling back.
"Did you talk to Giles?" Willow wondered and Buffy's eyes grew slightly before she stuttered:
"G-Giles? No. No, hasn't been to his apartment in...oh, I dunno. A long time now, I think. I mean, I talked to Giles last night, but that's a whole eternity ago. Completely different...time-zone even. Or time-frame? Well, something. What time is it now, by the way?"
Willow gave her an odd look and then she nodded toward the clock on the bed- side table.
"Almost three," she answered and at that Buffy stared at her.
"Three o'clock?" she then asked and Willow nodded. "In the morning?"
Willow frowned slightly.
"No," she then answered slowly. "In the afternoon. You don't look sick at all, that's a plus," she then added and Buffy looked uncomprehending. "Well, I tried to wake you earlier, but you didn't even respond to my cackling like a chicken and jumping on the bed," Willow explained, Buffy smiling slightly. "So I just figured you weren't feeling well and thought I'd check in on you at lunch break. Only I got a bit... preoccupied and I remembered how the Slayer thingy helps you heal so I thought it probably wasn't anything serious and that you'd be fine without my eagle eye watching you...And you are! Phew. Thank God."
Buffy smiled wider, then she grew serious.
She really hadn't heard a peep. She had slept the day away. This was no good in a whole variety of different shades and angles.
"I guess I was just..." she mumbled, trailing off and Willow raised her eyebrows.
"Exhausted?" she tried and Buffy nodded a little. "Yeah, Giles told me about the rough and rumble you had going last night," she then added and Buffy looked up at her, eyes growing wide.
"What?" she asked and Willow nodded.
"Yeah, he told me all about it. Good thing that guy or whatever he was didn't do anything else than drain your energy supply," she stated and Buffy swallowed before she laughed nervously.
"Yeah, good, good thing," she then agreed. "And...why did you ask if I had spoken to Giles when you walked through the door?"
"Oh, he wanted us to come over later. Just to do a thourough check of the facts so that guy didn't actually WANT something from the apartment. He could be coming back, and if that's so we need to prevent it," Willow answered matter-of-factly.
"But he won't!" Buffy declared, toning it down as she quickly added: "I mean, he'd already looked through stuff and it seemed that whatever it was he wanted he couldn't find it. He was really agressive about it too," the Slayer finished and Willow smiled.
"Well, Giles wants to talk to us in any case. It won't take long," she promised. "Got any plans?" she then added and Buffy raised her eyebrows wondering. "Since you don't seem too eager at spending time away from campus, I mean," the redhead elaborated, Buffy neglecting to notice the touch of hope in her friends voice.
The former simply shook her head.
"No, no plans... just..." she looked around the room for an excuse, noticing the book for poetry class she hurriedly finsihed: "poetry homework."
Willow smiled widely.
"Since when do you care more about homework than..."
There was a knock on the door and Anya poked her head inside.
"Hi, ladies," she said. "I wanted to come by and take in some of the charms of living together in twosomes in cluttered little rooms such as this," she added, stepping in through the door and looking around. "It is lovely, in a bohemic, can't-move-or-breathe sorta way," she finished. "Oh, I come from Giles, he needs help."
Buffy narrowed her eyes.
"With what?"
"Buffy!" Willow said, grabbing her jacket and putting it on she added: "What's with you. Let's go."
Buffy grumbled something incoherent as she pulled her own jacket on and followed the other two out through the door.
If Spike is stirring up trouble he is SO already a pile of dust that he's been swept up and tossed out with the other trash, she muttered to herself in her head as the three headed toward the Watcher's apartment.
***
"Oh, you're here!" Giles said, relieved, as they trotted through the front door.
"Imagine that," Buffy replied and he smiled. "What's the biggie? If you need me to take care of Spike - make him go away - I'm more than eager," she then added, bringing out a stake and heading for the bathroom.
