A/N: Some of you might remember another story with the same name. I am changing the older version of this story to Bloodlust, and will be wrapping it up soon. Bloodlust's plot begun as to what this is going to be, so there will be similarities between the two. I hope this isn't to confusing for anyone, and if you are confused, don't hesitate to E-mail me about any questions.

Summary: Buffy and Spike are called to LA by Riley and Angel to sort out a growing sect of vampires.

Timeline: A/U season 7. The First never turned his attention on the Slayer line. Spike and Willow both returned and everything is back to normal. (What is normal in the Buffyverse anyway?) The Buffy/Wood dynamic works out about the same, the Slayer gets and keeps the counseling job and the two go out on a few dates. Spike gets his chip removed before the events of this story occur.

Fred and Gunn rescue Angel. Angel and Connor make up, Cordy never comes back and Angel gets over it.

Pairings: B/A, G/F, undertones of B/R and B/S

Buffy felt the wind bring in the scent of night. The edges of the sky were beginning to crease into a dark gold that would eventually slip into black. Letting her hands fall into her pockets, she turned onto the beaten path of the graveyard. Her fingers played with the rough edges of the stake that was in her grasp, and patiently waited for the demons to claim the soil. The light of day was dying silent and slow, and Buffy fidgeted anxiously for the sky to change face. She started to hum a popular song that a kid had on in the hall. She softly whispered the words under her breath as her gaze returned to the ground. Night was just about on her when she realized she was singing. The last thing she needed was repeat of Sunnydale The Musical and she promptly stopped.

A chorus of screams shattered her thoughts and she brought her slow amble to a dash as she crashed through the now shadowed graveyard. Hopping over a gravestone and nearly losing her balance, she caught sight of three vampires ringing a group of girls. They stood huddled against each other as one vampire snarled at them, and then joined in a mocking laugh.

"What is this, three vampires against a few teenage girls? Where's the challenge?" Buffy wondered nonchalantly as she came into their view. "I mean, when I was a cool kid like them I at least had super human strength to help me out." She continued while the demons begun to edge apart and the girls back toward the false safety of the street lamps. Without waiting for a reply, Buffy leapt into a flying side kick, and took a vampire down before it could defend itself. Another advanced on her, but the Slayer spun around and staked it. As the dust dematerialized she made out the figure of the last demon. It came into strike her, but Buffy ducked and sideswiped it's feet. Without sensing it, the vampire she had taken down before sprang up and took her into a headlock. Trying to force her to bare her neck, the demon brushed it's teeth against her skin and the Slayer felt herself tense as fangs met the scar of where she had already been tasted. Forcing the demon off he with a slam on his foot with her own, she spun it around and punched it in the cheek. A spinning crescent kick drew down it's defenses and she landed a stake in it's heart. The sound of the dying demon was followed by another, and she turned to see Spike wiping his hands free of dust, a stake at his feet.

She nodded toward him before turning her attention toward the girls. "Are you all right?" She asked, walking toward them. Most backed away at the sight of her, but one gave her a quizzical look and didn't move from her spot. Her dark brown hair was pulled into bun that had nearly lost it's binding to spill onto exposed shoulder.

"Ms. Summers?" She asked astonished, mouth nearly agape.

Buffy swallowed deep as she recognized the girl. It was Miranda, or Monica, one of Dawns friends who had been over nearly every week during the summer. "Hey." She said slowly, wondering how she was going to cover this one up.

"You know the nibblet pet?" Spike sauntered up to her and watched the girl who was trying to gather enough breath to say something.

Buffy gave him a glance. "Yeah, she's one of Dawn's friends."

The vampire gave a nod and motioned with his eyes to where the rest of the girls had escaped into blackness. Buffy acknowledged the event with a sigh.

"I'll tell Dawn you said hi." The Slayer muttered quickly, lusting for warmth and home. Her empty stomach had begun to make it's presence known mid way through the fight. As she was about to turn, the girl spoke up.

"Were those vampires?" She asked tentatively, hugging herself against the cold that was beginning to close in.

Buffy took in a breath, and her lips formed a tight smile. "What exactly has Dawn been telling you?"

The girl took a small step back, as though feeling the tension rise. "No, I mean, I know there are. . . demons, but I've never seen one."

The Slayer gave an over exaggerated sigh. "Word of advice, stay away from the graveyards if you know what's lurking there."

