Chapter 9
"William?"
Despite the fact that he was really an evil, dead thing at heart, Spike jumped.
From behind her family mausoleum, Cecily emerged. She stood in the cemetery, hair uncharacteristically disheveled, breathing uneven, and clutching her heather fall coat around her. She was shivering from the cold; steamy wisps drifted from her mouth as she spoke.
"I was worried that you might've changed your mind," she said, her words hurried. Although he was over fifteen minutes late, Spike couldn't detect even a hint of anger in her voice. Funny, she'd never struck him as the patient sort.
"Sorry, luv," he said, shooting her his best rakish smile. "I got a bit turned around on the way. I'm not used to walking about cemeteries at night."
Cecily laughed nervously. "Nor am I, William," she said, "I wondered about you're asking me to meet you here. In such a place…and at night…"
"I know…I know, pet," Spike replied, taking a long step toward her. "It's a queer place to meet. But I thought it would be…private." He gave her a long, devouring look, raking his eyes down her body. "Wouldn't want anyone to see…what I'm going to do…to you."
His tone was sinister, but Cecily didn't seem to notice. Her face flushed, and she glanced away from him in mock embarrassment. "Oh, William," she cooed; she turned back towards him and tentatively approached. She looked up into his eyes, causing them to widen at what he saw flash in hers. Desire. "I'm so glad we're of the same mind," she purred, placing a gloved hand on his cheek. Her face was now tilted up towards his, her lips parted slightly in a way that was meant to be beckoning. "Ever since that night, at the party," she breathed, "I've thought of little else but you."
Spike took a step back and batted her hand away. "Now wait just a minute here—"
"I know I don't deserve you. I've been so cruel in the past. But you opened my eyes that night. Gave me a taste of my own medicine. It was your words that made me see…"
Spike retreated another step, but Cecily quickly closed the gap. "S-see what?" Spike asked, now backed up against a large gravestone.
Standing inches in front of him, Cecily stood on her tiptoes, her face looming up towards his. "Why…you, of course," she replied matter-of-factly. Then, as if from nowhere, two delicate gloved hands reached up and latched onto the back of his head, pulling, pulling, pulling him down until her lips met his. Soft and petal smooth, they parted, making way for her warm, wet tongue, which suddenly, he found, was exploring the inside cavities of his mouth.
* * *
"Oh, good heavens, could it be?" William exclaimed, standing in front of the woman whom he had just, moments before, realized to be his one true love.
Halfrek stared up at him, quickly masking the look of displeasure that had crossed her face. "Hello, William," she said, smiling rather stiffly.
"Cecily," he said, fervent and quiet. He dropped down on one knee, mouth agape, astonished. "It is you!"
The vengeance demon let out a girlish laugh and waved her hand dismissively. "Ah, more or less," she conceded. "Actually, I think 'more' would be more accurate."
"Then you have also been displaced in this strange world," William commented, excited. He glanced at Cecily's companion, who was frowning at him.
"Spike?" Anya said, looking from the vampire to her friend. "Halfrek, what's going on?"
* * *
"So, you think a general reversal spell probably wouldn't work in this case," Buffy said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. She and Tara had been so caught up in their discussion that they'd barely noticed when William had excused himself from the table. He'd been gone for almost a minute, when she noticed him talking to a woman on the other side of the room. He looked excited, like he was chatting with an old acquaintance. Then he dropped down on one knee.
"Buffy?"
The Slayer gestured in William's direction and Tara swiveled in her seat, spying the Victorian talking to… Her eyes immediately narrowed and she turned back to Buffy.
Buffy nodded. Things were starting to make sense.
"Halfrek."
* * *
After several seconds of frantic kissing, Spike managed to push Cecily away from him. "No," he said, trying to sound firm and commanding. He'd show her who was in charge here.
Cecily gasped and appeared miffed. "I don't understand," she said, "I thought that you and I—"
But Spike held up his hand, silencing her. "I said no."
"Was it something I did?" she asked, looking at him with wide, shining eyes. "I've displeased you, haven't I?"
Spike shook his head. "It's not—"
"But, what then? I've seen the way you look at me. Like you want to…"
"Eat you?" Spike finished. She had no idea!
Cecily paused, raised her hand to her throat. "Why...yes."
Ah, if he could, Spike thought, he most definitely would. But, he was all too human in this time zone. His hand went down to his coat pocket, seeking the revolver. He would have to take his pleasure another way.
"William?" Her fingers closed around his forearm as his closed around the mother of pearl handle of his father's gun. She looked up at him. He saw her desire stirring again, mixed with something else. Desperation?
Cecily then whipped off her gloves and hastily began undoing the buttons of her coat. When she was finished, she shrugged it off, letting the garment fall to the ground.
Under the brightness of a full moon, Spike stared down in surprise, at Cecily, standing before him—stark naked.
* * *
"Halfrek, what's going on?" Anya asked again. "Have you done something to Spike? He seems…different."
"Well," Halfrek began, looking like she had been caught
embezzling funds from a charity. "I—"
"Yes, do tell," Buffy, who was now standing behind William, cut in. "Tell us what the hell's going on with Spike!"
Halfrek glanced at the Slayer and shrugged. "Well if you must know," she said finally, "he made a wish."
"He made a what?" Buffy asked, incredulous.
"You heard me. He made a wish," Halfrek replied.
"But…why?" Buffy sounded deflated.
"Because he loves you. And you treat him like crap."
"Now, wait a minute!" Anya chimed in. "Hallie, you're a, and I use the term loosely, 'justice' demon, correct?"
Halfrek nodded.
"So," Anya continued, looking a little dumbfounded, "where's the 'justice'? I mean Spike's been stalking Buffy for, oh, about a year now, and yes, I agree, she does treat him like crap, but he's like…a stalker. What she's supposed to do? Give him sex?"
"Or maybe just her unwashed undergarments," Tara commented in an attempt at humor.
"Hey!" Buffy snapped. "Whether there was justice or not…that's irrelevant. What matters is that Halfrek reverse the spell." She turned to the vengeance demon. "Whatever you did. Undo it. Okay?"
Halfrek gazed at the Slayer and smiled stubbornly. "I don't think so."
"Wrong answer," Buffy said through clenched teeth. She grabbed Halfrek by the hair and yanked her off her seat.
"Cecily!" William was on his feet, trying to pull Buffy away from the woman he believed himself to be in love with. The Slayer backhanded him and sent him tumbling into a nearby table and chairs.
"Reverse it!" Buffy demanded, holding Halfrek in a headlock and threatening to snap her neck.
"Fool!" Halfrek sneered, instantly transforming into her vengeance demon façade. She easily wrenched herself free of the Slayer and sent Buffy flying backwards with a powerful blow to her forehead.
"Now, Hallie," Anya said, cautiously backing away from her two friends. She glanced around the Starbuck's and noted that the patrons and employees were all wisely rushing for the exit.
Buffy had easily risen to her feet and was now in a fighting stance. She glared at the demon. "Last chance, Halfrek. Reverse it, or I'll kill you."
Halfrek looked amused. "I'd like to see you try." She confidently advanced on the Slayer and the two exchanged a round of blows. Then Buffy landed a solid punch to the demon's chest. Winded, Halfrek staggered back, grabbing her bruised sternum.
"Reverse it!" Buffy demanded again.
Halfrek barely flinched, her look stubborn. "I—" she began, then gasped suddenly, her eyes widening.