"No need for that," Giles stopped her. "Although I do need you to talk to him. He won't give me any information about what happened last night and says that he'll only speak with you about the ordeal."
"'Ordeal'?" Buffy asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"That was one of the many words he used, yes," the Watcher confirmed and the Slayer rolled her eyes.
"Drama king," she grumbled.
"What was that?" Willow asked and Buffy smiled dismissively.
"Oh, nothing," she answered. "Just... muttering over the stupid vampire. A Big Bad that's complaining over someone who hardly even touched him," she then added, the last sentence a bit louder - though she knew perfectly well he could hear her if she so whispered. "Pathetic."
"You come in 'ere, Summers, and de-bloody-chain me and we'll see who's screaming pathetic!" he growled and she huffed, shaking her head.
"Wonderful. It's awake," she sighed and Willow couldn't hold back an empathic smile. "I'll go grumble along with him for a few minutes - it's hard speaking cave-man, but under the circumstances..." she added, still holding the stake in her right hand as she walked up to the bathroom door.
None of the others could see her moment of hesitation - nor did they detect the growing tension on her as she put her hand on the knob. Pushing the door open she arranged her features as coolly as she possibly could get them and then stepped through it.
His blue eyes met her green ones and she closed the door behind her back, fighting to keep her heart-rate from increasing. She was nervous. She was NEVER nervous around this creature. But she had a very sneaking suspicion that if anything, he surely would use her show of utter weakness last night in some way to his advantage. She didn't have to wait long as a smirk grew onto his lips, the cockiness in his posture making her almost want to wince.
She was a fool! How the hell could things have gotten so out of hand?! Looking at him now she saw... nothing that she... No, nothing that she could possibly want ever again. No. Never, ever, ever.
"I don't wanna compliment you in any way," he now declared, a trace of mock in his voice that made her feel anger slowly start to fill her chest, as well as the growing disgust which had been lingering ever since she left the apartment the night prior. "But," he now continued, "I'd have to say you did a lot of the touching last night."
She cocked an eyebrow impatiently.
"Well, just that out there you said 'complaining over someone who hardly even touched him', or ME, that is... Just thought that was a funny way of putting it," he elaborated and she glared at him.
"If I could make ANY one thing undone..." she murmured and he smirked.
"Really? You'd make what we shared last night just disappear?" he asked and she bit her jaws together.
"First of all: there is and there never WILL be a 'we'," she stated, tone of voice icy. "Secondly: you and I didn't 'share' anything last night. The only thing you and I will ever share is seething hatred."
"You willing to bet on that, love?" he shot and she narrowed her eyes threateningly.
"Don't ever call me that again," she warned and he cocked an eyebrow.
"I'm just saying - you seem a bit too sodding eager to forget about what happened between u-... I mean, 'you and I'," he now said and she looked away from him, the aggravation growing. "I think it means you want more... And it's true: I bloody hate you as much as you hate me, but it seems like it's kindled a fire, Slayer. Why not stay warm by it as long as we can?"
"Shut up," she grumbled.
"I'm right, then?" he wondered and she turned her head to look back at him, then she shook her head. "So," he now added, tilting his head slightly to one side and eyeing her in a way that made her stomach suddenly twirl with anticipation and she swallowed hard at the feeling as she was unable to look away from his eyes. Then he finished: "You don't want me?"
She took a step back, her face growing into a mask of stone as he could see the self-control pour into her.
"No," she answered and now he smiled.
"Wanna come over here and tell it to my face?" he asked and she blinked, her way wavering for a moment before she switched topics as she asked back:
"What the hell is this about you talking to Giles about... the guy that 'was in here' last night?"
"Well, I thought it was a buggering brilliant cover-up, couldn't keep my greedy little paws off sharing a peice of the glory," he answered and she rolled her eyes at him.
"You must be the most annoying..." she trailed off, too irritated to look at him anymore she turned and walked up to the sink to study herself in the mirror. "Just stop acting like you have something to tell, otherwise... God, I hate lying to the people who trust me the most," she murmured, then spun around as she added: "And it's all YOUR fault."