The girl met the hard gaze Buffy sent her and fiercely nodded before scampering toward her friends.

"Be careful!" The Slayer called out to her feebly as she watched the girls turned back.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Spike drawled next to her, his gaze intent on her absent eyes.

She turned toward him. "Huh?"

"Letting the bit go like that." He explained, starting a slow walk back into the heart of the graveyard. The vampire paused a moment for Buffy to follow. "Luv, she watched you fight."

Buffy scoffed. "What she's going to say? The guidance counselor kicks evils butt in her spare time?" She pondered what she had said. "Wow, my life really is pathetic."

Spike gave a low chuckle in response. They walked silently among the tombstones while the night closed in around them.

"I'm not sensing any undead activity." Buffy surveyed the land sprawled out in front of her.

Spike nodded in unseen agreement. "Quite night."

"Think we should head back?" She asked, a slight yawn beginning to form at the end of her words.

He shrugged, leather bound shoulders rising in a monotone movement. "You had anything planned for tonight?"

"Just gonna spend the night with Dawn." Buffy said, as though deciding it for the first time.

"Right." He chuckled to himself. "So no midnight rendouvous with a certain Slayers son then?"

Buffy stopped her pace to look a moment at him. The shafted light of the moon let her catch a faint glimmer in his eyes, a smirk that had seemed to fall to dust with the coming of his soul. ". . .No, he's working."

The vampire didn't gift her with the acknowledgment she suddenly wanted, and the Slayer bent her head to the floor, relying on her senses to alert her if evil came out to play.

"You like him?"

The words surprised Buffy as she brought her gaze back him. "Yeah, I mean, it's kind of like being with Riley again on the normality factor, but. . . it's nice."

He met her gaze, and held it without meaning to. "This makes the score even now, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked as they swept through another section of the cemetery.

He cocked a small grin. "Two humans, two vampires." He clarified.

No knowing what to say, she shifted her eyes away from him. "Guess it does."

"So which was better?"

The question made the Slayer shiver without reason. It wasn't something she had pondered, more of a thought she had pushed to the edge of her mind anytime it arose. "What do you care?" She shot to him.

"Can't a bloke wonder?" He retorted. "Just wanted to know if I at least measured up-"

"I haven't slept with him." She cut the vampire off, and veered across the lawn toward the direction of home.

Spike quickened his pace to catch up with her. "Never said you did pet. Just making conversation, not reason to get your panties in a bunch."

"My panties are not in a. . . oh never mind!" Buffy threatened on a scream, but kept her rage leashed unless she woke anything out of sleep.

Spike gave a low chuckle as he followed her onto the hard pavement of the street. They walked in silence as the wind blew restlessly by them, stirring the leaves to life and then setting them back down to death. Buffy drew her eyes to the moon which hung in crescent form, it graced the earth with pale light, but neither Slayer or Vampire was using it to see.

"Well this is my stop." Buffy hugged herself as they came outside her house. She looked longingly at the lighted windows and shivered.

Spike nodded as he walked her to the doorstep, and smiled coyly once they were under the soft glow of the porch light. Buffy put her hand on the doorknob, but didn't turn it. "Pet, you going to be all right?"

The Slayer jumped at his voice and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Suddenly the knob turned from under her grasp, and opened to show Wood framed by the doorway. Buffy's gasp turned to a smile of surprise and let herself be enveloped in an already readied hug. Spike tensed.

"What are you doing here? I thought you said you had work?" She asked as she pulled herself out of the hug. Looking over his shoulder she saw Dawn with the phone pressed to her ear, she motioned them to come in with her free hand. Without waiting for either men, Buffy pushed her way inside and took the offered phone from her sister.

"Spike." Robyn acknowledged, retaking his stance blocking the door.

About to ready a harsh comeback, the cry from the Slayer broke his concentration.

"Angel!" She grasped the phone harder and words spilled from her mouth incoherently.

Throwing his words into a glare, he shoved his way past Wood and into the warmth of the house. The principal sighed at his failed attempt to talk to Buffy before she was given the phone. He turned back toward the house and closed the door softly behind him.

"I'll be over tonight. . . no, it's no problem. Tell Riley I say hi." Wood watched as the Slayer drew the phone away and clicked it off, setting it down on the edge of the table. She licked her lips with apprehension and looked across the room. "That was. . . Angel, he and Riley are fighting a group of vampires. . . they need help."

