Angelus and Buffy wasted no time in draining the meals thoughtfully provided by Spike. The experience was still so new to Buffy that she drank so fast she almost choked. She had never tasted anything more delicious than blood. She wiped off her mouth and noticed that Angelus was looking expectantly at her. He gave an encouraging nod and Buffy turned to Spike. She was trying to think of the best way to broach the topic Angelus was waiting for her to bring up. "Hey, Spike, wanna have a threesome with Angelus and me?" sounded way too bold. Then again, Spike had been a vampire for a lot longer than she had and he was the kind who probably would appreciate that sort of direct approach.
Before Buffy could decide what to say, Spike stood up to make an announcement. "Supper isn't all I brought back. I also have information. Important information." He paused for emphasis. "I was thinking what a shame it would be if all of Buffy's friends had left town and we'd come back here for nothing. So I decided to check things out, make sure Buffy wasn't in for a big disappointment. Went by Giles' place and saw him, Xander, Willow, and some bint named Anya all hurrying over to check out that scene by the Bronze where we ran over those people. They're still doing their part to keep the world safe from evil. Disgusting, I call it," Spike ended on an indignant note.
"It's all right, Spike," Buffy assured him. "We'll take care of them. It won't be long before we make them see the error of their ways. I have all sorts of wonderful ideas on how to accomplish that and I'm sure you do too."
Angelus interrupted them as he grabbed the two dead bodies. "Why don't I go get rid of the evidence while you two talk things over?" He hauled the carcasses out of the mansion, leaving Buffy and Spike alone.
Spike wasn't sure what to make of the way Buffy was looking at him. If he didn't know better he'd say she was issuing some sort of silent invitation but of course that couldn't be right. She was with Angelus. He decided to continue their discussion and then maybe she'd stop acting so strangely. "So when do you want to strike, luv?"
"Hmm, I thought I'd probably start tomorrow night," Buffy replied. "Only I'm not sure what I want to do. It could be something subtle like I go to Willow's place, she's appropriately shocked and thrilled to see me, then I do a vanishing act the second she runs off to phone Giles and Xander. Or I could let one of them catch a quick glimpse of me somewhere before I disappear, leaving them to spend the rest of the night trying to figure out if they were seeing things or I was real. After that I could work up to the really fun parts."
"Ever consider starting big, like by snapping someone's neck and leaving the body on Giles' doorstep as a gift?" Spike suggested.
"Good one, Spike. You just know that would confuse the hell out of them, especially after I reveal my new identity. They're sure to try to figure out how to save me. That ought to be good for some laughs. I just have to be careful that Willow doesn't try to give me my soul back."
"Kill her first and you'd eliminate that possibility," Spike pointed out.
Buffy nodded. "That's true. So many lovely ideas. How will I ever choose just one?"
She and Spike continued to trade suggestions until Angelus came back inside from disposing of the bodies. "Your input is appreciated but this is Buffy's operation," he clarified for Spike's benefit. "She calls the shots. It's only fair. Back when we were turned we got to decide what to do with our friends and family. Now Buffy gets the same privilege."
Spike laughed. "I know you better than that. You're just dying - pardon the pun - to sink your fangs into one of those morons. Say, for instance, Xander?"
"Well..." Angelus shrugged. "I wouldn't say no if Buffy gave me an invitation to suck him dry. I always did hate that judgemental little snot."
"You and me both," Spike agreed.
"That feeling's unanimous," Buffy chimed in. The other two stared at her in disbelief. "What? OK, OK, he and I were friends back when I had the soul, but I was like a different person then. A very different, very stupid person with horrible taste. I mean, I tried to kill you two and I called those pathetic humans my friends. It's amazing how getting rid of your soul changes you. In fact..." She turned to Spike. "I'm seeing you in a whole different light. It's not like you weren't attractive before but you were an evil vampire and completely out of bounds. We don't have that little problem anymore."
Spike looked from Buffy to Angelus and back. It certainly sounded like Buffy was coming on to him but that couldn't be. She was with Angelus, he reminded himself. Plus Angelus would tear his head off if he caught Spike even looking at Buffy sideways. Not that he hadn't gotten in a few glances while Angelus' back was turned but Spike hadn't pursued the matter any farther. He valued his unlife too much.
As if he had read Spike's mind, Angelus spoke up. "It's all right, Spike. Buffy and I had a talk earlier. A talk about you and me and her. We're in agreement about this. But I see you still aren't so sure. Go on, Buffy, show Spike what we mean."
Obediently Buffy rose and walked over to Spike, wrapping her arms around him and raising herself on tiptoes to kiss him. He held himself tensely, wondering if this was a test. For all he knew Angelus was still mad at him over the Acathla incident and was preparing to demolish him if he dared react to Buffy.
When he remained unresponsive, Buffy growled and stepped back. "Come on, Spike, relax. No one's going to bite you. That is, unless you want us to."
She sounded serious. Spike wondered if this could be for real. He'd kind of hoped something like this might happen but he hadn't thought it was very likely at all that Angelus would allow it, not with the way he had always felt about Buffy. But here Angelus was seeming to encourage matters. Well, thought Spike, one little kiss probably wouldn't hurt. He'd keep half an eye on Angelus so he'd know if he was about to be attacked. Otherwise he'd enjoy the moment. He tentatively lowered his lips to Buffy's.