"MY fault?!" he asked, offended. "That's bloody rich! What'd I do? YOU made the lie, I just spun further on it..."
"Well, last night shouldn't 've happened in the first place," she said and he nodded.
"You're right," he agreed. "It shouldn't 've. But if you're trying to pin it to me I have a bloody air-tight defense - YOU decided to kiss ME, Slayer. Not the other way around."
Her posture grew rigid, and then she said:
"I only came in here to tell you that I meant what I said - you tell, you die."
He observed her for a moment before he nodded again.
"I know you meant it," he replied. "It's not like I can sodding run around shouting it from the rooftops anyways," he added and she sighed.
"Lucky me," she muttered.
"Tell Giles I want my lunch. It's an hour late," he now said with a nod to the door and she gave him a look before she walked up to it and stuck her head outside.
"Giles, Spike would appreciate it if he could get some of that appalling stuff he likes to referr to as 'food'," she called and Giles got up from the couch.
"Did he actually phrase it in that manner?" he asked as he walked past Buffy into the kitchen.
"No," she answered dryly and he nodded.
"Of course," he said and she smiled a little, pulling back into the bathroom to face the vampire.
They eyed each other in silence for two long minutes and then Giles came with the mug filled with heated blood.
"Here," he said, handing it to Buffy who took it and then tried to hand it back to him as she asked:
"Why do I always have to do this?"
"Because I have him living here, perhaps?" Giles retorted, turning and walking back into the living room.
"You know," she said, walking up to the edge of the bathtub and sitting down, "this is one of the ickiest things I've ever had to do - for anyone or anything. Just so you're aware," she finished and he looked up at her as he bent forward to take the straw between his lips.
"Wanna bend down and offer a bloke a real drink? Might be less icky, though a bit more painful," he replied and she gave him a look; he smirked, drawing some of the blood into his mouth before he added meaningfully: "Painful, but in a good way."
"Don't talk while you eat. PLEASE," she shot and then turned her head away, shuddering.
He finished his "lunch" quickly and she rose to her feet, walking over to the sink to put the mug down.
"Are we done here?" she asked, glancing back at him and he raised his eyebrows, quizzically. "With the discussion," she elaborated meaningfully and he shrugged.
"Was it EVER a discussion, pet? You coming in here telling me that if I breathe a word I won't be doing the hoochy-coochy in a long, long time?" he shot and to her detriment she felt the need to grin widely at his choice of words.
Swallowing and keeping a straight face she merely gave him a look and walked up to the door.
"Glad we're on the same page," she merely replied and he smirked.
"Give me an hour and I'll prove to you exactly how sodding 'on the same page' we are," he called after her as she stepped outside and closed the door behind her.
"Any luck?" Giles asked, looking up from the book he was reading and Willow turned around where she was sitting on the couch with a hopeful and positive expression.
"Couldn't call it that, no," Buffy sighed and Willow's face grew disappointed. "Where's Anya?" she added, walking into the room to sit beside Willow on the couch.
"She went to watch Xander round up his shift," the latter answered with a shrug.
Buffy smiled slightly.
"He wouldn't tell you anything at all?" Giles asked, sounding rather surprised. "He specifically told me that he would," he added and Buffy smiled again, this time it was stale.
"He just wanted to torment me with his... evilness. He didn't really see anything. I mean, the burglar-person kinda mostly just ran past the bathroom anyways... So," she then said and now Giles raised his eyebrows.
"And you knew this?" he wondered.
"Well...yeah..." she answered hesitantly, not really liking where this seemed to be going - having a feeling she just had a serious slip-up.
"So, why did you go in there to interrogate him?" the Watcher inquired and Buffy beat back the small wave of panic before she shrugged.