Dawn came to her sisters side. "You mean they want you to go help them." She clarified.

The Slayer pulled her hair back behind her ear and bit her lower lip. "I should get going." Without a last word, she ran toward the stairs, but Wood caught her by the arm before she could mount a step.

"I want to come." He said with a mature defiance.

Buffy shook her head. "You've got work."

"I can take it off."

The Slayer gave him a pained smile. "Robyn, I'll be back in a few days, don't worry." She kissed him for a few moments, and Dawn rolled her eyes at Spike who gave a low chuckle. Buffy broke the kiss, and scampered up the stairs. Wood watched her retreating back then turned back toward Spike.

"Are you going to go with her?"

The vampire shrugged. "If she lets me."

The principal shot one last glance up at where she had disappeared. "She used to date both of them, Riley and Angel, right?"

"Yeah." Dawn said, as she followed her sister up the stairs.

Spike smiled. "You won't have to worry about soldier boy, they're love is to the ashes. But her and peaches, they got the kind of passion that burns cities down." He knew what the other man was thinking. "It'll hurt me as much as it hurts you when he touches her." He said the last part in a whisper, and Wood glared.

"You touch her and I put a stake through your heart." The threat was icy and low. Spike gave a half smile and put his hands up.

"Would never dream of it mate." Spike leaned against the wall that was only a few feet from him, and waiting for the Summers to come back down.

"Except for the fact that you do." Wood filled in the empty silence. "I've seen you when your with her, anytime you can be blessed with her presence."

The vampire took in his words. "Not like don't enjoy bathing in her light."

"At least I can." He smirked. "She doesn't feel safe around you, and I've heard the stories as to why."

Spike answered with a animalistic growl. "I was a demon then."

"And your not now?" He crossed his arms, twin pierced ears glittering in the faint light.

"Got a shiny new soul to prove it too." Spike cocked a smile, but it faded as soon as it came.

The self proclaimed demon slayer let pass a few seconds of silence, signifying the restraint of starting a fight. "And this Angel, he's got a soul too?"

"Peaches started the bleeding trend, cursed by gypsies and the like."

They both paused as they heard footsteps start about them.

Spike continued, though the change of subject was evident. "I won't let anything happen to her." He assured him before they caught sight of Buffy descending the stairs, a broadsword in her hand. Dawn trailed her, shouldering the black bag which held contents any demon would fear wielded at the Slayers mercy.

Once she reached the bottom, she threw the sword to Spike who expertly caught it by the hilt. Free of her burden, the Slayer wrapped her arms around Wood for a last embrace, and the vampire sighed with contempt.

"I'll miss you." He whispered in her ear as his hand unknowingly rubbed her back.

"I know." She pressed her head to his neck, and they shared a brief kiss before parting. "I'll call you when I get there." Breaking away, she turned toward Spike and asked with her eyes for the weapon back.

He drew it close to his chest and smirked at her. "I'm coming with Slayer."

"No. Your. Not. Now give me back my sword." She said definitely, eyebrows raised to him.

"Facing a big bad aren't we pet? Shouldn't you have someone who was once apart of the league?" He asked her. Her gaze told him she didn't agree. "Added luv, I have bonding to do with Peaches, being ensouled and all."

She didn't have the energy to argue with him, and so admitted defeat with a shake of her head. Spike smiled in triumph as she turned to give Dawn a hug, and followed her out into the dark.

"One thing clear." She said, once the door had closed behind them, lending the two the privacy of the night. "We are not a couple, and we do not mention any coupling around Angel."

"Touché." Spike said. "Embarrassed by me are you pet?"

"Extremely." She said, and started toward the door.

He chuckled and hurried after her. "I'm driving."

Buffy dangled the keys in front of him. "What gives you that idea?"

Before even her Slayer reflexes could react, he had snatched the keys from her. "Pet, you can't drive, now get in."

Shrugging past him, she settled herself in the passenger seat and waited as he circled the car to get in through the other side. Feeling a wave of exhaustion roll over her as the car revved to life, she yawned. Whatever awaited her in the LA wasn't going to be easy, only added by the fact that all three of her ex lovers would be there to accompany her. There were so many things that puzzled her as well, why were Angel and Riley of all people working together? And if they were what could be so bad as to have to call for her help?

Just pondering the questions made her dizzy, and so without regret to the day, she closed her eyes to sleep as Spike drove her out of Sunnydale and into the waiting arms of the city of angels.