"That's more like it," she approved before she latched on to him, the raw hunger of her kiss sending an answering thrill through Spike. Either Buffy was the world's best actress or she wasn't faking.
It didn't take Spike long to quit monitoring Angelus for signs of trouble. If he was going to get dusted over his behavior, there were worse ways to go.
tbc
Before Buffy could decide what to say, Spike stood up to make an announcement. "Supper isn't all I brought back. I also have information. Important information." He paused for emphasis. "I was thinking what a shame it would be if all of Buffy's friends had left town and we'd come back here for nothing. So I decided to check things out, make sure Buffy wasn't in for a big disappointment. Went by Giles' place and saw him, Xander, Willow, and some bint named Anya all hurrying over to check out that scene by the Bronze where we ran over those people. They're still doing their part to keep the world safe from evil. Disgusting, I call it," Spike ended on an indignant note.
"It's all right, Spike," Buffy assured him. "We'll take care of them. It won't be long before we make them see the error of their ways. I have all sorts of wonderful ideas on how to accomplish that and I'm sure you do too."
Angelus interrupted them as he grabbed the two dead bodies. "Why don't I go get rid of the evidence while you two talk things over?" He hauled the carcasses out of the mansion, leaving Buffy and Spike alone.
Spike wasn't sure what to make of the way Buffy was looking at him. If he didn't know better he'd say she was issuing some sort of silent invitation but of course that couldn't be right. She was with Angelus. He decided to continue their discussion and then maybe she'd stop acting so strangely. "So when do you want to strike, luv?"
"Hmm, I thought I'd probably start tomorrow night," Buffy replied. "Only I'm not sure what I want to do. It could be something subtle like I go to Willow's place, she's appropriately shocked and thrilled to see me, then I do a vanishing act the second she runs off to phone Giles and Xander. Or I could let one of them catch a quick glimpse of me somewhere before I disappear, leaving them to spend the rest of the night trying to figure out if they were seeing things or I was real. After that I could work up to the really fun parts."
"Ever consider starting big, like by snapping someone's neck and leaving the body on Giles' doorstep as a gift?" Spike suggested.
"Good one, Spike. You just know that would confuse the hell out of them, especially after I reveal my new identity. They're sure to try to figure out how to save me. That ought to be good for some laughs. I just have to be careful that Willow doesn't try to give me my soul back."
"Kill her first and you'd eliminate that possibility," Spike pointed out.
Buffy nodded. "That's true. So many lovely ideas. How will I ever choose just one?"
She and Spike continued to trade suggestions until Angelus came back inside from disposing of the bodies. "Your input is appreciated but this is Buffy's operation," he clarified for Spike's benefit. "She calls the shots. It's only fair. Back when we were turned we got to decide what to do with our friends and family. Now Buffy gets the same privilege."
Spike laughed. "I know you better than that. You're just dying - pardon the pun - to sink your fangs into one of those morons. Say, for instance, Xander?"
"Well..." Angelus shrugged. "I wouldn't say no if Buffy gave me an invitation to suck him dry. I always did hate that judgemental little snot."
"You and me both," Spike agreed.
"That feeling's unanimous," Buffy chimed in. The other two stared at her in disbelief. "What? OK, OK, he and I were friends back when I had the soul, but I was like a different person then. A very different, very stupid person with horrible taste. I mean, I tried to kill you two and I called those pathetic humans my friends. It's amazing how getting rid of your soul changes you. In fact..." She turned to Spike. "I'm seeing you in a whole different light. It's not like you weren't attractive before but you were an evil vampire and completely out of bounds. We don't have that little problem anymore."
Spike looked from Buffy to Angelus and back. It certainly sounded like Buffy was coming on to him but that couldn't be. She was with Angelus, he reminded himself. Plus Angelus would tear his head off if he caught Spike even looking at Buffy sideways. Not that he hadn't gotten in a few glances while Angelus' back was turned but Spike hadn't pursued the matter any farther. He valued his unlife too much.
As if he had read Spike's mind, Angelus spoke up. "It's all right, Spike. Buffy and I had a talk earlier. A talk about you and me and her. We're in agreement about this. But I see you still aren't so sure. Go on, Buffy, show Spike what we mean."
Obediently Buffy rose and walked over to Spike, wrapping her arms around him and raising herself on tiptoes to kiss him. He held himself tensely, wondering if this was a test. For all he knew Angelus was still mad at him over the Acathla incident and was preparing to demolish him if he dared react to Buffy.
When he remained unresponsive, Buffy growled and stepped back. "Come on, Spike, relax. No one's going to bite you. That is, unless you want us to."
She sounded serious. Spike wondered if this could be for real. He'd kind of hoped something like this might happen but he hadn't thought it was very likely at all that Angelus would allow it, not with the way he had always felt about Buffy. But here Angelus was seeming to encourage matters. Well, thought Spike, one little kiss probably wouldn't hurt. He'd keep half an eye on Angelus so he'd know if he was about to be attacked. Otherwise he'd enjoy the moment. He tentatively lowered his lips to Buffy's.
"That's more like it," she approved before she latched on to him, the raw hunger of her kiss sending an answering thrill through Spike. Either Buffy was the world's best actress or she wasn't faking.
It didn't take Spike long to quit monitoring Angelus for signs of trouble. If he was going to get dusted over his behavior, there were worse ways to go.
tbc