"'Cause you never really KNOW when it comes to Spike, you know?" she replied and Giles shook his head. "You don't? Well... I guess I should go back in there for just a second and see if I might be able to squeeze something out of him after all. I mean, I walked in on the burglar-guy so perhaps he did something to Spike BEFORE I got here," she added as she stood and headed to the bathroom door once more. "Be JUST a sec," she finished, opening the door and stepping through it.
Closing it she drew a breath and then shook her head at herself.
This whole situation was derailing dangerously. She disliked every single aspect of...
Turning around she rested her eyes in his and she felt the sudden jolt of craving shoot through her as he silently observed her.
"I'm curious," he said - voice low, smoothe, and a shiver travelled up her spine at the sound of it - then he added: "What part, exactly, were you going to squeeze first?"
"Behave," she warned, voice close to cracking and her knees were slowly growing weaker as her body reminisced what his body had done to her the night before.
"Can't stay away though, can you?" he asked, expression so self-assured it made a wave of something close to fury travel through her as his eyes slid over her figure.
"Shut the hell up," she grumbled.
"Make me," he challenged and her breathing was becoming unsteady as the need began to take control over her.
"Something's wrong," she now said slowly. "This... This isn't us."
"You must mean 'you and I'," he quipped and she gave him a dark look before she took a step forward, stopping herself and shaking her head a little.
"You know what I mean," she replied. "What's happening between me and you is crazy."
"It's bloody sick, is what it is," he agreed and she moved forward one step at a time without thinking as she met his gaze and held it, saying:
"So why can't I stop myself?"
"Why can't I push you away?" he asked back, looking up at her as she stopped by the edge of the bathtub.
"Why do I want you so bad I can taste it?" she mumbled, sinking to her knees.
"'Taste'...it?" he wondered, licking his lips suggestively and she frowned slightly before reaching out her hands and grabbing the back of his head, pulling him forward as she moved her head to meet his mouth with her own.
His tongue proded it hungrily and she met his with hers eagerly, suppressing a moan as she put her arms around him to pull herself closer. Getting to her feet she moved her left leg over the edge and then sunk down on its knee before getting her right leg over the edge as well, straddling him. Their kissing grew even more passionate and her hands travelled down over his chest, pulling at his T-shirt to get to the skin beneath the fabric.
Spike didn't understand why he had missed the feel of her so much it had almost physically hurt him during the hours she had been away from him. All he knew was that now he felt... complete? What the bloody...?!
"Slayer!" he gasped, pulling his mouth from hers and shaking his head.
She opened her eyes to rest them in his, the look in them crumbling any attempt he had had at putting up some sort of defense.
"Sod it," he murmured, moving his head forward again to kiss her deeply once more.
Her hands had found their way underneath the T and were gliding over his chest, making him breathe hard tough he didn't need to; making him throb with pleasure.
Buffy heard the knob of the door turn the second before the door was pushed open and she pulled her head a way, taring her hands out from under the T and making her right hand into a fist before hitting the vampire hard over the chin. His head bopped to the side and he exclaimed a surprised:
"Ao! Bloody hell!"
Giles stopped in the doorway, staring at the two.
Buffy didn't turn her head to him as she grabbed Spike by the T and pulled him up slightly, looking him dead in the eye as she demanded:
"You gonna tell, or do I have to REALLY hurt you?"
She could sense the small smirk on his lips more than she could see it as he met her gaze and then he replied:
"You think you can break me...Slayer?"
She bit her lower lip, swallowing and he could feel her blood pumping through her veins. He suddenly pulled his arms, chained together at the wrists, to him and made her sit directly on his hands. Moving his thumbs slightly he saw her eyes grow as she drew a small breath.
"Giles," she said, still keeping eyecontact with the vamp.
"Yes?" Giles answered.
"You really should leave," she added. "I don't think you wanna see this."
Giles nodded.
"Of course... Just don't...kill him," he added before grabbing the door and pulling it closed as he stepped outside again.
"Oh, I'll try not to," she murmured, moving her hips slightly and once more drawing a small breath as he responded by pressing his hands upward.
She closed her eyes, leaning forward and sliding her lips against his before letting her tongue trace the upper one. He let out a low groan, closing his eyes as well and then moving his head forward to kiss her hard. She placed her hands on either side of his face, clinging to him as his fingers kept teasing her with just enough preassure that she had to help by moving her hips as well, the rythm growing faster and she tried to keep down her moans as she was growing closer with every motion.
When she reached climax she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself to him and kissing him even deeper as she didn't want to give voice to the heat wave coursing through her.
When she finally ended the kiss, pulling away from him and meeting his gaze he smiled slightly at the flush covering her cheeks and the look of deep satisfaction in her eyes.
"Damn it," she mumbled, and his smile widened. "I have to get outta here," she whined, rising to her feet and stepping out of the tub on shaky legs.
Her heart was still beating hard in her chest and the aftermath of the pleasure was still throbbing in her loins. She looked at herself in the mirror and froze. She actually LOOKED like someone who just had had... a degrating and absolutely horrible experience!
She almost smiled at that, turning back to him.
"You didn't squeeze any part at all," he remarked with a disappointed expression before moving his chin a little, adding: "'Xept in a not so wonderful way."
"Call it my kinda torture," she said, something close to tease in her voice that neither one of them recognized and he raised his eyebrows as she grew self-conscious. "I mean..." she began, trailing off as he suddenly smirked.
"I'd call that MY kinda torture," he replied and she almost smiled back, shaking her head to get rid of it she turned from him. "You'll be back?" he asked and at the sound of something she could have labelled anxious hopefulness she turned back to him. "I mean," he said, "you WILL be back."
She shook her head.
"I can't do this," she stated and he looked up at her with a small smile.
"You already are," he retorted and she rested her eyes in his before turning and walking up to the door, leaving the room without another word.
***
"Well?" Giles asked and Buffy met his gaze as she stopped before him, crossing her arms over her chest and trying to look serious and thoughtful as she answered:
"I think we should get him out of here."
"Oh, praise the Lord," Giles sighed and Buffy smiled a little. "But, why?"
"I think he has something to do with what happened last night. I need to make him understand that I mean business and right now - he ain't understanding... Question is where we should put him..."
Giles seemed to come up with a blank and Buffy said slowly:
"I was thinking we could bring him up to the mansion. I mean, stuff's still there from... when others lived. And he'll feel all home-y, getting back to the setting of the reunite of three members of the Scourge." Giles nodded, looking heistant and so Buffy added: "It's not a place of comfort, I was being sarcastic. Drusilla betrayed him up there, remember? He doesn't exactly love it."
Giles nodded now and Willow sat up from her lying down position on the couch to look up at the still standing Buffy.
"We're just gonna leave him up there? Like - chained to the wall, or something?" she asked and Buffy tilted her head to one side, then she sighed heavily.
"No," she answered.
"But, then what?" Willow inquired, bewildered, and Buffy answered:
"Well, we need to get the information out of him... I think I know a way. I'll have to stay up there with him for a few days, but I'm sure a round- o'clock-friendly-bonding session with someone he can't stand will draw the truth out of him even faster than...anything else."
Willow's eyes grew at that, then she nodded.
"Are you sure about this?" Giles wondered silently. "I can hardly tolerate him, but you two look like you would kill each other at any given moment if the circumstances were right... Are you certain it is a good decision to lock yourself up with him - bind yourself to him - for days at end?"
Buffy smiled.
"Thanks for being all Watcher-y," she replied. "But I think I know what I'm doing."
He was silent for a short while, reflecting, and then he nodded.
"If you're sure," he said.
"I am," she answered.
Though I'm not sure exactly of what I THINK I'm doing, she grumbled in her head.
It was out of her hands now. And a part of her was jubilant over it. Another part was simply terrified.